Federica stood off to the side, watching as the others left the kitchen and walked down the darkened hall. One by one, they stopped and made an offering to the guardian who let them pass.
It would be easier to just eat her meals in the kitchen and never have to make an offering. "It's taboo," they said. "The guardian takes offerings, and in exchange, he keeps us safe."
She didn't believe them. The guardian was always asleep except when it was time to receive offerings. When the raiders came, he was nowhere in sight. When the army demanded rations, he ran away. Even when the poisonous snakes and frogs come up from the river, he ignores them.
The guardian's wide, unblinking eyes were fixed on Federica. She looked around and realised everyone else had left; only she remained to make an offering. Reluctantly, she left the kitchen. The guardian's glowing orange eyes entranced her, and like a moth to the flame, she made her way down the hall.
Kneeling in front of the guardian, Federica offered her food first. The guardian smelled everything in her bowl carefully. Next she offered her drink, and again he smelled carefully. Three times, the guardian smelled her food and drink. Federica couldn't take her eyes off the loose strand of fur on his chin as he took the offering.
"Why are you always the last?" Lucy asked when she got back to their room.
"Why do we make offerings when he doesn't protect us?"
"What?"
"All he does is sit in the dark areas, staring."
"That's because the dark areas are portals to the warped dimension; his eyes guide us through them. Without him, we'd get lost, or one of their denizens would break loose."
ns 15.158.61.46da2
