Page 43 (1/2)
He re through the veil of saliva dribbling down his eyelid as he slowly, calht,’ he said, ‘so, anye’re leaving’
‘Leaving’ Togu levelled a scowl at Bagaga?’
‘I don’t--’
The king ed froa off to the shadows and leaving the larger Owauku to sigh and stalk toward his throne, keeping one large eye upon the companions Lenk watched him with so to take the news, but he wasn’t anticipating such calain, he wasn’t sure he had ever actually anticipated having to explain anything to a feathered lizardu said ‘Have we not done all we could to establish our hospitality?’
The quality of the king’s speech should likely have provided soainst the other Owauku, it merely made him seem all the more peculiar
‘Well, yes,’ Lenk replied, ‘but surely, you must have knoe’d have to leave so deftly leapt onto the ar fro up to perch on the velvet-lined back His position, combined with his feathers, lent him an avian appearance that was only made more ominous as he reached doith a foot to slide the cloak off the stout figure seated in the throne A truly ly on the red velvet as Togu reached down to pluck up the hose and bring it to his scaly lips
‘I suppose I was hoping that, against better judgeer for a while It has been nice to have huain’
‘And your hospitality has been …’ Don’t say ‘horrifying’ ‘--lovely,’ Lenk said ‘But we’ve got other places to be’
‘And there is nothing I can say to convince you otherwise, I’reat yellow eye swivelled to the portal, regarding Bagaga out with a tiny censer full of s coals He quickly applied them to the waterpipe, the rich scent of flavoured tobacco filling the air alu drew in a breath that lasted for ages, his chest inflating to a size preposterous for a creature his size When he did speak again, his words careat, fire-breathing beast
‘Which does au offered hiies to both of the companions as he scurried between theo only until he was exactly three and a half feet out of earshot then turned back to Togu
‘Well, as youanywhere,’ he explained ‘We had been expecting a …’ Don’t say ‘hired peon’ ‘--friend to con of a black ship lately’
‘Have you?’ Kataria chi on a stray ash that had crept its way into his hose He shook his head, thuently
‘Not as such, no,’ he said He appeared to furrow his scaly ridges in thought, Lenk thought, but that ht just be sorapefruits to convey ‘No … no … the Gonould have spoken of such a boat’
‘Ah, well, that seeh hi his spine for a ht shake snow fro,’ Lenk finished, his voice degenerating into a ht have been helpful if the Gonwa had actually told us first, though’
‘They are … a co his chin ‘They coh sun and, as such, they lack our "sunny" disposition’ He grinned at his own joke ‘Theyrow on them’
‘And why did they lance from Lenk
That does seem important … Should … shouldn’t I have asked that?
‘Why would you?’
That’s usually ? Let soard her carefully ‘Feel free to ask them’
She accepted the retort ould appear, to anyone else, as a cool silence Lenk, however, could see the faint tremble of her upper lip, the minuscule twitch of her eyelid, and a tiny, distinct quiver of her ears
‘Sees Hears Lies’
‘What?’ he whispered inwardly
‘Point being,’ Togu continued, ‘Teji war another deep puff of his pipe ‘I’m sure you could find your place in it, if you wished’
‘Point being,’ Lenk retorted, ‘that we don’t We appreciate the hospitality inas loincloths slapped on us, but--’
‘We areyour clothes It takes time e lack thread’
‘That, too, is appreciated, which bringsif we could ask a little u’s eyes shifted to him ‘Ask away’
‘A sea chart to find the nearest shipping lanes to the mainland, a boat to take us there, food to make it there and--’
‘Sword’
‘And …’
‘Sword’
‘So …’
‘Need’
‘Pants,’ Kataria interjected ‘We want our pants back’
‘Pants?’ Togu began toout of his nostrils ‘Pants, pants, pants … It’s always pants with hus and calling me hu thee!’
‘Can you get us that sort of thing or not?’ Lenk asked with a sigh ‘You can keep whatever it is you found fro out’
‘What sort of sos’
‘Such as?’
‘Kill stuff,’ Kataria said, sniffing, ‘s,’ Lenk countered with a glare
‘Like what?’ she asked, sneering
‘Things, you know …’ He leaned back, twirling his hand in what he hoped was at least vaguely thoughtful ‘Such as … well, Denaos, I know, can play the lute You probably have soht?’
‘Ah, yes, the tall one,’ Togu said, inclining his head approvingly ‘My people are quite fond of hi to say about your decision to leave?’
‘Nothing hile,’ Kataria replied ‘The only thinghere is a bunch of whining and probably so stupid like that’ She frowned, shrugging ‘So can we have the boat or not?’
Before Togu could even open his ?’
‘Negotiating’
‘No, you’re just speaking loudly You don’t understand negotiation’ He tapped his chest ‘That’s what I do’
‘So … don’t this ti him curiously ‘Is that such a problem?’
‘It isn’t, you know’
‘You be quiet,’ Lenk snarled
‘Who be quiet?’ Togu asked
‘Why even negotiate? Why leave? Everything you need is right here’
‘Everything we need …’ Lenk whispered to himself