“The cow is an iktar beast?” I ask, sure they are having a joke at our expense.
“It’s not actually a cow,” Archer says. “Come, we’ll show you.”
He sets off directly toward the animals. As we near, the beasts look up.
Instead of feasting on grass, they are digging in the dirt. Their feet are not hooved as I had assumed, but rather, they have paws with long, sharp claws on the front. Instead of hair, they have fur, and their ears are large and round.
The creatures don’t seem to mind that we’re near, and they go back to their foraging.
“That’s an iktar beast?” Galinor asks, gaping at the strange animals.
Archer nods.
“We’ve seen them all over,” I say, irritated. I look at Galinor. “We saw some the day we rode into Gelminshard.”
“The dragons don’t like them, so they are one of the only creatures that thrives here,” Archer explains.
“How do you kill one?”
Pippa shrugs. “You shoot it.”
“But it’s just standing there…looking at us,” I protest.
“Fine.” Pippa’s eyes sparkle. “Galinor, shoot one that isn’t looking at Anwen.”
I can’t do this.
I can’t watch them kill this creature. He doesn’t even have a chance.
“I’m going back.” I turn Mara away from the group.
I hate that I’m riding away like a squeamish girl. All this will do is remind Galinor how unlike Pippa I am. Once I enter the gates, I hand Mara to a groom. Danver runs from the stable, and I scoop him into my arms. Pika should be hiding at the edge of the forest. I hope she doesn’t wander to the gates.
I wait for the party to return. Not long later, they do. They laugh mid-conversation as they ride in. Galinor drags the thing in behind his horse. Archer calls to his men, and they take it to be butchered.
Galinor spots me sitting on a bench, and he comes to me. I study Danver’s fur.
“It’s cold out here.” Galinor touches my cheek. “Why aren’t you inside?”
“I wanted to wait for you.”
Galinor sits next to me. “We’re going to Pippa’sgreenhouse now. Would you like to join us? No slaughtering required.”
I glare at him.
He nudges my shoulder, grinning. “Come on.”
Pippa joins us, carrying a muddy mess of weeds. She offers them to me. “Look what I’ve found.”
I gingerly accept them from her. “Thank you?”
Pippa laughs. “It’s water root and kember carrots. I dug them out of the stream bank.”
Galinor rolls his eyes. “She did.”
“This must be your fox.” Pippa peers at Danver. “Galinor also says you have befriended a glasseln?”
I nod.
