Was he being particularly treacherous or troublesome right now? Tiberius did not think so. The king-emperor-whatever was quite weak – and obviously so if he needed his disgraced sister’s pet to threaten foreign dignitaries for saying it. The echo of his own voice bouncing around in his head was beginning to hurt. If this came to blows, it seemed mind magic might be the route she took.
Tiberius had no talent with that whatsoever. And yet, there was one way to counter it that was open to him. It would involve Despair and it would not be pleasant. Still. Cecilia’s breath fanned against his collar as she pressed ever closer. He forced himself to consider her breasts, and then a slow procession of vulgar acts that were quite at odds with the venom in her words. Maker – he hoped he wasn’t giving himself some sort of complex.
“Okay. Let’s see some magic then.” And commit an actual crime while we’re at it. There was nothing else to be done. No matter what happened, he’d be leaving this country tomorrow. If he didn’t do this right now, Mel would always be in this cruel stranger’s reach. He raised his hand to the wall of the columbarium, to that hated bronze plaque. Lightning arced between his fingers, sawing open the sealed niche that held Melodie’s remains. He had to remind himself it was nothing but ash and bone fragments and teeth, all wrapped up in a perfumed chantry shroud. Her soul was elsewhere, wherever souls went once they passed through the Fade.
This was dear to him still, regardless. But no mage could restore the dead to life. Tucking the bundle under his arm, he accepted Cici’s gloved hand in his but did not bow to kiss it. Instead, he merely admired the stitching of her fine gloves.
“I admit I don’t know what kind of monster you are. But I say no. Swallow me up now if you can.”
Tiberius had no talent with that whatsoever. And yet, there was one way to counter it that was open to him. It would involve Despair and it would not be pleasant. Still. Cecilia’s breath fanned against his collar as she pressed ever closer. He forced himself to consider her breasts, and then a slow procession of vulgar acts that were quite at odds with the venom in her words. Maker – he hoped he wasn’t giving himself some sort of complex.
“Okay. Let’s see some magic then.” And commit an actual crime while we’re at it. There was nothing else to be done. No matter what happened, he’d be leaving this country tomorrow. If he didn’t do this right now, Mel would always be in this cruel stranger’s reach. He raised his hand to the wall of the columbarium, to that hated bronze plaque. Lightning arced between his fingers, sawing open the sealed niche that held Melodie’s remains. He had to remind himself it was nothing but ash and bone fragments and teeth, all wrapped up in a perfumed chantry shroud. Her soul was elsewhere, wherever souls went once they passed through the Fade.
This was dear to him still, regardless. But no mage could restore the dead to life. Tucking the bundle under his arm, he accepted Cici’s gloved hand in his but did not bow to kiss it. Instead, he merely admired the stitching of her fine gloves.
“I admit I don’t know what kind of monster you are. But I say no. Swallow me up now if you can.”
06-03-2024, 05:38 PM
