I must have been out for a hot minute because Bolyan, the minotaur, had found himself a comfy stool.

  “A little touchy about her dad, eh?”

  “I had to stop her from killing you.”

  “Appreciated. Why, though?”

  “Emir would punish her. I do not like how he punish her.”

  I didn’t get a chance to get more into the Emir’s punishment methods as a noise distracted us. There were several pairs of feet coming down the stairs. At least one set was having difficulty.

  The landing soon resolved itself into our party of visitors. Authrur, Ali’ta the witch, her guide Mishara, Kraton the spymaster, Healer Ker’n, and even the Emir himself had come down to see me; it must be important.

  “Bolyan? Where is Lady Mercy? I believe I told her to meet us here?”

  “She had to step away for a moment, your eminence.”

  “I do not find that acceptable.”

  “I believe that fault is mine, your eminence.” I decided to save her a little face.

  “Your eminence, he bears signs of Mercy’s care.” The Healer added.

  “Ah, the little mink was hedging her bets again.”

  “I was. One cannot blame me, though.” Chimed in Mercy, who had rejoined our little circus.

  “Indeed. Your record on guesses has been a little off as of late.”

  “If one doesn’t deem it necessary to cheat, one isn’t really invested, your grace,” The Witch added.

  It seemed they had a series of standing bets, and I guessed that objects like me were the point.

  “I’m guessing there are a series of wagers over myself, my abilities, and my parentage?”

  “It’s capable of deduction! Excellent! Who had that one?” The Emir found this all too entertaining, so much easier to hate him now.

  “I did your eminence.” The Spymaster chimed in.

  “Wonderful, a Point to you then, spend it wisely. Or will you wager it?”

  “I will wager……Age. More than eighteen cycles.”

  “Takers?”

  A series of head shakes from around the room until Mercy spoke up.

  “I’ll double. Less than eighteen but more than fifteen. He is too cocky to have the wisdom of age.”

  That stung a little. Fuck this chick.

  “Bad bet, princess! Daddy would be mad. Almost fourt…I mean almost twenty-four, give or take.” I slipped a little with the ‘years’ part, but I don’t think anyone but Princess caught it. Hopefully, I was right about her. Even if I wasn’t right about that part, if Outworlders were not wholly unknown, she might be able to capitalize on a bet. I needed to maintain some social capital with her.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  “Oooh… and poor Mercy’s trend continues. Enjoy your points, Kraton.” The Emir was absolutely enjoying himself as the others discussed me like a side of beef.

  “What shall we bet on next?”

  “I bet that he isn’t a human, just masquerading as one.” Mercy decided to go all in.

  “Ooo….a kinship then? Any takers?”

  Nobody piped in.

  “Fine, I will match your wager; they are my points, after all. How many?”

  “I am certain, your eminence.”

  “All in, as they say?”

  “Yes.”

  “Noted. Do any of you have any other bets?”

  “I saw him completely overpower the Kitsune, I’m betting at least one primal.”

  “Awakened or Ascended?”

  “Awakened.”

  “Awakened”

  “Awakened”

  “Yes, yes, I would say as much too. No bets on that, then. But as to concepts. Kraton has one. Mercy is already all in. Ker’n or Mishara? You've both been quiet.” The Emir was lining up a bunch of bets for the final reveal.

  “I would say at least two primals, your eminence.” The Witch wagered.

  “Bah…you are cheating.”

  “I would never, your Eminence.” She actually looked offended.

  “Haha…I was merely joking. Please proceed.”

  The witch approached me with a single hand outstretched. The gauze covering her eyes suggested that she was blind; however, she moved with the confidence of one who does not need eyes to see. I wondered, in the moment before she touched my forehead, if she had an ability like my aura.

  She screamed bloody murder before she even made contact. She fell to the ground, holding her eyes like they were freshly plucked. Before she fully collapsed, I saw the barest trickle of blood from under the gauze.

  The next moments were chaos. The Minotaur guards pulled the Emir away while Mercy and the Spymaster placed themselves between us. Healer Ker’n immediately set upon the wounded witch and began casting her magic. Even without my additional senses, I could see the flow of power she was weaving.

  I was also shoved to the ground, and not kindly.

  “What have you done to her?” The interrogation came from several sources at once. I would venture that the Witch was well-liked, and all involved saw her pain as my fault. I was not aware of doing anything, but I had a theory. Mord had suggested that Vex had put some manner of protection on me and also that strong concepts meant more power. I knew that my weakest concept was a high concept and that I was also rocking three Primals. Based on their betting and the faces of the others when it was suggested that I had a primal concept, I was beginning to realize that they were rare.

  It took five minutes for the witch to recover. Her first words were damming.

  “That is not a man. That is a monster.”

  I was hurt by that statement, though I was not certain it was untrue.

  “That is hurtful, Ali’ta. I am hurt.” I intoned.

  “Your Eminence. Either find someone to exterminate it or take it to the edge of your domain and set it loose. No good can come from keeping such a thing.”

  She was just rolling with the insults.

  “Explain.” Spoke the Emir. It was not a question but an order; I just wasn’t sure to whom.

  We all stared around in silence for a few seconds before the Witch broke it. She stood tall and dusted off her robes, the trickles of drying blood from her eyes belying her composure.

  “I cannot fully read him, my lord. He is a raging bonfire of power, a bright flame that I cannot fully see. I will tell you this: he has power beyond any Ascended I have met, let alone analyzed for you. I would not be surprised if he were already a Willful. If not, he is at least a half-full primal. I would be amazed. All my skills say ‘Outworlder’, but my instinct says that is a lie. He is something else. If Mercy is a torch to anyone else’s candle, he is a raging bonfire. A white flame in the darkness. This does not bode well for you, your eminence. I feel a touch upon him. At least one God has marked him as important. Impeding him, let alone keeping him, may set them against you.

  “She’s right, you know.” I added with my best impersonation.

  “Is she now?” The Emir did not sound impressed. In fact, I heard avarice in his voice.

  “The Gods do favor me and will not see my imprisonment favorably.”

  I held his consideration for a moment, and for a moment I could taste my freedom. It all came crashing down.

  “Bag him. God-touched or not, he is mine now. He will make a fine servant after she breaks him.

  As the black hood slipped over my head, I uttered a single word.

  “BET.”