CHAPTER 6- MEALS FOR THE CREATURE

The night is the darkest,

just before the dawn.

~ Unknown

***

 It was after few seconds the girl laid still. With her face as white as snow and her chapped lips giving a mixture of purple and blue, Devin hissed in frustration and checked her pulse.

 When he confirmed there wasn't any signal, he dragged her body, disposing it at the corner of the woods. While stomping his feet as he went cold in resentment, he approached another captive and jerked him by the hair.

 "NO! P-pl-please…!" He yelled, frightened, with tears escaping his eyes like molten lava. He couldn't embrace this fate. But Devin being adamant, remained deaf to his pleadings. He unchained him and dragged his unwilling body away.

 The rain increased its pace, the thunder striking with intensity, the wind so strong that each time it kissed the captives skin, they shivered. Not in cold, but in fear. They were ushers in fright as the storming breezes were not in peace but violence.

 Another scream evoked the forest. Those were the screams of the captives and the sound of the growling monster as its scratching noises intensified. Each time the screams doubled, the feeling of dread and horror of the captives overflowed. A river of sweat flooded each spine.

 With no sign the rain would stop, their senses remained paralyzed and their fears seemingly heightened. Again, Devin emerged from the forest with far worse expression.

 It was the fifth time he took another. "We need the girl, Xavier!" he shouted under the rain, his eyes fixed on Medusa.

 "The girl is off limit. Those buyers will favor are rare creature and you know the king would have our head when he realizes the witch is gone. You and I know what is to risk if we give this girl out,"

 Devin sighed. He blinked the rain drops off his lashes, his hair dripping wet with blood and water. "There is no guarantee we will successfully cross the border if nothing is being done." He hissed in agitation. The explosion of rage, frustration and anxiety overwhelmed him. Powerless, he sighed. "What are we going to do?"

 "What about Ariel?" Rheon asked, and both Xavier and Devin turned to look at him.

 Devin scratched his head. "He's stuck there trying to tame the creature." He responded, but from the way he sounded, there was doubt in his voice.

 It was Xavier's turn to sigh. The coachman who had been seated in the carriage all along, approached them. "Sire," The coachman named Dorian started, his expression giving the clue of greater anxiety. "I think we have a bigger problem." He revealed causing all eyes to turn to him.

 Dorian swallowed. "The portal will close once the full moon appears. We don't have enough time and if we don't make it out of here, I'm afraid there's no way we would reach Dragsholm at the safest."

 Both Xavier and Devin breathed. The moon was half. Few minutes from now, the full moon will appear. And without satiating the creature, it would be impossible to reach the kingdom. It was a huge headache.

 Xavier's lips stretched it a thin line. "What about Ariel? What about the creature? There's no way we could cross it without taming it first."

 "Pardon my intrusiveness, sire…" Dorian excused himself so he could make a point.

 Rheon gestured his hand, a sign he should continue.

 "I suggest we do what is necessary to be done. There's no time…" Dorian paused, noting the expression on their faces. They knew what he meant by that, and it was the only thing that could be done.

 "The blood of a witch." He completed his statement, as they both turned to look at each other, before facing the girl with silver hair.

 "How are we sure she's a witch?" Xavier asked, his eyes observing the girl from afar.

 Devin scoffed. "Does this-" he raised his burnt arm to his face, "-mean anything to you?"

 "But she didn't move nor chant a spell like normal witches do. It could be, who knows, possessed by satanic spirit or something." Xavier tried to prove a point.

 "The whole town folks talks about the deeds she has done that no ordinary person could do. She doesn't need to chant a spell when she cannot even speak! Satan possesses souls with limited amount of time phase but that one, even with baptism, she remains unholy."

 Xavier drew his brows at his words. "Sometimes, I wonder where you read your bible from. King James version or the queen's? Samantha's?"

 "Enough, both of you," Rheon interrupted with a frown. "I don't care what it takes, but we cross this border before the peak of the full moonlight. Witch or not, her blood will be tested. Take a limited amount but don't take the girl. I do not need another ruckus. Do.you.understand?"

 "Yes, sire." Both Xavier and Devin responded at the command.

 "Good." Then he walked away.

 Xavier gestured his head to the side, signaling Devin to go ahead. "With all pleasure." Devin snatched the veil from his hand and approached the girl.

 Medusa never broke the eye contact. She monitored his every step, his every move and even his vicious thoughts. She could read his mind. And she smirked internally.

 Without a second thought, Devin dragged her hand before taking out his pocket knife. He didn't waste a second to cut her palm with it.

 As blood gushed through the open wound, he placed the veil under, watching it drip inside. It was painfully slow that he plunged further, inflecting more injury to the already made.

 When the blood seemed more than enough, he didn't stop. Whole of him wanted he pay back so he continued slicing her flesh like a piece of meat but to his dismay, the girl didn't flinch nor wince even a little.

 With a sneer of disdain, he cut deeper, blood flowing like the rain falling, painting the ground red with blood and not water. But what blinded him was rage. He wanted to inflict pain.

 Unbeknownst known to him, that the girl cannot feel the pain, the aspect of physical sense vanished, only the emotion of anger. And with that anger, Medusa pressed her lips to a thin line and released herself from the manacle.

 She grabbed his burnt arm and twisted it, in such a way it made a bone cracking sound. All this happened within a flash of just a second.

 Devin was thrown back by the sudden action, it was then the pain surged through his hand that the bottle fell and dropped to the ground.

 "AH!!" He screamed and scrambled backwards, holding the other arm he couldn't feel any longer.

 The explosion of pain, rage, anger and vengeance clouded his expression when he took in harsh breaths and released his sword. His eyes swore to make the witch pay.

 Just when he lifted the sword midair and attempted to dive into her, a strong hand grabbed him by his hand, stopping him abruptly. It was Rheon.

 "That's enough."

 Cold sweats broke off Devin's head as he shook in both pain and anger. His eyes were red and clouded with hatred soaring higher each passing seconds, just for the girl.

 "I don't care about the rules, Rheon," he gritted his teeth as he looked at him daringly.

 "Tell that to the king if you have the guts." Rheon challenged with the same intensity.

 He dragged his arm off his. "I will kill her even when I have the slightest opportunity." He brought out his index finger as a sign. "I will forget she's a slave and treat her how cowardice is taught. That I promise." He swore with his words before glaring at Medusa.

 With a spat, he retreat his sword back, and bent to pick the veil. The pain was rather still unbearable for him that he was certain nothing good could be made out of his right hand again.

 With the bottle in his hands, he stomped out of the place, bumping his shoulder with Xavier and walked into the forest.

 The thunder struck harder when Rheon watched his retreating figure and then faced Medusa. He didn't try to hide the look of irritation and suppressed anger he also had for the girl as all she did was to cause trouble one moment to another.

 Then he walked away.

 Medusa remained still as statue, but she took note of everything. Xavier walked towards Medusa. He stopped when he leaned towards her ear to say, "The next time you burn an arm or break any bone again, I would do you the honor of a quick death. Peasants like you are meant to be taught a lesson." He whispered.

 'Let me pass that invitation.'

***

A/N: I'm delighted to share my creativity to the world after years of hard work and inconsistency. Some of you have been with me throughout this journey, supporting this book and I'm forever grateful for that.

 I have been tackling loads of pending issues but I promise to try and keep my joy, which is spreading my creativity, away from it. So please, to those of you who having difficulties viewing this chapters after bringing down the previous ones, do so by removing this book from your library and adding it back. Thank you.

Lots of love, Ace_zza.>3