How We Really Met

Blearily, I opened my eyes and stared at the light blue muslin canopy above my head. I felt as a weak as a kitten. I turned my head to the left and looked out of my widows.

Judging by the fiery hues in the sky, I'd overslept by several hours. I felt so tired that I knew I'd fall back asleep if I didn't get up now.

Sighing with regret, I tried to stand.

The leg I braced on the floor collapsed from weakness as soon as I put weight on it. I fell in what felt like slow motion. I put my arms down to stop my face from smashing into the floor but they gave too.

If it were not for two warm hands around my middle, I would have smashed my nose to pieces on the white stones. I blinked as my mind was filled with images of a cracked gray stone floor and memories of fear and pain.

I looked up in the gentle beautiful face of High Lord Volanti as he lay me back down in my bed. He smiled softly as he covered me back up, but then his face became stern.

"Imagine my surprise, Kylara, when I came to give you a system crystal and I found you in bed completely exhausted with a sweaty, male participant hover around you." The High Lord said coldly.

"W-who?" I managed to squeak out through a throat that seemed to want to strangle me.

"Mr. Essenvir." The High Lord replied.

I gasped, "Kane was here?"

High Lord Volanti's eyes narrowed in annoyance, "If anyone else had found you, do you know what would have happened?" His voice had lost any trace of warmth. I shivered into my blankets feeling like the room temperature had just dropped. Memories of a freezing cold white hallway came rushing forward.

I swallowed hard and ignored them, "You don't- He- We didn't do what you're thinking. I don't-" I cut off wracking my brain to try to make sense of my hazy, fragmented memories. A Fire Spirit was supposed to kill me in the ancient ruins beneath the castle. I opened my mouth to tell High Lord Volanti but he cut me off.

"Luckily, I know only too well what magic exhaustion looks like. Otherwise, I would have let him take responsibility as he offered." As he said this, his expression became livid.

I hurriedly lowered my gaze to my hands, which had balled into fists of their own accord. My cheeks heated as once more Kane's much younger smiling face flashed before my eyes.

I heard the scraping of wood across the floor and I schooled my features as I looked at the, now seated, High Lord.

The High Lord's face was guarded as he sat with his long, trim legs crossed. His right arm was thrown casually over the back of the chair as he examined the nails of his left hand.

"You don't remember this," He began. He did not look at me as he spoke. "But we have met before last night."

I gaped at him. I was certain that I'd remember meeting someone as beautiful as him. "The reason you don't remember is because I removed your memories of our meeting." I swallowed again as I met his hard gaze. "I had been in need of a reliable merchant for some business dealings, and I was on my way to meet your Uncle, Mr. Goldleaf."

"However, I am not fond of roads, or city's, and we had been riding for a long time. When we passed the woods near your Uncle's home, I felt an inexorable desire to wander them for a bit. It was like I was being drawn by some as yet unknown force."

"So I left my guards and began exploring. At first I was expecting to see some rare, powerful, and unique creature behind every tree, but there was nothing. The forest was quite pretty but it was no more or less than a typical forest."

"Nevertheless, I began to make my way to your uncle's home through it and not the road. As I neared my destination, I began to hear noises. At first I thought it was a pair of rowdy servants, but then I heard a young girl's voice shout aloud and not in pleasure. I am sure you can imagine the dark things that I thought were occurring." The High Lord cut off and gave me a significant look. I flushed. I was pretty sure I knew what he was going to find in the clearing.

The High Lord continued, "I hid behind a tree on the edge of the clearing, trying to discern the number and locations of the vile fiends, but when I looked out I saw just a girl, and a half-breed at that. You were practicing how to fight with daggers. I assumed that you cut yourself on them, and was about to yell at you for being so foolish, when you looked at me."

"Even at such a young age, you couldn't have been more than fifteen, the power in your gaze was astounding."

"Power?" I asked in confusion. No one had ever said I had a powerful gaze before.

"Not charismatic power, although I do believe you have that too, but latent magic power. Everyone has some amount of magic, but the more magic a person has the more it shows in and on their person. Increased healing abilities, high levels of charisma, and intoxicating aromas, are just some of the ways excess power vents from a person. I've come across those on numerous occasions but you, I could actually see it in your eyes."

"I knew you'd sensed me, so I revealed myself to you. You didn't know who I was and threatened me with your uncle, if I tried anything. It was so funny, I laughed. After I told you who I was and that I was on my way to see your uncle, your attitude changed completely. I expected subservience and begging for mercy but you simply crossed your arms and said, 'Alright, what's it gonna take for you to keep silent about this?'."

"I knew you didn't have anything of value you but the way you asked me that made me want to tease you. So I played along. The next thing I knew you held an uncut, dirt-covered diamond to me. I took it believing that you trying to bribe me with the 'shiny crystal' was a coincidence. I said nothing to your uncle and aunt."

"However, when I took the crystal to the gem-cutters' guild, I learned that someone by the name of Thomas Jeffreys, who used to be a stable hand for your uncle, was selling uncut get stones by the bagful. I knew then that I'd been swindled."

"Since then, I've been watching you. I know about your investments, and savings. I even know about your secret, Arethusa, and I must say, I am quite unhappy that you chose Nolanar of all places for that particular type of investment." My face had turned pale as the High Lord spoke. I was white as a sheet by the time he mentioned Arethusa.

Swallowing hard, I tried to speak but could only stutter a few disjointed syllables.

"With how intelligent you are, I am sure you know why I am bringing this up. It would be quite a shame, were you to let yourself become tainted goods, when you are at present such a prize. If such an event were to come to pass, I'd think your account numbers, investment contracts, even a bill of purchase, my find their way into your uncle's hands."

I flinched.

Though Volantis was not as restrictive as Viceria with regards to females, a female's right to own property was a muddled area. If those records found their way into my uncle's hands, he could very easily take everything from me.

If I were disowned, our relationship would be legally severed and he would no longer be able to seize my assets.

The High Lord smiled warmly at me, "Over the years, I have become quite fond of you, Kylara. I hope that one day soon we will be as close as family." He gracefully unfolded his legs and rose to his feet. His footsteps on the floor were soft as he crossed the room.

I felt pain as if I had been slapped in the face.

High Lord Volanti paused at the door to my bedroom, "I will send a servant to tend you and I forgot to mention, since you were unwell, I filled out your partner request for you. Prince Pharon has it. Rest well, Kylara." He said. Then he left.

I sank back onto my bed and trembled. How could this happen? I had been so careful. I had to write Thomas immediately.

When the servant came in with my meal she found me struggling to crawl to my desk. My enchanted letter box lay on top of the desk. The enchantment on the letter box was of my own design. It allowed for near-instantaneous communication between my box and its partner box, which was Thomas'. Additionally, the boxes had magical locks on them that could only be opened us.

However, the servant didn't know this. All she saw was a deliriously sick female who'd fallen out of bed. Therefore she, rather forcefully, helped me back to my bed.