Total pages in book: 182
Estimated words: 171288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 171288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
“A thousand pardons for any disturbance I might have caused, oh great Chieftain,” V’rex said, bowing again. “I have but a few humble tokens but I come not to barter but to give a gift, if I may be so bold?”
“Very well.” The black Fox’en sat up straighter in his stone throne. “Let us see this ‘gift’ you have brought from afar, Merchant.”
“Yes, of course. If your Excellency will just give me a moment to find it…” V’rex beckoned to Penny, who came forward to join him in front of the royal Fox’ens. She was completely bemused by his “humble merchant” routine and amazed at how easily he could get into character when he wanted to. This was a side of the big Hybrid she hadn’t seen before.
V’rex made a great show of opening his furry black pouch and looking through the contents.
“Hold this, will you please?” he said to Penny, handing her a delicate golden bracelet lined with diamonds and rubies as big as blueberries. “And this,” he added, giving her a black lacquered box.
As he gave her the box, V’rex casually let the lid pop open and Penny heard a faint whistling sound that was almost like a tune, though it was too high for her to hear very much.
“Oh, what is that lovely melody?” Lady Bright Coat had a soft, sweet voice. She stared curiously at the box in Penny’s hands.
“My apologies, your Loveliness,” V’rex said dismissively. “That is but a trinket I picked up on my travels in the Shola System. It is an Oberian music box which plays a different melody every hour. Though I must commend your fine taste—it is said that only those with the most refined interest in music can hear its lovely songs.” He shrugged. “I myself hear almost nothing—but of course, I am only a Merchant, not a musician or an expert on music.”
“Oh, I see.” Lady Bright Coat’s large, liquid eyes were bright with interest and she was leaning forward a little in her chair. Chieftain Swift Tail, however, still seemed unimpressed.
“Is that the gift?” he asked in a flat tone.
“By no means, your Excellency. Now, I know it’s in here somewhere…Please hold this as well, sweetheart,” V’rex said, handing Penny a tough leather braid that had knots as big as her fists on either end of it. It had a very strong, meaty smell.
Like beef jerky times ten, Penny thought, trying not to wrinkle her nose as she took the leather braid.
Clearly she wasn’t the only one who smelled it, though. Chieftain Swift Tail suddenly sat forward, the nostrils of his wet black nose flaring.
“Now, what might that be, Merchant?” he asked, nodding at the braid in Penny’s hand.
“Oh, that is but a Rostian fang sharpener,” V’rex said, shrugging. “It’s meant to last for a hundred cycles so that the owner’s fangs never grow dull as long as he or she chews on it at least once a day. Also, it makes some rather amusing noises.” He reached over and pinched one of the knots at the end of the braid and a squeaky sound came out.
A chew toy, Penny thought, trying not to smile. It’s nothing but an expensive chew toy!
But it seemed to be exactly the kind of thing the Fox’ens liked, for Chieftain Swift Tail’s brilliant blue eyes were trained on it avidly.
“Is that the gift you wished to give me, Merchant?” he asked, sounding hopeful, Penny thought.
“Ah, alas, I cannot insult your Excellency by offering so mean a present,” V’rex remarked. “Please bear with me just a moment more while I find what I’m looking for.”
He dug around in the bag some more and brought out the carved wooden box with the Silka spice inside.
“And what may that be?” Lady Bright Coat asked, leaning forward. “It has a most intriguing scent—I can smell it even through the box.”
“Ah, this is rare and expensive Silka spice.” V’rex opened the lid carefully to display the indigo sticks of compressed spice on their cushion of brilliant orange velvet. “It is said to give the one who imbibes it a vision of their future or an answer to the most pressing question on their mind.” He closed the lid again and went back to digging in his pouch. “Now where can that gift be?”
Penny understood what the big Hybrid was doing now. He was piquing the royal Fox’ens’ interest and showing them his wares as he supposedly hunted for just the right gift. She wondered if he would be able to find something that Chieftain Swift Tail and Lady Bright Coat wanted enough to trade the Eye of Ten’gu for.
“Ah, here it is at last!” V’rex held up a blackish-greenish-purplish oblong object encased in a clear crystal box edged in gold. It sat on a plump cushion of white velvet and looked like a large egg to Penny.