Page 11 of Sanctuary of the Shadow
“A chameleon Hybrid.” He seemed to be enjoying the exchange, almost as if he knew something the flesh traders didn’t. “Then what about the wings?”
“Maybe some kind of flying chameleon Hybrid, then?”
“Flying. Like a bird?”
“More like a bat. A crossbreed or something. A bat-chameleon hybrid Hybrid.”
Dark brows climbed high on his forehead. “A hybrid Hybrid.”
“Must be, sir.”
“I see. Well, he doesn’t have wings now, nor is his skin changing colors. Why should I believe you?” But it was obvious by the light in his eye that he did and was just playing along as part of the bartering.
Cragar had obviously anticipated this. “Aye, but when he’s unconscious, he’ll change right back to black. Found that out earlier. I can knock him out if you’d like, but I figured you’d want to see him awake first.”
“And the wings? How can you prove their existence?”
Again, the trader was ready. “We figured out that if you prod him in the back in just the right spot, he’ll pop ’em out. They just appear out of thin air.”
“Indeed.” The tall man’s voice was unimpressed, but again, his eyes betrayed him. He surveyed the creature with more of that cold loathing and…recognition? As if he already knew what kind of beast was before him.
“And you can see his eyes. No Elemental brute I’ve ever seen has eyes like that. He’s dangerous. Lethal.” This seemed to be a selling point rather than a hindrance. “Hasn’t sheathed those claws once since we put him in that cage. Nearly killed two of my men with them.”
The creature wished anew for the strength to slaughter them all. He wished to break free from his cage right then and kill them one by one with his bare hands. He would tear them to shreds with his teeth and bathe in their blood.
“We’ve been underfeeding him to keep him weak. I shudder to think what he’d be capable of at full strength. I doubt that cage would hold him, for one thing.”
“I have ways of containing him. Loren!”
Another man ducked into the tent, this one with pale skin and hair the color of straw, stopping dead in his tracks when he saw the creature. His eyes widened.
“Prepare the horse. We’ll be hauling the entire cage back to the grounds.”
“Actually, sir,” Cragar said, “the cage isn’t incl—”
“Now, Loren.”
“Y-yes, sir.” The fair-haired man ducked back out of the tent.
“You can’t have the cage. We need it.”
“You won’t be needing it any longer.”
“But—”
“I will pay you three-quarters of your asking price after you prove to me he has wings.”
The trader snapped to attention at the mention of money. “Pay it in full, and I’ll prove his skin changes color too.”
“Ah, but he fights back viciously when antagonized, does he not? Why take that risk? Three-quarters of your asking price, and we need only to poke him in the back, as you said.”
“You’ve got to poke him hard or he just shrugs it off. It’s dangerous work, getting close to him.”
“Luckily for you, I came prepared.” The tall man brandished his staff with a cold smile.
Cragar seemed to take a closer look at the staff for the first time. He took a step back, eyes widening. “That’s not… You’re one of them.”
“Yes, I am indeed one of those Elementalbrutes.” His voice was cold, his smile colder. The human swallowed visibly. “Let’s see if I can get our friend to show his wings.”
