Hearing the two warriors’ argument, Martin suddenly had a flash of inspiration.
“Chieftain Skywolf,” he said, “are you certain this is a python’s egg—specifically the egg of that golden python I encountered?”
Skywolf picked up the gleaming egg and held it above the bonfire.
Martin froze. For a second, he thought the chieftain meant to roast it, and his heart nearly leapt out of his chest.
But the next moment he realized he was wrong—Skywolf wasn’t trying to cook it, only to examine it more clearly in the firelight.
Under the warm glow, the egg’s shell turned translucent enough to reveal a dark shape inside. The shadowy form was long and slender—serpentine.
“Look closely,” Skywolf said, pointing at the faint silhouette within. “See? It’s clearly a serpent. And judging by the shell’s g
