“Speak for yourself.” Amari snorted, the girl had problems. More so than her, and that said something considering Amari’s life was like something out of a poorly written fiction fantasy book. If she wanted to shift the subject, it was fine by her.

“You know, I don’t know what pisses me off more. Self righteous people who try to force their ideals of ‘what is good’ onto you, or people who are so incredibly powerful, and piss away their talents. I know someone who is both.”

Samantha looked over at her and raised an eyebrow, “Someone that useless?”

“Vincent Cain. Leader of the Tarot, a group I want dead. Fucker tried to trap me, tell me I was on the wrong path. That what I was doing ‘wasn’t good for me’ and it pissed me right off.” Amari paused as she glanced over at Samantha. “Honestly, it’s why I’m going to keep my mouth shut, I could prattle away about how I feel you’re wasting away, being some old lady's errand dog, but I won’t. Because it’s up to you. Cause and effect.”

Samantha frowned looking at her, “It's better than the alternative. You haven't seen that.” She crossed her arms and waited patiently.

“He has this pocket dimension, or something...that would hold such a use, throwing dead bodies in there for transport, food, weapons. Think he’d do that? No. He fuckin’ goes ahead and plays Masterchef. He wants me to listen to him, but he shits on my food and makes a song and dance, ‘look at me, I’m Vincent Fuckin’ Cain and I can pull metal pots out of my ass.”

Her shoulders shuddered as her eyes widened, she covered her mouth before she managed, “What the hell? He did what?”

“I’m being serious, fuckin’ pans and pots out of thin air, and he got all high and mighty about it too...I mean, if I had powers like that I’d-”

Sam interrupted, “God, sounds like my dad. All that power, fuck all he does with it…”


Amari turned her gaze back to the fire. That’s right, Seth was chained up below the sanctum. He wanted nothing more than to see his daughter, but it was clear she wanted nothing to do with him. Amari thought it best not to tell Samantha that the very man she spoke of currently sat in chains, lamenting her whereabouts.

“Well, his soul is pretty messed up. I should know, I touched it. Suppose he ran out of oomph. I ain’t wise to hex magic users, dunno if that’s what happens to them all. What would you do with it?” Amari asked, “If you had such a thing?”

“Wouldn't know. Only active Hex Magi I know about are him and his cousin Beatrix. Lady Freebird didn't know much on the topic, she just opened up my ability to use it.”

“I see.” They fell silent, and Amari kept her gaze to the fire. This was useful information to process. She wondered how Seth would feel, knowing his daughter was alive and well. It tugged at Amari, she wanted to help the man, but he was an enemy of the hand and a man that Ulroke hated with every fibre of his being. How much would he punish her if she gave Seth such information?

Amari felt a tangled mess of hair fall over her bare shoulders, and the warmth of another body. Amari turned to see Sam resting her head on Amari’s shoulder. Samantha spoke, quietly. “I’m sick of people telling me not to use it. No one understands. You seem to though.”

“As I said, it’d piss me off if someone told me not to do something, you gotta learn yourself.” I went to pat Samantha on her head but she flinched. I shifted my hand down to her shoulder, figuring she just didn’t like her head to be touched. “If you fuck up, that’s on you, least you know its on you and no one else.”