What Makes a Monster

♱Seventy-Five♱

I wish I could say our business trip continues smoothly, but that would be a lie. The affection that should have followed after our night together is shattered during breakfast when I awake in an empty bed. There are whispered voices outside the door then rushed footsteps. Something is slammed. I think there are raised voices just outside the hotel room. Malatis is awake at the bottom of the bed. His muscles are tense, eyes flicking between the door and the window. His tail swishes from side to side.

After redressing, I step out of the room with Malatis following. The table is partially set, but there's no one else present. The tablecloth is ruffled as if someone had gripped tightly between their fingers. Then the door to the hotel room swings open with enough force to dent the wall.

"Wallie," Soran whispers upon entering. He doesn't attempt to hide his frown.

Although I'm fairly certain I know the answer, I still ask, "Is something wrong?"

"We won't be dining here this morning," he answers, which confirms my fears.

"There was something in the food?"

He nods. I'm not sure if I'm grateful that he doesn't hide the truth from me. The thought that someone really did try to poison our food makes my stomach churn, not as much as the poison would have, I bet. Ah yes, dark humor to cope with the situation, lovely.

"This happened far sooner than expected," he says with a few steps forward. He takes my hand that I only realize now is shaking. "I suggest, from now on, we eat together at the estate as well, just to be safe."

"That would be really sweet if it wasn't unbelievably dark."

Soran squeezes my hand. He's apologetic, but I don't want him to be. It's not his fault, although he would claim otherwise. We've already discussed the possibility of an attempt happening, but I'm frightened all the same. As if Malatis can sense that fear, he rubs up against my leg. A reminder that he is here, that there is more than Soran watching over me.

After some investigating, no perpetrator is found. They likely ran the moment the poison was put into the food or drink. Soran is furious so we end up moving to another hotel, not that I think it'll be of help. If these assassins only drop a bit of poison into a stew or a drink then they can do that easily by sneaking in or merely paying someone off that likely won't be caught. Thanks to that incident though, the remainder of the trip is unsettling. Paranoia sets in. I look over my shoulder more times than not. Soran must notice this. He doesn't speak on my paranoia, although I imagine he has a lot to say. Our new hotel only has one bed seeing as I can't stand the idea of sleeping alone. It's unfortunate that it has more to do with fear than anything else. Soran's arms around me in the dark is about the only way I can rest.

Whatever the investigation leads to in Isabe concerning the mining accident, I'm not entirely informed about, not as if I'd understand half of the situation anyways. About all I take from it is that there will be some correspondence with the king since Soran has found some clues to who did it and, like before, he will take matters into his own hands if he must. I shiver at the thought, but considering what the jerks did; sacrificing innocent people for money in a fake mining accident, then I hope Soran chops off their heads.

Admittedly, most of my spare time on the business trip is spent training. The near death experience is easier to handle when there are other matters on my mind. Even Malatis is getting in on the training action, and by getting in I mean he likes to sit on the hotel room floor and head butt me in the face every few minutes for not paying attention to him.

"I'm busy," I hum after the second or third nudge, by the fourth I can't say no and put training on pause. "Why do you only want to be pet when I'm busy?"