The Banquet 2

Sid had not felt as human as he did now in a long, long time.

He was wearing a navy blue suit with shiny brass buttons, a waistcoat of the same colors and black tie.

His hair was slicked back with thin oil and it settled smoothly at his nape. Sid slid his hand over it every now and then for effect.

He went through the crowds, stopping to greet an old acquaintance, smiling when he made a new one.

He felt tangible, purposeful, like he was just becoming a solid thing after months of being a sliver of nothingness.

Perhaps it was the contests, the fact that he had seen his own blood spilled for the first time in years.

The sight of one life’s blood outside their body could do that to a man, he had read somewhere, make them see themselves.

Added to that, he spent most of his MANNA in the arena so he healed slowly, humanly.

A hand stole his arm and he looked sideways to find Tiana clinging to him as if she was drowning in open water and he was a lifeboat.

Through clenched teeth and a f