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.
Mathiras lets out a breath. “Well, that answers that—”
The carinoux suddenly snarls at the sound of his voice, leaping up and throwing itself at the bars. We all jump, and Kaspar and Mathiras stumble backward a few feet.
“He’s all yours, Sophie,” Adiron says with a chuckle.
“Lucky me.” I take another brave step forward, and I can’t help but notice that each of the eight paws are tipped with huge, nasty claws that look razor sharp, because of course. When I step forward again, though, the rage disappears and it begins to rub its head against the bars, as if begging to be petted. I move to the edge of the cage and quietly offer my hand, just close enough.
The carinoux promptly gives my fingers a sloppy lick, mewing again.
I look over at the va Sithai brothers, and they’re watching me with a pleased expression on their faces. They need me for this, I realize with a sense of wonder.
For the first time, I’m necessary.
It’s a good feeling.
3
SOPHIE
I name the carinoux “Sleipnir.” Not that he looks much like the mythological horse, but the eight legs makes the name pop into my mind and it sticks.
The carinoux is surprisingly complacent as I harness him and lead him back to the Little Sister. If anything, he’s actually affectionate and kittenish, rubbing his head against my hand and making this rumbling sound that’s not quite a purr. He nuzzles at me at every chance he gets, and looks at me with adoring, liquid eyes. He’s sweet and clever and follows commands really well, and I have no trouble getting him on board the ship and into my quarters. Sleipnir immediately hops onto my bed, taking up the entire thing, and then rolls on his back, as if he’s wallowing in my smell. I sit on the edge and pet his head, marveling at how a scaly-looking hide can feel so supple and smooth, and how something so incredibly deadly can be so affectionate to me.
Sleipnir still doesn’t like the guys. He makes low, growling noises in his throat whenever he runs across their scents, and steps in front of me like he wants to protect me. The brothers remain on the other ship, stripping it and searching through their records, looking for the carinoux’s home. I stroke Sleipnir’s small ears and wonder why that makes me feel so…weird and uncomfortable.
“Maybe because you were stolen from your home, like me,” I murmur as I pet the animal. “Maybe because you’re nothing but a product, just like I was. No one’s interested in taking you back home, just the credits you can give them.”
Sleipnir just mews and rubs against my hand, blissed out.
The comms have gone quiet and as a few more hours tick past, I worry. The longer we spend in one place, the more of a chance of getting caught. Has something happened to them? Is that why they’ve been gone for so long? Eventually, I can’t stand the waiting and get to my feet. Sleipnir tries to come with me, but I guide him back to the bed and pat the mattress until he lies back down again.