Page 35 of The Hunchback

“This is a burn out and nothing more. I was far too infused with power from my link with Kwazeem and the Elohim’s aura to collapse the day of the Festival,” I argued, trying to convince myself as much as him. “As long as I remained close to Kwazeem, I felt strong, fueled by our bond. It’s only once he left to hunt, and when I came back here that I faltered.”

The dubious look in his eyes pissed me off, especially considering my legs were getting wobbly beneath me from trying to stand in a menacing stance before him.

“And if my Light has actually died, then so be it,” I continued defiantly. “Kwazeem is my soulmate. All those years of training were so that I would come here to find him. I regret nothing. Whatever the cost, I will bear it gladly to be with him.”

Frollo snorted and, standing up, he looked at me with disdain. “Such pretty sentiments, but oh so useless,” he mocked. “You have two days to recover from this ‘burn out’ or be gone from here. If you are unable to perform the Chakra Ceremony, you will leave a holographic message with whatever bullshit apology you wish to spiel, and be gone not just from Paris, but from Eden itself. Hide in whatever Circle you wish, but you’d be wiser seeking an ally planet instead.”

“You cannot force me to leave the planet,” I challenged, feeling increasingly dizzy. “You may kick me out of Paris, but—”

“Do you have any idea what will happen if anyone discovers that you are ruined?” Frollo yelled, shedding his cold and controlled exterior.

I recoiled and stumbled back onto the bed, gaping at him wide-eyed. Despite the shock, I welcomed being off my feet.

“Wake up, little girl! The last time this happened, it started a bloody war which caused the Fall. If the Elohim and the people find out another Anointed has been ruined, it will be open season on the Fallen. It will be a massacre. And I can promise you that there will be heavy casualties on both sides. So, yes, your skinny ass will get the fuck off my planet if your power doesn’t come back.”

I could feel the blood drain from my face for not having properly considered the consequences. Sure, people would be upset, but I couldn’t be responsible for a witch hunt that would cause the deaths of hundreds of innocents. Defeated, I cast my eyes down, which seemed to calm him somewhat. He went on about how he’d forbidden Kwazeem to seek me out until we knew for sure if I was ‘ruined’ as he so eloquently put it. I didn’t bother arguing or challenging him about it.

Whatever the outcome, I wouldn’t part from my mate. With Vesta’s blessing, I would perform the Chakra Ceremony in two days to eliminate any risk of unjust retaliation against the Fallen, bid my farewell to Paris, and then leave this planet with Kwazeem.

His speech done, Frollo turned around to leave.

“You don’t need that case anymore,” I called out as he reached for the door.

He looked down at the case held in his right hand before glancing at me over his shoulder. “Maybe, maybe not. Time will tell.”

“I know what you’ve been up to,” I said with contempt. “Bringing Kwazeem to the temple was never about protecting him, but to make it easier for you to exploit him. You’ve injected yourself with his Divine Light to become the most powerful ergokinetic human male.”

Frollo snorted then turned around to face me. The undisguised admiration in his eyes as he gave me a slow once over took me by surprise. I’d expected a strong denial and self-righteous indignation.

“You’re not so stupid after all. Such a waste,” the Praetor said wistfully.

“You’re not even going to deny it?” I asked, flabbergasted.

“Why would I?” he asked with a dismissive shrug. “He had something I wanted, and I could give him something he needed; a fair exchange. His Light helped me secure the highest position for a human on this planet, which in turn allowed me to give him as good and safe a life as his nature allowed.”

“And what will you do once he’s gone? When his Light fades from your system, people will realize you’re not so powerful after all,” I challenged.

Once again, he shrugged off my comment. “I have nothing else to prove and no one else to impress. I own Paris. In truth, I haven’t used his Light in a long time except the day after your arrival. I did it to impress you because, unlike the previous Vestals, you hadn’t rushed to my bed that first night to scratch that itch.” Frollo took another step towards me, this time undressing me with a lecherous gaze that made me feel dirty. “That first morning when we had breakfast together, it had made you so hot and bothered for me that I could have fucked you right there on the dining room floor in front of the cook, and you would have begged me for more. If I’d known how you were going to throw away your future, I would have.”

“You don’t strike me as someone to deny yourself what you want. So, why didn’t you?” I asked, my cheeks burning with humiliation at how wild with lust I’d indeed been that day because of Kwazeem’s Light oozing out of Frollo.

“You don’t publicly bend over the woman you intend to marry,” he retorted. “But, maybe if I had, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

Without another word, he turned on his heel and left my room, the case still clasped in his hand.

* * *

Iwoke up to the prickly feel of sharp claws hugging my face, and a small, hard little mouth kissing my cheek.

“Victus,” I whispered, instantly guessing the identity of my tiny visitor.

Picking him up with both hands, I kissed his scaly forehead as I sat up in my bed. He beamed at me with his sharp, pointy teeth, then gestured towards my nightstand. On it, lay a beautiful bracelet with a stylized fire wasp on it, the symbol of the Fourth Circle—the moon I’d been born on. I marveled at the delicate and intricate work, enhanced by finely chiseled glowstones forming the shape of the wasp. I immediately realized Kwazeem must have started working on it the day we had our picnic when I’d told him about my homeworld.

My heart further melted for my mate. Getting out of bed, I hurried to the bathroom to wash the sleep from my face. To my relief, the weariness that had bogged me down all day yesterday appeared to have lifted at last. Fixing myself under the curious eyes of the imp felt a little awkward. We didn’t have pets at the temple on Obscura, and this little guy didn’t quite qualify as such either. Call me paranoid, but he seemed to enjoy the view a tad too much for my liking.

Once dressed, I settled at my desk to record a message for Kwazeem on a holocard. Victus made a nuisance of himself throughout the process, constantly poking his face in front of the camera, cuddling against my neck, and kissing my cheek. It was beyond adorable. However, that didn’t keep me from getting the task done. As much as I ached to be with my man right this instant, we needed to play it safe and not needlessly provoke Frollo.

Despite everything, I didn’t think the Praetor wished us ill, but he wouldn’t go down for us. I put the holocard in a little pouch and gave it to Victus.

---