To Have A Wandering Soul

Chapter 14

Everything that she experienced in Ceria was like nothing she had experienced before. Caroline couldn't help but marvel at the things around her. There were carnival rides, fried foods, and games that would never be permitted in Seba. Adrian led her through the mass of people and toward the rides. With her permission he took her on every one. She laughed and screamed as they grew taller and scarier and Adrian did his best to hide any emotions he may have that did not parallel hers.

He knew what he needed to do to make her happier.

He now understood why slaves were cleansed, their memories were destructive to their compliance. He could not properly serve his mistress with those thoughts occupying his mind. He knew that he had to repress those memories.

Caroline dismounted the ride, her head spinning she blindly clutched for Adrian's arm. He saw this from behind her and grabbed her shoulders just as her hand reached the back of a man in front of them. He turned around and Caroline's head began to settle.

"Oh, I'm so sorry."

"It's not a problem, aren't you a pretty little thing." He smiled a toothy smile and winked down at her. She gaped up at him, not understanding what he was doing. Adrian pulled her back away from the man, having recognized him as soon as he turned around.

"Woah, you guys. Talen is here."

"Jonah."

Adrian took the man's hand into his own and shook it before breaking into a smile and giving him a hug. Adrian turned back to Caroline.

"Jonah was a very good friend of mine. He's just a bit of a player."

Caroline rose her eyebrows.

"Aren't you married."

Jonah shook his head.

"Doomed to die alone. My Molly was sold away when I was just 15."

"And Jonah was so heartbroken he threw a party."

"I didn't like the idea of being tied down to one woman. Still don't. This way I get to make friends with desperate housewives and other rejects then forget all about them." Jonah took Caroline's hand and pulled her into his arms.

"Want me to forget about you?"

"Jonah. Not her."

"You're no fun," he said, releasing her.

"Who is she anyway?"

Adrian went silent for a moment.

"She's-uh-"

"Friend," Caroline cut in. Adrian glanced at her, mouth agape. Why would she lower herself to his level and pretend to be a lesser being? She should be proud to be a Seban, yet she acted as though she was not.

"You went to Seba, how are you-"

Jonah didn't get he chance to finish his question before Caroline was knocked to the ground, Adrian was too concentrated on her to see the man who was coming for him. Almost immediately he was on the ground next to her, an unknown man atop him.

Caroline's cheek hurt from where the stranger had hit her. She could tell it was bleeding. She swallowed her pain and tried to push the other person off of her, getting them just far enough to plant her foot on their chest. As they flew back Caroline realized it was a female. She quickly backed up and stood. With Jonah's help Adrian had managed to pin the other adversary to the ground.

The girl got up from where Caroline has kicked her and pulled a pair or knives from their sheaths. With a growl she ran at Caroline. Caroline quickly side stepped and planted her foot again on the girl, this time on her back. People began to approach the scene, the girl noticed this and focused her next attack on another. Adrian had risen to aid his mistress, leaving Jonah to subdue the second attacker. The girl got her knife into Jonah's shoulder and left it there. She pulled her partner off of the ground.

"Hope you enjoyed our present."

Before anyone realized what was happening the two disappeared into the crowd. Caroline stared after them in fear. She calmed her breathing as Adrian dropped to his knees and grasped her legs.

"I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry mistress, I didn't protect you, you got hurt. I'm so sorry."

Another sound reached her ears above Adrian's pleas. She pulled away from him and made her way to a screaming Jonah.

"I need you to calm down."

"Calm down?" He cried. "You want me to calm down? There's a knife in my arm!"

"And I'll bet this'll hurt." She took the hilt into her hand and pulled. At first there was some resistance but the blade slowly began to release itself from his skin. The jagged edges tore at the flesh around the wound and Caroline whimpered at his wails of anguish.

"I'm sorry. I'm going to make it better, I just have to get it out."

She continued to slowly pull and work the knife out. It quickly began to slide easier and Caroline glanced to see that the edge had smoothed. The surge of blood caught her eye and she gagged. She pulled the knife the rest of the way and set it down, falling onto her hands breathing heavily. She coughed and gagged again but refocused on completing the task. She placed her hand directly over the wound and began the process of healing it. She finished and Jonah was laying back laboriously heaving. She wiped his blood on her pant leg and sat back. Only now did she realize that her eyes were brimming with tears.

"Who," Jonah coughed," who were they?"

"I don't know."