-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
-Karen-“No Nathan, leave that damn traitor here! She deserves to die here in pain!” Aaron countered as he pulled Nathan away while a flood of people rushed towards us. I could see Aaron opened a portal and was trying to pull Nathan through it.“Aaron, No! We need to take her with us!” Nathan snapped at him. “It’s extremely important!” He turned to me. “Kay you need to get up!”“There’s no time for that now!” Aaron snapped back as he dragged Nathan through it. Eldon followed quickly behind them. As soon as the portal was gone all the Zargans stopped charging. They left me sitting on my knees alone staring after them. I can’t even think…I can’t… I got back to my feet and slowly staggered back to the king and clumsily curtsied to him despite the pain I felt. I pulled the deep red hued stone away and placed it in his outstretched palm. “Majesty…” I didn’t wait for anyone to say anything to me. I just left and stumbled slowly back to our apartment trying to focus on staying upright. If I
-Conor-“She fainted. Just like the last time.” Conor murmured; concern lined his face for Karen. “I’ve never heard anyone scream like that before.” Not even during a torture session. That scene made my blood freeze in my veins. “Is she going to be okay?” Joanne asked as silent tears streamed down her face. She crawled across the bed and curled up to Karen holding her right hand. “She’s still really cold Conor… Should we get a couple more blankets?”“I hope so…” Conor murmured as Bart came back with pajamas. “Help me dress her, Jo. We can at least make her comfortable. Bart, can you grab a couple of the spare blankets?”They pulled off the wet dress and finished drying Karen off. Conor did the heavy lifting as Jo helped slip the warm clothes on. Conor pulled her to the middle of the bed and wrapped his arms around her. Bart came back with two blankets and they layered them over Karen.“Can we stay here tonight?” Joanne asked with a sad expression on her face. “If you don’t mind?”“Su
-Conor-“I love that. That burn never gets old!” Conor replied pouring another shot and slamming it back. I need this more often.“Don’t go too fast… That would be a waste of good whiskey.” Bart murmured pouring a shot of gin for Conor.Conor poured Bart a shot of whiskey and then they drank the shots quickly. Conor set his shot glass down. He looked at the bottle and then over to Karen and shrugged. Screw it. He tilted the bottle back and took long swig of the alcohol. “After today, I need this to hit me as hard as it possibly can.” Conor explained taking another swig.“You know, after thinking about it, I completely agree with you!” Bart agreed as he drank half of his bottle in one draw. They clanged the bottles together again and finished them at about the same time. “Okay... Tomorrow is going to totally suck but I feel great right now so, I’m completely okay with this decision.” He got up and stripped down to his boxers.“Agreed. Time for cuddles and sleep…” Conor murmured followi