Lament of the Slave

Chapter 107: Hunger, Dread, and Joy

When I hit the ground, let's just say it wasn't pleasant. Well, hitting it face-first without bracing yourself never is. A lot worse this time, though. Despite my last roar, such an ungraceful ending wounded my pride a little, not to mention that my heart stopped for a moment. Perhaps for more than a moment, it's hard to say. Anyway, when I opened my eyes again, I had a heartbeat again, and the heartache of my wounded pride slowly passed as I let the beast go.

Well, I had to. There was no other way, even though [Beast] gave a solid boost to my constitution and therefore provided a solid foundation for my regeneration. Just as all my strength left me, leaving me lying here like a dead fish, there was nothing for my body to regenerate from. The hunger it caused was driving me crazy, and not just the beast part of me. That part, though, was....how should I put it? Hmm...'very noisy' were the right words.

To top it all off, ever since I hit the ground, perhaps since the roar, my head was buzzing, my ears were ringing as the crowd of city guards erupted in cheers, and did I mention hunger?

Damn, I was starving so much that neither the pain of a dozen cuts on my body nor the hurt caused by the changes reverting was anything compared to the agony I felt now.

"Color me impressed, girl," Deckard said as he squatted down next to me. He was first, followed by the healer, who immediately turned me onto my back, quite wary and gentle to my wings. Really grateful as I didn't have to face others butt first.

And they came, rushed in actually, but stayed a few steps away. Not that they didn't want to get closer, it was in their eyes. They wanted to...I don't know, touch me? Touch the freak? Or perhaps it was seeing me half-naked. The shirt, though torn, remained fairly intact, whereas my pants were in tatters. What was left of them was basically a belt and a few scraps of cloth on it. At least it covered my private parts as I was unable to lift my wings or move Sage to do so right now.

For that reason, I was grateful to Rayden for keeping others, including the members of Squad Four, at a respectful distance. Her aura warned them otherwise.

"Food!" I murmured softly, as my strength would not allow me any louder.

"She is severely malnourished, sir," the healer informed him and anyone who might have heard him as if to explain the meaning behind my strange request.

The next moment, a grilled steak landed in my mouth. Rare, the way my taste buds loved right now. No cutlery, no hands, no problem. I devoured the piece of meat before anyone could say a word.

Licking my lips clean, I whispered louder. "More!"

"You know what to do, Jayden. And you, lass. Stop using that skill of yours. Your regeneration is eating you up from the inside right now."

What? Regeneration can be...turned off. What kind of bullshit is that?

Another steak landed in my mouth as Deckard's words reached my ears. "I don't think she's capable of it, Marcus."

"Then, with a skill like that, she should have learned it pretty damn quick," he replied. "Otherwise, she's going to suffer a hell of a lot."

"No doubt, it looks fucking painful." My food source nodded his head. "You'll think twice about going that far next time, right girl?" That was a dumb question. Who the hell would want to suffer like this? On the other hand, wasn't he the one who wanted me to do my best? I frowned at him.

He smiled back. "Another piece?"

Ah, that was the right question.

"Yes, and yes!"