#168
Once a sanctuary is activated, and the Cathedral bell rings, its sound sanctifies everything within earshot. But there’s a catch—the protection only lasts as long as the bell keeps tolling. At most, a few dozen seconds.
#167
My hand flew to my mouth a moment too late. Warm vomit oozed between my fingers, trailing down my wrist in viscous rivulets.
#166
I carefully set the poker down, letting the metal softly clink against the ground. Then I raised my hands, palms forward, making sure they were clearly visible.
#165
None of this made any sense. My thoughts were all over the place, a jumbled mess I couldn’t sort through. I sat down on the bed, pressing my fingers against my head like I could somehow force my brain to work right.
#164
Yeah… Based on his tone, he’s clearly planning to follow my instructions with painful literalness. Doing anything except the exact thing I explicitly forbid.
#163
“…Servants?”
My thoughts froze for a moment. Callister had said it so casually, like it was nothing.
“Well then, shall we get going?” he said, already moving on.
“Hold on... are you saying you’re my servant?” The question sounded ridiculous even as I said it.
#162
This arm Callister gave me... he once said we were connected. That he could feel what it felt. He wasn’t wrong. I tested it by tracing shapes on my palm, and he recognized them instantly.
#161
What fresh hell is this?
No seriously, what in the name of sanity is happening?
A voice. From the crack. Had... had it just spoken?
The sheer absurdity of it short-circuited any normal reaction. Fear? Disgust? They simply weren’t there, overridden by a profound sense of the unreal.
#160
Good thing Tartar Sauce wasn’t here right now. If he was, he’d be watching the entire psychological meltdown happening behind my stiff expression.
“I understand.” Athanas’s arms fell away from me, the warmth of his embrace vanishing. The light in his eyes dimmed… yeah, no doubt about it, he looked disappointed.
#159
“He chooses to forget?”
But external mental interference should be impossible.
Even with the Saint’s relentless probing, he couldn’t find a single crack in Fabio’s mental defenses.
It must be coming from within... or maybe another Watched One is causing this.
#158
So, I’m the one who’s still unsure about our ‘relationship’? Is that what you’re getting at?
Geez, this is ridiculous. Just a few days ago, I was loudly proclaiming to Adna and Ter, “Homosexuality? Me? Absolutely not, couldn’t be me!” And now, all of a sudden, I’m supposed to be Athanas’s fated lover?
#157
Eventually, I had to prove to Adna I could handle eating by myself, even going as far as scraping the bowl clean right in front of her.