Page 16 of Xeda

"Hey, wait! What are you—"

He lunged at the door, the chains catching him just before reaching the window, making her flinch back, shock and terror forming on her face.

"I said, I don't need help from a weak little worm like you," he spat. "I'd rather eat your insides and use your bones for jewelry. I'd rather split your skull and use it to drink from. Rip open your throat and gorge on your blood. Stupid. Little. Human!"

He roared the last words, and she cowered back. There were shouts coming from beyond, and she looked panicked.

He expected her to run. Instead, she rushed forward and threw something through the bars at him. The object hit him in the face. Before he could comprehend what it was, she was gone.

He stared at the window, at the field of sand and the wall beyond. He watched the day brighten, watched the insects hover by the window, waiting to feel triumph. And yet feeling none. Instead, he only felt disappointment. And more frustrated than ever.

Well, she certainly wasn't coming back now. He should be happy for it. He had to be. She shouldn't be looking to talk to him anyway. And he didn't want to talk to her. Why would he?

Disappointment still ate at him, and he hated that the tiny bitter revenge he sought hadn't worked.

It's because it wasn't really her you wanted to hurt.

He snorted at the idea. No human deserved his kindness. No matter what.

Eventually, his eyes drifted away from the door and down to the object she had thrown at him. He picked it up and found whatever it was wrapped in some kind of cloth. He unwrapped it and found a cooked piece of tender meat of some kind. It smelled divine.

A new feeling slithered its way into his head. A feeling much like shame. But why should he feel ashamed? He was only trying to survive. Just likeshehad told him. Fight everyone. Trust no one. Especially not a human.

He squeezed the meat in his hands, letting pieces fall to the ground. He went to throw the rest, then froze. He tore at the meat until there was hardly anything left except for what he had spied underneath.

A slender bone no bigger than his finger with two prongs on each end.

He stared at it, then clenched it in his fist.

Well, maybe he should have been grateful to her after all.

Slowly, he slunk back into the shadows of his cell, anticipation clawing under his skin.

* * *

Hendrik showed up around midday. But to Xeda's annoyance, he didn't come within arm’s reach once the door was opened. He stood watching Xeda, stinking of something strong and rotten.

"You really want to piss me off, don't you?" he said, his eyes looking everywhere and nowhere. "We are losing time with your stubborn ass. I didn't want to have it come to this, but I'll give you this last chance. If you don't obey me come tomorrow, I'll saw off each of your horns one by one. It'll put you at a disadvantage, but you’ve still got your tail. For now. But don't think I won't cut that too. Or maybe I'll take an eye. You only need one of those. Mark me, you bastard, your days are numbered."

Xeda wasn't worried about his threats. He just needed the putrid man to get close enough so he could show him who he really should be afraid of.

Hendrik slunk off after that, then came back sometime later with someone following.

"I was told to stay away," came a feminine voice, sounding irritated.

"Only when no one's around. And only because you'd likely get yourself killed. But I'm here now. I need help with the units." The door screeched open, and Xeda saw Hendrik looking more alert now. The woman was behind him, her blue and gray eyes refusing to look at him. "Those little pricks I'm embarrassed to call apprentices haven't been cleaning this one," Hendrik said. "And I'm told they caught you throwing food in here for him. No more of that, you hear? So, you can clean it up. Looks like he didn't want your sympathy anyway."

Hendrik tightened Xeda's chains, making sure he stayed to the back wall as the woman crept inside with a bucket in hand.

"Make it quick," he snapped before shutting the door. From the window, Xeda saw him step into the yard to talk to a pair of men.

He watched the woman pick up the pieces of now rancid meat on the ground. That feeling like shame itched across his mind again. He shouldn't have wasted the meat.

She didn't say a word or acknowledge his presence. He had to give her credit at least for having the skin to return after he had scared her.

"You should have foreseen this, human," he hissed, unable to stop himself. Annoyed that she wouldn't look at him. "Are you angry? You shouldn't be. I need no pity from you. Nothing. Stay away unless you want to suffer."

She didn't say a word.

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