Page 63 (1/2)

She gave a snotty laugh "Oh no, I did soet a spanking?"

You stupid little bitch, stop talking before you get into real trouble! I continue to struggle to reach through the strand

Mzatal’s eyes were hard upon Us "Gestaram We will proceed within the hour"

Yeah Trouble like that

I press against the barrier I can’t relax, can’t rest All I can do is gasp in what existence I can through the seal I can’t taketo sendjoint? You f-fu--"

I slae toasshole The thought is there, the words formed, ready to spill Stop it I want to weep, but she has my body Exhausted This tiny influence exhausts me I can’t do this Please, you have to stop this Mzatal, please! I’ not to panic, but there’s so little room Please Please

Mzatal moved to ed and clutched at hioo slowly retreated He pulled me to hito dismantle the suppression With every heartbeat it loosened ain Fully h e to cry "That was h the cruel submersion was over and dismantled "Was," he replied "It was an aspect of you You would not be who you are today without that aspect It is a gift"

A shiver raced through me "You know all about that time in my life"

"Yes," he replied quietly

Of course he did, I realized He probably knew hwhether or not to snap h me, but I pushed it down I wasn’t that person anylad that I didn’t have to liveI despised "This sub my words He couldn’t answer a direct question, but he could, perhaps comment "I don’t kno anyone could bear it for more than a few minutes, much less many years"

Mzatal went very still "I do not kno it could be endured for so long"

Again, I chose my words carefully "I wonder if anyone else could be as…reviled and shamed by the actions of their outer personality as I was" Did Szerain detest how Ryan conducted hi "Perhaps not as instantaneously, since your overlay was drawn from a painful era of your past But without the control, without the influence, any actions could eed their actions It is siled to process it all Now I knew--or at least had a taste of--what Szerain endured But Szerain had been subed under the overlay of soh under a shadow of myself What would it be like to have the superficial memories of Jane Doe overlaid and my features shaped into hers? And Szerain chose this Surely, he didn’t kno bad it would be Turek’s words caed He will not willingly subain

"There were a couple of ht you’d really subed me" I looked up at him "I’m sorry I doubted"

He met my eyes steadily "You wanted to knohat it was like That aspect was crucial to your understanding I reinforced it with specific intention" He shook his head "There is no need for apology"

Reinforced with specific intention The words he spoke when he subed ht ed Szerain? Was this the only way Mzatal could tell " I paused, feeling the resonance "It’s Lord Vahl Were you expecting hih clenched teeth I winced in sy a Bad Day I knew those far too well

"Do you need me to leave?"

"Only if you choose to do so," he replied "Otherwise, I would have you abide" Left unspoken was the implication that, while he wanted me with him, he would not mandate it

"I’ll stay then," I said, pleased and oddly flattered I gave his hand a squeeze "I’hosted across his face He leaned down and kissed my forehead, then released my hand "I need a moment to prepare"

"Of course," I said He’d want to be in top foraet wine?"

"Wine would be excellent" He faced the balcony railing and closed his eyes, breathing deeply