A DEAL TO BAILIMI

Centuries ago,

At first, fleeing back to her chamber seemed like the sensible thing to do. But when she saw the men return a few minutes later with one of them looking slightly battered, she knew something was up.

Then Zelda came along and her resolve to know what was going on was fired up.

She had spoken civilly to Julius, but he wouldn’t let her through, and her frustration and his estimate of what she was capable of got the best of him.

She briskly drew out his sword from his side and while he contemplated taking it easy on her because of her status, she used the hilt of the sword to hit the back of his head. Having private lessons and being a physician had paid off more than ever.

She had quietly walked into the dungeon and had seen Kamaz, the man her father wanted her to marry and the most beautiful man she had ever seen, with the longest canines she had ever set her eyes on, eyes as red as the blood moon and long darkened fingernails, slightly webbed like claws.