Chapter 10: PREY
The harsh clang of metal rang out, shattering the morning silence as a voice barked, "Oi!" The sound was followed by a sharp bang against Yomi’s cage. Inside, Yomi remained motionless, his body exhausted from the night’s ordeal, still seated in a lotus position. Unconscious yet serene, his breathing was steady, a stark contrast to the chaos outside his mind.
Thanir, the ever-cruel overseer, scowled at the lack of response. With a sly grin, he grabbed a mug of icy water, tossing its contents directly onto Yomi. The frigid splash sent a jolt through Yomi’s system, pulling him abruptly from his meditative state. His eyes shot open, alert and unyielding, meeting Thanir’s gaze without flinching.
"Rise and shine, sleeping beauty," Thanir sneered, his voice dripping with mockery as he kicked the cage’s bars for emphasis. "Those coins that paid for your sorry hide aren’t going to waste themselves."
He leaned closer, his grin widening as his imagination ran wild with the countless ways he could break the new Dra’kesh slave. The thought was intoxicating to him, but Yomi remained unnervingly calm. His ashen blue hair, damp from the water, clung to his face as he pushed it back with deliberate nonchalance, refusing to rise to the bait.
"Oh, I see," Thanir chuckled darkly, a malicious gleam lighting up his eyes. "The strong, silent type, huh?" His tone took on a sinister edge as his hand drifted to his belt, where a whip hung like a serpent coiled and ready to strike. With theatrical flair, he removed the whip and ran his tongue disturbingly along its length, his twisted grin widening.
The old man in the neighboring cage visibly recoiled, while the young beast girl whimpered, shrinking back into the shadows of her enclosure. Both bore scars—physical and emotional—from Thanir’s sadistic tendencies, and the mere sight of the whip was enough to send shivers down their spines.
Yet Yomi remained unmoved. His steady gaze and composed demeanor seemed to sap Thanir of the satisfaction he craved. Yomi’s silence wasn’t defiance—it was indifference, a cold dismissal of Thanir’s entire existence.
"Good, good," Thanir hissed, his voice low and guttural. "I do love breaking the proud ones in the dungeon." His eyes darkened with anticipation, the promise of pain fueling his cruel delight.
Before he could act, a sharp voice interrupted his twisted reverie.