insulted, because she could tell what he really meant was “I am most grateful for your intervention, oh wise and beautiful Sanae, because otherwise I would never be forward enough to show this arrogant person I know more about the world than he does.”
Great dragons have their own language, Sanae said, to help him out.
“I’ve never heard of this,” the scribe said. “If it were true, somebody would have written about it.”
People who meet great dragons aren’t the type to sit down and write scrolls to entertain people who have nothing better to do than read!
“There’s nothing wrong with reading!” Yuki said. Turning back to the scribe, he explained, “I don’t think they ever use their private language in front of humans, but they name themselves in it. I had a…friend, who was named Drac. Not Du-ra-ku, like we’d pronounce it. There’s no U sound. I know what it translates to, but I’d rather not say. It was a confidence.”
“I see.” The scribe’ s tone was so neutral it meant he didn’t believe a word they said.
Whether you believe us or not doesn’t make it any less true, Sanae sniffed. We’ve all met Drac.
Because she didn’t have a tongue to limit her pronunciation, she could say the word without the Us quite easily.
“As you say. If you’ll excuse me…” Raising his voice, the scribe barked, “We leave at first light! Anyone not up and ready will be left behind!”
The boys piled into their tent, all except her brother, who lingered outside face turned into the wind. “It would be a good night for a hunt.”
If you could afford to shift, she said sharply. The healer said the only way this wound will heal is if you leave it alone, so don’t you dare attempt to shift or bleed red.
Akakiba whirled round; she made herself visible so he could make eye contact. “Maru said that?”
Yes. I asked.
She half-expected him to be upset; he didn’t like when his secrets were shared without permission. But he only exhaled noisily and stood watching the night a while longer.
Yuki put his head out of the tent. “Is something wrong?”
“No.” To her, Akakiba said, “Watch Hachiro. He has the original sword and it’s very, very dangerous.”
Oh, first it’s “don’t spy,” and now it’s “do spy”? I’ll notice if he tries anything. Go sleep.
Sanae stood guard overnight, pacing round and round. Nothing more dangerous than falling snowflakes came to her attention. The emperor’s men made no threatening move and the two men on guard duty pretended they weren’t watching the tent where Akakiba and company were sleeping. They were watching, but it was nice they tried to act like the fox party was a welcome part of the expedition.
No unwelcome spirit showed up and no crazed cultists attacked. How boring.
Sanae sat listening to the wind, almost able to trick herself into believing it was calling her name. There was something about the way it whistled that felt mysterious and unnatural.
I’m too young to go insane, she remarked to Momo. The squirrel had slept for a while, but now scurried about camp with her. He’d never stop following her if the others didn’t stop feeding him! I thought you were a flying squirrel. Go find a tree to fly from.
Momo looked at her with his dark liquid eyes and didn’t go away.
Oh, fine. We can go rattle the guards on watch together. It’ll be fun.
The scribe lived up to his word. The painfully bright sunrise found them on the road, the humans bleary-eyed as they pulled or followed the supply carts.
I don’t know how he knows I’m here, Sanae complained. Momo was trailing her on the ground.
Yuki laughed. “Is that why you’re misting? To hide from the squirrel?”
No, it’s because the sun is out today. Now I know why demons hate sunlight—it feels like it’s trying to burn me away.
As long as she stayed in mist form, exposure to sunlight felt like having an itchy nose and no free hand to scratch it, a maddening but not
Great dragons have their own language, Sanae said, to help him out.
“I’ve never heard of this,” the scribe said. “If it were true, somebody would have written about it.”
People who meet great dragons aren’t the type to sit down and write scrolls to entertain people who have nothing better to do than read!
“There’s nothing wrong with reading!” Yuki said. Turning back to the scribe, he explained, “I don’t think they ever use their private language in front of humans, but they name themselves in it. I had a…friend, who was named Drac. Not Du-ra-ku, like we’d pronounce it. There’s no U sound. I know what it translates to, but I’d rather not say. It was a confidence.”
“I see.” The scribe’ s tone was so neutral it meant he didn’t believe a word they said.
Whether you believe us or not doesn’t make it any less true, Sanae sniffed. We’ve all met Drac.
Because she didn’t have a tongue to limit her pronunciation, she could say the word without the Us quite easily.
“As you say. If you’ll excuse me…” Raising his voice, the scribe barked, “We leave at first light! Anyone not up and ready will be left behind!”
The boys piled into their tent, all except her brother, who lingered outside face turned into the wind. “It would be a good night for a hunt.”
If you could afford to shift, she said sharply. The healer said the only way this wound will heal is if you leave it alone, so don’t you dare attempt to shift or bleed red.
Akakiba whirled round; she made herself visible so he could make eye contact. “Maru said that?”
Yes. I asked.
She half-expected him to be upset; he didn’t like when his secrets were shared without permission. But he only exhaled noisily and stood watching the night a while longer.
Yuki put his head out of the tent. “Is something wrong?”
“No.” To her, Akakiba said, “Watch Hachiro. He has the original sword and it’s very, very dangerous.”
Oh, first it’s “don’t spy,” and now it’s “do spy”? I’ll notice if he tries anything. Go sleep.
Sanae stood guard overnight, pacing round and round. Nothing more dangerous than falling snowflakes came to her attention. The emperor’s men made no threatening move and the two men on guard duty pretended they weren’t watching the tent where Akakiba and company were sleeping. They were watching, but it was nice they tried to act like the fox party was a welcome part of the expedition.
No unwelcome spirit showed up and no crazed cultists attacked. How boring.
Sanae sat listening to the wind, almost able to trick herself into believing it was calling her name. There was something about the way it whistled that felt mysterious and unnatural.
I’m too young to go insane, she remarked to Momo. The squirrel had slept for a while, but now scurried about camp with her. He’d never stop following her if the others didn’t stop feeding him! I thought you were a flying squirrel. Go find a tree to fly from.
Momo looked at her with his dark liquid eyes and didn’t go away.
Oh, fine. We can go rattle the guards on watch together. It’ll be fun.
The scribe lived up to his word. The painfully bright sunrise found them on the road, the humans bleary-eyed as they pulled or followed the supply carts.
I don’t know how he knows I’m here, Sanae complained. Momo was trailing her on the ground.
Yuki laughed. “Is that why you’re misting? To hide from the squirrel?”
No, it’s because the sun is out today. Now I know why demons hate sunlight—it feels like it’s trying to burn me away.
As long as she stayed in mist form, exposure to sunlight felt like having an itchy nose and no free hand to scratch it, a maddening but not
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