Perilune

Chapter 5

While Lyra looked directly at the cake as she frosted it, she hardly saw it.  She wasn't used to anyone even noticing when she left a room, much less bursting into flame at the idea of her not coming back.  She meant a lot to Amaris. She wasn't sure what that meant for her.

The walls let their shadows fall heavily across Lyra as she struggled for rational thought without a compass, anxiety slamming hard against the unknown to create a clumsy symphony of worst fears.  Amaris could simply view her as a possession, a plaything she doesn't want taken away.  Or she might simply be angry to have prey she'd set her sights on rescued from her claws.

As she duplicated the cake, a set of words came to Lyra's mind.  "I won't accept any replacements."  A shiver ran down her spine at being singled out by such a terrifying being.  It felt as if one of Amaris's claws was always curled around her.  Still, a tiny spark of optimism ignited.  If other humans wouldn't suffice, did Amaris intend for Lyra to live indefinitely?  Such a thought sounded too absurd to fully consider. 

Lyra pulled both carts to the door of the cell, and paused.  Nerves vibrated through her.  Something about her, or something she was doing, had captured Amaris's attention.  Not knowing what it was, what sort of interest Amaris took, agonized Lyra; if she knew what Amaris desired from her, she could edit herself to be the epitome of it.

As Lyra pushed the door open and stepped into the cell, she felt as if she walked on stage to perform lines she read out of order in the dark years ago. 

Amaris crashed down on top of her, devouring the cake along with the cart in a few bites as if unable to stop herself.  She quickly scooped Lyra up in her talons, holding her against her chest with one massive hand.  Lyra let out a startled squeal, as she didn't realize Amaris was there until she was captured. 

Amaris snickered.  "You are far too amusing when startled."  She paused for a moment to examine the rest of Lyra's offerings.  "This smells heavenly... You took the time to season these for me?  How naughty of you to waste the good oils and spices on the dragon...  How thoughtful..." she felt Amaris's grip gently tighten on her for a moment.  Amaris's voice was silken, pleased. 

Amaris picked the cart of chickens up in her other set of talons as she took flight, the wind more thoroughly shielding Lyra than before.  She landed in the same room she had taken Lyra to earlier.  Amaris placed Lyra gently on the furs and immediately turned her attention to the cart full of chickens.  She tossed several in her mouth like popcorn.  "Heavenly," She sighed, "Fresh meat, even prepared as if you don't view me as a wild animal."  Their eyes met.  Lyra's breathing halted for a moment.

Typically the liquid pools of platinum were illegible, the language of Amaris's emotions written across moving currents.  Lyra recognized something immediately in this glance, as it was something she hadn't seen in a pair of eyes directed at her in far too long.  Warmth.  Amaris's voice was powerful as always, but a scratch had made its way across her tone; Lyra's gesture had meant more than either of them expected it to. 

Lyra supposed the emotion which caused Amaris's voice to scrape against her throat was the same Lyra felt now.  It wasn't the appearance of a void, but the recognition of one.  Somehow it was fine until it was noticed; Lyra didn't realize how much of an emotional toll such a time without a single warm glance had taken until now.  Lyra turned her face away before tears could gloss over her eyes.

As Amaris continued to take her time eating, making satisfied noises every so often, Lyra tried to resist laying back on the furs to rest.  It was a laborious effort; keeping her head up was becoming strenuous.  She wondered if she could ask Amaris to bring her back to her own cell to sleep, and decided against it.  Asking her for favors would be too far.  She wasn't in the clear yet, as far as she could tell.  She'd never really be in the clear; she knew Amaris's satisfaction with her would have to be constantly maintained if she wished to survive.