Resident 324 (The Dartonian Bestiary Book 1) by Mirror Ward

Author:Mirror Ward [Ward, Mirror]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-01-05T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 3

The sound of the door closing behind me makes me jump. My cheeks heat with embarrassment, and I’m glad there’s no one to see how nervous I am. Well, the Dartonians will, but at least I can’t see their judgement.

His enclosure is quiet, but not silent or still. There’s soft, rhythmic chirping echoing from the trees, and little luminous flashes in the air from some kind of flying insects that are floating around the clearing. I breath in deep and find comfort in the familiar scent of wilderness.

I spent a lot of my youth in the forests around the small city I grew up in. I always felt safest and happiest there, given how much turmoil and crime happened near our home on a daily basis.

The lanteweria is nowhere to be seen, even though I’m sure he must have heard the door. Not wanting to disrespect him by invading his territory without announcing myself, I do the only thing I can think of.

“Hello?” My voice doesn’t echo as much as I expect. I feel self-conscious, but speak up and try again anyway. “I, um… I’m not care staff, but I have come to see you. I hope that’s okay.”

I hear faint movement and focus on the shadowed area in the trees that I assume must be the den Car’tak mentioned. The darkness shifts, and glowing, lantern-like lures on spindly stalks precede the appearance of the beast himself. The lures—meant to attract curious prey—are pretty, but nothing compared to the full glory of his shimmering, unearthly wings. I can only see the silhouette of his form, but his wings… they flicker and flare, sparks of luminescence coursing from the base to the tips and back, the veins of shimmering color putting on a light show that has me rooted to the spot. It’s another tool the lanteweria use to hunt, and it’s extremely effective. I’m mesmerized as I watch his approach, each flash of light as beautiful to me as the northern lights must have been to my long-ago ancestors.

My pulse flutters, and I swallow hard as he enters the clearing, where the moonlight strips away the shadows that hid the rest of him from view. His fine fur does nothing to disguise the muscle and sinew of his form, which ripples and flexes with each step as he stalks toward me. It’s all I can do not back away. His easy, predatory movements and greater height only add to the intimidating picture he presents.

He stops fewer than two feet away, lifting his chin and sniffing at the air, curled horns gleaming. I clear my throat, keeping my eye contact brief so he doesn’t take it as a challenge.

“I… I don’t agree with you being kept here against your will, but there’s nothing I can do about that,” I stammer, ignoring how my stomach twists when he steps closer and lowers his muzzle above my head to sniff my hair. “But I know you’ve been alone for a long time, and I wanted to offer myself to you.

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