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A/N: A belated Merry Christmas and early Happy New Year to all my reader. Whisper of Damkina returns New Year’s Eve.

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“I suppose I should give you one more chance to back out,” Julie said when she entered the squash court with Sarah at her shoulder. “Even though you don’t deserve it. I spoke to the healer who’s treating Ken and they aren’t sure he’ll live. He certainly won’t ever use his abilities again if he does after the way you fried his neurons.”

Kelly scowled at her. “Good. He deserves it. And he certainly won’t live once I’m done with him.” The woman’s icy tone made Lydia flinch where she was standing with the other witnesses, looking down on the court through the viewing window.

What a piece of work, she said.

Oh, yes, Matthias said. Ironically, her fear of Marian was the only thing keeping her in line before.

And she hates us, Lydia said.

Hah! Sonia said. That’s an excuse. Kelly Milton couldn’t care less about resonants. She just wants to be head of a major family and the Lavernes are in her way.

Lovely woman, Lydia said drily and turned her attention back to the scene below.

“I’ll take that as a no then,” Julie said. “Foolish, Kelly; ambition is one thing but you’re stupid and you’ve alienated your own kin.” She looked around the room pointedly. “You wouldn’t be able to hold the seat with no backup. Look at you, you can’t even find a second.”

“You poisoned them all against me,” Kelly said. “And I don’t need help. I’ll deal with them later as well.”

Julie just shook her head and sighed. “Whatever. Shall we do this, then?” Even as she spoke, a wall of purple light formed around her.

Kelly didn’t even bother to respond; she just hurled a wave of fire at Julie, whose shield turned it without even pushing her back a step. Kelly’s eyes widened and she hurled another wave. Again, Julie just stood there unperturbed.

Why isn’t she fighting back? Lydia asked.

She’s showing off, Sonia said. A defense like that is something to be proud of. I’d probably do the same thing if I could but I’m better on attack.

And she wants Kelly to defeat herself, Matthias added. She wants to humiliate the woman before she kills her. Given what she did to her heir, I don’t blame he– He broke of as Kelly howled and threw herself at Julie’s shield, hacking at it with blades of fire which had no more effect than her previous attacks. After a moment her eyes narrowed and she stopped for a moment before feinting around the edge of Julie’s shield, aiming an attack at Sarah instead.

Sarah was obviously not expecting an attack and her hesitation might have proved fatal, except that Julie’s shield expanded to include Sarah. Kelly bounced off it and hit the opposite wall.

“Really, Kelly,” Julie said flatly. “You’re not supposed to do that.”

Kelly just glared at her as she pulled herself to her feet.

“Afraid to fight me fairly?” she snarled.

“Not at all,” Julie said. “It’d just be too quick and I want to enjoy this.”

“Liar! You know you’re no match for me in a real fight!” Kelly screamed loudly and threw herself into the attack again hitting the shield over and over until she collapsed to the ground, apparently spent.

Julie walked over to her slowly and kicked her onto her back. As she did, Kelly flipped to her feet and attempted to impale Julie with a final fiery blade but Julie caught it in her hand and the blade shattered. Kelly gave an almost animalistic scream and collapsed back to the floor.

Julie flipped her onto her back again.

“Did you really think I wouldn’t expect that, Kelly?” she said coldly. “Oh well. I win.” She held her hand above Kelly’s chest and a spear of light formed in her hand. She brought it down obviously intending to impale Kelly’s heart but she froze just short and her eyes narrowed. “You stupid woman. If that’s true, you’re stupider than I thought.” She glanced around at Sarah. “She says she’s pregnant.”

There was a pause which Lydia guessed was Sarah checking.

“She is,” she said finally.

“Tsk!” Julie looked annoyed. “I suppose you get to live then. But I need to make sure you can’t trouble us again.” She tutted some more and then her face brightened. “I know. Poetic justice for what you did to Ken.” She knelt down by Kelly, who finally looked terrified, and put her fingertips on either side of the woman’s head. A second later Kelly started screaming. When Julie finally removed her hands, blood was pouring from Kelly’s ears, eyes and nose and she was slack-jawed and drooling. Julie looked around at Sarah again.

“Make sure she lives and that I took out her psychic abilities and motor functions but left her personality intact, please. I want her to have chance to enjoy her survival.” She looked down at Kelly coldly. “You know, I think this is better than killing you.” She stalked from the squash court as Sarah knelt down by Kelly.

—

A/N: A belated Merry Christmas and early Happy New Year to all my reader. Whisper of Damkina returns New Year’s Eve.

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