The True Confessions of a Nine-Tailed Fox

Chapter 27: Caltrop Pond

This time, I listened to my turtle instincts. I even spent a whole week in Black Sand Creek, letting my turtle brain direct my body and observing its habits from the back of my mind. As Flicker had pointed out, oracle-shell turtles were indeed primarily aquatic; at least, my body wanted to spend two-thirds of the time in the water, and after what happened last life, I wasn't inclined to argue with it. After a week, I thought I understood the basics of Being an Oracle-Shell Turtle 101. Off I lumbered in search of Honeysuckle Croft.

Despite its romantic name, the cottage looked much more, uh, rustic in the daytime. It was shaped like a crude box, with a thatched roof, a splintery door, a hole for the lone window, rough walls that wavered between yellowing white and dirt-colored, and a scraggly vegetable patch full of caterpillar-gnawed plants. Oh, and that eponymous tangle of honeysuckle growing up the front wall, wafting fragrance through the air. That was the nicest part – the only nice part, in fact – of Imperial Princess Cassia Quarta's new home.

Since it was the middle of the day, Master Jek and the sons were nowhere in sight, off plowing their fields or doing whatever peasants did in the winter. As for Mistress Jek, around the corner staggered a disheveled matron, loaded down with an armful of firewood and scolding, "Taila! Stop! Stop RIGHT NOW!"

At her heels stumbled a scrawny, barefoot girl-child with a patched tunic, messy braids, and dirt-streaked cheeks. "Awww, Maaaaaaa!" she bawled.

"Taila! I ain't cappin'! NOW!"

Reluctantly, the girl opened her cupped hands and released a cockroach, watching with teary eyes as it vanished back into the wall.

"Open the door!" her mother snapped. As Taila shoved it open and the two disappeared into the dark hut, Mistress Jek continued to nag, "No playin' when you should be helpin'! Yer four years old now. It's time to act yer age. How're you gonna get a husband when you grow up if you can't do NUTHIN'? When I was your age, I could already...." The rest was drowned out by the loud thunks of firewood hitting the floor, but I could guess where that lecture was going.

For a pampered, silk-clad princess to have fallen so far! No wonder Aurelia had begged me to watch over her!

Shaking my head, I clomped past the shack and headed for the pond.

As its name suggested, Caltrop Pond was a small pond whose surface was carpeted with the green rosettes of water caltrop leaves. It was surrounded by rocks that looked perfect for sunbathing. In fact, as I approached, a mortal turtle bobbed to the surface, pushed its way through the leaves, and crawled onto one of the rocks. It slowly rotated its neck to stare at me, decided I wasn't a threat, and went back to basking.

Not a bad base of operations, I thought. This place was a short walk from Taila's home, so I could rehydrate as needed while blending in with the local turtle population. Now, how deep was the pond, and would I have to keep Taila from drowning in it?

Lumbering to the edge, I slipped into the water. It was clogged with the caltrops' stems and feathery underwater leaves, but I wound between them, angling down. Beneath the rosettes, the pond was dark, lit primarily by beams of sunlight that filtered down through the leaves. It wasn't very deep, but a four-year-old could drown herself anyway. Yes, I'd definitely have to supervise her if she stumbled her way here.

Now, where was the Dragon King of Caltrop Pond? After making a circuit of the bottom, I noticed a path through the caltrop stems. It led to a hole only three feet in diameter – too small to be called a cave – above which hung a wooden board with black words on it. I didn't have to read it to guess what it said, but I swam over anyway.