We trundle up to the gates of Yetna. I hop out of the carriage to present my adventurer card to the wary guard. He is eyeing Mags rather fiercely. First time seeing a Tibyder, perhaps? Maybe he hadn't caught sight of me the last time I was here. I start to shudder. The last time I was here, I had…

  Mags grips my shoulder, “I'm here, dear.”

  It steadies me. I look up and smile. Then my soul burns.

  Soul raised to 760

  Soul raised to 769

  Nice. Timing. Barbain. I grit my teeth. She can't hear me, my aura still being suppressed. The only pain I feel other than emotional. More soul? I nodded to Mags, my smile was a bit wane.

  “Issue?” The guard asks.

  “Nothing a good rest won't solve.” I give a stronger braver smile.

  He continues doing his job of wasting our time before we are waved through. I jump back into the carriage as Gregory pulls us to a rather familiar estate. It had been awhile since we had been here.

  “Not the Maxwell one?” I ask Mags.

  She smiles, “Your grandmothers have already left Yetna. I was told you were not to be left alone with your great grandfather.”

  I bark a laugh at that. Glindinal quirks an eyebrow. “They are afraid I would literally bite his head off.” She laughs at my aside. As did Mags. Gregory looks to Mags.

  “Shall I move the carriage in the remise, ma'am?”

  Mags nods to him. As he parts from us pulling the carriage towards a small building to the side, Mags turns to us. My four empty barrels at our feet.

  “After we are settled, we should head to the guild hall to get a key and head straight there. Agreed? Glindinal, do be a dear and retrieve a cart.”

  The Elf gives an annoyed look at Mags, but leaves in a huff.

  “There should be a rental near the gate we came in from.” I shout out after her. She waves a hand without turning and heads towards the gate.

  Seeing that we have a bit of time, “So where have my grandmothers gone?”

  “I'm not quite sure.” I frown, she knows I can tell she is lying. “Sorry, dear. I was asked not to tell you.”

  “By whom?”

  “If I told you that, you'd be smart enough to figure out why.” She gives me a rather wide smile.

  I grumble at that as Gregory jogs up to us.

  You have gained [Vampress Matriarch] Apprentice 6

  Gain 20 exp

  I look to the east. Lea must have used all of Rin's spare soul. Will she wish to be more. She really had no time to adjust to the changes. Lea was already gone when I had returned to the clinic. I never learned who her second [Supplicant] was.

  “Cea?” I look at Mags. She smiles, “Ready to go?” Glindinal was at the gate with a cart. We head to the adventurer guild.

  -----

  “You looking for someone?” Glindinal asks.

  “More like she is hoping she is not going to see someone.” Gregory chimes in, picking up on my dread.

  Please don't recognize me. Mags has gone to reception to inquire about a key to Na's Crypt. Antiquarian is there. She looks at Mags's card, grows surprised then sees me. Shit. A clapperless bell is rung and out comes Thane. Double shit. He walks to reception, the receptionist points first to Mags than me. He then points to the back room while looking straight at me. I squeeze my eyes shut, resigned to my dread.

  Glindinal tries to assure me, “You don't—”

  “I do, I'll be fine.” I walk into the backroom where I first met Thane. I take my usual spot. A moment later he comes in. He seems shocked to see me. I wince.

  “You were executed.” I nod. “But you live.” Obviously. I nod again. “Thank the system.” He rushes around the table. I stopped him before he could give me a hug. “Why are you afraid? Your crimes were for killing scum. No one here blames you for that.”

  “I killed Derrick.” My eyes pan to the ground.

  “Derrick.” He sounds the word out. Not understanding why I said it. “How?”

  “I ran into him, felt his guilt, demanded a confession and ate his soul.” My tears well. “I was wrong. He blamed himself for something I never would have condemned him for.” They fall. More proof that confessions are worthless. My soul twists at my guilt. This time he manages to pull me into a hug.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “I see. His burden has become yours now.”

  “Don't you dare forgive me for this.” I scream.

  “How old were you? You're not even fifteen now.”

  “I knew better. I knew even then he wasn't the one but I wanted him to be the one. I wanted my revenge so much. I wanted to be a monster so I stopped feeling bad about being one. None of these things are forgivable.” I seethe out.

  “More scars then. I say you live up to your moniker but you changed it. Then again, it seems you still live up to your new one as well. I should have done more to protect you.” He squeezes me harder. I don't deserve any of this. A titter escapes out. “She who Mourns?”

  The door opens to reveal Mags. “I come in but it's a bit of a squeeze. You're not being untoward with my daughter, are you Thane?”

  I frown at her. Knowing she could hear everything. The wry grin tries to hide it, but I can feel her concern. He releases me from his embrace and steps back to the other side of the table.

  A cough to clear the air, he speaks. “You plan to put Na's Crypt into lockdown?” We both nod. “We require anyone attempting to gather two carts worth of Horned rabbits and a thousand gold deposit. Are you selling the core?”

  I shake my head, “It's for me.”

  He frowns, “I was quite certain you had a mental core, among other things.”

  Does the lich have just the one core? Not even an arcane? How did it even become a dungeon? Maybe it never got its other cores high enough.

  “The coin is one thing but the horned rabbit would require at least two instances.” Mags points out.

  Thane shrugs, “The dungeon is a significant portion of this city's food supply. We can't starve just for one's individual profit. Not that I am insinuating you're here for money.”

  I bark a laugh, it feels a bit hollow. “Definitely not that.”

  He peers at me, “If not for profit but for yourself. What is going on, Mourns?”

  “Same thing as always, [Guild Master]. Just trying to survive.”

  “Exactly, and since we lack time we must get moving.” Mags adds.

  He frowns. He seems to have come to a decision. “I'd like to accompany you, if you'd have me.”

  -----

  I found Glindinal at the bar. I walk up next to her as she eats her helping of eggs and sausage. Guess breakfast hadn't closed yet. I smile at the Lamia, Qwerty, named by a lazy inherited. I sit next to my girlfriend and lay my head on her shoulder.

  “Done being a martyr?" She grunts out.

  “Not like you couldn't hear it.”

  “You cry too much for those who are just going to their next Lark.” She grumbles.

  “Considering he is part of my Tapestry, that next Lark isn't coming.” I mumble.

  “I don't see him there.” She says after another bite. Looking above me.

  “I don't remember him. None of the lives I took. They still are memories that flit past me.”

  “So you think you need more cores then.” She frowns, “Isn't that going to fill up your soul even faster.” In a smaller voice, “Do you even have enough room for them all?”

  “I don't know.” I pause, “No, if I took them all in, I don't have enough.”

  She knocks over her plate, gripping my arms. “Then what are we even doing here?”

  “What we can do. It's three days to absorb a core. The others are doing what they can to make sure I am ready. We are not even sure the next one will pull in those lives.”

  She searches my eyes, looking for the lie. There isn't one, but the uncertainty is too much. Her arms tremble.

  “Are you done making me a mess?” The Lamia is standing over us. We look up at her. Together we apologize. An annoyed pout comes out of her as she starts to pick up the plate. When she slithers back, I look at Glindinal.

  “You know, at one point she thought I was there to steal her tips.”

  Glindinal frowns, “Adventurers don't tip.”

  I bark a laugh at that. Ain't that the truth.

  “Come, we need to buy more barrels.”

  “Whatever for?”

  “You saw how fast I went through the four.”

  It's her turn to bark a laugh.

  -----

  I see Genop is at the counter. She was talking to a young boy, hers. She turns and sees me. A squint and then she hurrys to me. Grabbing my arms. “Sara.” I go to correct her but she doesn't give me a chance. “You're alive? How? Why has your hair changed again? You have multiple tails now, what's up with that? You're not a fugitive are you? I knew there was something wrong last time you were here but I didn't reach out to you, dear. Have you been eating well? Does Cecelia know?”

  I pat her shoulder, a smile on my face. “She knows, she is with Barbain.”

  “So she is with your grandmothers too then, thank goodness.”

  My mind blanks as my head slowly swivels to Mags who is gripping her face with her right hand while staring at the ceiling.

  “Two [Supplicant]s that Barbain would trust implicitly.” I growl out.

  Genop looks between me and Mags, not understanding. She shrugs and turns towards the back of the shop, “Francis get your ass to the front.”

  Mags comes next to me, “You're not upset about it are you. She was worried you would be.”

  “Maybe I wanted them for myself.” I grumble. Mags barks a laugh at that, her hand on my shoulder.

  Don't be so greedy. Let her have her mothers. I frown and then give a sigh.

  Fiiiiiine.

  Another laugh from Mags. Francis walks in.

  “Ah [Countess] Magdeline, it is good to see you again. Who is this with you?”

  I stare at the man in shock. Before I can say Genop smacks him in the back of his head.

  “Don't be teasing your niece with that. You practically traumatized the girl the last time this happened.”

  “Sorry, sorry. I thought it would be funny. Sara how have—”

  “I actually go by Cea at the moment.”

  He frowns at that. “Why?”

  Here we go again, I gather my thoughts when Mags answers.

  “It's a vow. Sorry, we are here for some barrels. Do you stock exp share rings?”

  I frown at that but, damn it, we are in a rush.

  “Oh. Of course [Countess]. How many barrels do you need? We have a wide variety of rings.”

  I need to make sure to come back to visit after all is said and done.

  -----

  “Why don't you send your knight instead.” Glindinal glares at me.

  “Because we need to get him as much exp as possible for levels.” I explained.

  “And so I have to be in a separate instance killing rabbits by my lonesome.” She growls.

  I hug her and give her a peck on the cheek as she looks away. “You know I prefer to be with you as you slaughter the cute and fluffy for me.”

  “Don't make this weird on me.”

  I smile as she relents and heads down the slope with four barrels on her cart. Gregory was pulling another cart with an additional four barrels.

  We head towards the subway entrance of dirt when I feel two new drops absorb into the cup. I turn towards Maknor.

  “Goddess Sanguine, please give me the ability to be more than just a tool in my father's machinations. I wish to be more than just a daughter to be married off to cement some frivolous alliance.”

  I feel her prayer, her fervent wish. The cup that had already absorbed her blood now beads out a bit of my blood. There is still hesitation but a moment after the cup is tipped and the girl takes in a bit of my soul.

  You have bestowed the Title Supplicant on Kalidia Xavious

  It is only a moment later.

  Soul raised to 774

  A supplicant has tied themselves further to you

  Remaining Soul 19

  She was higher level than Delores. I'm sure Sdrae will have some choice words for me if they ever run into me.