I managed to smile though my blood was boiling and my field of vision was already becoming a uniform shade of red. As my trump-induced vision faded I spied the woman who had birthed me. I had done what I had to if I was to survive. I hated myself for it. I knew that with ever single little step, every act overt or unnoticed I was giving my sould away in exchange for mere biological survival. My cowardice tasted like copper in my mouth. I knew it had gotten me this far. I knew that she had to pay and that she would suffer for her sins. Yes, she would pay. I could already see her face bruised and congealing. Her eyes had just the barest spark of life and the dim awareness of all that had caused this turn of events.
I took half a step toward her doom. I reached for my trump deck. The word 'kinslayer' echoed across the glassy calm of my awareness. I drew the card off my deck as if I had practiced it a thousand times in my mind. I focused my vision on it and my world became a dark cave. My lungs began to empty with a scream. I screamed again. I hollared. I bellowed. I swore.
As my senses returned it was dark. I was in the cave. It was still dark and I was hoarse. Hopeful, I reached into my pocket for a needle I knew wasn't there. My lungs emptied again and I slowly came to myself sobbing.
I remembered where I had places the candles. I found them. Ever so slowly I brought my eyes into a sort of warbling focus. Carefully, I found a mirror in the flickering light and righted my appearance. I picked up my trump off the floor and put it on top of my deck. I shuffled through the cards until I found Eiddwen.
Hard Lessons Cast of Characters | Clio Nomikos Main Page