30. Angélique
30
Angélique
C assiopé left about half an hour ago.
The first thing I did was jump on the food that she had brought. It was cold, since we completely forgot about it while we tried to crack the enigma that was The Hunchback of Notre Dame , but it was still better than nothing.
In my stupid wallowing, I thought they weren’t going to feed me, since no one came to bring food, so she could have brought me only bread and water and I would have already been happy.
As it was, the slice of cheese pizza that she brought was way nicer than what I expected.
I’m still hungry, though.
Tentatively, I get out of bed, walk to my clothes, and take out the last pair of socks and underwear.
I’m gonna need to do some laundry or get more clothes, or else I’m going to be butt-naked very soon.
I put on one of the cleanest shirts I still have and training leggings.
I still have two sets of tactical gear—the kind that is bulletproof—but it’s a bit too hot to wear those without a proper reason.
I’m softly walking to my door, as if someone would stop me if they found out I planned on going out, when my door opens suddenly.
In the opening, in all his glory, stands Elhyor, nostrils flaring, as if his dragon is in possession of him, and fist tight at his side.
He’s wearing a dark blue Henley, with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows, letting his tattoos dance with the light, and dark jeans. He looks so casual, and yet the energy that exudes from him is nothing but danger.
“We’ll get married on Sunday,” he says, a little breathless. “I called your father already, told him that you’d like your best friend to be the one giving you away. He agreed.”
Then, he’s out of my doorway, out of the corridor, and as far away from me as he can be.
I don’t understand what just happened, but all the energy I had left in my body depletes in one instant. I sag against the wall and breathe.
I don’t know how long I stay like this, but I know I need to keep moving.
What am I going to do?
I don’t feel so hungry anymore, but my stomach growls in disagreement, so I still walk to my door, then along the corridor, and finally, to the bottom of the stairs, where Cassiopé is waiting for me.
For once, she doesn’t talk, she just grabs my arm to help me walk, and without even needing to tell her, she helps me down to the stairs leading to the kitchen.
It’s completely empty, and it’s to be expected. It’s past eleven in the evening, and from what I’ve seen so far, it empties out around nine-thirty or ten, at the latest.
Cassiopé walks me past the tables where the food is usually served.
There’s a door there that I never noticed, and that’s where we’re going.
She opens it and motions me to enter.
“He’ll take care of you,” she says with a small smile.
That’s when I see him.
Elhyor is behind the kitchen counter, a knife in one hand and what looks like smoked bacon in the other.
Cassiopé pats my hand and helps me to a high stool before leaving me there.
What am I doing here?
My stomach growls again in answer.
Well, I might as well stay and see what Elhyor is preparing.