Kept Silver

Ch 2

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"Again."

"Captain, I've already told you five times," Karigan huffed, her hand
covering her eyes.

"I just want to connect the dots Karigan. Exactly how did you channel
that much power? Did you use your broach?" Laren Mapstone paced behind
her rider, her face torn between concern and anger.

"I. Don't. Know," her rider gritted out, her fist slamming down onto
the desk. Karigan leapt up, facing her superior officer, "I don't know
how the hell I made a hole in the castle wall, and NO for the sixth
time I didn't use my broach. Don't you think that if I knew what in
the five hells made me," Karigan faltered at the pure white face of
the Captain. "What?"

"Your eyes," Laren motioned to the mirror on her office wall.

Karigan gasped. Her eyes were glowing and her hair was streaking
white. "Wh-what is happening to me?" she murmured.

Mapstone pursed her lips in observation, watching her (if she was to
admit it) favorite rider. Her eyes were sunken in, with dark circles
under them, and she was thinner than she had been in a long time.
Slowly, as the minutes ticked by her eyes and hair returned to their
normal color. "Karigan."

Karigan looked up at her Captain, expecting to see disappointment and
fear. But only sympathy radiated in those wise eyes. "Have you had any
other occurrences like this?"

Zachary. Kari fought back tears and swallowed. "I was talking to King
Zachary last night. I made a motion, and a ghostly outline of the
person we were talking about appeared. "

"Ah," Laren wasn't stupid, she knew her Moonling better than he
himself did at times. She saw how he lit up whenever Karigan was
around, how they interacted with each other. She also knew how
withdrawn he had become since he signed the betrothal contract with
Lord Coutre. "Is that person dead?"

"No," was the sullen reply.

"Hm," there were several choices open to the Captain, and honestly she
didn't know which to choose.

"You are going to put me on light duty again, aren't you?" Karigan for
all her maturity, sounded like a child that was caught pilfering
sweets.

The mental image made Captain Mapstone chuckle. "No Karigan, I'm not.
We need you right now, but tell me this, do these 'bursts of magic'
seem to happen when you are upset?"

Karigan bit her lip. The irony of the question made her want to laugh.
Like she had only been slightly upset last night. "Yes," she answered
simply.

"Then you must keep calm. I'm going to assign you a task in order for
you to stay on active duty,"

"Anything!" Karigan interrupted, jumping up.

Laren raised her brow, "you might have wanted to hear what I was going to say."

"Damn," Karigan muttered.

"I want you to resume training with Drent, and Fastion."

"Fastion?" Karigan blurted out, "why Fastion?"

Captain Mapstone circled her desk, settling into her seat to tent her
fingers. She gazed at Karigan across them. "Fastion is a Weapon, and
as such, at all times he must remain cool, calm, and level-headed.
Even in the midst of battle. That training, if your 'reactions' are
stemming from your emotions, will save the masons a lot of repair
work."

"Har har har," Karigan grumbled,

"Would you like to scrub the latrines too, Rider?" Laren barked sharply.

"No ma'am," Karen sat up.

"You are excused, report to Drent and Fastion at dawn," Laren leveled
her gaze at her Rider, "and Karigan?"

Karigan paused on her way out the door. "Ma'am?"

"Keep a cool head."

"Yes Captain," Karigan escaped into the hallway.


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