Chapter 66: The blind man’s curse II
Phetus hesitated, his expression tense, as if weighed down by an unseen burden. A foreboding feeling flickered across his aged face. With a resigned sigh, he grasped his spoon, scooping up a small portion of food. But before he could even bring it to his lips, a cacophony of caws rang out in the distance, the thunderous sound growing closer by the second.
The very moment the spoon brushed his mouth, a swarm of harpies burst through the hut's open windows.
Hael and Ceremus barely had time to react before the winged creatures descended upon Phetus, their sharp talons scraping against the wooden table as they devoured the food from his plate in an instant. Not a single crumb remained. Then, just as swiftly as they had arrived, the harpies shot back out into the sky, leaving behind an eerie silence and the old man frozen in place, his shoulders hunched in quiet agony.
Phetus lowered his gaze to his now empty plate, his expression unreadable. Ceremus, still recovering from the shock, studied the old man, then the vacant spot where his meal had been. A realization dawned upon him—this wasn't the first time. The man's frail frame, the haunting hollowness in his cheeks, the defeated way he sat—it all made sense now. The harpies had been stealing his food for a long time.
A rare pang of sympathy struck Ceremus, a sentiment he was unaccustomed to feeling.
Hael, on the other hand, felt something far stronger—rage.
His body tensed as his hands curled into fists. Without hesitation, the towering warrior launched himself through the window, his long legs carrying him at an astonishing speed as he tore after the thieving creatures.
Ceremus gawked at Hael's retreating figure, momentarily stunned. Even for someone as unshakable as the king, the sheer ferocity of the giant's reaction caught him off guard.
"Just where–"
"I knew this would happen," Loki sighed, shaking his head. "The second I saw those vile things, I knew they'd stir up trouble."
Ceremus shot the bird a sharp look before snapping his attention back to the window. With an irritated sigh, he pushed himself up from the table.