Total pages in book: 149
Estimated words: 135784 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 679(@200wpm)___ 543(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135784 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 679(@200wpm)___ 543(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
Well, now I really am worried. What the hell? My body breaks out into a fear-sweat as we head into the large, nearly empty cargo bay of the enemy ship. Sure enough, at the far end of the large bay, Kaspar and Mathiras stand, hands on weapons, talking quietly. They’re in front of what looks like an enormous square box, and as we approach, the entire thing shakes and rattles and the creature roars its outrage again.
The brothers look up as we approach, and relief crosses Mathiras’s face. “Good. You’re here. Come closer, Sophie.”
My mouth goes dry and I want to suddenly hide behind Adiron. Is this the use they’ve found for me? Feeding me to a monster? “W-what’s going on?”
“You’re scaring her,” Adiron says, putting a comforting hand on my shoulder and tugging me forward. “Just show her already.”
Mathiras nods. “I promise you’re in no danger, Sophie.” He gestures at the shaking, furious box. “We’ve found a rainbow carinoux.”
Kaspar clears his throat. “Not really ‘found.’ More like ‘acquired.’”
His brother flashes him an irritated look. “We’re taking it back with us. They sell for a fortune in the right circles.”
I look at the cage, the sides blacked out and shielded so I can’t see inside. The entire thing shakes as if it’s about to come apart, and my stomach clenches with dismay. We’re taking THAT thing aboard the Little Sister? While the ship is a decent size, its halls and rooms are cramped and I’m not sure that’s such a good idea. I cross my arms over my chest, trying not to show my alarm. “What does this have to do with me?”
“Do you know what a carinoux is?” When I shake my head, Kaspar moves toward the cage, ignoring the way it comes to life, rattling and thrashing. He taps a code into the locking mechanism and the shields slide back, revealing the caged creature inside.
It’s utterly beautiful and completely and totally alien in a way that makes my human brain struggle to process. I try to match it up to creatures that I’ve seen before—there’s a lizardlike sinuousness to its body and the long, lashing tail. The head and body are more like an enormous lion, but the muzzle and nostrils are flat, the mouth full of serrated teeth. The thing has eight legs, all of them moving in time as it paces back and forth, snarling and glaring at Kaspar.
I see why it’s called a “rainbow” carinoux, too. Instead of fur, this cat has a scaly-looking hide that gleams iridescent even in the ship’s poor lighting. Myriad colors dance across its skin like a living opal, and I’m fascinated even as I’m terrified.
“You can come closer,” Kaspar says, sticking a finger through the bars and wiggling it. He barely manages to pull away before the fanged maw snaps at it.
“Why?” I blurt. Why would I want to come closer? I’m not crazy.
“Carinoux are a breed of protector-kin from the Slatra system,” Mathiras says, watching the cat-like thing pace back and forth in its cage. “They hate men, but they’re extremely protective of females. Rich families like to get them to guard their wives and daughters. If we can get this one sold, we’re talking millions of credits. You’d get a quarter, of course.”
My mouth goes dry at the thought of all those credits. Money of my own. Enough to be independent…theoretically. There’s nowhere safe for a human on this end of the universe.
But money helps, and I want that money.
Adiron scratches at his chin. “And if they just came from the Slatra system, there might be a way for us to pick up a few more, if we can find their nav charts.”
Kaspar makes an enthusiastic sound in his throat. “And here I thought you were dumb, little brother.”
Adiron just gives him a dopey grin.
More of these things…but more money. Hesitant, I take a step forward.
“We need you because you’re female, Sophie,” Mathiras says. “Can you get this one to calm down enough so we can take him on the Little Sister?”
Oh jeez. I lick my lips. “You’re sure it won’t hurt me?”
“If it did, it’d be the first carinoux in history to do so,” Kaspar says, his half-feral gaze on the cage, as if he wants to rush in and wrestle the damn monster.
That’s not exactly comforting. I take another step forward, just as the creature starts to growl angrily at Kaspar. I swallow hard and take another step. “Here now,” I whisper. “Let’s calm down, shall we?”
The carinoux’s small, pointed ears flick, and the wide head swings in my direction. It looks over at me, big, dark eyes blinking, huge teeth gleaming.
“Nice kitty,” I offer. “You’re kind of a kitty, right?”
The thing tilts its head, then thumps down on its haunches, tail flicking like an excited dog’s. It gives a kittenish mew, then rolls onto its belly, wiggling.