Page 36 of Stone
As she waited for the elevator to takeher back down, her stomach reminded her that she hadn’t had any lunch. Other than a couple cups of coffee and a candy bar, she hadn’t eaten anything substantial since breakfast. That is, if she considered her half-eaten bowl of cereal a full meal. When the doors opened, instead of going down to her level, she punched the button for the basement where the cafeteria was located. As far as she wasconcerned, she was done for the day. Until her uncle arrived, there was little more she could do. Hell, it was Friday. Half of the crew would be gone before three, anyway.
The elevator dinged and the doors parted. She was immediately overwhelmed with the tantalizing odors, and she thought ofGarenth. He didn’t sleep, he wasn’t affected by bullets, and he appeared to be immortal.But could he feel emotion? Did he ever get hungry? Or tired?
She eyed the roasted chicken. If she took some home with her, would he eat it?
For that matter, what had he been doing this whole time while she was away?
* * *
Garenthwent back into the small room where the shiny sheet of metal hung on the wall and stared at the visage that staredback at him. He vaguely remembered what his human face had looked like, but he knew it in no way resembled the monstrosity he viewed now.
He touched the elongated tusks jutting from his lower jaw. His hand felt their hardness, and his mouth was aware of his touch. His nose had flattened and retreated, his brows had deepened into carved ridges, and his ears had become pointed protuberancesat the top of his bald skull. The resulting mask was both intimidating and horrific.
His fingers roved across his chest until they encountered the marks left by the man’s strange sword. Was it his imagination, or did his skin feel dry and crumbly? He picked at one of the depressions, and bits fell away. Oddly, there was no pain, but he did feel…
Garenthblinked. Hecouldn’t fathom the sensation. It had appeared some time ago, and had been gradually increasing in persistence, but he had yet to discern what it was, or what it meant.
The only thing in the shiny surface that remained of himself were the eyes. Those had not changed. But everything else had.
He lifted his wings, stretching them outward. They weren’t feathered. Theywere skin covered with the thinnest sheets of whatever brownish-gray, rock-like substance encased the whole of his body.
He re-examined his talons. The thick, curved nails were identical on both his hands and feet, and capable of penetrating this place’s thin wooden doors with ease.
He walked out of the little room, into the room that contained the bed that smelledof Brielle. Only of Brielle. There was no other scent in these rooms, which told him that if there was a man in her life, he did not reside here. Nor did he spend the night.
He went into the room where he’d seen her eating. He’d watched as she opened several doors, including one to a large container that exuded cold. Intrigued, he opened every one of them to examine what was inside,and discovered dishes and other oddly-shaped items. What fascinated him the most were the cup-like ones that were as clear as water yet solid and strong, much like the magic see-through stones in the wall that allowed him to look out over thecity.
Sighing, he returned to the bedding room to investigate what he could. In here he found clothing and many items he could neither identifynor figure out what they were for. However, he was rather astonished to find a thick phallus tucked inside one drawer in the table beside her bed. The fact that such a beautiful and daunting woman would have a need for one surprised him. It also further strengthened his belief that there was no man currently in her life.
Why did that please him?
When he was done checking every possible nookand cranny, he crawled outside onto the ladder to perch on the edge to watch the sun god ride across the sky. He could stay here for hours without growing bored. There was too much to see and hear, and the smells wafting up to him piqued his interest. Some of them were rank, stinging his nostrils, but others reminded him of…of…
Food.
His stomach clenched, surprisinghim. He was hungry. He was feeling hunger pangs?
What is happening to me? Why am I feeling this way?
It had to be because of the mother idol. He was being punished for losing the mother idol.
He stared out at the distant glitter of water. What hadMinbarsaid to him before he lost consciousness?
“As long as you retain possession of the vialI’ve placed in your hand, you will live.”
You will live.
I no longer have possession, which means I will die. I am dying now.
For some reason, knowing his life was going to come to a close did not frighten him.
