And then, just as the door was closing, I saw her. Standing there at the back of the group of girls in green was an Earth girl!
Once my eyes fastened on her, I couldn’t understand how I’d missed her before. Yes, she was wearing ratty green furs like the rest of them, but her skin wasn’t pale white—it was a warm, lovely brown. And her hair was curly rather than being long and straight. She was clearly as human as me—what was she doing here?
Just as I was watching her, the girl looked up and her eyes met mine. I saw her eyes widen as she took me in and realized about me what I had realized about her—that we were both human! My heart jumped in my chest and, without thinking, I started to get out of the elevator and run to meet her.
But then a big hand clamped onto my shoulder and pulled me back inside just as the doors closed.
“Wait, little one—what do you think you’re doing?” Sir rumbled, frowning down at me as the lift began to rise.
“A girl! One of those Blood Whore girls—I saw her!” I exclaimed, almost too excited to make sense. “Sir, she was like me—she was human! From Earth! Please, can’t we go back and talk to her? I’msureshe needs our help.”
Sir shook his head.
“We cannot wait a moment longer or we’ll be late for our meeting with the Baron. Tardiness is considered the height of rudeness in the Naggian culture.”
“But she’s human and she’sstuckhere!” I protested. “We need to take her with us.”
Sir frowned.
“She is probably owned by some Naggian male who bought her from the AMI the same way I bought you, little one. I cannot take another male’s property just because she happens to be your same species.”
I looked up at him in frustration. He wasn’t getting it! My Master had many good qualities, but he still felt it was just fine for one person to own another—probably because he didn’t consider that anyone besides his own species could really be classified as a “person.”
“But she might be trapped here—alone and cold and scared,” I tried again. “What if that happened to me, somehow? Wouldn’t you want some kind stranger to come along and rescue me?”
“I would never let such a fate befall you, little one,” Sir said, drawing me close to him and putting one long arm around my shoulders. “You are under my protection—I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
Again, he wasn’t getting it. I wanted to stamp my foot in irritation but just then the door of the lift gave a muteddingand slid open.
We stepped out into a far grander area than the hub of tunnels down below. There was a rich, velvety red carpet on the floor that led down a long hallway. But just as we stepped onto the carpet, a Naggian man I hadn’t seen standing there suddenly appeared before us. He was wearing some kind of dark uniform and his long hair was combed severely to one side.
“Names, please,” he said, frowning up at Sir.
“I am Sir Barinthian Ver’Toklar the Fourteenth, Lord of the Realm and Overlord of the Northern Continent of Korrigon Four,” Sir said. “And this is my pet, little one,” he added, indicating me. “We are here at the request of Baron Vik’tor who has invited us to a feast.”
“Ah yes.” The Naggian man who must be the Baron’s servant or butler nodded and gave a short bow. “You are expected. May I please take your wrappings?”
I started to say no, he couldn’t, when I realized that it was warmer up here than it had been down on the lower floors. Oh, it was still plenty chilly, but I could no longer see my breath when I exhaled.
“Yes, you may,” Sir said, allowing the servant to help him out of his long black fur coat.
The servant hung Sir’s coat on a hook on the wall and turned to me.
“And the lady? May I help you divest yourself of your garments?”
“Just the outer one, please,” I said and let him help me out of the bulky fur coat. After that, I felt much lighter, even though I still had plenty of layers on.
“And now, will you take us to the Baron?” Sir asked.
The servant nodded.
“I will indeed, but first may I present you with these sigils, which you must keep with you at all times when you are in the building.”
He withdrew a rectangular, flat box from his uniform pocket and opened it to show us two long gray wires. He picked them out of the box and tapped them smartly together.
“Oh!” I exclaimed involuntarily as the ends of the wires burst into red sparks. They looked like the sparklers you get at the Fourth of July—you know the kind you play with as a kid? I always held those damn things too long and then when they burned down to the end they scorched my fingers.
“Here you are—sigils of the Baron’s favor,” the servant said, trying to hand one of each of us.