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I laughed at myself before devouring a piece of crisp bacon. The fat melted on my tongue, filling my mouth with the most satisfying flavor of salt and smokiness. I quickly devoured another slice, closing my eyes to savor the taste.
“Eat. Strengthen yourself.” The guard kicked the foot of a bed on which a curled-up maiden rocked back and forth, her face pressed into a pillow as she cried out in need.
The sleeves of her gossamer-thin gown fell only as far as her elbows, affording me a glance of her forearms, of the bite marks she'd given herself.
I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Nobody chose this life. And I had seen so many crumble like this. They came to the blood auction young, fresh, and full of stupid beliefs someone had put in their head that Synians were creatures of their word. What a joke. The second their name was on the dotted line of that contract, their life didn't belong to them anymore.
After all, I had learned that lesson too.
That was why I felt pity for her rather than contempt. Some maidens made that mistake too, even back at the blood auction house. Convinced they would never sink low enough to bite their own skin in a desperate attempt to recreate the rush only their masters could give them. That was why I took another plate of food over to her bed.
As I did, I couldn't help but think of Jaide, And how I’d had to twist her arm to get her to eat when she was so stubborn and scared she didn't want to. Where was she? Was she safe? I hoped so, and not only because I knew we were screwed without her.
“Here.” I left the plate on a table between the maiden’s bed and the one beside it. “If you want them to choose you, you need fresh blood. You need to eat.”
She opened her eyes and glanced at the plate before convulsing, doubling over, and shaking her head frantically. “Oh, no. I couldn't. My stomach hurts.”
“Because it's so empty.” I reached down and stroked some of her fine, black hair away from her temple.
Her skin was hot to the touch. She was that sick, that deep in her addiction.
“You better eat if you want to go to Sypani for the invasion,” another voice added.
Surprise tore my attention away from the wretch on the cot. The maiden who’d spoken was one I recognized from the night before. She'd been brought in weak and woozy, but she looked a lot stronger now. She wore a knowing little smile too, and it was that smile that made me follow her.
“What did you mean when you said that?” I asked, walking behind her.
I tried to seem as casual as possible, since there wasn't a doubt in my mind there were cameras everywhere to make sure we behaved ourselves. I didn't need anyone getting suspicious and thinking we were plotting together.
“I meant exactly what I said.” She lifted her shoulder, looking back at me for a second before taking a seat on an empty bed.
She placed her food beside her, and I sat down opposite her with my own platter. It was torment feigning vague interest for the benefit of anyone who might be spying.
But it was better to occupy my mind rather than give in to the growing desire to place myself in front of that door and beg to be chosen. Anything was better than that.
Her wide eyes scanned the room searching for anyone who might be listening. Then she leaned closer, pretending to examine the bacon on my platter. Like she wanted to share. “Sypani. There's going to be an invasion. That's why they've had us in such heavy rotation lately.”
“I don't quite follow.”
She rolled her eyes this time and sighed as if it was too much of a burden to have to explain this to someone as ignorant as me. I didn't much care for her condescension, but snapping would only make her shut down.
“There's going to be an invasion. I've been hearing about it, bits and pieces.” She snagged a piece of my bacon, split open one of the rolls on her platter, and made a sandwich of it. “You know how talkative they can get after they've fed.”
“Yes, I do.” Oh boy, did I.
“A pair of them shared me last night, and after they had eaten, they discussed their plans while I sat in a corner, recovering.”
I forced down the impulse to shriek and demand she tell me everything at once. She was obviously enjoying being in the know, the sort of person who got off a little on possessing even the slightest bit of information that might make them seem important.
“And?”
Another maiden lowered herself onto the cot across from us. Her eyes were ringed with shadows and she wore a troubled look. “When are they leaving?” she rasped, clutching a glass of juice in both hands.
It threatened to slosh over the rim thanks to the way she trembled.
The maiden beside me held a finger to her lips. “Soon. That's what I heard last night.”
