A figure reached the top of the steps; Silverdun watched his weak, muted shadow approach around the curved passage. The figure was holding something. A weapon? Silverdun waited until the figure was just upon him and then leapt, intending to sweep his opponent's knee and bring the knife to his throat.
He realized as he was being thrown to the ground, his arm bent backward in a most painful fashion, that his potential assailant was Jedron. Once he was on the ground, Jedron-for good measure, Silverdun assumedbludgeoned him on the head with what turned out to be a silver tray. The contents of the tray spilled onto the ground: bread, bacon, coffee.
Jedron stood over him, scowling. 'Don't do that to me ever again.'
'I thought ...... began Silverdun, confused, and in more pain than ever.
'I know what you thought,' said Jedron. 'But no worries. I've taken care of the Ilian problem for the moment. He's in the basement.'
'What was he up to last night?' croaked Silverdun. 'I saw a man, I think. He killed a man.'
'That's none of your concern,' said Jedron. He pointed at the food on the floor. 'There's your breakfast,' he added, then turned and walked away.
There is such a thing as too much power.
-Fae proverb
ela awoke full of expectations and impatience. Today she would go downstairs for breakfast, and Everess would meet her there and explain all of the wonderful things that she was going to do, and then she'd get started doing them. The Accursed Object hugged her upper arm, feeling more like a manacle than ever. She wanted it gone, but she was also afraid of losing it, afraid of knowing what she might do without it.
She was so frustrated she wanted to destroy something. But that wouldn't have been polite. She'd been taught all about propriety: Don't slurp your soup; don't speak with your mouth full; don't destroy things simply because you're impatient. She waited.
A few hours later, Everess finally appeared, with an elderly doctor. The doctor carried a worn leather bag that smelled familiar, like the hospital wing of Copperine House. It made her smile. The doctor, however, was not a pleasant man. Even with the Accursed Object in place, she could sense it.
The doctor looked her over appraisingly. 'Amazing,' he said finally, reaching out gingerly and touching her face. She wanted to flinch, but did not.
'She seems so tame,' said the doctor. 'So sane.'
'She's a rare find,' said Everess.
'She's also right here in the room with you,' said Sela. 'And she would prefer if the two of you would speak to her, rather than about her.'
The doctor looked at Everess wide-eyed, as if unsure whether it was safe to laugh. Everess gave him a warm smile, and the doctor let out a chuckle.
'My my,' he said. 'Simply amazing. Consider my fears allayed, Lord Everess.'
Sela maintained her composure, but inside she fumed. This was exactly the sort of thing that they'd said about her when she was first brought to Copperine House, after the horrors of Lord Tanen and Milla. After the deaths and the loud sounds and the look on Lord Tanen's face at the end.
Everess nodded to the doctor's bag. 'So you agree that it's safe?'
The doctor knelt and opened the bag. 'Oh, that I cannot guarantee, milord. But it will do what it was intended to do, that's for certain. And whoever made her this way appears to have succeeded admirably.'
'I am right here,' said Sela, gritting her teeth. 'I am not a thing. I am not a creation.'
The doctor looked again to Everess for guidance, and Everess gave him that confident smile and put an arm around him. 'Perhaps you might wait outside for a moment,' he said. The doctor did so, leaving Sela and Everess alone.
'It's not proper for the two of us to be alone together, Lord Everess.'
Everess waved it away. 'Propriety! That's something, indeed.'
He motioned her to the bed and she sat. 'Now listen here, Sela. I understand that you don't like being poked at and treated like a prize horse. But you must understand that you are something rare and unique.'
'I'm not any kind of thing. I am Fae. That is all I am.'
Everess looked at her. Even with the Accursed Object she could sense the momentary sadness that flashed through him. 'You are Fae, yes. But that is not all you are.' He sat next to her.
Everess took her face in his hands, but it was not a tender gesture. 'Now
