He swallowed hard, took a deep breath, and looked at her. “Yes. I’m sorry. It’s hard to stay in control. It will get easier with time.”
“What?”
“Can I meet her nowsssk?” the creature asked.
“Yes, Q. Come forward.” Melvale loosened his hold on her.
Pari stilled. She had so many questions. Like, what was the thing getting closer? “You said he was your friend?”
Melvale nodded. “He is Q. My Sarian companion.”
“Companion?”
“Yes, we’re besties.” He looked down at her and smiled. There was more gray in his eyes now.
She stared up at him a moment, ignoring the beast slowly inching toward them. She was more confident now it wouldn’t hurt her. “Who are you?”
“Matesssk!” the creature said happily.
Melvale closed his eyes and sighed, as if the beast had just ruined a surprise. “Q…”
“Uh-ohsssk.”
Pari looked at the Sarian. It was slowly backing up. “Sorrysssk.”
“Come here,” Melvale told it.
Q closed the distance between them in a few clicks of his taloned feet. He sniffed at Pari, drew back, and bounced. “I’m Qsssk!”
Pari laughed at the sight. This huge beast was bouncing in place wearing a wide grin. “It’s smiling.”
“Yes, he’s quite happy to meet you.” Melvale let her slide off his lap. “He won’t hurt you, understand? He’s my friend. Please, do not be afraid of him. When you’re afraid, I… well, I’m not myself.”
She turned to him. “I noticed. Why is that?”
He heaved a sigh. “Oh, stab me, but we have a lot to talk about.”
Q stepped closer, closed his mouth, and bent his head to her. “Parisssk.”
She smiled. “He knows my name?”
“Yes, we had a lengthy discussion while you and Raina were, um, swimming.”
Bathing, but she wasn’t going to correct him. “Q…”
“Yessssk?”
“Sssk,” she repeated. “Is that how he talks?”
“Yesssk!”
“You can address him, you know,” Melvale said.
Pari nodded and slowly brought a hand up to stroke Q’s fur. “He’s so… I mean, you’re so soft.”
Q grinned. “Thank yousssk.”
“Why do you make that sound at the end of a word?”