From Fire World The firebird responded by leaving the shelves and hovering in the air in front of David. His ear tufts were up and glowing scarlet. The frills around his neck were like spikes of steel. There was anger anger and passion in his gaze, a look that said trespassers were not welcom. David took a deep breath. He had nothing but his honesty with which to shield himself now. He stepped forward, out of the shadows. He braced himself for a burst of fire, but it did not happen. A subtle change occurred in the firebird's expression. It tipped its beak forward and brought its eyes more central to its head. Those eyes grew very round indeed and blinked several times before settling to a stare. Whatever mechanism governed the way they took in light extended to its maximum, making the eyeballs shine like mirrors--until David could see himself reflected in them, playing back like a pin-size movie. Excerpted from Fire World by Chris D'Lacey All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
