“No. He’s just not himself.”
Edoardo paused.
“Camilla, I want to examine him. A video call isn’t enough to determine what’s happening.”
“I’ll bring him in if necessary.”
“Don’t try to move him yourself. We’ll work out the safest arrangement.”
Before ending the call, he asked one more question.
“Have you noticed anything unusual in the house? Anything that might have frightened him?”
Camilla laughed softly.
“Edoardo, he’s a snake, not a detective.”
“I know. I’m asking because animals can respond to environmental changes we don’t notice.”
She promised to check again.
Then she hung up, looked toward Dorato’s enclosure, and noticed that the python was facing her.
His head was raised.
His body was completely still.
And for the first time in seven years, Camilla felt uncomfortable standing in the same room with him.
The Night Everything Changed
Three nights later, Camilla woke at 3:17 a.m.
She found Dorato beside her, his enormous body stretched across the bed.
