made his way to the other side of the room.
We left the lab and crossed the yard in silence. A tank was already waiting. Jez was also waiting out here, perched on the gates. Judging from the gunk on his talons, he had torn a number of Bloodless to shreds while he had been out here.
I beckoned him down and climbed into the back of the tank with him.
Kell slammed the door behind us, locking us securely inside. And then we began the journey back through the city of nightmares.
Bastien
I tried to look casual as I entered the Mortclaws’ mountain and wound my way toward my parents’—and my old—bedroom.
I arrived to find the door slightly ajar. As I entered, my mother was inside, sitting in the wooden chair in the corner. My father was absent. My entrance brought a relieved smile to her face. She stood up and moved toward me.
“Well, where is…” Her voice trailed off as she poked her head outside the door, as if expecting to see… who exactly? Rona? Did she honestly expect me to bring Rona back here, after the massacre I had just witnessed them engage in?
“What?” I said, my eyes narrowing on her.
She appeared confused for a moment, but then shook it off. “Never mind,” she said. She straightened, looking me in the eye again. “You decided to return home by yourself.”
I nodded, clenching my jaw.
She let out a soft sigh. Reaching out to clutch my hands, she pulled me to sit with her on the edge of the bed.
“Listen, Bastien,” she began. “Things are still not going smoothly between us, I know. And I’m sorry for that. I truly am.” She looked at me with an expression that I would’ve liked to think was sincere, but knew in my heart was not.
“You must understand that we have a certain conditioning. We crave our own kind’s flesh like we crave air. It is our sustenance—a kind of sustenance that we simply cannot get elsewhere. I saw the horror in your eyes, my dear, but at the time I was too caught up in my hunger to stop and explain myself to you fully. But there are no more secrets now. You know what we are…”
I had become tired of my mother’s switching personalities. There were times when she seemed soft, almost apologetic—but the next moment she would turn again, and become hard as stone. Impenetrable to any word or plea I might direct at her.
Her words did not mean anything. Whether due to her conditioning caused by the black witches, or simply by choice, it did not matter. The result was the same. My family were cannibals—and my mother’s actions were doing nothing but making my life a misery in all respects. However apologetic she might appear, she refused to change or budge even an inch from her stance.
My throat felt dry as I swallowed. I steeled myself for my next move, even as I wondered if I really had what it took to follow through. But she spoke again before I could begin.
“I truly am so pleased that you made your way back here,” she said, her expression brightening. “Yuraya desperately wishes to speak to you about a misunderstanding she fears you and she might have had.”
And we’re back to that dreaded girl again. I shuddered internally, recalling the look she had given me earlier. It had been salacious, vulturine, like she was undressing me with her eyes before we even knew a thing about each other. She repelled me. Such a far cry from my sweet Victoria .
“Yes,” I managed. “There was a misunderstanding.” I wet my lower lip, and even as I hated to say the word, I called her, “Mother.”
Warmth rose in Sendira’s cheeks.
“Mother,” I said again. “You can understand how overwhelming all this has been for me. All this in such a short span of time. Discovering that my entire life with the Blackhalls had been a lie. Discovering that you are my parents, that I belong to the Mortclaw tribe—such strange creatures I never could have imagined in even my wildest dreams. And then all the consequences. The inherent responsibilities that come with
We left the lab and crossed the yard in silence. A tank was already waiting. Jez was also waiting out here, perched on the gates. Judging from the gunk on his talons, he had torn a number of Bloodless to shreds while he had been out here.
I beckoned him down and climbed into the back of the tank with him.
Kell slammed the door behind us, locking us securely inside. And then we began the journey back through the city of nightmares.
Bastien
I tried to look casual as I entered the Mortclaws’ mountain and wound my way toward my parents’—and my old—bedroom.
I arrived to find the door slightly ajar. As I entered, my mother was inside, sitting in the wooden chair in the corner. My father was absent. My entrance brought a relieved smile to her face. She stood up and moved toward me.
“Well, where is…” Her voice trailed off as she poked her head outside the door, as if expecting to see… who exactly? Rona? Did she honestly expect me to bring Rona back here, after the massacre I had just witnessed them engage in?
“What?” I said, my eyes narrowing on her.
She appeared confused for a moment, but then shook it off. “Never mind,” she said. She straightened, looking me in the eye again. “You decided to return home by yourself.”
I nodded, clenching my jaw.
She let out a soft sigh. Reaching out to clutch my hands, she pulled me to sit with her on the edge of the bed.
“Listen, Bastien,” she began. “Things are still not going smoothly between us, I know. And I’m sorry for that. I truly am.” She looked at me with an expression that I would’ve liked to think was sincere, but knew in my heart was not.
“You must understand that we have a certain conditioning. We crave our own kind’s flesh like we crave air. It is our sustenance—a kind of sustenance that we simply cannot get elsewhere. I saw the horror in your eyes, my dear, but at the time I was too caught up in my hunger to stop and explain myself to you fully. But there are no more secrets now. You know what we are…”
I had become tired of my mother’s switching personalities. There were times when she seemed soft, almost apologetic—but the next moment she would turn again, and become hard as stone. Impenetrable to any word or plea I might direct at her.
Her words did not mean anything. Whether due to her conditioning caused by the black witches, or simply by choice, it did not matter. The result was the same. My family were cannibals—and my mother’s actions were doing nothing but making my life a misery in all respects. However apologetic she might appear, she refused to change or budge even an inch from her stance.
My throat felt dry as I swallowed. I steeled myself for my next move, even as I wondered if I really had what it took to follow through. But she spoke again before I could begin.
“I truly am so pleased that you made your way back here,” she said, her expression brightening. “Yuraya desperately wishes to speak to you about a misunderstanding she fears you and she might have had.”
And we’re back to that dreaded girl again. I shuddered internally, recalling the look she had given me earlier. It had been salacious, vulturine, like she was undressing me with her eyes before we even knew a thing about each other. She repelled me. Such a far cry from my sweet Victoria .
“Yes,” I managed. “There was a misunderstanding.” I wet my lower lip, and even as I hated to say the word, I called her, “Mother.”
Warmth rose in Sendira’s cheeks.
“Mother,” I said again. “You can understand how overwhelming all this has been for me. All this in such a short span of time. Discovering that my entire life with the Blackhalls had been a lie. Discovering that you are my parents, that I belong to the Mortclaw tribe—such strange creatures I never could have imagined in even my wildest dreams. And then all the consequences. The inherent responsibilities that come with
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