do you really want an Aaroun cub? Why not a—”
“I want this one,” Israi said stubbornly, cradling the animal against the bodice of her gown. Already the Aaroun had shed tiny golden hairs upon the indigo silk. “And I will take care of her. I know what to do. That creature told me.”
The Kaa glanced at the shopkeeper, who dared to grin.
“Very fine specimen, Great One,” he said. “Very fine pet for the sri-Kaa. Perfect conformation. Color superb.”
“Superb!” Fazhmind said with a sniff of disdain. “Great Father, consider the unsuitability of an Aaroun in the palace. It will have to be fed meat. It is not even house-trained.”
Israi turned on him, her eyes blazing, her tiny rill spread at full extension. “Silence!” she shouted, stamping her foot. “You can’t tell my father what to do. I want her, and she’s mine . I’m not leaving unless I can take her with me.”
The Kaa frowned at this display of imperial temper. “Now, Daughter—”
“I’ll scream and scream and scream,” Israi threatened, glaring at them all. “I’ll make myself cry, and then I’ll throw up. I’ll—”
“Silence!” the Kaa snapped.
Israi hushed, but her chest was heaving and her eyes glittered furiously. Her rill had flushed so dark an indigo it looked almost black.
“Is it wise to threaten your father, little one?” he asked her. “Is this the way a sri-Kaa behaves in public? Have you no shame?”
Israi didn’t back down. She went on glaring up at him, stubborn to the end. Only her bottom lip trembled slightly.
That tiny sign of weakness undid the Kaa. His heart melted, and he knew he could refuse her nothing, not even this ridiculous pet she wanted.
She was too young, of course, for the charge of such an animal. But she would tire of it, perhaps by nightfall. Then the slaves could dispose of it quietly, and the matter would be ended.
“Put the animal down, Israi, that we may see it clearly.”
Israi hesitated, her eyes full of appeal.
The Kaa kept his tone reasonable, even gentle. “Put it down. We cannot tell what it looks like or even if it is beautiful enough to be yours.”
Israi bent down and put the small Aaroun on the floor. “She’s very beautiful. She—”
“Allow me to take the animal away, sire,” Fazhmind said, bustling forward unbidden. He gripped the Aaroun by the scruff of its tiny neck, and with a feeble growl the Aaroun snapped at his finger.
The courtier screamed and dropped the animal on the floor. Bouncing and rolling over with a yelp, the Aaroun crouched on shaky, newborn legs, lifted her wobbly head, and uttered a baby growl both ferocious and absurd.
“Have it killed!” Fazhmind cried, clutching his finger. His bells jingled furiously. “It’s dangerous. It bit me.”
Unexpectedly, the Kaa found himself admiring the little Aaroun’s courage, for if anyone deserved to be bitten it was Fazhmind, with his airs and affectations.
The Aaroun advanced toward Fazhmind’s foot, instinctively stiff-legged, a ridge of hair standing up along her spine. She growled again, louder this time, and snorted in disdain before turning and tottering back to Israi. Rearing up on her haunches, the Aaroun lifted her little hands in appeal, then fell over as she lost her balance.
Israi crouched on the floor and scooped up the Aaroun. “You poor thing. Are you hurt?”
“Hurt!” Fazhmind screeched. “It is I who am hurt.”
Israi ignored him, cuddling the Aaroun closer.
“Careful,” the Kaa said in alarm, concerned that the creature might attack her. “It could bite you, Israi.”
“As it bit me , sire,” Fazhmind said, still clutching his finger and grimacing dramatically in pain. “It is vicious and unpredictable. It will harm the sri-Kaa. Let the guards destroy it.”
But Israi rose to her feet with the Aaroun clutched against her. The trembling animal thrust its head beneath her comforting hand. “Don’t be silly, Lord Fazhmind,” she said. “She couldn’t
“I want this one,” Israi said stubbornly, cradling the animal against the bodice of her gown. Already the Aaroun had shed tiny golden hairs upon the indigo silk. “And I will take care of her. I know what to do. That creature told me.”
The Kaa glanced at the shopkeeper, who dared to grin.
“Very fine specimen, Great One,” he said. “Very fine pet for the sri-Kaa. Perfect conformation. Color superb.”
“Superb!” Fazhmind said with a sniff of disdain. “Great Father, consider the unsuitability of an Aaroun in the palace. It will have to be fed meat. It is not even house-trained.”
Israi turned on him, her eyes blazing, her tiny rill spread at full extension. “Silence!” she shouted, stamping her foot. “You can’t tell my father what to do. I want her, and she’s mine . I’m not leaving unless I can take her with me.”
The Kaa frowned at this display of imperial temper. “Now, Daughter—”
“I’ll scream and scream and scream,” Israi threatened, glaring at them all. “I’ll make myself cry, and then I’ll throw up. I’ll—”
“Silence!” the Kaa snapped.
Israi hushed, but her chest was heaving and her eyes glittered furiously. Her rill had flushed so dark an indigo it looked almost black.
“Is it wise to threaten your father, little one?” he asked her. “Is this the way a sri-Kaa behaves in public? Have you no shame?”
Israi didn’t back down. She went on glaring up at him, stubborn to the end. Only her bottom lip trembled slightly.
That tiny sign of weakness undid the Kaa. His heart melted, and he knew he could refuse her nothing, not even this ridiculous pet she wanted.
She was too young, of course, for the charge of such an animal. But she would tire of it, perhaps by nightfall. Then the slaves could dispose of it quietly, and the matter would be ended.
“Put the animal down, Israi, that we may see it clearly.”
Israi hesitated, her eyes full of appeal.
The Kaa kept his tone reasonable, even gentle. “Put it down. We cannot tell what it looks like or even if it is beautiful enough to be yours.”
Israi bent down and put the small Aaroun on the floor. “She’s very beautiful. She—”
“Allow me to take the animal away, sire,” Fazhmind said, bustling forward unbidden. He gripped the Aaroun by the scruff of its tiny neck, and with a feeble growl the Aaroun snapped at his finger.
The courtier screamed and dropped the animal on the floor. Bouncing and rolling over with a yelp, the Aaroun crouched on shaky, newborn legs, lifted her wobbly head, and uttered a baby growl both ferocious and absurd.
“Have it killed!” Fazhmind cried, clutching his finger. His bells jingled furiously. “It’s dangerous. It bit me.”
Unexpectedly, the Kaa found himself admiring the little Aaroun’s courage, for if anyone deserved to be bitten it was Fazhmind, with his airs and affectations.
The Aaroun advanced toward Fazhmind’s foot, instinctively stiff-legged, a ridge of hair standing up along her spine. She growled again, louder this time, and snorted in disdain before turning and tottering back to Israi. Rearing up on her haunches, the Aaroun lifted her little hands in appeal, then fell over as she lost her balance.
Israi crouched on the floor and scooped up the Aaroun. “You poor thing. Are you hurt?”
“Hurt!” Fazhmind screeched. “It is I who am hurt.”
Israi ignored him, cuddling the Aaroun closer.
“Careful,” the Kaa said in alarm, concerned that the creature might attack her. “It could bite you, Israi.”
“As it bit me , sire,” Fazhmind said, still clutching his finger and grimacing dramatically in pain. “It is vicious and unpredictable. It will harm the sri-Kaa. Let the guards destroy it.”
But Israi rose to her feet with the Aaroun clutched against her. The trembling animal thrust its head beneath her comforting hand. “Don’t be silly, Lord Fazhmind,” she said. “She couldn’t
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