A Dragon's Tale Ch. 56

"Kuvok?" He asked.

"Never heard of him either."

"Tell me." Clive ordered, not nearly as calm and collected as he had been before.

"Eh, you haven't even asked me how I'm doing yet." She shot back.

He grabbed the hair at the back of her head hard enough to hurt and then shook her head slightly. If anyone else had tried that, she would've kicked his ass. Sadly, Clive was better at hand-to-hand combat than she was. Instead, she focused on the battle that she could win.

"Okay, I'll give you a hint, but only if you tell me whether or not your mother still calls you 'Goober'."

He scowled and let go of her hair. "Kossel."

"That's the one." She smiled at him, silently thanking the luminar for the many hours he'd spent helping to prep her.

"I assume he's been keeping watch on the portal?" Clive said.

"Yup." She replied. "I gotta say, he wasn't impressed with how you've handled things."

Clive opened his mouth to reply, but stopped and stood up straight. He appeared to be getting a hold of himself so Selene took a moment to open a one-way window in her mental defenses to touch his mind. She had no plans to try and investigate now because she wasn't good enough to split her attention like that yet. However, it would be a lot easier to pick his mind out of the others in the base if she had an idea of what she was looking for.

His mind was... interesting.

She only barely brushed it before leaving but found it slightly disturbing. It wasn't like Raklan or the man she'd interrogated in Timarou though. Those men had filthy minds imagining awful things. Clive was different. His mind seemed more ordered and segmented, like he kept everything compartmentalized. His mind was more like a long corridor with dozens of doors, or like an office building with dozens of enclosed cubicles.

She desperately wanted to go snooping but needed to pay attention to the conversation right now.

"Report on your mission." Clive said after several seconds.

"Basically, I didn't learn a whole lot that you didn't already learn from Hailey." She replied. "The thing I learned that you would probably be most interested in is about magic and why it doesn't really work here."

"Explain." He said with at least the veneer of calm. A super brief touch of his mind told her that it was just that though: a veneer. Damn, Kossel was right; Clive really did have a hard time regaining his cool once he lost it.

"Magic is powered by mana, which you pull through some kind of magical barrier that prevents too much of it from killing us." She explained. "However, the barrier where Earth is located issuper thick. I learned enough to draw mana and it's almost an order of magnitude harder on Earth than it was in the Ten Kingdoms. Not quite, but a lot."

She didn't add that that was comparing her before she bonded with Ethan to her now.

"I already knew that." He said smugly.

"Oh?" Selene asked, marveling how much trouble Clive was having returning to the calm, cool, and collected -- if somewhat brutal -- man she had known him as last time.

"Gonorran has been teaching me magic."

Selene frowned. "He's a necromancer, please tell me he's not teaching you to use dark mana."

"As you say, the barrier is thick." He replied. "There aren't many other sources of mana."

She took a close look at his eyes; they were the same shade of blue that they always had been so he clearly hadn't actually used any dark mana. "You haven't figured out how to move your mana around, have you?"

A muscle twitched in his cheek.

"You really need to thank your lucky stars that you haven't." Selene continued. "Did Gonorran tell you what dark mana does? Did he say what effect mana taken from the dead has on a person?"

Clive didn't reply.

She sighed; of course he didn't. "It corrodes the soul."

He raised an eyebrow.

"I'm serious. Anthiel -- she's a high elf I met -- tells this story about a man she knew who used some dark mana to save some people in his village from an attack. Before he used the dark mana, he was the nicest, kindest, sweetest man you'd ever meet; a real 'salt of the earth' kind of mage. But he changed after he absorbed the dark mana, even though he had the best of intentions. It was like he couldn't tell right from wrong anymore."

Clive frowned.

She plowed on. "He ended up killing a dozen people before he was finally stopped. Dark mana turns you into a psychopath... or maybe a sociopath?" She cocked her head to one side. "I can never remember which one can't tell right from wrong."

"Psychopath."

"Yeah, if you use dark mana, you basically become a psychopath." Selene continued. "They go bad; theyall go bad. They suddenly don't care about hurting others and then casually talk about murdering children to provide mana to open a portal. That was Gonorran by the way."

Clive didn't reply.

"Last time I was here, we were talking about Gonorran and you said that the eyes are the windows to the soul." She continued. "You then asked me what it says about a person if his eyes are entirely black. That's what dark mana does. You yourself said that about the mage who sent the first team to the Ten Kingdoms. You said that right after he pulled the dark mana from the cow you slaughtered to power the portal, his eyes darkened and turned black."

Clive inclined his head in concession.

"Don't touch dark mana." She continued. "I'm serious; it'll turn you into a psychopathic mini-Gonorran. Maybe if you only used atiny bit it wouldn't corrupt you fully and wouldn't turn your eyescompletely black, but any amount woulddefinitely corrupt you. And if you use more than just a tiny little bit, your eyes will fade to black. Once that happens, you'll be lost and gone forever."

"Oh my darlin', Clementine." He mused.

"Huh?"

"An old folk song."

"Okay." Selene shrugged. "Seriously though, don't use dark mana. I can tell you haven't because your eyes haven't darkened, but don't. It'll make you an even worse person."

"I'll take that under advisement." Clive said after a moment. He seemed to have gotten his cool back and he was unreadable again. Well, unreadable via facial expressions. Selene had spent rather a lot of time training her telepathy with Octavian and the rest of Shara and Lyra's royal guard. She reached out and just barely brushed his mind and was entirely unsurprised by what she learned. She really wanted to investigate his mind a little more but also wanted to be fully present and aware for this conversation.

"Meaning you haven't heard a word I said." She sighed. "Look, it's your life. I'm just telling you how to not ruin it. And further--"

"Selene." Clive looked at her. "Be quiet."

She closed her mouth.

"You were always so compliant." Clive said after a moment. "You take orders so well and you'll fit in so well with our organization."

She stared daggers at him.

Clive smiled, though it didn't look like he was amused. "Even now you're not speaking; you take orders so well."

"I really don't." Selene replied, thinking about how she'd lied to her best friend and the best people she'd ever known because she felt like Illuminar was telling her what to do.

"Name one example." Clive replied.

"I didn't give you my phone." She replied.

"Not immediately, but you did." Clive smirked. "You came with me when I told you to, you helped interrogate Gonorran when I told you to, you helped with Jason, Hailey, and Melinda because I told you to, you left them without saying goodbye because I told you to, you went to 10K1 because I told you to. You are very compliant Selene, and your internet history proves it."

She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "What do you mean?"

"You have very interesting tastes in... entertainment." Clive leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on the metal table and steepling his hands. "Bondage, spanking, mind control, embarrassment, male dom, and even--" He looked at her. "--women being dominated by other women." He clicked his tongue several times. "Is there a kink you don't enjoy?"

Selene's face grew hot enough to fry an egg.

He knew?

How did he know?

"You almost seem to get off on being told what to do." Clive continued. "I bet you did almost everything you were told to do on the other side of the portal as well."

"I did not." She said, only realizing after she'd spoken that she sounded defensive.

"Oh?"

Selene opened her mouth to defend herself but then realized that she couldn't. Sure she'd fought the bandits, but once she'd gone to Sarah's inn... huh. She'd gone to the monastery because she'd been told to. She'd returned over their objections, but only because she'd told Sarah that she would. She'd joined up with the Argo's crew because they had told her to, she'd started learning swords because Serif had told her to, she'd...

Huh.

The longer she thought, the more she realized that she did do what people told her to do. Sure she usually had a choice, but when given one she tended to do what she was told, except for that whole birthday thing with Illuminar.

"You even became an FBI agent because you were told to." Clive said, twisting the proverbial knife. "Did you choose a single thing in your life?"

She winced.

It was true.

Right after her brother had been kidnapped, she had asked one of the FBI agents what she could do to help. After many asks, the agent had replied: "You can't help today, but become an FBI agent and maybe you can help another family who will go through this in the future." Selene had taken that to heart and done what she'd been told.

In fact, the more she thought about it the more it was true ofeverything in her life. She'd started martial arts because her father had told her to. Of course, she was three at the time, but still. She'd done everything her teachers had told her to, everything her guidance counselors had told her to, done everything her professors had told her to do.

Everyone.

"We'll talk more later." Clive said as he stood.

Selene nodded mutely, only realizing that she was doing as she was told again. She was led to a small cell and left alone with her thoughts. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that it was a pattern in her life. She didn't like that. It wasn't until after she'd been sitting alone with her thoughts for some time that she remembered that she'd seen the cell number outside before they put her in.

It was cell number six.

* * *

Taloni flew up into the air to meet Master as he and Kendra returned from Sarah's inn. He had a big smile on his face and he was trying to not let it overtake his whole face. Tee smiled; she was glad that Master would be able to marry Sarah. He was so smitten with her and she was glad that it would make him so happy. Even Alana -- the only one of her fellow wives who wasn't enthusiastic about it -- didn't seem as upset anymore. Perhaps unsure, but not upset.

She looped around to fly next to Master and grinned slyly at him. "Are you happy about something Master?"

"I'm about to break down crying." He winked back with a huge smile as they returned to the Argo.

Once there, Kendra slid off of Master's back, handed him the weight-reduction necklace, and then walked towards the stairs to the lower decks. Alana came up with Myla in tow.

"Meelas." Myla said with a bow that was half curtsy. "Would you still be willing to transport me to the Midnight Sun so that Luminar Kossel might draw up a divorce certificate?"

"Sure." He replied, still grinning ear-to-ear.

"Can I come Master?" Taloni asked. He had been gone a lot lately and she could fly over with him easily since the Midnight Sun was only a hundred yards away from the Argo.

"Sure." He turned to Myla and held out the weight-reduction necklace. "Here, put this on and we'll get going."

She did, climbed onto his back, and then the three of them flew over. Taloni arrived first since she had flown right over to meet Master and Myla there. Luminar Kossel was on the weather deck wearing simple clothes that would blend in almost anywhere in the Ten Kingdoms. He was leaning on the railing and had his head slightly bowed and his eyes closed, but didn't look sleepy; he must be praying.

Tee landed as quietly as she could and then waited.

"If you are waiting for me to finish praying, you might have a long wait." The luminar said kindly after a moment. "Especially on this particular prayer."

"What were you praying for?" Tee asked.

"Nothing you need concern yourself with." He replied with a smile, then turned his attention to Master and Myla as they landed. "To what do I owe the honor?"

Myla stepped forward and did her half-bow, half curtsy. "Greetings, I am Ekdala MetTatian Mylera de Sekoral, and this meeting brings me joy."

"Hello Mylera." Luminar Kossel bowed formally in return. "I am Kossel MetGeorge Adrian de Arcanum, and this introduction brings me joy."

Taloni assumed that was a proper response because Myla beamed. She had a beautiful smile, at least as beautiful as Selene's. That thought made Tee's face fall slightly though; she missed Selene. Even though Selene had lied, she still missed her.

"What can I do for you my dear?" Luminar asked Myla, his tone more grandfatherly than anything else.

Myla looked at Master.

"She was hoping you could make up a certificate of divorce." He explained.

"That's a serious request." Kossel frowned. "On what grounds?"

Master and Myla then explained how he had rescued her from Lord Farbrottan.

"That would indeed be cause." Luminar Kossel said when they had finished, then looked at Myla. "Let me fetch some paper and ink."

"My heart is filled with gratitude." Myla nodded, then turned to Master. "Meelas, I would not wish to delay you in your business."

"Business?" Luminar Kossel asked.

"Yeah, I wanted to ask what your plans were since the Argo is heading back to Dotmier."

"I will ask Falkaan to anchor the Midnight Sun ten or twenty miles south of the portal, that way I can be on hand to help return everything once Selene has completed her mission."

"Perfect, thanks." He nodded.

"I shall attend to that divorce certificate then." Luminar Kossel went below decks and returned not long afterwards with a piece of paper and a bottle of ink, then frowned. "Hmm, there's a bit of a breeze up here; I'll do this below decks."

"May I watch?" Taloni asked, having never seen a divorce certificate before.

"Certainly." The luminar headed back below decks while Master and Myla remained above decks.

Tee followed him to a small room under the captain's cabin that had a table and several chairs as a centerpiece. The room had several weapon racks around the edges and some armor and training gear as well. There was also a small wine rack with several different vintages of mead. Tee smiled; Kendra would really enjoy the honey wine. The windows were rather small and thus it wasn't very bright, but bright enough to read.

"I'm really glad you can do this for Myla." Taloni said as Kossel sat down. "She seems like a really nice person, though she's a bit quiet."

"Hurt women often are." He replied.

"I hope we can help her." Tee said. "I know she went through something awful but I like to think that we can add some brightness to her life now. You know, maybe help her recover a little?"

"That's a good perspective." He said as he sat down and began to write. "Do you always think like that?"

"Um, I don't know?" She cocked her head to one side. "I guess when I see someone hurting, I want to help them feel better."

"That's a good thing." Luminar Kossel smiled, and the look in his eyes was far away for a moment. "You remind me of someone I used to know."

"Used to know?" Tee said as she took a moment to examine the mead bottles a little more closely. "What happened to him?"

"Her." He corrected kindly as he wrote. "And she lost her way." He paused. "Well, perhaps I should say that her way was lost for her. Sadly, even the best and most noble of intentions can produce unforeseen consequences."

"Oh." Taloni's face fell. "What kind of consequences?"

"The tragic kind." He replied with a sad sigh. "But that's a depressing story for another time."

Taloni nodded, then looked over his shoulder as he wrote.

* * *

Knock. Knock.

Fiona looked up from her knitting, wondering who could be knocking so late in the afternoon. Everyone she knew who might come calling was currently working in the castle and wouldn't get off for a few hours yet. She checked that Conner was still taking his afternoon nap and then got up and walked to the door.

She opened the door to see a messenger standing there. He was wearing a uniform similar to the Narlotten guards, but without the armor or weapons and with a livery collar.

"Miss Fiona McWilliams?" He asked.

"Aye."

"Sir Warrick has extended an invitation for you to join him at dinner tonight in the great hall." He said. "I have been asked to bring him your response as well."

Fiona slowly shook her head and she smiled; the nobleman was being crafty. She knew from bringing dishes up to the great hall for the servers that Sir Warrick sat at Lord Delmar's right hand and Lady Ekthros sat near Sir Warrick. However, with Lady Ekthros gone, her seat would be empty and that would put Fiona's seat very close to Lord Delmar. She was willing to bet every copper she owned that Sir Warrick would ask to switch seats if she accepted, which would put her right next to Lord Delmar.

"I'm sorry, but I can't be making it tonight." She told the messenger. Lord Delmar had made it clear that he wouldn't bond and Fiona wouldn't marry him without bonding.

"Sir Warrick instructed that if you replied in the negative, I should offer this if you go--" The messenger held up a gold coin. "--and give you this." He held up a small, sealed note.

She frowned.

She took the note and broke to seal to read:

+ + +

Miss McWilliams,

This is obviously a blatant bribe to put you in closer contact with the person of whom we spoke earlier. You agree to nothing by accepting and need not even engage him in conversation, though obviously I hope you will. Your presence is all that I ask. I have already informed him that I have asked you, and even why.

I will have my own wife watch over your son during dinner, or Marge owes me a few favors if you would be more comfortable with her.

+ + +

Fiona looked at the note, then the gold coin, then at Conner. It really was a hard offer to turn down. Sir Warrick's wife was well-known to be a kindly woman who loved children and the servants universally spoke well of her. Her biggest fault seemed to be that she hovered slightly out of nervousness that someone would take ill.

The food that went to the great hall was the best in the castle, plus a gold coin wasn't nothing. It was a fair bit of money and certainly enough to entice.

Plus, she found herself curious about what Lord Delmar would be like in a more casual setting like an ordinary, non-official dinner in the great hall. She had enjoyed her more casual interactions with him and -- if she was honest with herself -- she would like more of them. She wasn't sure if it was her grief, her loneliness, or something else, but she wanted to go.

"Okay." She nodded.

* * *

"Are you okay?" Ethan asked Myla. They had been standing at the railing of the Midnight Sun in slightly awkward silence for several minutes now. The dusky-skinned woman wasn't being standoffish, but she certainly wasn't verbose.

"I will be much improved when I am no longer married, Meelas." She said quietly.

"And you're no longer a slave either." He pointed out. "You'll be well and truly free; a clean slate."

She swallowed, glanced at him, then down. "There is not enough water in the Western Sea to wash me clean of him."