The King's Horse (Shioni of Sheba Book 2) (17 page)

“Aren’t you afraid of the mad giant?”

His whisper hung as a fragile crystal between them. Shioni was acutely aware of the danger of shattering their developing understanding of each other.

“Yes. A little.” She glanced down at Zi, who had kept silent throughout their conversation, and then back up at Talaku. “But he’s the same man who pulled me up a cliff by my hair and saved my life.” Shioni forced out a soft laugh. “Besides, I carry the claw marks of a wild lion on my shoulder and live to tell the tale. You’re not so scary compared to that.”

Talaku’s snort of amusement reminded her of a bull elephant, knee-deep in the river, shooting a trunkful of water in play. “Come on, Shioni.”