surrounds, and her round ears moved equally incessantly, picking up every sound in an equally anxious manner. Her eyes were huge and dark with long dark lashes. He thought her most beautiful.
‘Yes, she seems fine but she’s not because she’s pale blue today, which means she’s very nervous.’
‘What is her happy colour?’
‘Normally a buttery-yellow colour signifies she’s feeling safe and happy—she goes a bit orange when she’s joyous. Green is her calm, content colour.’
‘Does she get cold with no fur or feathers?’
‘No. I don’t really understand how her body works but she’s off the purples, so this place is more to her liking. She thinks you’re handsome by the way.’
Griff felt his cheeks redden. ‘Well, she’d be the first to think so. Trust my luck…a califa!’
Tess giggled. ‘She’s incredibly pretty by califa standards.’
‘I can see that—even though I didn’t know until now what a califa looked like. Please tell her I think she’s very beautiful,’ Griff replied, no longer blushing. Tess must have told Helys because the little creature glowed orange momentarily. He cleared his throat. ‘So you feel comfortable with your friends here? I’m sorry they’re tied up, Tess, but we just have to prove to Tyren that you are cooperating.’
Before Tess could answer, the showmaster stomped into the clearing with Chauncey, whose mouth was slack with wonder when he sighted the animals. ‘You’re not defying me are you, young Tess?’
‘No, Master Tyren,’ she replied, glancing at Chauncey, who appeared entranced. ‘Er, I took Griff’s advice and each of the creatures is secured by a rope. They feel safer here than among the wagons.’
‘I’ve explained to Tess that we don’t always stop in places where woods are so near, Master Tyren,’ Griff lied, but he knew precisely how the showmaster’s mind worked and decided he would cut off any objections before they arose. ‘I think if we can just win the creatures’ trust in these early weeks whilst we’re still moving along the fringe of the woods, then by the time we reach somewhere like Cupsley, or Bridgetown, they will allow us to house them beneath a tent or in a wagon.’
‘But what if someone should see them here?’ Tyren exclaimed.
Tess shook her head. ‘They won’t. My creatures know how to hide themselves. They are well practised. And we’re not here long enough are we?’
Chauncey didn’t reply and got a dig in the ribs from his boss to prompt him to pay attention.
‘Sorry, Master Tyren,’ the big man said, ‘Cor, these beasts will fill the tent over and over.’
Tyren threw him a greedy look of agreement. ‘How long are we here?’ he repeated.
Chauncey tore his gaze from the quartet of curious creatures and shrugged. ‘We perform tomorrow; we’re gone the next morning, Boss.’
Tyren’s eyes narrowed, deepening into his fleshy face. ‘Alright. I’m holding you responsible, Griff. This was your idea. If I lose a single creature, you and your brothers will go without wages for a year.’
Griff nodded, hardly even hearing the threat. ‘You won’t lose any of them, I promise.’
‘How can you be so sure she won’t run?’ Tyren demanded. Then as though something had dawned on him, he smiled. ‘Ah, of course. I understand how you know. Very good. I want to talk to you, Griff. Come see me later. It’s important.’
Griff did not allow his anxiety to show. He simply nodded, although he knew what it meant: Tyren was going to ask him to perform.
‘Settle in, Tess and start thinking about your act, what you’regoing to wear and how you’re going to approach presenting the beasts,’ Tyren said over his shoulder. ‘Don’t even think about escape. Griff here will tell me if you do.’ He left with Chauncey in tow, both chuckling quietly.
‘So, you’re spying on me?’ she asked, a combination of looking aghast and angry in her expression at the same time. She folded her
‘Yes, she seems fine but she’s not because she’s pale blue today, which means she’s very nervous.’
‘What is her happy colour?’
‘Normally a buttery-yellow colour signifies she’s feeling safe and happy—she goes a bit orange when she’s joyous. Green is her calm, content colour.’
‘Does she get cold with no fur or feathers?’
‘No. I don’t really understand how her body works but she’s off the purples, so this place is more to her liking. She thinks you’re handsome by the way.’
Griff felt his cheeks redden. ‘Well, she’d be the first to think so. Trust my luck…a califa!’
Tess giggled. ‘She’s incredibly pretty by califa standards.’
‘I can see that—even though I didn’t know until now what a califa looked like. Please tell her I think she’s very beautiful,’ Griff replied, no longer blushing. Tess must have told Helys because the little creature glowed orange momentarily. He cleared his throat. ‘So you feel comfortable with your friends here? I’m sorry they’re tied up, Tess, but we just have to prove to Tyren that you are cooperating.’
Before Tess could answer, the showmaster stomped into the clearing with Chauncey, whose mouth was slack with wonder when he sighted the animals. ‘You’re not defying me are you, young Tess?’
‘No, Master Tyren,’ she replied, glancing at Chauncey, who appeared entranced. ‘Er, I took Griff’s advice and each of the creatures is secured by a rope. They feel safer here than among the wagons.’
‘I’ve explained to Tess that we don’t always stop in places where woods are so near, Master Tyren,’ Griff lied, but he knew precisely how the showmaster’s mind worked and decided he would cut off any objections before they arose. ‘I think if we can just win the creatures’ trust in these early weeks whilst we’re still moving along the fringe of the woods, then by the time we reach somewhere like Cupsley, or Bridgetown, they will allow us to house them beneath a tent or in a wagon.’
‘But what if someone should see them here?’ Tyren exclaimed.
Tess shook her head. ‘They won’t. My creatures know how to hide themselves. They are well practised. And we’re not here long enough are we?’
Chauncey didn’t reply and got a dig in the ribs from his boss to prompt him to pay attention.
‘Sorry, Master Tyren,’ the big man said, ‘Cor, these beasts will fill the tent over and over.’
Tyren threw him a greedy look of agreement. ‘How long are we here?’ he repeated.
Chauncey tore his gaze from the quartet of curious creatures and shrugged. ‘We perform tomorrow; we’re gone the next morning, Boss.’
Tyren’s eyes narrowed, deepening into his fleshy face. ‘Alright. I’m holding you responsible, Griff. This was your idea. If I lose a single creature, you and your brothers will go without wages for a year.’
Griff nodded, hardly even hearing the threat. ‘You won’t lose any of them, I promise.’
‘How can you be so sure she won’t run?’ Tyren demanded. Then as though something had dawned on him, he smiled. ‘Ah, of course. I understand how you know. Very good. I want to talk to you, Griff. Come see me later. It’s important.’
Griff did not allow his anxiety to show. He simply nodded, although he knew what it meant: Tyren was going to ask him to perform.
‘Settle in, Tess and start thinking about your act, what you’regoing to wear and how you’re going to approach presenting the beasts,’ Tyren said over his shoulder. ‘Don’t even think about escape. Griff here will tell me if you do.’ He left with Chauncey in tow, both chuckling quietly.
‘So, you’re spying on me?’ she asked, a combination of looking aghast and angry in her expression at the same time. She folded her
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