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“Systorak,” I say quietly. “What is it?”
“I just came to make sure you were still all right,” he replies.
“Well,” I scoff. “I mean, yeah, Ilookall right, but I’ve been in here alone for three days.”
I stand and face him, throwing my hands down in exasperation. He avoids eye contact, and I wave my arm at him.
“Humans need socialization,” I stress with my hands. “We can’t just be in solitude for that long.”
“You’re alive, aren’t you?” he asks, locking eyes with me. His gaze is cold and unfeeling. I feel a weight in my chest as I search for a possible explanation for his behavior change.
“Yeah, I’m alive …”
“Then be grateful for that,” he says, cutting me off. He looks me up and down and exhales, turning to the door. “I’ll have one of the guards bring you an extra snack today.”
“Asnack?”I shout, throwing my hands up.
“Hey,” he shouts, tilting his chin up. “Voice down.”
I stare at him, appalled. He’s gone for three days, and he’s completely different. He seems more like a demon now than he did when I first met him, and I didn’t think that was possible then.
“Fine,” I agree softly.
He turns to leave, and I call out his name. He sighs and turns back to me, leaving the door slightly open.
“What happened to you?” I whisper.
“I’ve been working hard the last few days on a mission for the king,” he says flatly. “I need to rest now.”
Without another word, he exits my room, and I am enveloped by silence. I sit in the chair, look at the fireplace, and begin to count the cracks in the burned logs since there’s nothing else to do.
I wonder who Systorak really is. I thought I knew him, that he was more relatable than I imagined a demon would be. There was a side to him that was surprisingly human-like, including his laughing at my jokes.
Maybe it was all a trick, some sick game he had played to gain my trust. Perhaps the man I saw with the cold stare was his true self. I reach fifty cracks before I sigh and close my eyes.
The reality is I’m alone and lonely. My friends and family have no idea where I am. I clearly have no allies here, and I can’t trust the guards.
I pace around the room, read up on more politics, and even sing to myself throughout the day. As the sun sets through the window, I scan the bookshelf for a new read. A tome labeled “Crux of Kings” catches my eye, and I take it to the bed.
I read about the origination of various demons and the beginning of the factions. The demons started as one tribe before conflicting viewpoints became such an issue that they had to split off from one another. Over time, the different races started to develop.
I close the book and lay down, staring at the ceiling. I think of Systorak drinking wine by the fireplace, and my mind plays over the moment he looked at me.
I felt something at that moment, and I could see that he felt it too. I know I’m not crazy. I’ve dealt with flirty regulars for years, ever since working at the tavern. When a customer shows the slightest bit of interest in me, I play it up to get more tips.
I throw the book to the floor and roll over on my side. I feel like my insides are being ripped out. I began to trust him and want his company around, and now he’s flipped the script for some unknown reason.
I think of the coldness in his eyes. That wasn’t exhaustion; that was something else.
I grab the other pillow and hold it close to my chest. A sinking feeling of emptiness comes over me, and I feel a tear sneak out of my eye. I hold in my whimpering and cry silently against the pillow.
A loud bang on the window startles me. I shoot up in bed and stare out the window, seeing nothing but the usual dead landscape. A large, dark object smashes through the window and lands on my floor. I scoot back in my bed, wrapping the sheet around me in shock before taking in the creature fully.
It appears to be a sizable monster with fangs, wings, and a spear on its tail. It writhes on the floor for a second before sharply turning to look at me, howling and pouncing on the bed.
I roll out of the way and dash out of the room, my heart racing.
“Guard!” I yell, hearing nothing but the creature’s buzzing behind me.
