Yellow eyes flickered toward Taig's poem with disdain. "A poem is the price, but a reading with
theatrical flair would be appreciated. You don't want me sending you down the garbage chute, do you? I don't think the maw of Uuvuuduum bothers to sort living meat from dead meat. It would be useful to know if he did eat lost students, however."
Liam grinned widely, trying his best to hide a laugh at Susie's remarks. He didn't want to be mean. It was just that this was typical Susie. "I think we're supposed to-" Their right arm punched him in the chest. "-ow! I think we're meant to answer one he asks, Susie." Kana gave her a reassuring smile.
"Yes. Its just the answer you need, not the riddle. Though I suppose if you brought a riddle and an answer that would suffice? You really should have considered that." Old Tom purred with delight. "Now then,
"There are four cottages down the lane. They are made from glass, stone, straw and wood.
The Connlaothian's cottage is somewhere to the left of the wooden one, and the third one along is stone.
The Adelan owns a straw cottage, and the Duhjari does not live at either end, but lives somewhere to the right of the glass cottage.
The Essryni lives in the fourth cottage, whilst the first cottage is not made from straw.
Who lives where, and what is their cottage made from?"
As the cat spoke Kanaliam traced their fingers in the air, conjuring forth spectral parchment to record the puzzle. Liam stared at it in consternation. Before the boy could open his mouth Kana grinned. "The Adelan lives in the straw cottage cuz they're too dumb to know their dragons will burn it. The Connlaothian lives in a glass house so Ansar-or-whoever can watch 'em do it without magic. The Essryni lives in a stone house because, uh, deserts. And the Duhjari lives in the wood house because we've got big-" with a muffled cry Kana's and Liam's mouths simply vanished.
"Ah, not quite."
Liam, mouthless, stamped his foot in anger, glowering at the cat.
"One answer per student. And I do believe
Kaliam has already had his turn. Perhaps the rest of you would like to consider it more carefully?"