Enid sat in a light summer dress, feet tucked under her, palms folded in her lap. Her eyes were closed. She had an even breath. She could feel her heart, dead for so long pumping in her chest.

“Center your mind. Clear it of all distractions. Feel your heartbeat in your chest. Feel your breath in and out. You are a still a product of my blood; You can sense every part of your body down to the smallest hair. Reach out with your gift of foresight. Sense the subtle shifts in probability. How if a leaf falls one way, it will lead to a spider being concealed which will kill a fly, which will not bite a child, who will not die. Steady breaths Enid. Feel the rage inside you that claws to escape. That lashes out. Confront it.”

Enid’s breathing began to quicken her heart raced.

“Steady breath’s Enid! You could turn this on at a whim a month ago, you can control it now.”

Enid forced her body to comply, slowing her breathing and her heart.

“Good, now, know the beast inside you. It is a product of betrayal by those who should have loved you and cared for you. Your mother, abandoning you, you father, abusing your gift, using you in ways no man should with a child, let alone his daughter. Lucius and myself betraying your belief that Mariana was innocent. Every man that has pushed you down, belittled you because you were not male. That beast will consume you. You need to understand it so you can control it. Rage serves no purpose aside from self-harm.”

Enid kept her eyes closed and clenched her fists. She snarled.

“It gives me strength.”

“As it drains your will and wisdom.”

Enid opened her eyes and glared up at Sextus.

“This is pointless father!”

“Only because you do not see the truth yet. Close your eyes and try again. We will continue this until you have mastered it. Begin again.”

“You are just as angry as me!”

“Yes, the fire that slew your mother, consumes my heart and soul. But it does not control me. Like you allow yours to control you. Close your eyes and begin again.”

Enid glared up at him again and closed her eyes slowing her breathing and heartrate once again.

“Use the gifts that you were granted by your birth. Follow the trail of where your rage and anger will take you.”

Enid sighed, folding her hands once again. She opened herself to the possible futures before her. There were a few moments of silence before she opened her eyes wide and screamed. Her nose began to bleed. She shook violently holding her head her scream softened into sobs.

“I saw death, so much death. The world drowned in blood. Then it started to blur together, it was too much father I could only make out death.”

Sextus kneeled beside her wrapping his arms around. Cradling Enid against him.

“That is why you must not listen to the monster your father created. You may be a goddess among mortals, but that means you have a responsibility to them, not them you.”

“How do you not squish them when they anger you?”

“I simply realize that I am a single being, no matter how old, or powerful, I am like them in many other ways, I have feelings, I love, I live, they are so short lived, brief flames, but bright flames. Each one worthy of respect.”

“But do they respect ants?”

“No, but we are not them, as you so bluntly pointed out before you brutally beat a man to death and tore the throat of another. We are better and we need to be better.”

“You have always had a compassionate center, you just need to listen to that instead of your rage.”

“If I listen to it I could never do the job you’ve tasked me with.”

“If allow myself to feel compassion for one, then I start feeling compassion for everyone, and that leads to insanity.”

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“Hardly, I will admit there are certain mortals the world is better off without, but we are not their judges, other humans are.”

“Says the man who isn’t the ruler over many human vassals.”

“This is a unique situation. And you should put yourselves in their place, and not look at it from the perspective of thirteen hundred years of living. You can defend yourself, you have the strength to crush those who oppose you, they do not, they are simple humans, living their lives. When was the last time you feared for your life, truly feared for it?”

“I can’t remember.”

“Exactly, humans, a scratch can kill them. With us what can harm us? Losing our head? Fire? Every moment of every day could be a human’s last. And that is the perspective you need to have.”

“As you keep reminding me it has been centuries since I was in their shoes, how am I supposed to do that?”

“Do you remember how powerless you felt when you first father would beat you, and rape you?”

Enid turned away crossing her arms around herself, she nodded while she stared down at the stone path beneath her feet.

“When you judge a human, remember that feeling. As painful as it is, that will ground you in their reality.”

Enid nodded. Sextus put his hands on her shoulders.

“Enid I am proud of the woman you’ve become. You stand tall, you show great wisdom sometimes. Control of your anger and rage will come in time. Work on the breathing exercises. Even after you no longer need to for your child. Force your heart to beat, allow yourself to feel the heat, and the cold. If you suffer as they suffer, it will be easier to empathize with them even after you leave her and continue your work as a Seer. It will also help you once you are Empress. It is part of the reason you need to stay here, your distance from humanity has turned you into someone you never wanted to be.”

“If I’m distant, I can’t be hurt.”

“You can fight off an army, but you’re worried about getting your feelings hurt. That is the pain that makes us alive. It is also the joy that can warm our dead hearts.”

“Caring about people, humans, vampires, it makes us weak, they can be used to hurt us.”

“And what then will you live for?”

“The next mission.”

Sextus shook his head, his lips turning into a frown he pulled her into a tight embrace.

“Take my advice daughter, don’t live for your work, live for love.”

“Love is a lie.”

Sextus put his hands on Enid’s cheeks meet her gaze.

“Just because you’ve been betrayed once, doesn’t mean it will happen the next time.”

“Men will always disappoint women. It is in their nature.”

“And women will always disappoint men. And men will always disappoint men, and women will always disappoint women. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try.”

Enid pushed her arms between Sextus forcing his hands off her cheeks and she turned away again, crossing her arms.

“Just promise me you’ll try. I don’t want to believe the gift I gave you is turning into a curse.”

“I will try.”

“I love you daughter.”

“I love you too father.

Even if you’re a deluded old fossil.

“I heard that.”

“I know.”

“I need to return to Prague. I will let you know what I find.”

“What do you want me to do with Elizabeth?”

“Do what your conscience dictates. It seems she was mind controlled into helping. If she has a memory of any of even, I couldn’t recover it.”

“You mean set her free.”

“I mean this is your territory, and your responsibility, you be the judge.”

“You’re the Emperor everything is your territory.”

“You’re going to be Empress one day, so everything will be yours.”

He talks in circles.

“I heard that too.”

Go home! Enid shouted the words in her mind.

“Yes daughter. When you receive a silver amulet of the sun with a sword in it you will know you are Empress.”

“That sounds like I won’t be seeing you again.”

“You tell me, you’re the Seer.”

Enid rushed towards Sextus and hugged him, for she knew he was right, she would not speak to him in person again. Sextus stroked her hair gently.

“All things pass daughter, even me.”

Enid pressed her face against his chest taking in his scent one last time.

“Be kind, and be wise, be happy and know love. That is what I want for you.”

Enid nodded into his chest still clutching onto him with all her strength. She released him as he pulled away and vanished into the night. Enid cleaned up her blood tears with water from the fountain and used a secret door to enter the passages that let her travel unseen.

She made her way to the keep’s crypt. Where William awaited her.

“What are you doing here William?”

“I had a feelin ye might ‘ave need me, I noticed yer fathers belongin’s were gone.”

“I do need you but not for that, bite your hand.”

She stood over a stone tomb it was unmarked and she shoved the top off of it. She reached in and pulled the stake out of Elizabeth.

“Feed her.”

“Are ye sure milady?”

“Have you ever known me to waste words William?”

“Ney, milady.”

“Then stop asking stupid questions and feed the lady.”

William reached in and squeezed his palm causing blood to drip into Elizabeth’s open mouth. She was slightly desiccated already. Her body started to repair itself sunken cheeks and flesh started to fill in. She awoke and hissed lunging for William’s hand. Enid intercepted her grabbing her by the neck and slamming her back down. Elizabeth started snapping at her. She was in a blind rage struggling to feed on anything she could reach. Enid struggled to keep her still then slapped her cheek several times.

“Snap out of it.”

Elizabeth struggled for a few more seconds and then her eyes cleared of their blind rage and her fangs sunk into her gums. She looked up at Enid and struggled to sit up. Enid released her neck.

“You were complicit in an attempt on my life, and an attack on the territory of Narfordshire. Your life is forfeit.”

Elizabeth’s eyes were wide as she struggled to move away from Enid while still stuck in the stone tomb. Enid picked the stake up.

“You will be allowed to live. You owe me a life debt. Are we clear?”

Elizabeth nodded. Enid bent down and pulled out a crystal that cast an eerie blood red glow on the surrounding crypt. She put it against Elizabeth’s cheek and the stone turned a dull red. Elizabeth looked flush as if she had just fed.

“You should not need to feed. As further punishment you have lost a quarter of your territory. Do not make me regret this mercy. Next time you will find yourself in the depths of a lake bound in silver praying for release. Do you understand?”

“Yes, your highness.”

“Go before I change my mind.”

Enid motioned to an exit from the crypt that would lead to the town proper. Elizabeth wasted no time in her escape. Enid put the stone in the bag. William looked down at Enid.

“Releasing ‘er shows weakness. And twas very uncharacteristic of ye, milady are ye alright?”

“Didn’t I let you live also? Was that weakness as well?”

“Aye, and I thank ye for it. Doesn’t change tha’ fact ye usually wouldn’t ignore a beach o’ the covenants.”

“I didn’t she owes me a life debt and she lost territories.”

“Aye, but usually ye would o’ just beheaded ‘er for it.”

“I’m trying something new; It’s called not being a raving murderer.”

“Aye, milady, tis yer right.”

Enid nodded.

“Fill these up.”

“Aye milady.”

William picked up the sack and made is way out into the town. Enid moved towards the keep.