The LEVELER King ✔

BOOK 3: CHAPTER 1

There wasn't much sunlight in the coming morning but Idrus walked on; he welcomed it—he needed to dry his scales.

Nala rode the sloth, uncommonly quiet. Idrus was as well. He'd waited for the rain to come back. In a way he almost wished it would return worse than before.

Sitting above the sloth, posture stoic, Nala rocked side to side with each sluggish step.

Finally, Idrus slowed the beast.

"We've traveled in silence until now. Do you intend to remain contrary?"

Nala gave no response. She didn't even look at him.

The rocks in the distance would be a good place to rest and sun for a spell.

Idrus brought the sloth to a halt. Somehow, he felt that whenever Nala got like this, she responded better, faster to the Earther tongue than the old language.

As painful as it was to use it, Idrus persevered. "Na'am, you worry me. Please say something; please greet me."

He let out a sigh at the ongoing silence.

"I must sun before the rain returns."

"It won't return," Nala said. "Of that we can be certain."

Rather than argue, Idrus handed the reins back and hurried to the stone. The larger one toward the side would be a perfect fit for his broad body.

Beyond the hill a small river babbled along. Water would help Nala's surly disposition.

Nala dismounted the sloth some ways down and tied it to a tree.

Idrus lay on the low resting stone, pleased to feel it hot. He tossed the robe down and flexed his poorly formed left hand. It took on no armor. No sooner had he lay, Nala sat beside him.

"You shouldn't stay here," Idrus warned. "The suns will damage your skin."

Still with her back to him, Nala said, "I had barely grown my scales in before I was separated from my clan."

Guarding his eyes from the meager amounts of sunlight peeking through the clouds, Idrus stared up at her.

"In the confusion I lost my way. Stumbled a bit and then found a line with other Summoners talking of shelter. With no clan, no protection, we wouldn't have lasted long—I wouldn't have lasted long." She quieted before looking back at him. "I let them cut my tail, even though I was wild."

Idrus pulled himself up to sit.

"It's true, others do it sooner but me. I chose to lose it." Her body hunched, Nala shook her head. "It was a Summoner who did it. He even held it out and said it would be a nice prize for some Earther. I regretted nothing more." She felt at her lower back. "I used to romp so much but without it...without it I couldn't jump as high. I couldn't...I couldn't run as well. And I couldn't swim."

The suns had already started doing their work; Idrus's scales hardened.

"I'd run away as soon as I could—that's what I told myself. But I never did. I got a structure. I farmed the land, and I helped give the Earthers food."

Idrus thought to hold Nala's shoulder but his fists grew brittle and sharp.

They sat in silence until Nala said, "My king, I cannot go back with you. I cannot go back with you.... I will never go back there. I'll never trade comfort for my freedom."

"Comfort?" Idrus could hardly call Nala comfortable. She always seemed miserable.

"You were my comfort. Your way with me. Each time you went through a cycle to appease me. Each time you'd catch me in the courtyard and spread me in the shadows. And each time you played with this hideous stump on my back where a tail should be. It was my comfort."