5. The ritual
Chapter 5 - Cow for Slaughter
My head is banging, and my whole body aches, but the female guards don't care as they dress me up before wrapping me in a ribbon and tying it with a bow at the back.
Like a present, they put me in a box. It's all dark until the box is opened, and I come face to face with a dragon-like wolf.
Again, I’m in a moving vehicle, and I immediately want to escape.
"This vehicle is driving at 100 kilometers per hour. I wouldn’t advise that," a deep, ethereal voice comes from the driver’s seat, forcing me to take in my environment.
The being by my side is the same monster beast I locked eyes with at the auction earlier. The fact that his eyes are now pale blue doesn't make him any less recognizable.
“Why?” I want to ask, only to realize that I’ve been gagged.
The one in the driver’s seat seems to notice and explains, “We cannot risk you drawing attention as we cross the human borders.”
An explanation I couldn’t care for. Since I can’t shout or move around, I resort to glaring at my buyer.
What’s the worst he could do to me?
I glare and glare until my eyes start to ache, but he doesn't even blink.
I want to scream at him that this isn't a staring competition, but then the vehicle—a giant thing, as big as a trailer but with the interior of a Rolls Royce—comes to a stop, and I’m jerked forward.
The monster beast by my side, who seems to be wearing a crown made of pure gold and decorated with expensive gems, watches as I fall into the space between both seats and remain unmoving.
“We’re home,” the one in the driver’s seat announces with excitement. It’s needless to say that I’m not the least bit excited to be home.
“Why was I brought here?” I have no idea whether I’m going to be eaten alive or used for experiments. I just know that I need to get away from here.
But how could I escape from monster beasts three times my size?
Just when I think I’ll be freed after the car stops, we’re simply moved into a different car.
“Also, by the way, I’m not a driver. I’m this big guy’s brother,” the driver says as he starts driving, and I almost roll my eyes.
What use is the information when I’ve just been abducted?
I feel a tap on my shoulder and startle awake, realizing I’ve fallen asleep during the second part of the ride. Somehow, it’s already dark.
A very cold night, because I shiver and can barely move because of the cold.
“We’re finally home,” the driver, who is not the driver, says as he gets out of the car and opens the door to my side.
But I can barely move because of the cold.
I stare at him, silently pleading for help. He helps me but I almost wish he hadn’t, because his hold on my hand is too tight. I think he’s going to crush my bones.
“Oh, my bad. I didn’t mean to,” he says as he lets go of my hand, and I cry through the gag, only for me to be hauled back inside the car.
“What a nuisance,” the guy with a crown on his head says in a deep, almost inaudible voice as he picks me up over his shoulder.
This is so abrupt, and having my world turned upside down scares me into silence. I remain frozen as he leads me into a building as big as a castle.
Is this some sort of royalty, or do all monsters live in castles and mansions?
He suddenly drops me when we reach the door, and the driver is the one who steadies me.
He gently removes my gag, and I can finally breathe properly.
“I know you have a lot of questions, and I’ll answer them later, but first I want you to not be angry at my brother. He is our king, so try to understand his pride and loathe. My name is Kylanor, by the way,” he says as he unwraps me from the ribbon, making me more exposed to the cold.
It feels like harsh winter.
“Mia,” I shiver as I rub my arms.
“Oh, let’s get you inside. I’ll show you your room and get you some warm clothes,” he says and leads me into the castle.
There are ornaments, big doors, everything is double the size of what I know, but it doesn’t feel too strange—aside from that.
As he leads me to my room, I learn that Kylanor is the crown prince, while Ashton is the king of the beast kingdom, and I’ve been bought for a purpose. He won’t tell me what that is, but he’s nice, and I start to relax until he has to leave.
“But…”
“The maids will come to take care of you. Don’t worry, they won’t hurt you,” he says as he turns around and leaves, leaving me with a whirlwind of thoughts and feelings of desperation as I sit on the double king-sized bed and stare into the large space of my room.
Shortly after, the maids come in. They look more human-like, with their scales resembling clothing more than part of their skin. They don’t have horns, so they seem more approachable. However, my smile is immediately returned with hostility, and I know I’m not wanted here.
“Well, we’ll give you a bath now,” they say, stripping me bare, tearing the clothes off my body like a ragdoll and leaving wounds with their long nails.
But I don’t have the strength to complain.
Again, I just want to ask why, but I stay quiet, fearing for my life.
Kylanor might be nice to me, but according to Lina, I’m in the worst-case scenario.
I’m bathed in extremely hot water, which both scalds my skin and warms me up, then dressed in warm clothes.
“We’ll take our leave now,” they say as they turn their backs to me.
I manage to be bold and ask, “What next?”
“The ritual,” the last of them answers before slamming the door.
I’m terrified by both the sound and my fate.
Am I about to be sacrificed to some bestial god?
I don’t wallow in my silence for too long when Ashton re-enters my room.
Finally, another familiar face.
I run to him, hoping for answers, but he only tells me one thing.
“Eat what you’re fed and do what you’re told. You can’t do this with your small body,” is the only reply he gives when I ask why I was bought.
“What can’t I do?” I ask, my mind going to thoughts of the ritual, when he suddenly unzips his trousers and points to his groin.
“These won’t fit inside you,” he says, and I’m too frozen to speak, but I understand.
No way those things, bigger than my hands, would fit inside me. I would break.
When I recover, I ask, “But why are you doing this to me? I’m just a human. I’m sure you have others who are more fitted for that.”
“You are the chosen one. It’s your fate,” he explains as he zips his trousers, his eyes changing to a red color before relaxing back to blue.
“Chosen one? I was literally betrayed and kidnapped and brought to an auction. There’s nothing chosen about that!” I suddenly get angry, and when he snaps back, his words come out as a growl, his black horns reflecting the lights of the room.
“You were brought here to bear my heir. If you can’t do that, you’ll be thrown in the dungeon and left to die. You chose your fate!” he says, turning around while I fall to my knees, tears falling down my cheeks as I process everything that has happened in the past two days.
I’m sure I could have had a better conversation with Kylanor, but not Ashton, who doesn’t even bat an eye at how I feel.
“Eat what you’re fed and prepare your body for the auspicious day,” is the last thing he says before the door shuts behind him.