Grixis—that was his name…
Knowing his name makes it more real. A moment ago, he was a vague figment with dubious intentions.
His touch had been gentle, only gripping me hard when I tried to pull away.
But his eyes were cold as ice.
A chill takes me by surprise. He called them ribbons…
“Eat,” a voice barks, taking me by surprise.
I turn to see the giant approaching from the forest, his enormous body covered in furs. He’s carrying a strange-looking animal carcass. Something between a pig and a wolf.
He sheds his pelts, revealing a mountain of tight, brawny flesh, then squats and starts skinning the beast.
“How can you wear that? One minute it’s hot. Another it’s cold.”
“I’m not so frail that the heat and cold could bring me down.”
“Oh…”
“Eat.”
I study his features as I scarf the rest of the meat down. Now that I’m not running through the woods in a panic, he doesn’t look as large. He’s still huge, but there was some exaggeration at play in my head.
Perhaps he’ll soften with conversation.
“Thank you,” I say, flashing him a smile.
He sneers, shaking his head from side to side as though in disbelief as he tends to the carcass.
That’s weird.
“I appreciate all that you’ve done for me.”
Now, he looks downright disgusted.
Instead of saying,‘You’re welcome,’he clenches his bone-handled knife and saws through the skin of the animal furiously.
“I would have died without you—”
A series of angry grunts launches from his throat as he rises from his crouch.
I fall back on my arms, scooting away from the man’s furious rage.
“Why do you insist on being so weak?” he demands. “On displaying it so proudly?”
“Um…huh?”
A vein bulges on his forehead. “You sit there with your frail arms and your dainty ankles, content with being unable to care for yourself.”
He’s serious, though I can’t figure out why this makes him so angry.
“How have you survived this long?” He takes a menacing step forward. “What being would protect something as helpless as you?”
“You would,” I blurt out.
His face contorts in horror.