-Karen-“You’re just staring at your hand. Are you alright, Karen?” Conor asked setting down his cards. I looked up unsure of how to say what I felt. I felt like I got punched in the chest in front of the entire Royal court. I feel so nervous and like I’m going to cry.I got up and hugged him tightly. There’s no doubt anymore. But how do I say it? He was silent but returned the hug. “Excuse me for a moment please.” I whispered. I left the main room and slipped into the armoire room. I paced around the room trying to figure this out as best I could. That feeling I felt… It was just like Bart had said. You just realize out of the damn blue that you you’re in love with them. I smiled sweetly to myself as the realization sunk in deeper by the second. I’m in love with him. There’s no way I could ever deny my feelings for him. But how do I say it to him? “Karen? Are you feeling okay?” Conor asked from by the doorway. I’m fine… I think. “Do you want me to send for Bart?” I heard him walk o
-Karen-“I hope you like Zargo, Kay. I plan to give you at least one of my estates when I take you home with me.” I looked over in surprise. “The first one I want you to have has a large garden. Your rose garden is only half the size of that garden. I want you to feel at home there.” I watched him in silence. “The manor house is kind of small next to the others, but it has a small library, an art studio, a music room, six bedrooms, four large spa bathrooms with a nice big soaking tub in two of them, several other rooms and a basement. The best part is it’s in the quiet countryside where you won't have to be worried about being stared at if you go outside.”“You know you don’t have to give me something like that. I can just borrow it.” I whispered and then giggling at the dirty look on his face.“Listen here, woman. I’m giving you this estate because I want you to have something of your own. Also, I’m going to make sure that you have at least three servants, a personal chef.” I shook m
I narrowed my eyes. “No way Conor! I have a score to settle with you!” I proclaimed defiantly. He laughed and then we kissed. I smiled, cupping his face. “I hope you’re finally ready to lose!” I will defeat you!“We’ll see won't we?” He replied kissing me several times. “You’re going down!” I went to get off his lap, but he wouldn’t let me move. He stood up and carried me out into the main room kissing me the whole way. He gently set me down on my chair and then sat in his chair giving me a sneaky grin. “Ready to lose, you sexy vixen?” He asked, shuffling the cards.“Hmph!” I pulled out the bottle of whiskey and gave it to him.“Yes! Best lover ever!” He cried, drinking the entire small bottle in one shot. “Ah! I love that burn!” He picked the cards back up while I finished emptying the contents of the basket. “You got a bunch of good stuff!” He nodded approvingly. We played for three hours and I finally managed to win four of the nine games. “You still lost.” He teased with a smug s
-Karen-“There’s probably going to be a lot of people out there waiting for us when you take the seal off. Just be prepared because they are probably going to think you are holding me hostage.” Conor warned putting his forehead against mine. “Well… I was! That’s not a lie, Conor. I will always hold you hostage.” I replied walking to the doors. He chuckled under his breath. I quickly braided my hair in hopes that was going to make me feel a little less anxious. I touched my hand to the door and took a deep breath. “Dispel.” I whispered softly. As soon as the seal disappeared you could hear the commotion we had caused.“Where the fuck is he at?!” I heard Zachary screaming at everyone. “It’s been two days and there still isn’t an update?!” I felt my anxiety shoot up about eight levels as someone started pounding on the door. Uh oh. I could hear someone say something to the king, but I couldn’t make out what was said. “Then kick the damn door down! Burn it down! Blow it off the fucking h
-Karen-I felt my stomach start to ache from hunger and my nerves as I sat on the edge of the bed. “Can I ask you something, Karen?” Bart asked moving the chaise back in front of the fireplace and sitting down across from me. I nodded quietly. “I’ve been meaning to ask you this for a while now. If it were possible, would you want to be a mother?” Conor asked me that when I showed him how to sew. Would I?I thought about the question for a several minutes. “I don’t think I’d be a very good one. So, I’d be inclined to say no. I’d be afraid that I would be a horrible one. I wouldn’t want any child to go through what I have. I’d make so many mistakes.” I bet I would be terrible. Where would I even start? “I know you have been giving Joanne and I pointers, but I don’t think that’s going to help me at all.”“Have you ever met your mother? Do you remember her at all?” Bart asked with a sad note in his voice.“I remember her standing over me in the garden, but the image is just a shadow now.
-Karen-“Very good, little rat!” The king exclaimed with a laugh. “A purple magic rat with good manners is quite the sight isn’t it, Generals? You trained her well Conor! Quite a remarkable change from our last encounter when she was feral and rabid.” I heard several men snicker and Conor scoff from behind me. How rude! What a complete jerk! Zachary grabbed my left hand and pressed my soul jewel into my palm. “We don’t have much daylight left, maybe two hours at most so I want to see a variety of your skills. Offensive, defensive, healing magic if you can do it and anything else that you feel would be a shining example of your talents.” “Yes, Majesty.” I turned to the large group that was gathered around me. My anxiety was starting to nag at me, but I ignored it letting my excitement take the reins. “If you could bunch into groups of about five or six, I will cast a barrier over each group just as a safety precaution.” Everyone complied with my request. Michael and the woman I presum
-Karen-“I don’t know why Nathan bothered to waste his time on mentoring you when there were much better high-born candidates to pick from! You clearly haven’t been able to master even some of the simplest techniques that we have. Obviously, you’re just a burden to the Mage Clan. You’d be that one Mage that all of us would just take out and murder because you’re worthless to us!” He jeered spitefully. I glared hatefully while he continued. I felt my chest start to heave as I became more livid by the second. “I told Nathan not to pick you, but he absolutely insisted on making you part of the Clan. But guess what, Karen? Traitors, no matter the rank or status in life, always pay for their crimes!” He charged at me. “I’ll end you for your treachery!” “Get away from him, Kay!” Conor yelled from the sidelines.“Rock wall!” I shouted reaching my right hand into the air as a curtain of rocks shot up from the ground to block Aaron’s attack. I felt him bounce off the wall. “I don’t need robes
-Karen-“Tell me something, Karen, knowing that you were going to use low level spells, why would you bother to cast a barrier when the spectators were so far away from the statues? We both know that past twenty feet, the risk of flying debris is minimal if not completely nullified.” I looked away from him unwilling to answer his question. Damn. I was hoping he wasn’t going to ask. After a few minutes he started laughing loudly. “Don’t tell me-” He laughed harder as my face flushed with chagrin. “Don’t tell me you’re protecting someone in that crowd!? You mean to tell me, there’s someone in that group that you actually care about?!” I glared while he laughed coldly. “I didn’t know that servants could even feel emotions or that they even had feelings!” I felt my cheeks flush from rage. This prick. “I wonder who you’re trying to protect. Is it that loudmouth that keeps yelling at you to back down?” Before I could answer he continued. “You’ve gained a fair amount of weight since I saw y