Page 37 of Pulled By the Tail
“The translation chip doesn’t work on written stuff,” she said. “Only audio. I have a Tal and Corravian grammar primer but it’s so dull. I thought I’d pick up the reading comprehension by immersion.”
“I did not mean to shame you.”
“Not everyone picks up languages quickly. I’m working on it. That’s all.”
“Grammar readers are incredibly tedious. Let me find you something better.” He scanned the tables, searching for the perfect book.
She picked up a book, seemingly at random. “It’s amazing how you can tell the genre, even if you don’t understand the language. Blue-gray cover. Haunting landscape. No people. This is a mystery or a thriller.”
Talen recognized the author’s name. “A mystery.”
She crouched down next to a box on the ground and thumbed through the books. With a grin, she held up a red volume with two Corravian males embracing a female. Neither man had a shirt and the female was clearly enjoying her predicament. “This one’s a romance,” she said. She glanced at the cover again, “Actually, I think I’d like to read this.”
He found the perfect book and held up the faded clothbound volume in triumph. “Persistence and the Secret of the Shadowed Hill. It is written in Tal. Now we need something in Corravian.”
Georgia took the book and flipped through the pages. “This is a children’s book.”
“Not just any book. My favorite,” he said.
“Your favorite kid’s book.”
“My favorite book,” he repeated. He took the volume from her hand and flipped until he found a favorite passage. “It is about a young kit who suspects that the adults are keeping secrets, which they are. She and her friends investigate and solve the mystery. It is very exciting.”
She gave him a dubious look. “A kid sleuth? That was your favorite?”
“You will read this.” He handed the book and the next in the series to the bookseller. He read and re-read the series until his well-loved copy of the first book fell apart. Digital books were acceptable, but nothing captured the pure joy of reading under the covers of his bed, unable to sleep while the mystery remained unsolved. “The story is engaging, and the language is not too challenging.”
“I’m not judging you,” she said.
She was absolutely judging him.
“What was your favorite book as a kit?” he asked.
“Oh, you know, orphan boy goes to magic school. Shenanigans ensue. I think every kid loves those books. It’s like Earth law.”
He scoffed. “Orphans. All Earth stories are about orphans. Can humans write about anything else?”
“It’s a time-honored literary convention,” she said.
“It is improbable. There is no family? No one to care for a kit?” How could an entire family abandon a kit? His own family was small, but he would never willingly leave any of them. As much as they tried his patience, they carried his heart and would until the light left him.
Georgia grew silent, walking to another table. Her posture changed. Human body language was so difficult to read without a tail or ears, but she seemed rigid, defensive. From what was she defending herself?
Talen looked around the market. They were ignored in a crowd of people. The only answer was him. She needed to defend herself from him.
“Georgia? My mate?” He approached cautiously, ears flat and tail tucked tight to his body. He’d crawl to her on his hands and knees if need be.
“I’m not your mate.” She swiped at her eyes. “Dammit. I’m not crying.”
“You are distressed.”
“No shit.” Another swipe, this time with the cuff of her sweater. “I’m an orphan. I mean, my mom died when I was sixteen, so it’s not like I was a little kid.”
“You were a kit.” She had told him this once before, at the bookseller’s stall in the market.
“Legally, but I was very much on my own. As for my father, I haven’t seen him for thirteen years, so he might as well be dead.”
“Is he imprisoned? Why was he prevented from coming to you at the death of your mother?”
