Maude could not wait any longer. She was absolutely ravenous. Her arms were shaking, as she sat up on her bed in the attic. It had been about two weeks since the ball had passed, and she still had not seen the green light again, nor had she felt as strong as she had in the moment when she had killed the guard. At this point, she had chalked it up to having some extraordinary luck on that particular night, and maybe the green light that had surrounded her was merely a hallucination. She had been so desperate and afraid in that moment, that she wouldn’t put it past herself to have seen something that merely didn’t exist.

She swallowed, hoping the liquid in her mouth might be able to stave off her hunger a bit longer. It had been two hours since the family had been called to lunch, and a maid still had yet to come and get her. Zara is probably just sitting in the dining room just to prevent me from eating, Maude thought. Bitch.

The saliva did nothing to calm her growing stomach. She sighed heavily. I’m just going to go down there, she thought. If they are still in the dining room, I can go to the kitchen and grab something from there.

She stood up, her thin, gangly legs shaking underneath her. Maude took a deep breath, and left her attic room, heading down the familiar pathway to the dining room. She saw a couple of maids glance at her anxiously. So they are still sitting in the dining room, Maude thought.

She reached the two paneled dining room doors. Do I dare? She asked herself. Or do I just wait?

Her stomach growled loudly at her. She felt her hands form into fists. I literally cannot wait any longer, she thought. I need to eat now.

Maude felt her shaking increase from the anxiety building up in her stomach. Her hands met the smooth wood of the door, and she pushed it open.

Zara and her father sat at the table. Their plates were cleaned, and it appeared they had been cleaned for some time, based on how dry everything looked.

This witch thinks she can do anything to me, doesn’t she? Maude thought. Her body began to hum with energy.

“Maude?” Zara’s shrill voice called out. “What are you doing here? It’s not time for you to eat!”

“You started lunch two hours ago,” Maude replied haughtily. “And I was starting to feel positively famished. I figured you were probably done, so I came down.”

Zara gave Maude a look as if Maude was the dumbest person Zara had ever talked to. Maude felt as though her blood was boiling.

“That’s not how this works, Maude,” Zara replied, getting up from her chair and strolling towards Maude. “I don’t know how many times I have to explain it to you until you will understand.”

“So it’s just acceptable to withhold food from a child?” Maude shot back. “I wonder what your society friends would say if I told them you thought that.”

Zara sneered at Maude.. “You wouldn’t dare, you little harlot,” she said, crossing her arms, now standing in front of Maude.

“What makes you think I wouldn’t?” Maude asked. “What more do I have to lose, other than the miserable life you allow me to lead?”

“Leave,” Zara yelled at her. “And don’t even think of coming back down here to eat until tomorrow morning!” She walked the last few steps towards Maude and yanked on the girl’s hair. Maude’s scalp burned. “I’ll make you pay for those arrogant words more than usual.”

Something snapped inside of Maude. All of this bullshit just so I can not feel sick and eat some food?

The room filled with the shimmering green particles, and Maude felt herself grow physically strong. She grabbed Zara’s hand and pried her fingers open, removing the hair that was within. Then, Maude stood up straight, and gave Zara a punch to the face.

Zara hit the floor, and nearly spun around on it from the impact. She screamed. “What the fuck, you bitch?” she shouted.

Maude felt a contemptuous grin spread across her face. “What makes you think you can treat me like this?” Maude screamed back.

Zara was getting up onto her feet, her own hands curling into fists. “You want to fight, you little bitch?” she hollered.

“Stop!” Matthias Hollway roared from the head of the table.

Both Maude and Zara paused in their actions, and turned towards him. “Zara,” he said. “Do not touch Maude right now.”

“But…!” Zara protested. “Did you see what she…”

Matthias cut her off. “Do not touch Maude,” he repeated. “She could literally kill you with her bare hands right now.” Matthias was speaking very rapidly. “Do not touch her unless you want to die. Do I make myself clear?” he asked her.

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Maude looked down at her hands. There wasn’t even wounds where her first had met Zara’s face, in spite of the force she’d punched her step-mother with. They were also glowing the same color of green as the specks in the air.

“Yes, sir,” Zara replied. She inched away from Maude, and then scurried out the dining room door.

How does this work? Maude wondered. This is the same thing that happened to me when that soldier tried to attack me. What is going on?

“Sit,” Matthias commanded his daughter. “And eat.”

Immediately, the green particles in the air disappeared and Maude stopped glowing. Is this some kind of special ability that is triggered when I am not getting what I want? Maude thought, her heart picking up speed.

She sat, and began filling her plate with heaps of food. “When did it start?” her father asked her. She could tell that he was angry and was holding it back.

“When did what start?” she asked.

“Don’t play dumb with me,” her father replied, glaring at her. “I’m talking about that flashy sword saint ability you just activated at your mother.”

Maude cringed at her father calling Zara her mother. She’s as much of a mother as a black widow spider. She paused, rolling his words over in her mind. But a sword saint ability? Is that what this is…? I wasn’t expecting it to come back at all since I haven’t seen it for two weeks.

“It started recently,” Maude replied, petulantly.

“When did it start?” her father asked, clearly gritting his teeth.

“Recently,” Maude repeated before taking a big bite.

“Don’t fucking play with me,” her father replied, slamming his fists down onto the table. “When did this happen?”

Maude glanced over at him while chewing the food in her mouth. She swallowed. “I don’t know,” she lied. “Recently.”

Her father looked utterly flummoxed. “Are you playing carnival tricks on us?” he shouted. “Did you steal another sword saint’s ability somehow?” he asked. “How am I supposed to believe that you have a sword saint ability when you’ve never held a sword in your life?”

Maude shrugged. “I don’t know,” she replied, chewing her food. “What makes you so sure I’ve never touched a sword before?”

Her father let out a guttural growl at her. “Are you just trying to trick us into think you’re a sword saint so that you can just get what you want in this house?” he asked.

Maude glanced at him again. “It’s a real ability.”

“If it’s a real ability, then you clearly stole it from your brother,” her father replied. “I could at least believe if he ended up with a sword saint ability since he trains with a sword.”

“Callum has nothing to do with my ability,” she replied, crossing her arms.

“Shit!” her father exclaimed, hitting the table again. “You were never supposed to be a sword saint, you worthless bitch!”

“It’s not like I asked to be a sword saint in the first place,” Maude shouted at him. “I would happily give this stupid ability to Callum if I could.” She paused, swallowing the food in her mouth. “But I can’t. If it’s a sword saint ability, then I guess you’re just stuck with me as the sword saint.” She took another heaping bite of food. Her shakiness was finally starting to wear off, taking some of the anger she had initially felt with it.

I’m probably going to regret these actions later, she thought. I’m sure Zara will have me beat within an inch of my life.

Maude looked over at her father. He had his lips pulled back with contempt, and she could see that he was gritting his teeth with the rage he was attempting to suppress.

Well, I guess that shut him up, she thought. Good. I wouldn’t have chosen this for myself if I had the opportunity to choose.

“Fine,” her father replied almost softly, his voice still quivering with anger. “But as the result of our sword saint ability, your life is going to change.”

Maude swallowed her food, nearly choking on her father’s words. “What?” she asked.

“You will no longer just be Maude Hollway,” he told her. “You will be Maude Holloway, the empire’s only sword saint. Your life will belong to the empire. It will be up the emperor how you use your ability for the empire. You won’t have a choice in the matter,” he said, lowly.

Maude felt some of the arrogance she had been feeling since the ball ebbing away. Maybe this ability is more of a curse than I realized, she thought. Her heart skipped a beat at the idea that she would belong to the empire. I want to belong to no one, she thought. Belonging to the empire sounds about just as good as belonging to my father.

“I will find you a suitable sword tutor,” her father continued as she took another bite of her meal. Her stomach was starting to feel queasy, and she wasn’t sure if it was because she was feeling full, or the new situation she found herself in. “And you will spend most of your time learning and practicing how to use a sword.”

Maude felt her heart sinking into her chest. That sounds like the last thing I want, she thought.

“I really don’t think that’s a good idea, father,” she began.

“You don’t have a choice!” her father shouted, cutting her off. “Not only will you not be able to control your ability unless you receive the proper training, you will also not be able to use your ability without the proper training. Your ability is highly dependent upon your capabilities.” He sighed and lowered his voice, swearing under his breath. “Of course the brat got an ability that she needs to be good at the sword for,” she barely heard him mutter.

She swallowed a bitter taste in her mouth. Maybe I should have let that guard kill me after all, she thought. Though it seems like my father might get the job done anyway.

“As the empire’s only sword saint, you will be required to train regularly whether you like it or not,” he said. “So there is no use trying to get out of it. Do I make myself clear?” he asked.

Maude nodded, chewing her food.

“Glad you understand,” her father said, standing up. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go report your capabilities to the emperor.”

Despite the pleasant facade her father had put on, he stomped across the room, and she caught snippets of him murmuring to himself about how she had stolen Callum’s ability.

Maybe this won’t be an entirely bad thing, Maude thought. Maybe I’d have to kill people again someday… she couldn’t suppress a shiver, the memory of the man’s alcohol breath and presence exploding into her mind’s eye. But at least it might get me out of the Holloway manor someday, she thought. Maybe they will even treat me better here now.

Her heart felt light as she looked down at her hands and her arms. Maybe this ability will be the thing that sets me free from this hell.