THIS IS VALOURIAN ROYALTY? THE BRAINS SHRANK OVERTHE CENTURIES, I SEE.
“I—”
TRANSLATE THAT.
Funny how a smug taunt sounds the same coming from a cat as it does from a human.
“Nope. Won’t do it. Also, I’m going to step closer to you now, so please … put your fangs away.”
He growls at me, but I shake a finger at him.
“I listened to you. Now, you need to listen to me.”
Did I just …scolda snow leopard?
Mentally, I shrug. Oh, well. In for a copper, in for a silver, as Trick says.
Trick.
A flash of pain slices into me, but I force myself to shove it aside. I have a telepathic snow leopard to focus on.
And he’s absolutely beautiful. Kaelen looked the same when he transformed, but I wasn’t in a place to appreciate it then.
I wish I had the nerve to touch the cat’s ridiculously fluffy pale gray fur, marked with black and gray rosettes. What I can see of hischest and belly is pure white. And his tail is incredibly long. “Are you going to hurt us?”
One of his rounded ears twitches.
I WOULD NEVER HURT YOU. I’M HERE TO PROTECT YOU.
“He says he’s here to protect us.”
YOU. NOT “US.”
“Us would be better,” I tell him.
The snow leopard tilts his head and narrows his enormous eyes. They’re the vivid, icy blue of the sky over the mountains, and for a moment I just stare at him. He’s pure muscle beneath the fur, and he smells wholly feral and wild—like musk and grass and danger.
“You are truly beautiful,” I say honestly, unable to keep the words from spilling out of my mouth. “Like a Guild artisan painted your designs. I’ve seen drawings of snow leopards in ancient scrolls, but never in color. I had no idea you—your kind—would be so magnificent.”
He preens and stretches, all while keeping a wary eye on Kaelen.
YES. MAGNIFICENT IS A VERY GOOD WORD FOR ME.
ALSO: HUNGRY.
IS THERE FOOD, IF I CAN’T EAT THE HUMAN?
“He wants food,” I tell Kaelen. “I think we should find some for him.”
“This can’t be real,” he says, his gaze darting back and forth between my face, my wrist with its new snow leopard marking, and the very real animal in front of us. “How can this be real?”
The snow leopard makes an odd chuffing sound and then, looking at me, tilts his head toward Kaelen.
CENTURIES OF ROYAL INBREEDING.
I can’t help it. I laugh at his caustic tone in my head.
“What?”Kaelen’s eyes narrow.
