Her movements were slow and faint, as though she was unaware of the motions she was attempting to soothe herself with. I stepped closer, entering her line of sight, but she didn't react. Not even with the flinch she typically gave whenever I got too close or surprised her. It was then that I took in her ashen complex, dry and chapped lips, bloodshot eyes, and the dark bags underneath them.
Her cheeks had more color to them this morning.
"May?" I called, attempting to gentle my voice. Having little experience applying the consideration, it proved more difficult than I had expected. I cleared my throat, trying to erase the rough edge my voice still held.
She blinked slowly, but it wasn't in response to my call.
I moved closer, reaching for her. "May!" I demanded her attention instead of asking for it this time. I didn't get it until my hand made contact with her shoulder.
Her head whipped toward me, her eyes wide in fear. When they found me, I was slightly surprised to see it lessen. She let out a breath that had her shoulders loosening. Her gaze lowered, trailing along my nose, over my lips, and down my chin until it reached my neck and froze. I watched her as her mind created illusions that had her staring at the point like she had been on the floor moments ago.
I gave her a little shake, managing to capture her attention again briefly, but once again, it slipped away just as I caught it.
I straightened, taking in a breath as I looked down at her. She pulled her knees closer, hugging them tighter as her eyes trailed down my body to stare at the floor where I'm sure her mind was showing her a growing puddle of blood. The only other human I had known saw it everywhere after he had experienced something similar to what she had this morning. Jamal had rubbed layers off his hands trying to wash off blood that wasn't there.
I had helped him, but that was long ago. It had been a long while since I had to account for a human and the aftermath of what happened when they met my mother. It left me struggling to find a solution to the dilemma balled up before me.
Crouching beside the human, I gave her another once over that she didn't notice despite being inches away. She had begun to mumble something to herself under her breath that was too low for me to make out.
"Last chance to get yourself together, May. You're not going to enjoy my attempt at assistance." She didn't acknowledge me, continuing to speak to herself quietly. I pressed my lips together. "Suit yourself."
Her brows furrowed as she looked toward me when I reached an arm around her while slipping the other under her knees to pry her folded legs apart and lift her into my arms. Her eyes widened as I lifted her. One of her arms reached up to my neck, balling a fist in the back of my collar while her other hand fisted the front of my shirt, latching on in fear that she would fall.
"What are you..." her voice trailed off as her eyes once again focused on my neck. I watched as she swallowed hard, her throat bobbing.
"Hopefully this will manage to capture your attention for longer than a few seconds."
Turning with her held against me, my eyes caught sight of two trays that sat on the small desk crammed against the wall by the locked door that led into the servant passages. They held untouched meals that had grown cold. This morning's late breakfast and lunch. With the sun nearly set, it was nearing dinner now.
As I stepped into the lounge room that led into my bed-chamber, I paused. My eyes found their way to the marble that had been splattered with the insides of the human's stomach. What I had seen was mostly liquid and bile. Her stomach had already been empty for the most part when she had cleared it further. It had been a while since she had eaten. Was hunger something that would worsen the effects of shock on a human?
