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I laughed. “The Ridden are the least of your worries. Spirits are far more dangerous, and the mage-Ridden with powers are worst of all.”
It was hard to keep my voice level when I was trying really hard to make this girl realize she was walking dead out here. My son was only two, so I hadn’t gotten to the rebellious teenager phase with him. Kids this age… I had no idea how to handle them, but I’d heard that the best thing to do was to never tell them exactly what they should do, just get them to figure it out themselves. Which was my only play right now.
“B-But if I make it to Durgion, I should be okay, right?”
My smirk came naturally. “That’s a five-day journey. I don’t think you’ll make it through the night.” I sighed and looked at the sky, realizing the sun would be setting soon and I still had another hour until I hit Dware. It wasn't a major city, but it was a nice little stopping point with rooms generally available. And a comm unit so I could call for pick up. “Anyway, I have to get going if I’m going to make it to Dware before the sun goes down. It was nice meeting you.”
I started walking when her voice stopped me. “Would you… would you mind if I walked with you back?”
It was hard to hide my smile. “Of course.”
She hurried to catch up with me, but soon our steps were the only sound. “Do you have any kids?”
I startled and looked at her, not expecting that topic to suddenly interrupt our quiet walk. And hating thatthiswas the conversation she wanted to pass the time with. My son was a sensitive topic for me. Not just because I had him so young, but because of all the mistakes I made with him that I could never fix. That took him out of my care.
She winced, probably reading my expression. “Sorry, you’re probably too young for kids…”
Releasing a slow breath, I shook my head. “It’s okay, I actually do have a son. He’s two.”
She frowned, kicking the rocks beneath her feet. “I bet you’dnevertell him he can’t date someone he likes when he gets older. I bet you’re a good mom. ”
Of course,love, that was why this idiot was out here.
“I don’t know about that,” was all I managed. Any other answer all but strangled me.
“You don’t think you’re a good mom?” she asked, looking surprised.
What was I supposed to tell her? That years before one of my closest friends had dared me to climb one of the tall hills crowned with an elvin altar. He said if I brought one of the rocks, he’d take me with him to the Reborn Kingdom, even though our uncle had forbidden it. He’d wait till midnight, and if I didn’t show, he’d be on his way. Being a complete fool, I did climb it, and found an elf there. That I came down the hill after a wild and glorious night with a powerful hybrid child growing within me? Not a chance. The girl would freak out. Most people weren’t even sure if the elves were… real. They were seen as remote alien creatures who lived in the skies, brought storms, and killed at their whim. So saying one was my child’s father would either make her scared of me or make her think I was a liar.
I only wished that was the worst part of it. If I told her that, then I’d have to tell her about how a few weeks afterward I’d gone and killed a unit of Border Patrol agents, who were killing innocents, only to learn I was pregnant later, became an indentured servant, and thus have other people raising my kid for me. Against my will. You know, because an indentured servant and a murderer couldn’t be trusted to raise a powerful kid like mine.
Right…
And if she asked if that was the worst of it, I’d be lying if I said it was.
Nope, because it gotbetter. My sweet son Dimitri was being raised to become a powerful tool for the Guild. They wanted to turn him into a weapon and use him to breed with women when he got older, and create other powerful tools for the Guild. All because of what his mom and dad were.
I’d royally fucked my kid, and I hated myself each and every day for every bad decision that led to where he was now. Therefore, until my dying breath, I would fight to free him. To save him from the terrible plans the Guild had for him.
But part of that meant having to play nice.
Not that the geas forcing me to play nice with all the idiots in my life gave me much of a choice! Any time I tried to do something that was against Silver’s orders, myboss’sorders, the magical control he’d placed over me made sure to bring me pain. If I was told to check out a spirit in another town that was causing trouble, for example, and I slowed down to have a drink or relax for the night, my body would begin to prickle and ache, and slowly the feeling would become unbearable until I started following my orders once more. Then, and only then, would the pain subside.
I realized the girl was still staring at me, so I searched for something to say. “Being a parent is harder than killing a Ridden. One day you’ll realize that.”
Her expression said she didn’t believe me, but I didn’t care. Soon I would be home, after completing another successful mission, and I’d get to see Dimitri. What was more, I’d killed a Ridden and saved this idiot girl. In all ways, things were looking up.
Yes, soon I’d no doubt be given another terrible mission, but none of that mattered. Not as long as I was helping people, not as long as I was working to get my son and myself free, and not as long as I got to see his beautiful face before he went to sleep tonight.
Life wasn’t easy, but it certainly could be worse.
ChapterTwo
ALYS
Having experienced both, I could say with confidence that torture was preferable to a three-hour slideshow presentation evaluating my performance and assigning personal growth goals. The pie chart illustrating the number of completed missions versus violent incidents glowed with contrasting colors in the air, reflected on the glossy teak of Silver’s polished wood desk. The hologram projector floated above its expanse. I’d never seen a slide presentation before I came under his thumb, and my great hope was never to see one again.
Silver stood next to me, the crease between his brows belying his pleasant expression. Though he was one of the five Judges, dispensers of final justice, his forehead bore the red gem signifying Senatorial status. It gleamed in the bright light, a visible symbol that his words had power behind them. The Guild claimed that all people were created equal, while simultaneously classifying them into rank and influence based on family and skill set. All this was displayed using gems or tattoos on the face like Silver’s red one.
