City of Ice by Laurence Yep Read Free Book Online Page A

more rifles when heroes like these come to my rescue? These noble folk fell out of the sky and saved me and the caravan. I feel like a boy in a fairy tale. This is Lady Scirye of the noble Kushan House of Rapaññe.”
    When Scirye greeted the prince’s daughter in formal Sogdian, Roxanna bowed from the waist and replied in the same tongue, “I have never met a noble lady before.”
    â€œDon’t let the fancy title fool you, kiddo. Her Ladyship’s cute little schnozz snores just like us common folk,” Koko commented.
    Kles poked his head out of Scirye’s coat. “Heed not the vermin,” he said in formal Sogdian.
    Koko scowled. “I don’t know the lingo, but I know you said something nasty about me.”
    Roxanna gasped and then slipped into Common. “Is that really a griffin?”
    â€œHe’s a lap griffin,” Scirye explained, also in Common.
    Kles lowered his voice to a seductive chirrup. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, my dear.”
    Poor Roxanna was not able to resist any more than many other people and started to pet him. As she stroked his head, Kles let out a low series of even deeper chirrups and Roxanna smiled in pure contentment.
    â€œDon’t you have any shame, Kles?” Scirye scolded him.
    â€œI have no idea what you mean,” Kles said, blinking his eyes innocently, “for I am simply a humble worshiper of stars, for that’s what ‘Scirye’ means in the Old Tongue and what ‘Roxanna’ means in Sogdian.”
    â€œIf you get any oilier”—Scirye scowled—“I’ll have to put you in a petrol can.”
    â€œPlease, Lady,” Roxanna begged. “This wonderful creature is only trying to be polite.”
    â€œWait. The miracles do not end yet,” Prince Tarkhun boasted. “This is Lady Bayang. I wish you could see her in her true form, but we were afraid that would attract too much attention.” He dropped his voice: “She’s a fearsome dragon.”
    Roxanna stared at the woman in front of her suspiciously, as if she thought her father was playing a prank, and only remembered to bow when her father tapped her on her shoulder and told her to mind her manners.
    In turn, her forehead wrinkled in puzzlement when her father introduced the pudgy boy as “Koko, the badger-badger-badger.” Prince Tarkhun tapped the side of his head as he grinned at Koko. “You see. I’ve a good memory for names. My brain is like a treasure chest. Once I hear a name, it never gets out.”
    Koko opened his mouth for a retort, but Leech gave him a pinch. “Iet-quay. E-way o-day ot-nay et-gay im-ay ad-may,” Leech warned.
    Koko rolled his eyes resignedly. “Just call me Three-B for short.”
    Prince Tarkhun had saved Leech for last. “And this is Lord Leech. Such a hero! He flies through the air faster than the wind. Whoosh!” And his hand shot out in illustration.
    Roxanna didn’t hear the derisive snort from both Bayang and Koko. Her eyes widened with excitement. “Show me how you soar through the sky like an eagle,” she said in Common, speaking with the confidence of someone used to having others obey her—with the exception of the Mounties and her father.
    â€œSorry, I don’t understand,” Leech said.
    Roxanna slipped easily into only slightly accented English. In her eagerness, she forgot her formal manners. “I said you must show me your skill.” She seized his wrists in her hands. “In fact, please take me flying right now.”
    Prince Tarkhun laughed and, wrapping his arms around her, made her step back from the startled boy. “And this little savage is my daughter, Roxanna, the delight and curse of my life. And now if you’ll excuse me, I must get the caravan ready for the last leg of our journey.”
    Bayang bowed politely. “With all due respect, Your Highness, is there any way we could