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For a moment I contemplated flying over the whole grove and forgoing the rest of the Challenge. This was turning, sorry, had turned, into a complete s**t show. I was tired and sore, with every inhalation I felt one of my ribs smart. Definitely broken, but I couldn’t heal it until I got home. I didn’t need all of snake-world knowing about my healing powers. Mastyx knew of course, but I had a feeling he didn’t share much with Lance unless he absolutely had to. Knowing the great and powerful Phoenix could heal herself and others was the kind of bargaining chip Mastyx would keep to himself. So, resigning myself to the Challenge ahead, I crouched down and peered into the canopy.
The trees were far apart, the ground between them open and smooth, but the branches overhead knotted toge
