Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 86162 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86162 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
“What is ‘fiancé?’” Spex wanted to know.
“Well, that’s a title that means I might marry him,” Abbey said lightly. She wondered how Solon was taking this conversation.
“All right,” the Eye-pet agreed. “So does pretty Abbey want the-fur man that she might want to marry?”
“Right now I want to walk from one end of the room and back again,” Abbey told him. “Can you tell me how?”
“Yes! Pretty Abbey turns to the left. Then walk forward twenty steps.”
Abbey wondered how he could be so accurate with telling her exactly how many steps any given distance was. But she decided to take the little Eye-pet at his word. Turning to the left, she walked forward twenty steps with one hand out in front of her.
On the twentieth step, her searching fingertips came in contact with the wall and she stopped.
“Wow, you’re a good judge of distances,” she told Spex.
“Spex does his very best for Pretty Abbey,” the little Eye-pet said. “Does Pretty Abbey want Spex for her own? Please? No one else wants him.”
He sounded so sad that Abbey felt her heart melting.
“Yes, Spex—I want you for my own,” she said, smiling.
For a moment Spex was silent. Then she felt something soft nuzzling against the side of her neck.
“Pretty Abbey won’t be sorry,” the little Eye-pet promised. “Spex will lead her the right way always. Spex will love her forever.”
If she’d thought her heart was melting before, Abbey was practically a puddle now.
“Aww, Spex…” Reaching up very carefully, she held out her fingers and the little Eye-pet nuzzled against them, allowing her to pet him. He made a soft chrrrrrring sound, almost like a kitten purring and trembled all over as though he was so happy he could hardly stand it.
“Well, my lady—it looks like you’ve found your match,” she heard the Royal Breeder say.
“He’s certainly a charming little male,” Solon rumbled in agreement.
Abbey smiled.
“Yes, he certainly is.”
“Clearly he was meant for you,” Chancellor Maprist, who had been mostly silent this whole time, remarked. “I am so happy for you, my Lady Abbey, for the lifetime bond with an Eye-pet is most fulfilling. But now I fear we must get to the Royal Perfumer if we’re going to get a scent mixed for both of you in time.”
“Wonderful—let’s go.” Abbey smiled and turned in the direction she had last heard the Royal Breeder’s voice. “Thank you again so much. Is there anything else I need to do in order to care for Spex?”
“Just love him and let him stay close to you by day. By night, he can sleep on his own. Eye-pets clean themselves, so there’s no need for baths,” he told her. “They like the same temperatures their owners do, so if you’re hot, he probably will be too. If you’re cold, he will be as well. Make sure to give him some affection every day and he should be fine.”
“Thank you so much.” Abbey smiled at him. “Er—do we sniff each other goodbye the way we sniffed hello?”
“A verbal good-bye is sufficient,” she heard Chancellor Maprist say. “And now that we have said ours, we may be on our way to the Perfumer.”
29
ABBEY
“Pretty Abbey takes a right in three more steps. There is a ramp that leads down,” Spex chirruped in her ear.
Abbey did as her new Eye-pet said, marveling again at his accuracy. Having Spex on her shoulder was like having a living GPS that was excellent at small details. She was already walking with more confidence as she learned that she could trust him to be right about directions. She had even asked Solon to let her walk on her own, though the big Monstrum stayed at her side just in case.
She knew this because Spex didn’t just tell her where to go, the little Eye-pet also told her about everything and everyone around her as well.
“The big fur man is giving Pretty Abbey love-looks,” he reported. “He has one hand out to catch Pretty Abbey in case she trips or falls. But he doesn’t need to worry—Spex won’t tell her wrong ways.”
Abbey bit back a laugh.
“I know you won’t, Spex. I trust you,” she told him.
The little Eye-pet nuzzled against her neck briefly in a show of affection but he was still on the job.
“Stop in three more steps. Pretty Abbey has reached the Royal Perfumer,” he informed her.
“How do you know where everything in the Royal Palace is, Spex?” Abbey asked, stopping where he told her to.
“Oh, the Royal Breeder would take Spex around sometimes—he felt sorry for Spex because nobody wanted him.” The little Eye-pet sounded sad. Then his squeaky voice brightened. “But now Spex has Pretty Abbey and Pretty Abbey has Spex!”
“Yes, we have each other.” Abbey reached up to stroke the little fluffy ball once more. She could see why the Royal Breeder had said it was easy to give Eye-pets the affection they needed—they really were absolutely adorable.