She jerked back as if I’d slapped her. I’d have to worry about her hurt feelings later, because right now, we had other problems. We were about to have guests.
Curious chimeras flew over the lava flow to see what all the fuss was. They conferred and whispered with one another, pointing at us with their tails. A shiver racked my body, traveling up my spine. Some of their tails were serpentlike—with actual serpent heads.
I couldn’t make out what anyone was saying though, and not just because they were whispering. Have you ever heard a one-ton beast whisper? It’s not very quiet. No, it was all the voices talking at once that created a buzz so that no one voice could be easily picked out from the group.
Kato launched himself in the air and landed on the nearest outcropping of rock. He let out what was probably meant to be a mighty roar, but it came out more like a squeak. The room full of chimeras guffawed and heckled him.
“Whose hatchling is that?”
“From the belly, pup. Ha ha, try again. From the belly.”
Kato did not take to being mocked very well. He sent them all frostbite-worthy looks, but the other beasts paid him no mind. To them, he was a pipsqueak who had left the hatchery too soon. Kato’s voice could not rise above the din.
Chimeras surrounded us. Rexi jostled into me, and I took a step back, my heel landing on something squishy. Angry hissing rose from the floor and traveled up the length of my body until the forked tongue from a serpent tail licked along my arm. I followed the line of the tail up to its chimera owner. His body was patched with scars interrupting his fur, his wings looked like they were molting, and one of his horns was broken off. The other was sharper than any sword I’ve seen. Both the chimera and his snake tail raised part of their lip in a snarl, exposing fangs.
“Enough!”
I looked up at Kato, grateful that he had finally found his voice. But it wasn’t him speaking.
Bob parted the circle and walked toward Rexi and me, fire flowers falling victim to each step. “How dare you mock our lord?”
Bob was the largest of the bunch, but not by much. He also seemed to be well respected because the other chimeras backed off. Most of them, anyway. The chimera that owned the stepped-on tail got in Bob’s face.
“Our lord is not here. He abandoned us to go collect some child bride. I only see a walking matchstick girl and her mouthy human. I, for one, am tired of outsiders coming into our home. First the green witch, and now this piece of kindling.” Using his snake-headed tail, he gestured over to me in disgust.
I skipped over the insults and focused on the really important part. Verte had been here. Why and when? I wanted to go over and beat it out of him, but even I wasn’t that stupid.
Kato flew haltingly next to me, staring fearlessly up at the bully, even though the tips of Kato’s horns only came up to the bully’s armpits. “Grifflespontus, I suggest that you apologize to your future queen. And then you may apologize to me.”
I thought I’d been pretty clear with him and itched to argue about the whole “future queen” part of that, but now didn’t seem like the right time.
Griff was a little slow on the uptake. He didn’t notice the other chimeras gasp and hurriedly bow on their forepaws. He lowered himself muzzle to muzzle with Kato. “And why should I apologize to a runt like you?”
Kato’s ice-blue eyes honed in on Griff. “Because I am your liege, and if you don’t, I will continue to freeze you where you stand.”
I looked down at the bully’s paws. They were covered in frost crystals.
Rexi scooted away from me to get a closer look. “Whoa. Is fur ball doing that? When did he get that little nifty trick?” She shook her head in disgust. “Typical, everyone else gets cool magic and all I get is tied up with old lady tights.”
Whatever he was doing, it didn’t look easy. I don’t think anyone else noticed because they were all looking at the ice growing up Griff’s legs, but Kato’s shoulders held a fine tremor. He swayed slightly, unsteady on his feet.
I walked over and laid a hand on his back, which now rested just above my waist. “Enough.”
Kato continued to do his icy stare but whispered, just barely audible, “Stay out of it. This isn’t your concern.”
I leaned into his ear. “I’m saving your tail before you fall over on it from exhaustion. Remember, finesse over force.” Loud enough for all to hear, I said in my best princess voice, “Please spare this poor fool. He obviously could not recognize you in your new form.”
Rexi may have rolled her eyes at the change in my tone, but the bully was not as dumb as he looked. He grabbed on to the lifeline I offered him. “Forgive me,” he said through chattering fangs. “I could never have expected to see the future Beast King as a beast himself.”