Page 6 of Possession

“Get on with it then.”

The Grand Mage’s smile tightens. “Very well. It’s been three years since your imprisonment, Aris. In our incarceration system, we have something called ‘parole.’ Do you know what that is?”

“Don’t patronize me,” he spits out.

Mary? Aris says, unaware of this concept.

Parole is when someone’s sentence is reevaluated after a certain amount of time. So, say you get twenty years in prison, you might be eligible for parole in around five years or so. When you’re eligible, you go in front of the parole board and they decide if you’re ready for early release.

He doesn’t thank me, since that would be below him, but I feel his gratitude.

“Would it make sense if I compared this to something like a parole meeting?” the Grand Mage says.

For the first time in a long time, there is silence in my head. Neither of us have anything to say. And then our emotions are quickly overlapping, my thoughts intersecting with his reactions, and it’s all a big mess.

Joy. Suspicion. Contempt. The feelings mesh together into a confusing and sudden sensation of pressure in my limbs. His essence swells, growing throughout my body. It feels like I’m about to explode from the inside out, and if I had my mouth, my breathing would be shaky.

They would free me? Aris and I think together.

I struggle to compose myself, working past the barrage of feelings. Quickly, ask for the conditions!

Aris does not accept orders or commands, but he’s either too excited to notice what I’ve done, or to care. To his credit, he manages to keep his tone completely neutral as he asks, “What are your terms?”

“Let me tell you what you’d be getting first,” says the Grand Mage. “With your parole, you would be released from your current accommodations, and you would be allowed to mingle in society. We might even remove the amulet, if we find another way to… if we can create another contingency for your abilities.”

The Grand Mage stops and stares at us expectantly, though both Aris and I have to take a moment here. Neither of us are stupid, and we know very well that the amulet cannot be removed. The only way to let Aris out is for me to die. Yesterday, I would’ve said that the mages would do anything to keep Aris inside me, but things have changed seemingly out of nowhere.

Would they kill me?

No, your death would release me, and I would be unhappy.

Unhappy to be free or unhappy I’d be dead?

Displeasure arises from his side, and for a moment it’s like there aren’t thirty other people in the room. It’s just me and him. I turn my back to the Grand Mage, feigning contemplation of his offer. It’s a rude gesture, but I don’t want any of them reading my face—and, besides, locking us up was rude as well.

They put me here because I kill, though there are no repercussions when they kill? How does it fit their morals to murder you and go about their lives?

So, it’s the hypocrisy that bothers him. Wow, for a second there I thought you might actually care about me.

Mary, do not delude yourself. He pauses for a moment, a little angry. If I ruled, I would not lie to people. They would know I did not care for their existence, and they would worship me regardless. They would see it as a blessing, a service, to die by my hand. If these people kill you, they kill you for nothing. They are liars, and your rulers are false.This world needs a fresh start, a cleanse.

For a moment, I wish I had my lips, just so I could sigh in exasperation. This isn’t a good time for his games. We’re getting off track. Aris, what do we do about the Grand Mage’s offer?

We. I do love when we work together. Well, let’s see. He twists and turns on my tongue, his mood quickly darkening. He offers to release us and return you to society. He also offers me my freedom and the possible removal of the amulet.

It’s my understanding that if they remove the amulet, you’d be freed, but I’d die. It would release you, and kill my body.

Not necessarily. While that was previously the case, it is possible that the wizard has stumbled across some new knowledge.

I consider that. I guess, I say after a moment. It is kind of a jump to assume that they want to kill me all of a sudden.

We need more information, says Aris. Let me see him.

Curious myself, I turn to the old man again, only finding him watching us expectantly.

Aris frowns, not exactly annoyed, but almost. “This is a peaceful meeting? You come offering surrender?” he asks

“This isn’t surrender. It’s the possibility of a partnership.”

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