Iron Jaw and Hummingbird Read Online Free PDF Page A

daughter of an imperial bureaucrat in Penglai province, a child of privilege, desperate for airship fare back home. Point to me, and say that I am a family retainer who has gambled away the money your parents gave you for a journey to visit the holy shrines of Fanchuan, in honor of your maternal grandfather, who was born in this city. If he will only provide airship fare, you can return home and report on the generosity of the kind people of Fanchuan, and not have to admit how your family retainer brought you so near to ruin.”
    Gamine listened intently, falling back on the habits of many years of concentrated study.
    â€œDo you think you can remember all that, my little sprite?”
    â€œYes,” she said with a nod.
    â€œSo go to, little one, go to.” The man waved her on, and went to stand in the shade of a nearby shop building.
    Gamine walked on sore feet to the thoroughfare and angled directly toward the heavyset man. In his haste, he nearly collided with her, and was brought up short by the near miss, annoyance spread across his ruddy face.
    â€œWatch yourself, guttersnipe!” the heavyset man barked.
    â€œYour pardon, but I . . .” Gamine paused, swallowing hard, trying to remember what to say next. “O honored sir,” she went on, with increasing confidence, “I come from Penglai province, where my father is an official in the emperor’s service. My . . . family retainer”—she pointed to the man standing in the shop’s shadow, a short distance away—“accompanied me to your . . . to your fine city . . . so that I might visit the holy shrines of Fanchuan. To honor the memory of my departed maternal grandfather, who was born here. Sadly, though, um, that is, my chaperone has gambled away all of the money my parents provided for my journey, and I am left without a means of returning home. If you could see your way clear to loaning me a small sum . . . to cover airship fare . . . I can return home and report on the generosity of your fair city, and not be forced to admit how near I was brought to ruin by my family retainer.”
    The well-fed bureaucrat, who at the beginning of Gamine’s speech had looked ready to take to his heels, seemed genuinely moved by her deception, and pulling a purse from his belt, filled her palm with coins.
    â€œYou should report the man to your parents on your return home,” he said officiously, “and have him severely flogged.”
    With that, he reached out, patted Gamine on the top of her head, and then puffed on down the street, glaring at Gamine’s newfound friend as he passed by.
    Gamine returned to where her new tutor stood, who took her arm and led her down a side street. When they were safely out of sight, the man took the coins from her hand, and it didn’t once occur to Gamine to object.
    â€œWell, now,” he said, counting out the coins, “it’s not enough for airship fare, damn his cheap hide, but it’s easily the price of a meal and a night’s lodging for both of us at an inn I know. It’s in the shadows of the city wall, not far from here, and they do marvelous things with a chicken.”
    Whistling through the gaps in his smile, the man started off down the street, the coins rattling in his fist. Gamine, licking dry lips at the thought of anything done with a chicken, followed close behind.
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    They were on their second course, her belly full of rice and chicken broth and with dumplings in each hand, before Gamine paused to collect her thoughts. She washed down her last bite with green tea and sat back, a feeling of warm contentment washing over her.
    â€œWhat’s your name, my little sprite?” the man asked, dropping a gnawed chicken bone into his bowl.
    â€œGamine.”
    â€œWell now, that’s an unusual name, and one I’ve not heard before.” He smiled, took a sip of hot wine. “And what does it mean, this Gamine?”
    She