I did not know how to react. I was relieved that they didn’t want to kill and devour me. But at the same time, a multitude of questions had arisen.
What was the value of me being alive? Would they ransom Sheishou if I told them where I came from? Would they use this information to attack the village instead, and then prey on us?
The only thing that calmed me down was that I would have to sleep in his tent tonight. Between him, Keir, and those unknown beasts that had just devoured me with their eyes, he was far my favorite. Aside from his hidden agenda, he was friendly and trustworthy. I should probably be more wary of him than anyone else, but instinctively I knew he wouldn’t hurt me. Even though I didn’t understand his purpose and motives, it was clear that I would be treated better if I cooperated.
So, despite the fear in my stomach, I tried to eat quickly. Once I had swallowed the two slices and my stomach was satisfied for the moment, I stood up awkwardly. A little lost, I looked around and one of the demons pointed in my direction. He spoke, but again, I didn’t understand their language. I had never heard it before. Until recently, I would have doubted that they could even speak. In the village, they were written off as bloodthirsty beasts, slaughtering and devouring anyone who crossed their path. It was hard to believe they were civilized enough to have a language. How could they even know our language?
With a hasty step, I threw myself into the darkness, turning my back on the campfire. After passing a few small tents, I found a larger one, lit by torches, with fiery-red cloth that seemed to come alive in the warm light. Two guards stood at the entrance. As I looked around, trying to find my way, one of them approached me and spoke to me in his strange dialect. Since I did not understand and he made no effort to do so, he finally pushed me into the tent without violence. And when I started to panic, I saw Adrik at the back of the tent, watching us with a furrowed brow. He gave him a sharp command and the other one left.
Finally, he turned back to me, his face filled with gentleness.
—They don’t all speak the language of the humans, let alone a dialect as old as yours.
—As old as mine?
—No one speaks it anymore. I have only studied it in books.
Yet I can understand you very well.
—That’s because I had good teachers. Enough about me. Have you eaten enough?
I nodded, suddenly shyer now that I was the subject of the conversation.
—Good. Strength is important. I’ve prepared a bed for you tonight. It’s not the most comfortable, but it’s the best I can offer.
He pointed to a bed of straw and animal skins in the corner of the tent, across from the one that would surely be his.
I walked over and settled down. I was tired, and if he had not been in front of me, posing a certain threat, I would have collapsed.
—Where did you come from?
I ignored his question with a shrug. I didn’t feel like reminiscing about the village, not to mention pointing out where it was.
—Don’t you wonder about us?
—Yes, I admitted.
—Then let’s play some games. If you answer one of my questions, you can ask me another, and I’ll do my best to answer it. Would you like to do that?
Obviously, this was a great opportunity to learn more about them and their danger. However, I also suspected that he would want to know more about the village. His strategy was clear now. He would interrogate me, and as soon as I gave him the crucial information, they would rush there to kill and devour everyone. And even though I had run away, I couldn’t let that happen.
But I couldn’t refuse outright, or I would put myself in great danger. So I gave him a rather unconvincing pout.
—I’m tired.
—Really? If you’re saying that to avoid playing, it’s useless. I just want to know more about you. You fascinate me, I’ve never met humans in these lands and you seem to come from another time.
I had no idea what his intentions were. Was I really wrong about them? He seemed to be genuinely curious about me, without any ulterior motive. Since I had met him, he had not been aggressive towards me. On the contrary, he had offered me food, the warmth of their fire, and now a bed in his tent, under his protection. From the few interactions he had with the other demons, he seemed superior to them. He gave them orders and they obeyed without protest. I felt strangely safer with him than with the demons alone.
Eventually, I gave in to temptation. If a question seemed too dangerous, I could just give a vague answer or not answer at all.
—Okay, I mumbled.
A broad smile appeared on his lips.
—Alright, I’ll start! Where are you from?
As before, I preferred to avoid this question. But since it seemed to be important to him, I made an effort.
—From the forest, a small village.
—It’s not on the maps. How could it be? Anyway, let’s continue. It’s your turn, ask me a question.
He wavered between joy, surprise, and excitement. While I was on guard, he seemed to be enjoying our game. But curiosity drove me to continue.
—Who are you?
—Therianthropes? But you can tell, can’t you?
—That’s not what I meant. What the…
He quickly cut me off, a small laugh escaping him.
—Hey, one question. Be more specific next time. How old are you?
—Eighteen. I just turned eighteen.
—You are very young.
I shrugged. His look became more intense, embarrassing me.
—It’s my turn, I said quickly. What brings you here?
He seemed to think for a few seconds, hesitating at such a banal question.
—I guess you could say we’re haggling. We have exotic products that are in high demand.
Several questions popped into my head, but I didn’t have the luxury to ask him. The more I knew about him, the more information he would get out of me. I had to restrain myself.
—Why are you so far away from your village? We didn’t see any houses around here. So it’s no coincidence that we came across you. Did you get lost?
—I ran away.
Even though I didn’t feel ready to trust him, it was the first time I could talk to him. I was sure he would listen to me, and I desperately needed him to. So I continued.
—I loved the son of the village chief, an Alpha. But when we were to be married, I found out that he loved other people.
My voice trembled, and when I looked up, I saw him concentrating on my words. His face quickly stopped, looking confused and questioning. But before I could look into it, he regained full compassion. He came over and sat down beside me.
—Do you want to talk about it?
I shrugged and nodded my head without realizing it. I had not been able to express everything I had felt. I usually confided in my mother when I was upset or hurt, but I hadn’t been able to. This burden was weighing on me. So, I took the opportunity he gave me to free myself from it for a few moments, even though he remained a monster in my eyes.
—We had known each other since childhood, I began. I really loved him and when I thought that the reciprocal was not true, he disproved me. I couldn’t believe my eyes. But eventually, I found out that everything I believed in was a lie. I realized that I couldn’t trust anyone anymore. That really scared me and I ran away. I don’t really remember what happened after that, but I found myself near here. And now I’m going to be cursed or eaten by you, I burst into tears.
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