Grace of a Wolf by Lenaleia

Chapter 80: Grace: Strawberries (I)

Giant brown eyes watch me with such suspicion, I’m pretty sure their owner thinks I’m a very hungry dragon with toddler on the menu.

I pretend not to notice the tiny human’s approach. Looking directly might spook her—or worse, encourage her to come closer. The bunny ears on her onesie bounce with each determined step, her diapered bottom swaying like a pendulum as she toddles across the uneven stone floor.

My kidnapper—can I even call him that now?—thrusts three sticks toward me. Each holds several bright red strawberries coated in a crystalline shell that catches the dim light. Tanghulu. I’d seen pictures of it before; fruit skewers dipped in sugar syrup that hardens into a candy coating.

The man’s face remains impassive, nearly hostile, as if handing me this sweet treat is equivalent to passing over the keys to his entire fortune.

I accept them cautiously.

Not a word has been spoken in the ten minutes since I regained consciousness, lying on a pile of thin fleece blankets.

My kidnapper (?) grunts at me before shuffling back to his boiling pot, dipping yet another stick of strawberries in it.

"Uh... thank you," I offer, though I’m not sure why I’m thanking someone who drugged me and stole me from a hospital.

The cave—or whatever this place is—stretches around me in a peculiar mix of primitive and modern. Natural stone walls curve overhead, but someone’s strung LED light chains across them, the wires draped between wooden beams jammed into terracotta pots. The effect is oddly... homey.

A few other children sit cross-legged on mismatched rugs and pillows scattered across the floor. They crunch on their own tanghulu, sugar crystals catching in the corners of their mouths. They don’t seem concerned about being here. None look malnourished or scared.

What kind of kidnapping operation is this?

The toddler’s eyes remain locked on my untouched treats, a thin line of drool escaping the corner of her mouth. Her own tanghulu casualties lie scattered on the floor beneath her—strawberries separated from the stick, their sugar coating cracked and sticky against the stone floor.

Someone should probably clean that up.

Not me, but... someone.

No one seems to care, though.

to." The oldest kid—maybe fifteen—squints at me. "She’s just a glutton.

lip

myself. I’m still woozy from whatever drug I was given, but clear-headed enough

with a drooling toddler

one of my sticks against my palm, testing its stickiness. "Is this

his dark hair falling across one eye.

younger boy pipes up, maybe seven or eight, strawberry

"Safe houses?" I repeat.

crown says this like I should already know. "You know, when the bad people

now, standing so close I can smell the strawberry on her breath. Her fingers tentatively

sticks, and she

name?"

talk," the oldest says. "We call her

right next to me, examining her

you are?" I direct this

the other two. "That’s Jer

offer, though

Sara says, as if I’m

I blink.

not?" I think. Wait, am

Sara blinks.

did he bring me here?" I change the

brings people here when things get dangerous," Jer explains, wiping the back of his

Sara agrees. "The blood witch will get

shatters between my teeth, sweet and crisp before giving way

sour face, but he

"What’s a blood witch?"

children exchange more meaningful glances. Clearly, they know