“I don’t know,” I said uncertainly. “That might just make her think she’s going crazy.”
“I’ll time it to reach her during her sleep cycle,” Sir promised me. “It will reach her as a dream that comforts her.”
“Well…” I hesitated. “Iguessthat might work. At least it should help.”
“Then you’ll come with me to the Court of Splendara the Third and Thirtieth?” Sir raised one eyebrow at me questioningly.
“You’re giving me a choice?” I asked.
He nodded.
“I am. I must if I am to trust you again.”
“All right,” I said at last. “I’ll go with you on two conditions.”
“Name them,” Sir said simply.
“First, you send my mom a dream like you said, letting her know I’m okay,” I said, counting them off on my fingers. “And second, after we go to your Sovereign’s court and convince her that everyone in my galaxy shouldn’t be turned into mind-controlled slaves, you’ll take me back to Earth.”
Sir frowned.
“By then our Master/pet bond will have formed more fully, little one—it has alreadystartedto form even now. I doubt by the time we are finished with this quest you will wish to leave my side.”
I glared at him and put a hand on my hip again.
“I don’t feel any bond between us and I don’t believe one is going to grow.”
“Then you have to give me a chance tomakeit grow,” Sir told me. “And then, if you still wish to leave me when our task is done, I will take you back to your home world.”
That seemed to be about as good a deal as I was going to get from him, so I decided to take it.
“All right—it’s a deal.” I nodded and stuck out my hand.
“What are you doing?” Sir frowned at my offered hand.
“It’s an Earth custom—you shake when you make a deal,” I said. “Here, hold out your hand.”
With a bemused expression on his face, he did as I asked. I took his hand—I felt like a little kid, holding an adult’s hand because of the size difference—and shook it firmly.
“And this is how you humans seal a bargain?” Sir asked, raising his eyebrows at me.
“In most cultures,” I said. “I mean, I’m sure there are places on Earth where theydon’tshake hands but in my country, at least, this is how we do it.”
“All right.” He nodded solemnly. “We have an agreement.”
“Good.” I winced and touched my cheek again. “Um are you done putting those healing bandages on my face?”
“Almost.” His face went dark for a moment. “I want to put some around your throat as well, where that bastard choked you. Why do you ask?”
“Because I’dreallylike to take a bath,” I told him. “I feel like I still have that asshole Shadrack’s rotten fish stink on me and I want to wash it off.”
Sir raised his eyebrows in obvious confusion.
“Hiswhatdid you say?”
“His smell—his stink. He stunk like rotten fish!” I exclaimed. “Don’t tell me you didn’t notice it. Hereeked.”
“I, er, must have been too busy punishing him to notice,” Sir murmured, frowning. “But if you’d like a bath, I’ll be happy to give you one as soon as I finish applying the healing wraps.”