Wanderlust Beastkin, Beauty and the Beastkin

Elara’s Perspective

"It’s time to unleash the ladies into the trees!" he exclaimed, his voice booming with excitement that could hardly be contained. With a grandiose gesture, he tapped the button on the pergola’s side, employing the tip of his staff in a manner that was both dramatic and flamboyant, as if orchestrating a grand performance in nature’s theater. ƒrēenovelkiss.com

The moment the button was pressed, the chains above us fell loose. About half of the girls who were chained dropped to the ground, while the guys sitting nearby laughed as if it was the girls’ fault for being so clumsy.

I could have given them a piece of my mind, but I had bigger fish to fry.

"Looks like some of the girls will have a bit less than thirty minutes. Seems our staff got a tad too excited with the sedatives, aren’t they just charming, gentlemen? Enjoy the facilities while I handle some quick business. In the meantime, we’ve got a delightful dance lined up on the balcony." He waved casually at the guys and then hurried down the path toward the back of the staff buildings.

As the captured girls stumbled and rushed toward the trees with ladders and little forts, I pretended to follow their lead. But instead, I hung back in the tree line, waiting for the guys to be led away. Once they were gone, I circled back and sprinted into the woods along the servants’ path, searching for the hollowed-out tree Beck had told me about. He said that if I ever found myself in the snatching ritual, I needed a different outfit than the little red dress they gave me and to hide in the tree until it was over. But I couldn’t do that because they took Skye.

I climbed into the hollow tree and opened the bag hidden inside. Inside, I found a dark green dress, a matching hooded cloak, and some sturdy brown leather boots. I quickly slipped them on. Then, I pulled out an ivory knife and started slicing the clear gems off the red dress, eating some to keep my heat in check. After munching on a few gems and pocketing the rest, I buried that annoying dress.

Next, I used the ivory blade to chop my ridiculously long, newly auburn hair to a more manageable length. I buried the cut hair as well. I folded the bag and tucked it into an inner pocket of the cloak, pulling the hood over my head, ready to move. As I walked along the path by the tree line, I spotted the host emerging from the closed-off litterbox. He was sweating and groaned before quickly retreating inside, leaving his staff leaning against the wall. I had planned to ambush him for the staff, but if he was just going to leave it there, I might as well take it. That staff was crucial for me to harness my fire magic before I got the training I needed.

I snatched the staff and dashed into the woods, quick as a flash. I yanked the gem off the top and tucked the staff away under some fallen leaves. If he came looking for it, he’d be searching for the whole thing, not just a rock. I stashed the stone in my other inner pocket, gripping it tight as I sprinted. A wave of heat surged through me, and I could feel the mana flowing all around, especially at my fingertips. I pulled out my other hand, the one not touching the stone, and noticed the tips of my fingers glowing red. Focusing on summoning fire, it appeared in an instant, flickering in my palm and dancing along my fingers.

Perla’s Perspective

I was doing the chicken dance.

In a dimly lit barn, I found myself caught in the absurdity of the chicken dance, flapping my arms and clucking like a lunatic. Out of nowhere, a beak sprouted from my face, and I bobbed my head in a bizarre rhythm, strutting toward a massive nest. As I settled onto it, a torrent of white chicken eggs erupted from me, bursting forth like paintballs in a chaotic frenzy. The pile swelled beneath me, transforming into a towering mountain of eggs. With a triumphant cluck, I celebrated the last egg’s release, but then a deep rumble echoed through the barn, causing the eggs to shift ominously. I gazed at my eggy empire with a mix of pride and dread when suddenly, one began to crack. Tiny fissures appeared, spreading like wildfire, and soon, the sound of cracking multiplied. The eggshells exploded outward, sharp as glass, slicing into my skin. From the wreckage emerged a swarm of fist-sized black spiders, their eyes glowing red and silver, crawling forth with a sinister grace.

A writhing mass of spiders erupted from their shells, swarming up my legs like a living nightmare, enveloping me until I was nothing but a dark silhouette beneath their countless bodies. Their bites pierced my skin, and I could feel them greedily drawing my blood.

I suddenly felt icy fingers gliding down my cheek, sending a shiver through me that raised goosebumps all over my skin.

I shot up, my heart pounding like a drum, flailing about as if I could shake off that ghostly touch. And there they were—silver eyes piercing through the darkness, locked onto mine. When he reached out again, a flood of memories crashed over me, and I instinctively recoiled, gasping in shock.

"I noticed you had a bit of a rough night, but don’t worry, a little food can work wonders! I brought you something healthy." He gestured dramatically with his sharp black nail, and my heart dropped as I caught sight of what lay before me. A delicate cocoon spun from silken spider threads, eerily shaped like a tiny person, with a tuft of vibrant red hair peeking out. Oh no, he didn’t just bring me a snack... he brought me a person to feast on!

Elara’s Perspective

I focused on my fingers, managing to direct the fire from specific ones as long as my other hand gripped the stone. With that stone in my possession, I had control over the flames. I needed to transform the stone into something wearable, eliminating the need to hold it.

Once I felt confident in my abilities, I extinguished the flames and pulled the stretchy face cover from my hooded cloak up to conceal the lower half of my face, leaving only my eyes visible. I then proceeded calmly along the path toward the visitors’ housing. Ahead, I spotted two guards and made sure to keep my head down, adopting a submissive posture similar to the females accompanying the visiting males.

"Yo! Who the hell are you hiding under that cloak? Strip it off so I can see what you’re all about!

I kept my gaze fixed on the ground, just like those females would, too scared to engage with any other man, worried that their owner might react out of jealousy. The younger guard seemed inexperienced, but the one accompanying him was clearly not.

"Take off that stupid cloak, are you freaking deaf?!" he yelled, charging at me with his arm out. I flinched back just in time as the other guard lunged in and snagged his arm before he could lay a finger on me.

"You are free to carry on with your activities. I ask for your understanding regarding my colleague; he’s still learning the ropes. Since you were not harmed in any way, there’s no issue here. Please proceed," he said, gripping the other guard with one hand while directing me down the path with the other.

"I gotta find out who she is, so why the hell are you holding me back?"

The guard repeated, "Please continue," disregarding the words of his fellow guard.

I nodded briefly, keeping my gaze fixed on the ground, and then proceeded down the path without glancing at either of them or uttering a word.

"What the hell was that about? Why’d you keep me from pulling off her cloak?" the other guard asked, his voice tinged with a hint of complaint.

"A female dressed in such a manner and found in this area likely has a connection to one of the visitors who is possessive and wishes to shield her from the eyes of others. If you had compelled her to undress, it would have been construed as being for your viewing pleasure or laid hands on her for any reason, no justification would have spared you from dire consequences or even death. While her attire may seem like a simple garment to you, it is crafted from exceptionally fine materials; not everyone can indulge in such luxuries for mere personal servants’ clothing. Take heed of my warning or seek to leave this position at your earliest convenience, for your tenure here will be short-lived otherwise.

"I’ll remember that," he remarked, and I could sense his gaze fixed on my back, as if he believed that by staring long enough, he could penetrate my robe and uncover what lay beneath. I kept moving, pretending either not to notice or not to care. As I passed a few other attendants, some women shot me looks of pity; it was common for men who forced their women into such attire to exhibit violent and controlling behavior. I acknowledged them with slight nods as we brushed past, but that was the limit of our exchange.

Eventually, I reached the entrance of house seven and slipped inside. I stayed alert for any potential intruders and kept my face covered to avoid any lingering traces of poison or drugs in the air. I headed to the spot where I last saw Beck, finding him sprawled on the floor, unconscious. What had they done to him?

Coming Next Time: Squirrel Stew