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A/N: I’ve made some tweaks to my Patreon – check it out.  You can also check out a sample chapter of my Traditional Fantasy WIP “Shattered”. If pledges reach $50/month I’ll start posting on this site fortnightly (I have 20 chapters written so far).

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Sonia took a seat at the other end of the couch from Andrew as Naria poured tea for her. “Thank you, dear.” She looked back to Kadira. “Now what did you want to talk about?”

“Forgive my impertinence in raising this, but I think you need to look to Andrew-idan’s well being. He’s been through a lot and with all that’s happened since, he’s been too busy to sort through it himself.”

Sonia nodded. “Yes, I’ve been thinking about that myself but things keep happening.” She set aside the cup of tea and took Andrew’s hand. “Are you okay, Drew?”

Andrew squeezed his mother’s hand in return. “I’m fine, mum. It’s the past no point in worrying about it.”

“Tsk!” Sonia frowned at him in a way that told him that he’d said something wrong. “You can’t repress it like that. I’m going to find someone you can talk to as soon as we get back.”

“Your mother’s right, Andrew-idan,” Kadira said. “If you bottle it up it’ll either feedback and start affecting your powers in unpredictable ways or drive you to descent, which you really don’t want.” She paused and frowned. “And what were you going to say about Likadrian’s heart friend just before you remembered Kimi?”

“Oh, just that he worries me more than Emms does,” Andrew said.

“I’m not surprised,” Sonia said. “His guards had to force him into stasis to stop him hurting himself trying to escape.”

“I think being awake and aware all the time he was separated from Likadrian broke him in unimaginable ways,” Naria said. “Such a cruel thing to do, I’d almost think it planned.”

“Given that they apparently did trap Kaylaria-miria’s heart friend, I’m certain it was,” Kadira said. “What are you going to do with him?”

Sonia gave a deep sigh and rubbed her temples. “I don’t know. We need to do something; what he did to that child cannot be born even if the rest could. But we can’t execute him without killing Emms as well and Sarah is adamant that Emms is salvageable.”

“It’s a quandry,” Kadira said. “Perhaps bind his memories at least until Likadrian grows up again?”

“I’ve thought of that,” Sonia said. “But I’m not sure that Huldre is salvageable. He’s been too angry and in too much pain for too long. He hates everyone now. We might fix that while his memories were gone but as soon as we let them back in, he’d relapse.”

“He’s focussed on revenge,” Andrew said. “Maybe let him have it on the people really to blame?”

Sonia hummed thoughtfully. “I’m not sure that’s ethical, Drew. Plus I’m not sure he’s capable of making the distinction.”

Andrew considered that, then sighed and nodded. “You’re probably right.” He hesitated as another thought occurred to him. “We should talk to Laxmi. She knows him pretty well.”

“Laxmi is the lost one?” Kadira asked. “That’s not a bad idea. Lanaria was one of Likadrian’s closest confidants, according to the stories. If anyone knows what will get through to Huldre, she will.”

—

A/N: I’ve made some tweaks to my Patreon – check it out.  You can also check out a sample chapter of my Traditional Fantasy WIP “Shattered”. If pledges reach $50/month I’ll start posting on this site fortnightly (I have 20 chapters written so far).

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