From Storms to Thrones (Part 1)

Chapter 28: Whispers

Their expressions shifted from alertness to something more predatory, the realization that they had found someone alone and vulnerable written clearly on their faces. The leader narrowed his eyes, studying me with a mix of curiosity and suspicion.

I resisted the urge to curse out loud, keeping my breathing steady as I slowly rose to my feet. My mind was racing, trying to come up with a plan, but the odds were not in my favor. Five armed soldiers, all of them likely skilled in combat, and me—unarmed, still aching from the battle, and with nothing but a piece of bread to defend myself.

I clenched my fists, feeling the tension coil in my muscles as the soldiers started moving toward me, their steps measured and deliberate. I had chosen to stay in this world, to help Rhaenyra, to face the dangers head-on. And now, it seemed, those dangers had found me sooner than I had anticipated.

My eyes darted to the sky one more time, hoping for a miracle, for the Cannibal to appear and scare them off. But the sky remained clear, and the soldiers drew closer with each passing second.

The leader's eyes lingered on me, his gaze a mixture of hunger and malice that made my stomach churn. I stood my ground, but inside, panic was clawing at me, my heart hammering in my chest as the men closed in. I could hear their footsteps crunching on the grass, the murmured exchanges between them—crude, leering comments that only intensified the fear tightening like a vise around my throat.

"Looks like we've got ourselves a little lost lamb," the leader said, his voice laced with a dangerous edge as he stopped a few paces away from me. His hand tightened on the hilt of his sword, his eyes scanning me from head to toe.

I reached out to the Cannibal with every ounce of urgency I could muster. 

"Where are you?" I sent, my mental voice sharp with desperation.

For a moment, there was only silence on his end, and my heart skipped a beat, fear surging as the men moved closer.

Then, finally, his presence brushed against my mind, solid and grounding. 

"Eating," he grumbled, his voice tinged with irritation, as if annoyed that I had interrupted him. I could almost hear the sound of his teeth crunching through bone.

"I need you—now," I pleaded, letting the full weight of my panic seep into the connection. I couldn't afford to be subtle, not with the way these men were looking at me, their intentions as clear as the sky above.

The Cannibal's response was immediate, a shift in his tone that sent a ripple of relief through me.

"I am coming," he said, his voice firm. "Hold on."

The leader took another step forward, his companions following suit, closing the distance between us. They stopped just a few feet away, their smirks widening, eyes gleaming with a mix of anticipation and cruelty.

"What do you say, little lamb?" the leader sneered, his hand finally drawing the sword from his side. The metal gleamed in the morning light, a stark contrast to the darkness in his eyes. 

"We're quite hungry," he added, his gaze dropping down my body with a predatory glint. He licked his lips, the gesture slow and deliberate, meant to unsettle me. "And you look like a fine meal."

I felt a cold sweat break out along my spine, but I forced myself to stay still, to keep my fear from showing any more than it already had. My mind was a whirlwind, a thousand thoughts rushing through, but I kept coming back to one thing: I just needed to stall them.

I forced myself to stand tall, meeting his gaze with as much defiance as I could muster. "I wouldn't underestimate a lost lamb.  Leave now," I said, my voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through my veins.