Book 1: Brutality

Predator

3

"Predators never expect to be hunted." - Kit Rose

~Trigger Warning~

"The pleasure is all ours, Your Highness," Naela says, rising from her curtsy. "Please, will you take any refreshment?" She hints at the tray of teas and cakes.

"I believe I will." Barathalion takes a cake and sits down, giving the rest of us tacit leave to sit as well. Naela immediately takes up her latest lace-making project, pulling it onto her lap in a snowy spill. "What are you making, Lady Naela?"

She holds it up. "A veil," The lace shines and gleams in delicate traceries, it loos like frost and snowflakes in networks of ice. Naela is very skilled at lace-making, despite the fact that it's considered a low-class skill, she always has something she's making. I used to spend hours with her here in the parlour, embroidery needle flashing while her bobbins clacked, both of us happy while we created beautiful things.

I've always felt closer to her than Myriil because she's always cared for me. When I stopped going to class, she defended me from Myriil's anger by arguing that much of what was taught in class wasn't useful to any mortal, which is very true, and that she could teach me all I needed to know about running a household, which is also very true if only I could concentrate enough to learn.

I still spend most of my time with her because there's nowhere else for me to go ever since I stopped going to class and then stopped leaving the house. But recently, I haven't been able to pay much attention to her home economics lessons and I also haven't been able to embroider, sew, make lace or do anything else because I can't concentrate enough to listen or finish anything.

Naela says something polite while I keep my gaze down to avoid looking at Barathalion. It's ridiculous because he's not going to hurt me, not here in Myriil's stronghold, under Myriil's watchful gaze but his stare makes me feel like there are filthy fingers all over me. I fiddle with a cake but don't eat any because the sight of Barathalion makes me lose all my appetite.

"...And your daughters are, as ever, a delight," Barathalion says. "Miss Ari, I saw you in the practice field, you are becoming a formidable warrior. And your sister-" My stomach clenches as his gaze burns right through me, "-is as lovely as ever, even silent."

"I've tried numerous times to break that silence." Myriil glowers at me. "But she's recalcitrant. Won't you even greet the Prince, Xara?"

"No," Barathalion waves a hand. "Let her keep her silence if she chooses." He turns more fully to me. "The mountain wisps are as silent as you, floating through the air. It makes them very difficult to stalk." He lets out a hard laugh. "But I managed."

I bite the inside of my lip, hoping none of the disgust I feel shows on my face. I hate listening to Barathalion talk about the screaming animals he'd butchered lately, but of course there's no way to avoid it because Barathalion's the greatest hunter at Court, possibly the greatest ever. They say that Hollow Hall, his seat, is full of the pelts and antlers of his kills and also filled with tons of hunting weapons.

Barathalion's very dedicated and very skilled, stalking his prey on foot, alone, through the most dangerous terrain and hauling his kills back all by himself. They say that birds in the forest go silent when they see him coming. I can well understand their feelings.

So I sit, silent as the birds, while he tells us — and more particularly, me — all about how he killed the mountain wisps. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Keya just barely keeping herself from rolling her eyes. She may not be disgusted by the talk of hunting, but she's bored to tears by it. Ari, meanwhile, actually seems interested, listening attentively and asking Barathalion well-informed questions.

So why exactly does he keep brushing her off to talk to me? Or, rather, to talk at me, as I make no response and he doesn't demand one.

"Sounds like a difficult day in the field," Naela says while he takes a drink, perhaps in an attempt to shut him up.

He finishes his tea and grins appreciatively. His grin isn't quite as ferocious as Myriil's but it's unnerving enough. "Mountain wisps are challenging, Lady Naela, but they do not represent the true apotheosis of the art."

"Oh? What does?" Ari asks curiously.

He bares his teeth at her, "The manticore."

"The manticore?" Myriil raises an eyebrow at this. "That certainly would pose the greatest challenge for a hunter, that is if it doesn't turn the hunt around and make you the prey."

"You've seen a manticore, haven't you, General?" Finally, Barathalion takes his eyes away from me, turning to Myriil.

"Once," Myriil takes a grim sip of tea. "From a distance. It was the most magnificent and fearsome sight of my life. I would not wish to see such a thing up close. At least, not unprepared."

"Still." Barathalion's face takes on a faraway expression. "What a challenge, to hunt and kill a manticore. The ultimate challenge."

"Maybe not," Keya says, as if she just can't help herself. "I can think of something more challenging."

A flash of irritation crosses Barathalion's face which passed immediately. "Can you, Lady Keya? And what is that?"

"The unicorn," she says promptly.

~Fun Fact~

Lobsters communicate with their bladders.

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