Rain was drawn
to a stall where the merchant sold small animals in ornate cages. He moved closer,
intrigued, and Vannis with him. The animals were healthy- just as well, or the
vendor would have faced an irate Lord of the Mantle- and were largely
domesticated creatures such as kittens, puppies, birds and a few fluffy
rodents. He had a few exotics on display- squirrels, wild birds, a number of
water fowl- and it was here that Rain’s attention fixated. Not the water fowl,
the lizards. Tiny, bright, arresting lizards, one of them a dragon in every way
but size. It was sleekly scaled with a horn behind its head and a tail flicked
as if irritated. It was blue. Vannis, beside him, drew slow breath, and they
glanced at each other.
‘A little dragon,’
Rain whispered.
‘Is that native
to Valaris?’ Vannis asked.
The vendor heard
and was quick to point out it could not possibly have come from elsewhere. That
was true…as far as animals went. In the present.
‘I’ve never seen
one like this before,’ Rain muttered.
‘A Blue Spike,
sir. Look it up in any library,’ the vendor responded touchily. ‘Rare, but not
protected or even close to endangered. I have a license.’
Rain nodded and
moved away. The man stared after him. Vannis was about to haul the man over the
counter for lying about the creature being endangered and then thought they did
not need the attention. He moved after Rain and caught up with him.
‘He was lying.’
‘I know.’
‘Strange little
creature.’
‘Yes.’
Vannis sighed.
‘You were instantly enchanted...because it looks like a miniature dragon?’
Rain stared at
him. ‘It’s unusual. What are you trying to say?’
‘That certain
instincts begin to assail you. You’d do well to start listening.’
HOUSE OF VALLA
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