Later that day, the two of us are sharing breakfast.
That is, I'm stuck sitting on her lap while she feeds me.
It's humiliating.
With her claws, she pinches up a strip of seared meat from… something, and then dangles it over my head like I'm some kind of hatchling bird cheeping to its mother. I am hungry, so I do eat it, but not without qualms.
It's… It's fucking delicious. Tender, juicy, savory, salty…
"Hells," I exhale after swallowing, brows furrowed. "What is that?"
"Giant serpent meat," she whispers from above as she leans forward to get a much bigger piece for herself. "Cooked over hellfire, so hot it sears the outside like leather, and keeps the inside nearly raw. With salt, ground mushrooms, turmeric, and onion. Do you like it?"
I cross my arms and look over at the fireplace. "It's alright."
After she gnashes it down, she tightens her hold around my waist and uses the spine of a claw to turn my chin upward so I'm looking at her. Pale eyes wide, voice cold, she asks, "Are you lying to me, little rose?"
Shit. "I–It's… very good."
"Hmm." Her lips curl with satisfaction. "Is that any way to address me? What did I tell you? I want you to refer to me by name."
I shift with discomfort, perched on her thighs. We're not allowed to even whisper the Fallen Queen's name in the Heavens. And the Goddess doesn't allow us to speak Her name either, let alone use it directly. Wait, what am I thinking? This isn't the Goddess. This is no divine. This is a mere draconid, just like I am. A former Primarch Legend, yes, but nothing more than that.
Former.
Still, I'm nervous to say it.
"It's very good… Lady Umbra…"
"Much better," she coos, then holds up another piece and stares through me as I eat it. "Lovely. I told you I would take good care of you. So eat your fill. As much as you want. Everything you desire and more. I will give it all to you, Crimson. You deserve nothing less."
Yes, yes, the demon and her temptations.
As if I'll be swayed by such empty words.
Keeping quiet, I reluctantly eat my fill.
I can't believe any of this is happening to me.
After breakfast, the Fell takes me to her library. It is admittedly magnificent, like an arching cathedral hall of its own lined on every ascending level by stacks filled to the brim with books. I'm tremendously bewildered by the sheer volume of tomes, and the Fell sets me down on my feet with a little snicker of mirth.
"Impressed?"
"Um. Y–Yeah, a little."
"This way."
She cuts left into the stacks and gently pulls on the chain to bring me with her. I trot a little to catch up and walk alongside her, unsure if I can keep up with her long stride. To my surprise, she matches my pace and takes her time, the tips of her fingers sliding along the fifth shelf as we go. Confused, I try to make sense of what she's doing and why, but then it dawns on me.
"A library. All these books. But…"
"I can't read them. That's right."
In this specific and singular regard, I pity her.
And I have to ask. "Then why do you have them?"
"I hoped… to have someone read them to me. Someday." She suddenly stops in place and reaches higher to feel at the ninth shelf for a moment before plucking up a small leather bound book. "This one. Yes. I like this one."
I waver in place, uncertain about what to do here.
Her black tongue flickers. "Will you read it to me?"
Hesitating, I decide it seems innocuous enough. As I accept the book from her, I mumble, "Um. Sure. I can do that. But how do you know that you like it?"
"I have read a fair portion of my catalogue. Long ago. Before I was blinded. Time has eroded at my memories of their contents… But I remember a good number. This one especially."
The cover reveals nothing so I crack it open and check the first few pages. The parchment is soft and feels almost fresh, as if the sheets were bound together just days ago. When I see the title page, I scowl in vexation as I read and reread the calligraphic black ink. I know this story by heart.
It's a first edition of The Luminous.
"Hells, how can this possibly be in such good condition?"
She smiles slightly. "I'm careful with my belongings. Particularly my books."
"But this… This was written a millennium past."
"Yes. It was." Her tail sways. "As I said. Careful. This way."
I shake my head as I follow her, struggling to comprehend what means could preserve any book for so long. A time stasis, perhaps? Preservation runes could theoretically do it, so long as they're refreshed every few decades. But I don't see any in these pages.
At the heart of the library, she leads me over to a gigantic blazing fireplace, built of masoned obsidian and arranged to look like a dragon's gaping maw. Or maybe it's her gaping maw. Once she takes a seat on a Fell sized lounge of black velvet, she silently invites me to join her with a curl of her finger.
It's either that or the granite floor.
I sit next to her but keep my distance, coiling my tail in my lap and folding my wings tight to my back, legs dangling off the edge. After I'm settled, she lays down on her side behind me, sliding an arm around my waist to pull me in so I'm resting my back on her midsection and she's curled up all around me. I'm stiff as a board, tensed up and rigid, already regretting my decision to sit with her.
But that's all she does. Nothing more.
After shifting around in place and getting comfortable, she closes her eyes with a sigh. "Yes. This is nice. I'm listening, little one. When you're ready."
I disdain the circumstance and company, but it is a comfortable position to rest in. If it weren't the Fell behind me like this, I might even feel safe and protected. Trying to pretend it's Hilde, I do what I can to relax and take a deep breath. The sooner I start, the sooner this will be over.
So, I flip to the first page and begin to read.