The Necromanced (Being Edited 7/21/14)

Chapter Thirty-five: To Be Human

Chapter Thirty-five: To Be Human

The hall was long, my gait was disjointed and slow going as I walked along the wall. My newly adjusted limp would take some getting used to. I took my time, Jase would be in the room recovering, he wasn't going anywhere. I tried to think of what I would say first, would I gloat? Would I apologize? Was there really anything I could say? I wasn't regretful, I didn't feel any dire need to make amends. The guards who sat on either side of the door nodded as I passed by towards Jase's room. 

No sooner had I entered the stone archway than a familiar voice came calling out, "Back for a victory lap?" Jase was sitting, in a surprisingly good mood for one who had been shot the night before. It was not a good shot, I regretted that. He was sitting up, both his legs hanging over the cot. His demeaner wasn't unpleasant, in fact it seemed almost cheery. 

"You're up." I said rather surprised. I ignored his comments, I was here for a reason.

"Not disappointed?" Jase asked with a small smirk gesturing at his leg. 

"Don't tempt me into shooting the other one." I joked awkwardly. For a moment it was like nothing had happened. It was strangely tempting to leave matters where they lie. 

"So," Jase said getting serious, even sitting up a little straighter. "You're back for information." My face must've twitched, because he continued. "Tore, must be." He confirmed with a raised eyebrow, I wondered what his prying eyes were looking at, I stared back hoping he would get something wrong.

"So let me get this straight Meriden of the royal...what was it?" He mocked before continuing. "You want information on Tore, and coma boy can't tell you what was in his drink, so it's up to me." I hadn't opened my mouth once, but he had figured it out. 

"I was going to ask nicely, but I guess now I don't have to?" I asked, hoping he would take the bait and continue on with his deductions. He may have been a worthless human, but he wasn't wrong about what I needed. I had worked it out last night, if it wasn't me, it had to be Jase. How he managed it I didn't care to know, all I wanted was to know the cause and the cure.

"Wrong." He said coldly. "You're going to have to beg. Beg harder than you ever have for anything in your life." Jase was a bastard, but he was the worst kind of bastard. He was cold, unfeeling, and nothing in the world could make him do something he didn't want to. I saw that in the split second after he finished his sentence. He didn't clench his jaw as if looking for the conviction to follow, it was already there. He didn't fidget, he had all the cards. We were all puppets on his little string. I had once admired it from a far, but up close I saw it for what it was: Hideous.

I remained calm trying to focus, he was relaxed. He had no reason to be concerned. There was very little, if anything, I could do to physically persuade him.

"What is it you want?" I asked, "You have to want something." 

"I did say beg, didn't I?" Jase retorted. There was no smirk, no semblance of a threat, only a raw ambition hidden there. His eyes were the only thing that truly frightened me, they seemed to label and calculate every variable.

"And I asked you a question." I countered steping closer, I was repelled by him, but still I stepped closer.

"So I guess we're at a standstill then." Jase said, finally showing some sort of emotion. His eyes flicked to my leg and back to my face. 

"What do you suggest?" 

"A trade," He said finally. "After all we're only human right?" He smiled, it wasn't a friendly smile, it was malicious. 

"Well then, since we're only human," I said coming even closer. I walked until I was standing directly in front of him, so close I could smell him. I leaned forward, my mouth lingered directly in front of his ear. "What do you suppose we trade?" He leaned forward to meet me. I reached gently for his lower thigh. I felt as though my heart would pound itself right out of my chest. Without a moments hesitation I clamped down and pivoted with the full force of my weight into his wound. What ensued was the most volatile sound I had ever heard coming from another human being. I smirked, lessening the pressure, though not fully releasing my hold. My aim had been messy at the time of the shooting, but I had complete control now. As I leaned back ever so slightly I could see his face clearly. Even though it threatened, there were no tears in his eyes, not yet.