She retrieved the container again, gently picking one of the snails up. “Get over here.”
“Nope. I’m fine over here, thanks.”
She stood up and marched over to me, the snail cradled in her hand. “Hold out your hand, Rox. These things are awesome.”
I could see the slime on the back of her hand. “No thanks. I’m good keeping my hands slime-free.”
She cocked a hip. “Hand out. Now.”
Sebastian lifted his head, his interest now fully engaged. They are quite delicious. He licked his lips.
“That’s not helping, cat. I’ve never had escargot and I never plan to.”
“Really?” That surprised Tess almost as much as the fact that I wasn’t jumping at the chance to hold the slimy creature she was holding out to me. “How did I not know that? I love escargot. Well, I used to. I’m not sure if I can ever eat it again after meeting this little cutie.” She raised her hand, palm up, appraising the snail. It stretched and raised its eyestalks toward her. Could it see her? “Just close your eyes and let him rest on the back of your hand. They’re clean, right?”
Was she seriously asking me if my hands were clean when she wanted to give me a thing that produced slime? “I just washed them, both before and after visiting Zara and the kits.”
She grabbed my hand, quicker than I expected, and set the snail on it. I froze, stiffly holding my arm away from my body. Tess snickered. “Relax. It can sense that you’re tense, you know.”
The thing on my hand slowly unfurled and stretched its body out. I was so focused on it, I didn’t notice as Danai made her way over to watch.
“That is the foot, the muscle that propels the snail. They can travel much more quickly than most people believe,” she informed me, keeping her voice low and soothing. “This is a land snail, one of the species that breeds quickly enough that it is banned in most of the United States because they can decimate food crops. We are careful to keep them contained with both physical and magickal barriers. I’ve shown Tess how we do this, so you should not have to worry about escapees.”
The snail was exploring my hand, its foot rippling as it glided over my hand. Oddly enough, it didn’t feel slimy, even though I could see the trail it left. It felt softer than I expected. I said as much.
“The slime, or mucin, rather, contains a perfectly proportioned blend of hyaluronic acid, proteins, peptides, antioxidants, and many other beneficial components that are wonderful for your skin. That glamour cream of your aunt’s? The main ingredient in it is mucin from this little guy’s family members. Our healer community sells humanely harvested mucin to several larger cosmetic companies. It is one of the ways we keep our community self-sustaining. We supplied your aunt, as well. With the progeny from these two, Tess will be able to harvest enough mucin to supply any needs you should have within a year.”
Listening to her was almost enough to forget about the snail that was now making its way across the span between my thumb and my forefinger. Almost. I turned my hand so it wouldn’t fall to the ground.
If it falls, it is mine. Sebastian licked his lips again, chuffing when Danai gave him a stern look.
“They usually sleep upside down, attached to the branches, leaves, or lids of their habitats. They rarely fall, though when they do, their shells can be damaged. I’ve gone over their care with Tess, including emergency care, so you do not need to worry.”
Worry? Right. “That’s all well and good, but will one of you please take it away now?” I might no longer be completely grossed out by it, but it wasn’t anywhere near as cuddly as Zara’s babies.
Thank you. I think.
Your babies are gorgeous and you know it.
Tess took the snail and put it back in the acrylic box. I breathed easier, even with Tess laughing at me.
“I guess it could be worse. You could be bringing her leeches or something even more disgusting.”
Danai and Tess exchanged a look and I held up a hand. A hand that was still covered in snail slime.
“Leeches are sometimes used,” Danai explained. “But I did not bring any with me this time.” She took my hand and started working the slime into my skin. “This will help to keep your hands soft.”
“That’s, um, great. Thanks,” I said weakly. I didn’t have the heart to tell her I would be washing my hands as soon as I left the library. When she released my hand, I practically bolted from the room. I stopped abruptly in the hallway, remembering I had come here for a reason. Shaking my head I went back in, ignoring the amused, knowing look on Tess’s face.
“Don’t you just hate it when that happens?” she asked with a smirk.
“Yes, I really do,” I sighed. When I told them about what Sam was going to do, Tess looked torn. She loved learning with Danai, I knew, but she would also want to be there for Sam.
Danai sensed this, too, for she gave Tess a gentle push. “Go and check on her, Tess. We can finish this lesson later. She is so emotionally close to the situation, that she may want friendly support.”
Needing no other encouragement, Tess hurried from the library. I gave Danai a nod and turned to follow Tess, but the healer’s voice stopped me.
“Wait. I would have a word with you, please.” She motioned me back to one of the loveseats.
Waiting for her to sit, I followed suit, wondering
