The Blood Reader

The Blood Reader Chapter 5

Thank you so much for continuing with our little story here!!!

"What is she having us do?" I whispered as two Azeeds were helping, well rather forcing, my mother and me to get undressed.

"Shhh." Idal kept her head downward and winced once one of the men dragged a damp cloth over her bruises. Something was wrong. Why wasn't she healing herself?

Every other time she was hurt, all she had to do was wave a hand over the injury, and within seconds it would heal. But not now. Why?

I stood, stark naked with my hands and arms strategically positioned over any possible embarrassing parts. The only thing I was allowed to do of my own free will was to stare at the high ceiling. A small gasp escaped my lips, and a sharp shiver zipped through me as an Azeed pressed a cold, wet rag against the bare skin on my stomach. Every fine hair covering my body rose in an attempt to add warmth.

"How much longer is this going to take?" The quivering in my voice was apparent as a different set of hands roughly shoved mine away from my chest. In an instant, I flipped my long blonde hair forward to hide the blush blazing across my cheeks at being so exposed.

"Not much longer, Astra" Melinah said after she rounded the open doorway. Only I didn't speak that loudly. How could she hear me?

"What?" I asked.

"It's not like they can actually see you." She waved a hand before one of the men to prove her point. He made no notice of her whatsoever. It was like he was blind or under some trance.

Idal cut her hazel eyes to me. Don't say another word or she'll use it against you.

Melinah smirked and came to a complete standstill before us. "Which one?" A long-nailed finger tapped at her chin as an Azeed raised a pale yellow flimsy dress next to Idal's naked form. "No, that coloring does nothing for her." The blue woman snapped her fingers thrice, and three more bleached men marched into the room, each carrying dresses of varied pastel hues.

One after the other, she took turns comparing the gowns by holding them to my mother's body. She huffed. "I know what the problem is. Idal, you really need to do something about." Melinah paused while raising a finger to Idal's swollen eye. "That."

"That," Idal muttered with a curt laugh. "Is something I cannot take care of here. And you know that."

I gave my mother a direct, side-long glance. Why couldn't she? She wouldn't turn to meet my gaze. Instead, she stayed deadlocked in a stare off with our hostess.

Melinah shimmied with pride in her place and flashed an unabashed smile. "Ahh. That's right. I keep forgetting where I am. But you made sure to see to that. Didn't you, Idal?"

"Melinah," Idal started but was cut off as the blue woman held her palm, fingers splayed against my mother's face. It was the exact thing she did when draining one of the Azeeds a couple of hours ago.

I interjected myself, shoving Melinah's hand away from Idal's cheek. "Don't! Please."

Melinah turned, glaring. "I wasn't going to drain her, you silly girl." She raised her palm again to my mother's eye and started to chant quietly. It took a minute or so when she beamed at the sight. "There. All better."

Idal swung the veil of blond hair from her face, revealing the aftermath. Swollen eye, gone. Black and blue puffiness to her cheek, vanished. My mother appeared unflawed as usual and as beautiful as ever.

"Thank you, Melinah." Idal made sure to keep her tone even, but still somewhat mocking.

"You don't need to thank me. I didn't do it for you." Melinah released a small "oomph" from her lips as she signed. "I did it to help me. A glamor won't take with you in that flawed state."