An image flickered within a dark chamber, carried upon wispy mist. It showed the picture of a young girl, standing in a chamber full of adventurers and fumbling with her words. The sight had a smile tug at the prince’s face as he watched the scene through his knight’s eyes.
The threads of fate shifted under the eternal throne of Zadria upon which the prince lounged. The intangible strings shone silver, spreading across generations and spanning kingdoms. They tied the fate of all within Zandria under the weight of the throne, and now, perhaps the fate of Zweiril as a whole.
The girl took a seat, finally settling down after her statement as the talks continued. The prince heard his knight ask for his command.
“Not yet Irwys. She’s the ninth one. Proceed as we’d planned before for now.”
Irwys nodded, as the talks continued and the prince watched, lounging on his throne. Idly, he tugged at the strands of fate. The girl intrigued him, and rightly so. Even his powers failed to touch her, her Mark keeping the threads of fate blinded.
“She knew Irwys didn’t she? The ninth has already appeared, and so soon after the eighth. Have the sisters interfered? No, they would’ve let me know. But if not, then there is more hidden to the girl than what I can see,” the prince mused, watching the strands of fate continue to shift. Something was happening beyond his sight, and after a very long time, the prince found himself blind to the changes around him.
“It seems like we have a change of plans,” the prince said, a smile tugging on his face. A silver bracelet hung upon the Prince’s wrists, ringing with a resonant tone that sent waves of mana across the chamber, as the strings of fate trembled.
A Mark shone on his forehead from beneath the ornaments the prince wore on him. The threads of fate shifted around the girl, tangling themselves over and over with each passing moment.
With renewed interest, the young prince of Zandria continued to watch.
***
Jennifer felt an odd shiver crawl up her spine. The sensation of unseen eyes resting on her filled her, yet no matter how often she looked around, she saw and sensed nothing.
I need to settle down and not let my nerves run wild. No one’s watching me.
Jennifer took a calming breath, returning her attention to the talk as she listened intently. She was the highlight of the conversation after all.
“A new Mark, and just as the dungeon shifts. Coincidence? I have trouble believing that,” Viel said, his eyes drifting towards her for a moment and Jennifer straightened her back under his gaze.
Irwys turned towards Jennifer, who stiffened under his gaze. “You claimed it was your Mark’s ability, that you knew my name?”
Jennifer nodded at a question, but didn’t elaborate any further.
“Has there been any mentions by the [Seers]? Our diviners haven’t been able to pierce the turbulence,” Viel asked. Irwys shook his head in reply.
“Maggots, too much divining nonsense. It’s not like there’s anything above Silver rank in the first three layers. You could send a couple of Golds and they’d clear it all on their own,” Anghul said, munching on an apple that she’d pulled out of thin air.
“Those were Silver ranked beasts in an Iron ranked layer. Half of anyone who went in would’ve been Iron plate, and dead within moments. The sections have been sealed off for good reason,” Viel replied, steel in his voice.
Anghul clicked her tongue in reply. “Let them, I say. The good ones will survive and level. I suggest tossing this runt in there as well. If she lives, then she’d learn how to fight. If she dies, then we take her Mark and be rid of a liability.”
Jennifer looked nervously at the woman, trying to see if she was joking by any chance. The impassive look of disinterest on her face didn’t do much to reassure her.
“We won’t be throwing anyone in to die, and you know that already. Don’t take your frustration out on her just because you thought you would get a good fight with a stray Mark,” Viel retorted. Anghul let out a snort, but didn’t argue back.
Jennifer frowned. It ticked her off that her life was being so casually discussed right in front of her, as if she weren’t here. Like her words didn’t matter.
Which they probably don’t. What can I say to anyone if a Ranked Plate throws me off to die? The High Council will probably strip them of their rank and they’ll be sent to prison for a while at best. Ranked Plates are far too important for the city to be lost over the death of one girl anyway.
It didn’t make her feel any better to be aware of that.
“Can someone tell me what’s happening?” Jennifer asked, speaking up. She’d been knocked out, dragged to the guild, brought to a meeting, and now people were discussing her life as if she wasn’t even there. If she had to be here, then she’d at least pry some answers out of them.
“What do you know about the Marks?” Irwys asked.
“Almost nothing,” Jennifer replied, glaring daggers at him. It’d been him who’d dragged her into all of this, even if he didn’t remember it. Why would she know anything when she had never even intended to get the Mark?
“From the beginning then. There is an old trial, resurfacing once again, as it does, every few centuries, to find the next [Seeker]. The trial grants eight Marks to eight chosen individuals. All who have proven themselves worthy, although the choosing criterias vary, and the abilities of each Mark vary too, but the Mark themselves are known to be the derivatives of the eight gods.”
“Eight gods? Aren’t there only five? Sera, Ziral, Elphion, Anvyrin and Mhrit?” Jennifer said, looking at Irwys curiously.
“There’s more, the goddess of the storm and seas Temares, the dread-god of the Ostiri Jarhif and a few more ones whose names have been lost to time. Although, we’re not sure if all of them are still around or not, but that is irrelevant. You hold one such Mark, capable of granting powers outside of our understanding. These Marks, all eight form the eight keys needed to enter the Library of Truth, to be chosen as the [Seeker]. A location… that is pretty much a myth, or was, until the trial began.”
Jennifer stared blankly, unsure of what to say. “Why… are the gods choosing these Marks now? They’ve been silent ever since the Founding war. Why now?”
“You’d think if we knew that then we’d be sitting around here talking like idiots?” Anghul said, scoffing.
“We don’t know,” Irwys said, interjecting. “But the trial started surfacing from four months ago. There’s precious little information on it’s location, and existence. All we know is that, one of the three great dungeons always contains a path to the library, and this time, it’s Lienmont which has surfaced with the trial.”
Jennifer chewed on his words. The involvement of the gods would explain what she’d read in the appraisal spell. “How come I’m alive then? From the sounds of it you need my Mark to reach this Library of Truth, and only one of us can enter. As grim as it is to say, but I don’t see why you want me alive,” she asked, glancing at Viel.
“Because we’re not barbarians, but if you’d like a more practical reason then it is quite simple. The blessings of a Mark do not carry over to a new holder, portions of it do, but most of it is lost with the Mark’s death. It is far more beneficial for us to work together to find the Library, and select one of us to enter and bring out whatever the library holds,” Viel said.
“You’ll be fine with trusting someone that much? This seems to be a Library of Gods themselves, what if they don’t hold on to their word?” Jennifer asked, staring at Viel.
“There’s a soul pact that all of us will agree upon. Trust will be built eventually, but the foundations for it will lie within the pact. The Guild is working together with the Marks, and gathering them, without conflict if possible. Each Mark presents a significant threat if left alone, and in the wrong hands, it is another key to the library lost from our hands,” Irwys said, making Jennifer grimace at the implication.
“Who all do you have?” Jennifer asked curiously.
“I already shared mine, I’d assume it's courtesy to share yours as well,” Viel replied, leaning back as the gaze of everyone in the room rested upon Jennifer.
Jennifer took a deep breath in, before speaking up. “I have the Mark of Time.”
Viel frowned at her words, staring at her for a moment before turning towards Irwys. “Is she…” the man trailed off as Irwys shook his head. “Huh. An unknown new Mark. I certainly hadn’t been prepared for that.”
Jennifer stared at the man, confused. “What’s so surprising?”
Viel turned to look at Jennifer, his gaze sharpening. “I assume you would be surprised too if one day you realized that a new god has been born after an eternity. There is no god of time Jennifer, or there wasn’t, until now that is.”
Jennifer stared at the man, a memory returning to her mind. They’d called me an intruder. No, not me, but the woman who gave me my Mark.
“Can a God change their domains? Perhaps one of them got fed up with their shit and wanted to mess around with time instead,” Anghul said, snorting.
“No, the domain of a god doesn’t change this easily. But… if a new god had been born, there would’ve been signs. This is big, bigger than I’d ever imagined things to be,” Viel said, turning towards Jennifer. “Anyway, you asked who all we have right? Well, I’m afraid I can’t share that just yet, but, including me there’s three Marks that we have. Four if I count you.”
So about half of all the Marks already. That’s reassuring.
Irwys turned towards her, his silver eyes gleaming. “Before we proceed any further, I’d like it if you'd answer some questions for us. Who are you? And how did you gain your Mark?”
Jennifer stared blankly at him for a moment, as she clenched her hands. Lying would likely just get her caught. But what should I tell him? That he pretty much held my hand and took me to it?
Taking a moment, she sorted her thoughts. She knew she couldn’t lie, but that didn’t mean she had to tell the whole truth. She intended to only extend as much trust as the other party was going to. A large part of it, solely based on her trust on Irwys. She had a small measure of trust for Viel, for not abandoning her or killing her and he’d treated her fairly well after their initial encounter. But she had nothing like trust for Anghul. Only subdued wariness.
“I’m Jennifer Laine, an [Enchanter]. And, I…I saw something. It felt like a dream, but it was also real. Too real. And I was there, in the future. The dream had me come to you, and then, you took me to this strange trial, and I got my Mark. When it ended, I was at my desk, and had the Mark on my hand. If anything, I'm the one with the questions here.”
Sudden laughter from Anghul interrupted her. “Of course you got it from a dream. If you’d said you fought in a trial for it, I would’ve eaten my bow.”
Well I did fight in a trial, even if most of it was handled by Irwys. Maybe I should tell her that, would be interesting to see a human eat a bow.
Jennifer let the thought go, turning to look at Irwys. She still had many, many questions for him, and the number of them only grew in size the more she knew.
Iryws frowned, considering her words silently as he stared at her. She felt as if something was staring into her soul from beyond his silver eyes.
“A vision of the future, or perhaps,” Irwys muttered something and Jennifer felt her gut churning.
Should I tell them about the invasion? About the dungeon break and everything that happened? This is my best chance to actually reach out to people who might be able to do something, and prevent the worst from happening.
“I actually think my dream-” a knock at the door interrupted her and a click sounded out as the gate slid open.
“My bad, I forgot I had the key, sorry for disturbing,” a young man said, entering the room. His chestnut brown hair mucked about in a disorderly fashion. His mana was veiled, and she couldn’t get a grasp of him from her skills. She found herself surprised at how young he was, not any more than his mid twenties if she had to guess.
And he’s with them? These Ranked plates?
“Took you a while to be here, Nathaniel,” Anghul snorted. “Sorted things with your uncle I assume?”
“Yeah, he’s not tearing my ears out anymore at least. Having an Earth affinity can be such a pain sometimes. And he’d already been in a bad mood because some [Lords] from the Empire had reached out to the High Council when they got news of the Dungeon,” Nathaniel said, receiving a grim nod from Viel.
“Anyway, I also happened to have two guests, who were very insistent that they had to come to this exact place. So- hey hey, hold on!”
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“Jenn!” a voice shouted and Jennifer jumped. She turned around, her eyes widening in surprise upon noticing the familiar red-head standing outside alongside her Master.
“Rumina?” Jennifer said, her eyes wide as the red-head rushed inside the room, tackling her with a hug. She groaned, exhaling as Rumina pressed herself against her.
“What are you doing here? How did you find me?” Jennifer asked, surprised at her friend’s sudden arrival.
“I didn’t,” Rumina replied, breaking out of her hug.
“I did it,” her Master said, entering the chamber. “Ye got plenty of crap I could’ve used to find ye. Like that appraisal ring charged with your mana. Stop getting into so much trouble ye dumb little brick, yer friend was worried for you,” he said, before his eyes towards the others sitting in the room.
“So, which of ye bastards pulled my girl's hair after chasing her through the city? Ye lot don’t seem like no thugs to me. Never thought I’d see Ranked plates chasing around little girls,” her Master said, glaring at Viel and the others.
Nathaniel turned, closing the door once more. “I think we can talk, there seems to be some misunderstanding-”
“Let me be straight with ye,” Haireth interrupted. “I really don’t care what it was like, and why ye did it. Matter of fact is, that I don’t think Jennifer knows any of ye, because I’d damn well know if she was hanging out with Ranked plates,” her Master said, glancing around at the room full of adventurers. “So, what ye have done is take a girl from the city, and then drag her here to the guild where then ye all sit across her all intimidating like in a private warded off room. Sera save me but I don’t see a reason why I shouldn’t be shouting to the depths about Ranked plates kidnapping a girl?”
Jennifer noted Anghul cracking her fingers, as her aura began to flare. She was about to jump in when she felt her Master’s aura spread out in response. Magic thrummed in the air, as a low resonant hum spread through the chamber from the clash of the auras.
“Ye don’t want to fight me lass,” her master warned, his eyes fixated upon Anghul.
“We’ll see about that dwarf. Seething sands, I was disappointed when the girl turned up so weak, but it looks like I’ll get a good fight today after all,” Anghul said, as her bow manifested in a sparkle of light.
Auras clashed for a moment as the air vibrated with power. Jennifer had to strain her mind to not fall to her knees within a moment, even though none of it was aimed at her. She turned towards Rumina, the red-head looking back at her as she grabbed her hand. Jennifer squeezed back silently.
“Anghul. Sit Down,” Viel said, and the world rippled once more.
The dark skinned Archer stiffened under the weight of the words, a frown covering her face as she fought against the words imposed upon her. With a click of her tongue, Anghul sat back on her chair as the bow in her hand vanished. “Fine.”
“Allow me to apologize,” Viel said, turning towards her Master. “For both Anghul and what happened to Jennifer. There are circumstances beyond our control here, and she is tied deeply within them. I hadn’t expected a child to be the one I’d face and my presence had knocked her out, so I decided to bring her here instead of leaving her.”
Her Master’s aura retreated. “It’s that depth cursed Mark of hers, isn’t it?”
“So you are aware. Yes, it is her Mark. She is unable to control its presence as of yet, and the Mark is projecting its presence out, calling other Marks towards her. It’s how I found her. And it’s how someone not this willing to talk may find her as well.”
“What’re ye suggesting?” her Master asked.
“We’ll take her in. Teach her how to use her Mark, train her to be able to protect herself. The guild would be able to protect her if a Mark decides to make her a target.”
Her master stared at the man for a quiet moment. Jennifer tensed wondering if there would be another clash of auras.
“I’d left the Crafting Guild, quite a few years ago now,” her Master continued, as his sight drifted across the room they sat in. “The petty bickering, the selfish words, the rotten choices. They’d all lost their craft. The whole lot of 'em,” Haireth said, his gaze brimming with cold anger as he turned to face Viel. Jennifer felt her gut tighten. Her Master never talked about the guild. Never.
“Ye lot don't exactly have my trust. I’d left this past behind me or so I’d thought, but I ain’t arrogant enough to think I could ask her to suffer my choices. Rotten murks, it’s up to ye lass,” her master said. Jennifer spotted a smile covering Nathaniel’s face.
“But,” her Master continued, “I ain’t the one who yer asking. It’s the lass. If she joins, then it’ll be of her own will. And I’ll make sure that will is respected."
Her Master looked at her, and Jennifer stared at him dumbfounded.
"But before the lass says anything. I swear on my rotten ancestor’s names that if you were to ever bring her to harm, to use any treachery or tricks the higher guild members love to play, then Sera save you from my wrath because I would turn the very Murks overhead, for that you have my word,” Haireth announced with a ripple of mana.
Jennifer felt something shift within her Master’s aura at his words. An oath, a dwarven one, bound by his ancestors and blood. Primitive magic, but undeniably powerful. Jennifer felt her heart tremble, as she stared at her Master.
“Aye, don’t give me that look lass. I’ve done all I can here, and it’s them who should be worried about it, not me. Now go, hear what the man has to say.”
“Let me be the one,” Irwys said, rising from his seat, as he walked towards Jennifer. “Your Master is an honorable man. One ready to swear himself to his ward. Allow me the same honor,” Irwys said with a nod towards her Master, as he turned to face her.
“Fate seems to tie us together, Jennifer. In your dreams, you came to me. And now, you have found me again. Let me extend to you, the offer that my prince grants us all.
“I, Irwys Silveran, under the will of His highness Laiken Re’an Zandria, swear on my soul to grant protection to Jennifer Lain, under the rule and authority of the Pact of Marks. We will harbor you as one of our own, if you swear to do the same. May the Fates stand witness.”
Jennifer felt her mana tremble, waiting for her to speak. She stood silently for a moment, glancing around at her Master, before her gaze turned to Rumina’s.
Soul bound Oath
Divination
Tier-5
An Oath of the Soul, sacred and protected by Elphion's domain. To break the Oath, is to enact a price from the Gods upon one’s soul.
This is my best chance. To learn from Ranked plates. To grow. And to prevent that invasion. Mom and dad, Keith. Everyone I knew. It would all be gone if I do nothing.
Jennifer looked up, into the two shining pools of silver eyes and she found her own blue eyes reflected in his.
“I, Jennifer Lain, with Sera as my witness, swear to accept.”
Her soul trembled, as a pulse of mana spread from her, and the link was formed. It was unceremonious, as far as soul bound oaths went, yet she could feel the tug of the oath at her. There would be a cost for breaking it, one she wasn’t willing to pay.
“Welcome!” Nathaniel cheered, and Jennifer gave him an awkward smile. The glare from Anghul did nothing to curb his excitement, and Jennifer felt grateful as it eased her nerves.
“I have a lot of things to say,” Jennifer said.
“I bet you do. I do too, like how did you get glass-”
“Nathaniel,” Viel said, stopping Nathaniel mid sentence.
Jennifer looked at Rumina, who stood next to her silently. The red head gave her a light smile upon noticing her gaze. Jennifer returned a quiet smile of her own, grateful for her comforting presence.
She gathered her courage, picking her words, as she began. “The city is going to be invaded by the Ostiri, led by a Mark. And I was there to see that future.”
Silence descended upon the room, thick enough that Jennifer felt like she could cut it with a knife.
“In the dream, I saw this month happen, and at the end of it I saw Lienmont burning, invaded by the demons and the sand tribes as they razed the city. A Mark, using storms of sand flew among them. A strong mage, leading the charge as they tore through the walls."
“The Mark of Drought,” Nathaniel whispered. Jennifer felt Anghul’s aura flaring.
“I saw a massacre happen at his hands, saw the city fall as people fought and died. I saw the Mark tear through Lienmont, right before he took my life,” Jennifer said, her voice quivering at the end. She felt Rumina’s stare burrowing into her, but she resisted from turning around.
Viel frowned at her words, turning towards Nathaniel for a moment. They all stared at her in silence.
Irwys’s cold silver eyes regarded her, as his words broke the tense silence. “I’m listening.”
***
Jennifer sat quietly, listening to the adventurers discuss amongst themselves. Even Anghul had stopped lounging comfortably, and had begun paying attention to the conversation.
“The Ostiri haven’t moved so far from the desert in decades, much less this far north. They clash frequently with the seafolks further south and the Lizardfolk. But the tribes fight amongst themselves too often to put up a combined front. And that's discounting when they're scattered by the vicious monsters who wander the sands,” Viel said, rubbing his chin in thought.
Nathaniel tapped his fingers on the table while watching Jennifer. “If the Mark of Drought has appeared among the Ostiri, then I could see it unifying the tribes together. The Ostiri have been fractured for decades since the death of the last Chief of Sands. No fitting leader had arrived amongst the tribes, who could unify them all.”
“Until now,” Irwys added.
Nathaniel returned a grim nod. Mana strands spread out from his hand, forming a blue tinged intangible map that floated in front of them.
Jennifer stared bewildered at the absurd display of skill with such casual ease. It was the light spell, the very same one she’d shown Keith, yet the spell was far more complicated in its structure, manifestation and shaping. If she wanted to replicate the same she’d have to spend hours refining the matrix, and even then she’d likely fail.
“The Ostiri have five tribes,” Nathaniel continued. “The northern tribes being the only ones allowed to enter and have trade agreements with Lienmont despite their exclusion from the Alliance.” The map expanded, showing humans with beastial features, wearing draped white clothes and covered in scales and with teeth like fangs.
“The Rezis are loyal to the [Slave Lords]. If they move, they move as one,” Anghul said, her eyes set upon the image displayed by Nathaniel.
Jennifer shivered. There was a cold fury in her voice, as each word darkened her eyes.
“The Ostiri do not touch the Rezis and the Rezis provide [Slaves] to the entirety of southern Zweiril. Their warriors form an entire contingent of soldiers for some of the southern territories. The [Slave Lords]—may they rot in the depths—have a strong grip upon the south. They are only considered a part of the Ostiri by virtue of the land they inhabit, the [Slavers] are anything but of the tribe. And if they move, they only do so when the prize is worth the cost.”
“And if what I’m gathering from Jennifer is that large scaled beasts were used to knock down the walls?” Nathaniel said, turning towards Jennifer. She gave a light nod.
“That’s the Rezis’ war beasts, Vreliths. Those bastards are the only ones mad enough to tame the monsters. If they are bringing out Vreliths, then this is not just an attack on Linemont but an all out war,” Anghul said, before her eyes shifted onto Jennifer for a moment.
“Can we trust the runt’s words? The Rezis moving means all five tribe chiefs have come to an agreement for the first time in decades. Centuries perhaps. I- even a Mark shouldn’t be capable of bringing those bastards together. I know half the chiefs would delight in bathing in their enemy tribe’s blood and guts everyday if they could.”
“We don’t have another choice. If she hadn’t been a Mark we wouldn’t even be having this discussion, and my skills all say she’s speaking the truth. Unless you think she is capable of spinning this tale on her own, and deceiving my skills we’ll have to assume she’s being honest, at least to herself,” Nathaniel replied.
“She hasn’t lied. His Highness has confirmed it himself,” Irwys added.
“Sand maggots,” Anghul cursed, slamming her fist onto the table as the wooden furniture splintered into tiny wooden shards. An entire section of the table torn and broken as if obliterated out of existence. Jennifer shifted away on her chair.
Her mind returned to Irwys’ words. His highness? The Prince was listening to this talk? Suddenly the scale of everything began to dawn on her.
This is an invasion against Lienmont, maybe the Alliance itself. An army working together with demons, on a scale, perhaps never seen before in the city. And here I am, sitting amongst Ranked plates, and being overheard by princes, discussing the fate of thousands.
Her head spun at the image, and she struggled to believe any of what she saw was real. A part of her still felt like she was dying amidst the burning city, and all of this was a beautiful lie the gods were showing her as a sign of mercy, or perhaps as some form of twisted joke.
“Zweir’s drat- forgive me,” Nathaniel said, stopping mid sentence as he let out a breath. “The guild heads will have to be informed. The High Council as well, and the Alliance. This is far larger than anything we’d expected.”
“If the Mark of Drought can bring together the Ostiri, he may already have conquered and gained another Mark under his control. Perhaps more than one. Not to mention… We haven't even begun talking about the demons. How in Sera’s mercy did we attract the demons?”
Jennifer shifted her eyes towards Viel, the only one who’d been quiet all this time. She saw the man looking back at her. There was a strange glint in his eyes.
“A Mark. It has to be. The timing is too coincidental. We have to move under the assumption that the trial is drawing them in towards Lienmont,” Nathaniel muttered.
“Ye’re not thinking at the correct scale,” her Master interrupted, folding his arms. “The demon's biggest enemy would be the Church, and they can’t strike at the Alliance as they are. Then, what do they have to gain with this assault that could help them get a victory over the gods?”
Nathaniel muttered quietly to himself for a moment. It was Irwys who spoke up.
“The Mark of Life,” his silver eyes gleamed as his gaze turned towards Jennifer. “The Mark of Life appeared in Sera’s church a few months back. With the movements of the Alliance and the dungeon, she was set to arrive in Lienmont at the end of this month to accompany all the Marks to a delve within the dungeon.”
“Do we have the time to be discussing this here?” Viel spoke up, folding his arms.
“Yes, no- no we don’t. I need to inform my uncle. Anghul, please apologize to Valencia. We need the guild heads on the same page,” Nathaniel said, getting up as the image of the Ostiri desert vanished.
“Alright,” Anghul said, taking Jennifer by surprise at the lack of retort, as the two began to head out.
“Viel, conceal Jennifer’s presence. We can’t keep her here all day,” Nathaniel said, opening the door with a show of his Gold plate, before he strode out.
Jennifer turned to look back at Viel, who had a contemplative look on his face.
“This is something you’ll need to learn on your own. We’ll get to that soon enough with your training, but for now, extend your hand,” Viel said.
Jennifer put her hand forward as Viel grabbed it with his own. A sudden presence flooded her from all sides, pushing on an invisible extension going beyond her body that she hadn’t realized existed. The pressure enclosed her, squeezing her inwards. She felt as if something was trying to squeeze her head through a pinhead. Something soon gave in, as her Mark's presence collapsed upon itself, settling down just around her body and forming a layer above her skin.
Jennifer felt a wave of dizziness as she stared at her Mark. She was able to sense the now much denser presence surrounding her. “Thank you,” she muttered, dipping her head.
“Don’t thank me yet, our training hasn’t even begun,” Viel said with a grin.
Jennifer felt his Mark pulse, its presence filling her mind, but she didn’t buckle this time, her Mark’s presence countering his. Straightening her back, she looked the man in the eye.
“I won’t disappoint.”