A Shifter's Tale

Sweet Talk

~42~

I watched Mystery stab at the fire for almost a full hour, the sun gaining in height and casting a brighter light over the clearing. Jaelma hadn’t been in much of a mood to talk to me, so I hadn’t tried. The sunlight did nothing to warm my slowly freezing skin and the fire looked so warm and inviting. I’d been doing so well keeping my pride in check…

Fighting with my binds, I managed to shuffle my way towards the door of the cage so I was closer. “Hey!” I called. He didn’t answer or respond in any way that would indicate he’d heard me. “I’m sorry if I damaged your overlarge ego!”

Mystery didn’t look at me but called back, “I’m not sorry if I happen to reduce your food rations or make that cage a hell of a lot less comfortable!” I scowled at the back of his head; he was brooding. Over what, I didn’t know, but laying an escape plan on a vampyre with issues wasn’t the best of ideas. He was the closest thing I had next to Jaelma; vampyres didn’t want to work with humans, surely?

I tried a new approach. “Okay, I’m sorry. Pretty please forgive me?” I asked in the sincerest voice possible.

The already white skin of his knuckles turned even whiter as he gripped his stick harder. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I rolled my eyes, of course he knew what I was talking about. He built a tripod by balancing sticks across the fire and placed a pot of water on it to boil.

“Perhaps I was wrong,” I continued despite his unhelpfulness, “I’d much rather be by the fire where it’s warm.”

Throwing his stick down, he stormed over to where the un-mastered dogs were tied and grabbed one of them, leading it to the cage and pushing it through the door, which he’s opened by ripping straight through the ropes. “Better?” His voice was sarcastic, but he waited for an answer.

“I suppose it’ll have to do…” I murmured.

“Would you like another?” he asked, his tone implying that I was an rather large inconvenience to him, but his expression was serious.

“Yes please,” I answered after a split-second of thought. He nodded jerkily and I crossed my fingers behind my back as he left. He left the door unlocked and I threw my legs out the door, thankful that the cage was raised was slightly, which allowed me to heave myself onto my feet. Jaelma was looking at me with a slight question etched on his expression, but I didn’t try to explain what I was doing.

Proud that Mystery hadn’t yet noticed my attempt at escape but feeling incredibly stupid, I jumped forwards a few times, the binds on my legs making it impossible to walk or even shuffle. I was halfway to the fire, Mystery still not noticing my unbelievably slow escape, when my foot caught on a rock, hidden by snow, and I toppled over, landing heavily on my side. I stayed there, hearing Mystery curse and Jaelma chuckle.

I watched the vampyre’s feet as he jogged back to the cage, shutting Jaelma inside with the one dog before scooping me up and, to my surprise, carrying me to the fire. Without a word, he dropped me on the floor, tying my ankle back to the tree. He sat on the felled tree a little behind me so that I had to crane my neck to look at him, but I smiled gratefully at him nonetheless.

He acted like he hadn’t seen and proceeded to pour oats into the bowl of now boiling water over the fire.

I opened my mouth, ready to try striking up a conversation, when I heard a rustle of fabric and one of the men appeared from the tent on the furthest side of the clearing. He caught sight of me tied close to the fire.

“Sir,” he said as he approached with caution, his voice nervous. “Shouldn’t she be-?”

Mystery cut him off. “Do not interfere with my business.”