The Last Oracle Read Free Page B

for the next chase.”
    One of the cats began playing kitty games with Valeria. The lioness got closer and, suddenly, Valeria thought about how the mouse typically ended up as dinner in kitty games.
    “Is this normal?” she asked as her fingers pulled the blanket up higher on her legs.
    “Don’t worry, mum. They do this…sometimes,” Ganya, the Zulu tracker, said calmly.
    The cat’s eyes were enormous amber orbs that never moved from Valeria. The lioness did pretend lunges toward her several times.
    “Cool!” Caleb shouted in an excited voice and Amy giggled.
    “Look at that creature! Magnificent!” Mrs. Smythe said as she adjusted her camera.
    “Are we all right here?” Valeria asked as the lioness moved closer to her.
    “Driver! Move on!” Toma demanded.
    Alan rolled his eyes. He was not about to permit an over-zealous bodyguard to destroy his guests’ pleasure—or his tips. He knew his job better than anyone else and had never endangered a guest.
    From the corner of her eyes, Valeria saw that Toma had his hand on his rifle. It would not be good to shoot this gorgeous creature because it got a bit too friendly. Besides, there was no telling who would die if the shot wasn’t perfect. Still, Toma had been selected for not only his instincts and judgment, but for his ability to shoot accurately.
    The lioness suddenly lunged and stepped onto the edge of the Land Rover toward Valeria. At that moment, despite her nervousness, she heard the clicking on Toma’s rifle and knew he was now poised to shoot this magnificent creature. As the cat rubbed its face against her legs, Valeria realized how small and insignificant she was next to it, and she fought the instinctive impulse to stand and run, knowing that would be deadly. She saw Caleb’s expression—a combination of extreme guilt and awe.
    “Caleb, stay where you are!” she ordered with as much authority as she could muster, with the lioness stepping up toward her. It sniffed her knees and ankles.
    “Mum, they do that to me often and never bite as long as you don’t stand. Do you understand?” Ganya asked. Alan was too dazed to say a word. “Mum! Do you understand?” the tracker demanded again.
    “Yes,” Valeria said warily, trying to find her voice.
    Then, with a slight growl, the lioness moved its face near Valeria’s. Nearly holding her breath, Valeria was stunned with terror, and also by the beauty of it.
    “Mrs. Morgan, I want you to slowly move your head to the right,” Toma said softly, but with authority.
    If she moved to the right, Toma might decide to fire. She didn’t want the lioness to be shot. But she did wish it would move off the vehicle.
    Continuing to snap her camera, Mrs. Smythe leaned forward around her husband.
    “It is interesting how close the animals come and yet we are so perfectly safe.”
    No one else could speak. Without removing her eyes from the cat, Valeria thought about how Mrs. Smythe was on the other side of her husband and separated by two people…or as Valeria thought at the moment, two meals, perhaps having already had a snack. Mrs. Smythe would be brought back for the rest of the pride; add Mr. Smythe’s ample gut to the mix, and they would have a full meal. From the corner of her eyes, Valeria could see that Mr. Smythe’s face had lost all hint of its ruddiness and his eyes were as large as saucers. Obviously, he was thinking the same thing.
    Finally, the creature stepped off the vehicle, and the driver pulled forward as the lioness lunged toward them again. Valeria worried that Toma was about to fire; then the lioness stepped back and permitted them to leave. She drew a deep sigh of relief, especially when she saw Toma replacing his rifle into its cradle along the dash.
    In a mixture of the shout that travelled between Land Rovers and the crackle that came over the radio, she heard, “This drive is over! Return to camp, immediately! ”
    As the Land Rover headed off through the dust, Mrs. Smythe was the