Khaat took Fauve into the kitchen and gave her a cookie and a glass of milk at the table. Khaat could not help keeping an eye on Mo and Max. If Nachash took a shine to them, she wanted to move the cats out of her reach quickly. She truly hoped that the beautiful snake would eat the beautifully fresh meats she had provided for her instead. The snake did not scare her, but until she felt she had a better relationship with the snake, she felt she had no choice but to be watchful when preditors and prey occupied the same small space.
Fauve seemed oblivious to all the things that Khaat was being watchful for and happily ate her cookie with the icy cold milk. Khaat wondered, absently, if Abbey would like Snickerdoodles, what her favorite color would be, what her favorite cat would be--and would it be the same cat that Fauve liked. She wondered if she would be here to see it, or if her father would have to keep his promise to her and Rob would, in a few short months, be here alone with Abbey. She hoped not. She hoped she would still be here to see the beautiful little girl she had seen in her mother's pensieve. But some magical promises were binding and not to be undone. She hoped Rob would never need to know the bargain had been struck. For now, she resolved, to enjoy what time she knew she did have, to love fully, to live passionately, to be delighted with Fauve's presence, as if it were some way of letting her see Abbey--just in case. Fauve was a delightful child, and she thought Eli had made an excellent father for her and was raising her well. "Would you like to see the whole house when you're done with your cookie?" she asked Fauve. "Then you can go anywhere in the house. You probably should not go outside without talking to your papa, but once you know where things are, I am quite sure he will let you go about the house as you like."