novelraw Chapter 55
Chapter 55
“Thea, do you have any bread? I think I'll just have bread.”
Hearing this, Thea, who was seated opposite, looked up. Isolde's gaze was locked on the roasted leg of meat, unable to tear itself away. Her words and her heart were not in agreement.
Thea set down her knife and fork and delicately dabbed her lips with a napkin. “Don't worry. Today is a special day. Consider this meal my treat.”
“A special day?” Isolde searched her memory. It wasn't a holiday. She looked up, her expression puzzled.
“It is the anniversary of the day we officially became acquainted,” Thea said with a beautiful smile.
Isolde's bright eyes lit up. If that was the case… “Then it won't be added to my bill, right?”
“Rest assured, it will not.”
Isolde's mind went blank. She rolled up the sleeves of her black gossamer dress, picked up her knife and fork, and attacked the meat. The small knife sliced cleanly through the roast, and a perfect piece slid off. Her fork moved with unerring accuracy, spearing the morsel.
Watching her eat with such rapid efficiency, Thea's black eyes narrowed slightly. Such incredible control. A single cut, with no wasted effort, and a perfect slice is detached. Perhaps she has a terrifying talent for swordsmanship. I will have Linda test her when she returns.
Clatter, clatter.
The sound of footsteps surprised Thea. Who would come to the dining hall at this hour? The family of House Valerius only gathered for dinner in the evening. She knew that her relatives avoided her during the day, rarely setting foot in the main dining hall.
She looked up.
A tall, powerfully built youth strode in, his biceps bulging as if he had just finished training. A sheen of sweat covered his body.
Scott.
Seeing her at the head of the table, Scott was equally surprised. To run into Thea now… what rotten luck. His gaze shifted to the person beside her. Who's that? She looks like a commoner. When had Thea become so bored that she'd started mixing with the lower class?
Slap!
A golden whip coiled on the dining table beside Thea's plate.
Scott flinched. Seeing the whip, he turned on his heel and left without a word.
Isolde, completely absorbed in devouring her meal, noticed none of this.
Twenty minutes later, only a large, clean-picked bone remained on the platter. It shone under the light, without a single knife mark marring its surface.
Truly terrifying control. Thea marveled silently. Her gaze fell to Isolde's stomach. It was still completely flat. Appetite, control, and strength. What other forms of feedback did she receive? Curiosity flickered in Thea's eyes.
She smiled. “Are you full?”
Isolde nodded emphatically. “Thank you, Thea.”
“Then let's return to my room.” Thea stood and picked up the golden whip. “My servants have already brought back today's lessons from Ms. Solana. We can review our schoolwork.”
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“Okay!”
Back in the room, they reviewed their lessons together. The time passed quickly, and soon it was late afternoon. Thea glanced out the window. The sky was already darkening. Strange. Linda should have been back by now.
Just then, the door opened.
Click.
A familiar figure stepped inside. Linda had returned.
“Isolde, why don't you study on your own for a little while?”
“Mhm,” she mumbled without looking up. She was completely engrossed, a truly diligent child. Under Thea's guidance, she felt she had learned so much and was now busy digesting it all.
Thea shot Linda a look and turned toward the balcony. Linda bowed her head and followed her lady.
“How are things proceeding?” Thea asked as soon as they stepped outside.
“The merchant guild has begun acquiring grain,” Linda reported methodically. “The Knight Captains have taken their men to the family demesnes to recruit new prospects.”
“Well done.”
*****
In a lightless cave, a young red dragon lay on the stone floor. Atop his back, two smaller wyrmlings, one white and one blue, were sprawled in sleep.
Heavy eyelids, nictitating membranes, lifted. For several seconds, Aiden remained motionless, his sluggish thoughts slowly returning. He raised his head to look at his back. The two were still asleep.
He pushed with all four limbs to stand.
The next second, he collapsed.
Thump.
His legs gave out, a gnawing pain twisting in his stomach. What's wrong? Even if the two on my back have grown a bit larger, it shouldn't be enough to keep me from standing.
Aiden looked down at his claws. The bulging muscles that had once covered them were gone. His scales seemed to be wrapped directly around the bone. He looked back at his hind legs, his torso.
Skin and bones!
His stomach cramped again. He was starving. He had to eat. Now.
Realizing this, Aiden opened his emaciated maw and bit down on a chunk of stone from the cavern floor. He swallowed.
An even more intense spasm of pain shot through him. The stone had done nothing but awaken a deeper, more ravenous greed in his gut.
Aiden extended his tail, nudged the white dragon, Bianca, and pushed.
Thump.
A white, draconic body slid to the floor. The weight on his back lightened instantly. Aiden pushed himself up with his claws. This time, he didn't collapse. He took a labored step forward.
Thump.
The weight on his back lightened again.
Having shed his burdens, he scrambled toward a scent that promised food. He shoved a stone slab aside with one claw, revealing a hole blocked with rubble. Using both claws and snout, he began to dig and swallow, quickly clearing a path.
Meat! It's meat!
A fire ignited in Aiden's vertical pupils. He lunged, sinking his teeth into the flesh. He tore off a chunk of frozen, stiff meat and swallowed it without chewing.
Not enough. Still not enough.
He clawed deeper into the hole, but his wings became stuck. If he couldn't get in, he would just have to eat from here.
As he consumed the frozen carcass, his withered body began to fill out. Aiden could feel his strength returning with every bite. He slammed a claw against the side of the opening.
CRACK!
With a deafening roar, the rock wall shattered, sending a large boulder flying. Having violently widened the entrance, Aiden squeezed inside.
Not enough. Not enough. I must eat more.
Eat!
Aiden didn't know how much he ate. When he finally came to his senses, half of a Skyrazor was gone, consumed into his belly. The gnawing hunger was gone, replaced by a comfortable fullness. He was about eighty percent full.
He stopped eating. More than sating his hunger, Aiden wanted to know what had happened during his long slumber.
He checked his right eye. The fiery sigil was full.
He checked his left eye. The ring… What is this red bar that now fills a quarter of the ring? He studied it for a moment but had no idea. Fine. I'll figure it out later.
He focused his gaze. Panel. The next second, it opened before him.
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Name:
AidenRank: ☆☆☆
Growth Potential: ★★★★★★★★★★
Attributes:
Size Rating:7Scale Rating:10Stage: Wyrmling Mana:3000 / 3000Bloodline: ?? Red Dragon ??
Abilities:
Fire BreathWater BreathingDark VisionSky FlightHardened ScalesSource of FlameFlame Storage???Unknown Ability (Latent)Spells:
Fire ArrowBurstFlame Pillar------------------------------
He had gained two new abilities and one new spell during his slumber.
???. He couldn't even see the name of this one. He skipped it.