(1)
Kell woke alone in her room. Karyn had already left for the day, busy with her new duties as Darling's spiritual advisor. Kell had a vague memory of Karyn kissing her before leaving, but Kell had been so comfortable that consciousness eluded her for another hour or two. Her room still felt cramped at times, but it was comfortable and Kell was happy to sleep in for a change.
When she finally deigned to start her day, Kell rolled out of bed and quickly threw on her clothes: a pair of walking boots and a simple dress that she found comfortable. The dress had been Karyn's idea and Kell wasn't opposed to it. She rarely wore armor, and the comfort and mobility afforded by the dress made up for its lack of defense. Besides, her skin was tougher than most armor available thanks to Nul's etchings.
Even though she was indulging in more feminine attire, she still refused to leave the house unarmed. While her spears were still hung on the rack in her room, sharp and gleaming and ready for use, she'd accepted that they were no longer the best weapon for her. Beside them hung a variety of other implements for causing death and mayhem. Spears may have been her favorite weapon, but they weren't the only ones she knew how to use.
Given her plans today, Kell chose an ornate sword, the leather scabbard dyed the black and blues of Uhlara. The blade itself was powder coated and finely etched. The etchings were partially decorative and partially Nul's handiwork. Nothing exciting, just simple designs that would keep the sword from breaking if Kell decided she needed to cut through plates of steel or a stone wall.
Once the sword was buckled around her waist, Kell grabbed Nul's latest creation. It was a metal bracer that she strapped to her shortened arm. The metal was thin and light and etched with the same design as her shield had been. The bracer also served as a convenient mount for Kell's prosthetic hand. It still wasn't made for combat but it was functional and made Kell feel better about being seen in public.
Leaving her room, Kell found herself in an empty apartment. She knew Roran would have already left. He'd been busy nonstop since the fight with Timara. Apparently Pelkha was trying to make up for lost time.
Still, even with Karyn and Roran, and subsequently Sarah, out of the apartment, it didn't feel like she was entirely alone.
"Nul?" she called. She couldn't see them, but she had a hunch. When there was no response, Kell went to the workshop door and pounded on it a few times. "Nul!" she called again.
After a brief pause, the door creaked open and Nul peeked out.
"Yes?"
"Why are you hiding in your workshop?"
"I'm not hiding..."
Kell raised an eyebrow.
"I was just trying to get some more work done before tonight."
Kell raised the other eyebrow.
Nul sighed. "I was hoping to avoid attending the party altogether. You don't need me to make an appearance, you just need me to get into the archives."
"And it will look awfully suspicious if you get caught after not attending the party. It makes it hard to use the 'I got lost' excuse."
"I doubt the guards would believe that story either way."
Kell shrugged. "You never know until you try. Be honest, you just want to avoid your mom."
Nul averted their gaze.
"Nul, you're a demi-god. You can't keep running away from your mom. What did she even do to you?"
"It's less about what she's done and more about what she wants and what she expects from me."
YOU ARE READING
Kings Game
Adventure[Updates Daily] THE FINALE BEGINS!!! After losing friends and family, fighting in two wars, and suffering through more than they could possibly imagine, Roran and his comrades set their sights on the Kings. Every obstacle has been cleared from their...
