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Post by Grimm on Oct 21, 2017 0:27:24 GMT
The servants bath was quite different that the Kings. It was simple, a stand up shower, toilet, sink and a mirror. Just enough pace for someone to get cleaned up in. For the longest time he looked at himself in the mirror, having an internal dialogue with himself about why he had made the comment about the King's mother. He knew a remark like that would get his ass kicked, even if it was true.
After inspecting his face and ribs, Liam jumped into the shower, at least the water was warm cleaning away the grime and blades of grass that still clung to his sweaty skin. It wasn't but 20 minutes later that he came out of the shower, casting a tiny healing spell on his ribs; he was sure more than one of them was going to bruise and that wasn't something he wanted to deal with. He'd have to practice with lance in order to fight those monsters in the ring, keeping your distance was key.
Liam walked into the Kings Bedroom, only wear his trousers and a towel around his shoulders, his hair still dripping. The fighting slave was the peek of health, sculpted abs, muscular hips, a back that rippled with chiseled perfection. Slender and lean but scared from miscalculations both in combat and with Lucius. Liam returned to the book wondering if he missed anything on tiny paragraph of information.
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Post by Behax on Oct 21, 2017 17:00:30 GMT
Kyle didn't have to wait long until the servants he'd summoned had arrived. With them a tall slender man, perhaps about 6 foot 1 was with them. There was a faint purple tint to his skin, though parts of his neck and lowers arms looked almost like they were dyed, the skin gradually fading darker in places. His hair was almost a pure white, with its own pale purple tint that in certain lights was unnoticeable. It was long and pulled up into a pony tail, with long bangs, mostly swept over and obscuring the right side of his face. His visible eye was a solid gold colour his pupil white. He also had a long tail which ended with a point. His ears Kyle noticed were forked. It was clear that he wasn't quite human. Something about him made Kyle nervous.
"You must be Kyle," he said, voice smooth as butter. He smiled, and that eased Kyle's nerves a little, but something about this man stopped him from being able to completely relax. "I was asked to help you prepare for his Majesty tonight, my name is Kaylin," he said this without his smile leaving his face. Kyle just nodded to show he understood. As if sensing the younger man's wariness, Kaylin reached out the gently cup his face, his smile turning a little more genuine and even a little sad for a moment. "I will not lie and say you are in for a pleasant evening, and it's in your best interests to do anything the King may ask of you....No matter how abhorrent," he advised, mirroring what Liam had said the night before, as he gently ran a thumb under Kyle's right eye.
"Now then let's get started, I'll try to make this as bearable as possible, but I'm afraid some of it may be rather uncomfortable, especially the uninitiated," he said his tone of voice and smile turning more jovial. He clapped his hands, and he and the other servants got to work. They started by giving Kyle near enough a full body wax, Kaylin making sure his skin was properly tended to afterwards. Next Kaylin brushed some scented oils through Kyle's hair, making it lightly smell of sunflowers. Afterwards he used some curling tongs to curl lose ringlets into the boy's hair. He felt it suited someone like Kyle better than trying to find a way to tie it up. It certainly lent itself well to how delicate he already looked.
They redressed him in new clothes. Instead of a cloth shirt, he was given an intricate, decorative chest piece made of thin gold chains, with blue/green gems set into it. Fresh underwear, though still lace, and a new cloth than hung from his waist back and front. Again it faded from solid colour to transparency as it travelled towards the floor. The cloth itself ending a bit below Kyle's knees. His arms and shoulders re-adorned with thin gold chains and bracelets.
Gradually he was made ready in a way that Kaylin knew the King would be most pleased with. It took another good couple of hours. Eventually Kaylin lead Kyle back to the King's chamber, pulling the tapestry aside to let the shorter man through.
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Post by Grimm on Oct 22, 2017 16:10:31 GMT
Liam again found nothing helpful in the paragraph expect that Screamers didn't like fire and the nomadic people of the deserts would use bond fires to keep the mostly nocturnal animals at bay. Liam laid back in one of the comfortable lounging chairs looking at his finger tips and conjuring up a small flame between them. Although he had a natural gift for magic, only being a quarter elf his mana wasn't capable of very much. Useful enough to light a fire at light but nothing that would help in the way of active combat. He had a few more days to work on, so maybe he could come up with a solution.
He extinguished the flames and placed a hand at his ribs. The healing spell had already worn off and he prepared another near his eye, feeling the area swelling now that he was laying down. Even using that much magic tuckered him out and his eyes slowly began to close until he fell into a deep slumber.
He awoke once again when Kaylin brough Kyle back into the King's chamber, the sound of the tapestry being pulled aside startled him and he was standing in moments looking at Kyle. The sudden change in position caused the blood that had clotted in his nose to break loose and Liam's nose started to bleed. If it hadn't been Kaylin towering behind Kyle, Liam could have stared at him forever.
Liam wiped his face, then reached for his towel that was still around his shoulders. "Kaylin" Liam said his name as a greeting but did little more. Of course the King would have sent Kaylin to manage this situation, there was no one the King trusted more.
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Post by Behax on Oct 22, 2017 16:55:23 GMT
The frown Kaylin wore when he saw the state Liam was in was very brief, so quick was his usual smile to return that the concern on his face would have been easy to miss. One of the worse things about Kaylin was how extraordinarily perceptive and observant it was. It was always difficult to tell what exactly would make its way back to the King's ear, until he stomped in, in another of his rages.
"Liam." He returned the curt greeting. "Umm, what am I to do now?" Kyle asked, sort of to both of them, breaking the silence which had descended. "Well...Technically as long as you don't go wandering off, or undo any of my hard work," Kaylin said gesturing to well pretty much all of Kyle. "Then anything you wish, the King hasn't given me any instructions to disallow you from doing anything. Though again it's best if you don't wander far away. We don't want you getting lost, and our King might be a bit...displeased if you are not here when he expects you to be." Displeased was putting it lightly, both Kaylin and Liam knew he'd more than likely be livid.
"There is quite a selection of books in this room.....If you can read." Kaylin suggested a little bit dubious. He wasn't sure how educated Kyle was. He entered the room proper as he talked. Kyle just nodded, ignoring the implication of thinking he couldn't read. He wandered over to a book case, and began looking at the selection. He'd never seen any of these books before.
"You know I can take care of this for you?" Kaylin said closing the distance between himself and Liam, his tone dropping, becoming a little salacious. Of course he was referring to the injuries Liam bore as a result of his older brother's earlier violent outburst. Being a half demon Kaylin had a whole host of magical skills, healing among them. More potent than what Liam would have been able to do by himself. Of course his suggestion carried other implications, and it was always difficult to tell what Kaylin's motives were. Was he put up to it by Lucius? Or was it by his own choice? The former was more likely, but the half demon wouldn't tell even if asked or threatened.
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Post by Grimm on Oct 23, 2017 13:21:35 GMT
Liam watched Kaylin rather closely, but it was always no use in trying to gauge what the half-demon was scheming. It didn't help that Kyle's exotic beauty kept distracting him, elven traits allowed him to smell the faint scent of sunflowers in Kyle's hair as the young man walked past him to the bookcase. There were a few selections Liam would of happily shown him, poetry that would have brought angels to their knees if Kyle was to even speak a line or two. He wanted to protect the half-siren from tonight, he balled his hands into fists at his helplessness at the situation.
"You know I can take care of this for you?"
Liam instinctively swayed backwards, but didn't step away as Kaylin approached him offering his help with healing. He straightened his shoulders trying to measure up to the taller man intending to decline his offer, but when he did the pain in his ribs caused him to nearly gasp; he reconsidered. The King had been dead on when he had kicked him. It would take a good week for his ribs to heal completely, it was a week Liam didn't have. Even if this was some setup by the King, what's a few more bruises being compared to ripped apart by screamers for the amusement of a nation.
"And what do you want in return?" He looked up at the half-demon's golden eye knowing there was always a price when dealing with Kaylin's hospitality. Although Liam didn't feel like he could trust him, there was some feeling of guilt for the other man's disfigurement and blindness. He only stood there and watched as the King punished Kaylin, knowing it was more that just the outward appearance that had changed in the half-demon.
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Post by Behax on Oct 23, 2017 17:12:40 GMT
Every time Liam was distracted, Kaylin's eye would follow his gaze right back to Kyle. The older man couldn't say that he didn't see the appeal. Couldn't deny Kyle's unusual beauty which drew you in. But Kaylin had a very firm grasp on himself. His infatuation and love for another had burned him in the past, he did not fancy a repeat. So he kept himself closely guarded.
Kaylin looked almost hurt, for a second the expression was actually genuine at the suggestion that there was a price.
"That hurts Liam," he said taking a step closer, so that there were practically touching. "But ultimately a wise choice." His hands came up to feel at Liam's ribs. He'd forgive the younger slave for thinking he was pressing down deliberately to cause him pain, but really Kaylin was just working out what was hurt, and if anything was actually broken. "As for repayment...." He trailed off looking momentarily thoughtful. He leant down, pressing even closer. Teeth nipping at one of Liam's disfigured ears, before pulling back enough to whisper. "Just don't die."
His hands worked as he did this, massaging the skin and muscle under them. Potent healing magic being rubbed into Liam's very skin and getting to work. It would feel warm and soothing, even as Kaylin pulled away, thought still standing too close for comfort. He took a gentle hold of Liam's face, inspecting the damage there as well, before pressing his forehead to Liam's. Eyes closed, and close enough for the half-elf to see through his strands of near white hair, catching a glimpse of the scarring hidden behind it. Again he'd feel a warm soothing sensation as healing magic moved from Kaylin to himself.
Then all too soon the taller man was pulling away again, this time taking a step back so he was no longer invading Liam's personal space quite so much. "Try not to draw the wrath of our King quite so much before your stint in the arena hmm? Can't afford any mistakes with this one." Kaylin was both teasing Liam, and giving him true advice. Despite what others thought of him, and whether they could see it or not, he did try to protect them from Lucius and his worst of his nature. He wanted to protect this new slave for as long as was possibly from Lucius' wrath and anger. He had some small hope that Liam could help with that, whether by taking Lucius' attention away from Kyle or in the less likely event of actually intervening. He was simply put, no good to Kaylin dead.
Kyle seemed almost completely oblivious as to what was actually going on, still immersed in looking through the books. Somestimes pulling one off the shelf, and flicking through a few pages before putting it back.
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Post by Grimm on Oct 23, 2017 18:29:10 GMT
Liam stiffened as Kaylin drew even closer, his back rigid as having someone so close to him. He withheld a groan as Kaylin prodded around his ribs, but the wincing was evident on his face. The tug and whisper that seemed so intimate sent a rippled through the back of his spine, feeling as if the request was genuine. As Kaylin began to work the muscle, the pain was sharp at first and for a moment let his forehead rest on the taller man's collar bone as he tolerated the pain that was starting to fade. It wasn't the first time Kaylin had healed him, but it always surprised him how warm the sensation was when older slave did.
Gentle hazel eyes looked away when Kaylin started to inspect his face, but focused on the other man's scars when their foreheads touched. It was a grim reminder of the King's wrath and Liam closed his eyes enjoying the feeling of warmth and safety Kaylin's healing magic provided.
His eyes reopened when Kaylin stepped away, the feeling of a warm blanket being taken away made him shiver yet again and Kaylin's comments made the chill go the other way. Liam very much didn't want to die and although he would prefer to face beast instead of other fellow slaves, these things towered nine feet tall and were fast. Not like a dire bear or tigers that he had faced before. "Well, if I die then at least he'll be in a happy mood for awhile." Liam snorted at his own joke trying to stop the swelling worry in his mind.
Liam was about to suggest a book to Kyle when the King's approaching voice caught his keen ears. He was angry and in a terrible mood and by the time Lucius barged into the room ranting about the Councilmen and conspiracies it was too late for Liam to remember that he was still only wearing his trousers.
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Post by Behax on Oct 23, 2017 19:02:56 GMT
It would still take the rest of the night for Liam to heal properly, but he would be fighting fit by the next morning, or at most only a little sore. Kaylin knew what Liam was to face, it was why he warned him so. He needed to be in the best of health when he was sent into the arena, staying on Lucius' good side was paramount....Though that was difficult when the King already harboured such ill intent towards his half-brother.
The briefest hint of a frown graced Kaylin's features when Lucius could be heard approaching. "And so ends our little chat," he said turning around to face the main door, right as the King barged into his own room. The sudden sound of the door made Kyle jump a little, turning from the book case as the King entered.
"Your Majesty! Is it over already?" Kaylin asked stepping away from Liam and towards the angry royal. A smile on his face, and his voice cheerful, like he was genuinely pleased to see him. "What seems to be the problem?" He hopped to at least alleviate the King's mood a little, by lending his ear. Kaylin always seemed happy to sit there and listen while the King complained and ranted, and nod along and agree when he was supposed to.
No doubt he also wanted to learned what had happened at this council meeting, while Kaylin had a number of privileges and freedoms that most slaves could only dream of, he was still a slave. So was not allowed to attend the council either, though no doubt he'd find out the details of what was discussed somehow whether from the King's mouth or someone else's. He always did seem to find a way.
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Post by Grimm on Oct 23, 2017 20:07:44 GMT
King Lucius was livid at the council and he turned to Kaylin, a welcome sight. "If only I could replace those old fools with you. They said my 100 days of games are going to cost too much, so I told them to empty the prisons, there is vermin there waiting to die." He was always quick to rant openly to Kaylin, they had a special relationship and a very special understanding, at least the King thought.
Liam tried to move to get dressed a little more appropriately, but Lucius raised his voice even more, pointing to his half dressed brother. "And there are whispers of underground slave networks and those that sympathize with them....They want my MUTT of a brother to replace me." He almost seemed to be accusing Liam of spear heading the group. He stalked up to his brother getting into his face even as Liam cowered down submissively. "I hope they enjoy watching you getting picked apart by those things because you won't survive, you'll die this time - I did my best to make sure of it." The King smiled triumphantly, feeling his mood lightened a little.
Now it was Kyle that drew the King's attention and his mood changed even more. The king was taken back with a gasp. "I feel like I am looking at a divine creature....I didn't think it was possible to make beauty this Exquisite. Kaylin, I am so very pleased. Stay won't you?" The smile was a genuine one and he took time to admire what his most loyal servant had prepared for him. Smelling his hair, touching soft skin, to fingering the slight messy curls of his hair. "Make sure we send a decent thank you to Lord....what ever his name was. This is a gem." Lucius pulled Kyle to the middle of the room, spinning him around with a happy glee about him.
"So let's see what you can do. Sing for me. I want to hear you sing."
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Post by Behax on Oct 23, 2017 20:49:37 GMT
"Well your Majesty that certainly would remove a burden from the system," he said smiling as Lucius complained. Not quite agreeing with the sentiment, but at least acknowledging that it would save money. He did not point out the faults in this particular idea, he rarely did.
When Lucius turned to verbally attacking his brother, Kaylin tried to intercede, tried to calm him. But there was little even he could do when it came to Lucius' hatred of Liam. "Then your Majesty we should route them out, no slave network would get far without the backing of someone powerful and well moneyed. Besides an illegitimate bastard is an ill fit for the throne, it would bring so much shame to our nation." Kaylin's suggestion was not a new one. He had often get close to noble's and other aristocrats in order to learn their secrets. It was one of the ways he'd most earned Lucius' trust. Bedding or out drinking the nobility, seducing them enough to get them to talk. Then telling Lucius of which ones were plotting, or even just harboured negative feelings towards him. He'd been doing this for years, and now the cruel prince was King, he could act of such information. Kaylin was clearly offering to do so once again.
Kyle locked between the King and his brother. Even taking a step forward, but he caught Kaylin out the corner of his eye giving him a stern warning nod. It would be such a mistake for Kyle to get between them deliberately. So the half-siren stayed where he was. Guilt pitting in his stomach as he watched Lucius go after Liam.
Even though the King's mood and tone changed instantly, Kyle still jolted slightly at suddenly having the King's attention. He blushed as the King praised his beauty. He wasn't used to such words. Kaylin however just smiled, giving Lucius a short bow. "You honour me with your praise your Majesty. I shall stay if that is what you wish," he said easily, still smiling. Kyle wondered how he could smile so in the face of a man whose mood changed so quickly.
Kyle was quickly made uncomfortable by the King' attention, though wisely made to attempt to rebuff him.
"Lord Bannen I believe your Majesty," Kaylin said. He knew well the names and faces of much of the aristocracy, for he'd been in most of their beds at least once. He was always ready to remind the King of who was who, even whispering it in his ear, beside the throne as they approached him, to save the King any embarrassment from having forgotten or more likely previously disregarded their name. "And I will be sure to do so," he added as he watched Kyle stumble slightly when pulled into the wide open space of the room.
Being spun made the poor boy feel dizzy. His hair and the gold that donned him catching the light, making him look even more divine, almost heavenly. He looked a little uncertain, and Kaylin encouraged him to do as he was told, from behind the King where he couldn't see him do it.
"Y-yes your majesty," he said before taking a breath and beginning to sing, slow and melodious at first. The sound pure and heavenly to the ears. This was the voice of a creature that enticed men at sea to their very deaths. It had a magical property, one which Kaylin suspected Kyle did not know he had or how to control. Even he felt it's pull, his Demon side offering him some resistance. He wondered how much resistance Liam's Elven nature afforded him.
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Post by Grimm on Oct 23, 2017 21:25:07 GMT
Now that the King's attention was on Kyle, Liam took the opportunity grab a tunic and put it on, grabbing his boots and leaned against the wall to put them on. Now that there father was gone, Liam was sure that his brother's words rang true. He had promised not to murder Liam outright, but an arena death at least had some redeeming value; according to Lucius's Mother.
The moment Kyle started singing, Liam started falling in love. Even though he did his best to ignore it, his eyes slowly found their way to Kyle. His gaze was lingering too long, but the King didn't noticed. He was enrathlled with Kyle's singing. Lucius sunk to the chair nearest to him, aboustely enchanted by the song in words that he could not understand. He was falling in love too, but it was a corrupted dark love that even his mother detested.
Liam felt something wet stain his face, his eyes had brimmed with a few tears and they had spilled over the edges of his hazel eyes. Although it was the most beautiful thing he had ever heard, the haunting sound, like angel's music held in chains. Liam felt like weeping and he turned his back to Kyle, the King and Kaylin to wipe the stray tears away and focused on putting on his other boot.
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Post by Behax on Oct 23, 2017 22:10:30 GMT
The song was beautiful, and the words even Kyle didn't fully understand. All he knew was whenever he sang, not matter what it came out in this language which rang in his heart, but which he did not know. The language of his mother, of Sirens. A language which was only ever sung. It evoked images of a distant shore, beaches of pure white sand. Time seemed to slow as Kyle sang, and Kaylin whose eye could sometimes glimpse that which was unseen, caught a brief vision of what Kyle truly looked like, or what he would look like if returned to the sea.
There were several moments of silence that followed the end of Kyle's singing. So enchanted was the King that Kaylin had to give him a gentle nudge to bring him back to reality. Kyle stood there, exactly where he had been the whole time, looking a bit nervous. He was not oblivious to the effect his voice had on people, but he didn't understand what made people react that way. His mother had died before she could explain the import parts of Kyle's heritage.
Kaylin however held some small fear about what that voice could do, what it might draw out of Lucius. The man was already the jealous and possessive sort.
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Post by Grimm on Oct 24, 2017 17:57:26 GMT
Lucius was nudged back from his trance that followed Kyle's singing. "I have no words to describe the emotions in my heart." The King used his hands to fold over his chest, as if he was keeping his heart from bursting. Liam was quite sure that his brother didn't have a heart and if he did, it was as black and hellish as a tarpit; but the fighter was also trying to sort out why his own heart ached so badly.
"Magnificence, transcendent almost." Lucius tried to convey what he was feeling. "Enchanting...wasn't that magical.." The king paused briefly before turning to Kaylin concern with in his eyes. "Was it Magical? Tell me." There were so many possibilities either way and the King was already twisting ways he could use such a voice to keep the love of his people and to acquire more wealth. Liam turned his head to cast glance over his shoulder at Lucius, he could already tell what his brother was scheming.
The fighting slave put a hand to his heart, feeling it beat a little too hard again with the echoes of Kyle song that still reverberated in his head. It left him feeling a little hallow, with just a dash of growing despair. Liam adjusted his belt and tunic, and turned back to the group, the tear stains gone from his cheeks. He couldn't remember the last time he cried and it left him unsettled.
Lucius' mind was already scheming, but the plot had turned more locally. "I want you to sing again, my lovely lovely pet, but first...." Lucius pulled a small brown bottle from his trouser pockets, shaking it up and handed it to Kaylin. "put 4 or 5 drops on my dog's tongue. I'm curious." The little brown bottle was labeled with directions of 1 to 2 drops, with ingredient's close to what was found in many aphrodisiac drugs. It was going to be his gift to Kyle, but he wanted to make sure it was safe to take first.
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Post by Behax on Oct 24, 2017 18:36:19 GMT
It made Kyle feel rather uncomfortable the way the King praised him. Over dramatic. He didn't really enjoy being the centre of attention either, especially when it came to men like Lucius. But what choice did he had but to nod, smiling weakly as he thanked the King for his high praise. Something told the boy it wasn't going to lead him anywhere pleasant....Not with this man.
Kaylin had kind of hoped that Lucius wouldn't be perceptive enough to pick up on the fact that magic was at work here. At least, he hoped it would take him longer to work it out. It would almost be simpler if the King was as stupid as he was cruel, unfortunately he could be quite cunning.
"Yes your Majesty, I believe so," he answered stepping closer to Kyle and while also being careful not to get too close, or touch the boy in any way that might draw out Lucius' anger or possessiveness, inspected the half-breed before him. Kyle watched him with uncertainty, staying on the spot but head turning when Kaylin was behind or to the side of him. "Though I don't believe your new pet really knows what he's doing." A pause. "After all there must be a reason why men of the sea, so experienced in its treachery would willingly wreck themselves against a murderous shore, when they hear such a voice."
Kyle wasn't so naive as to have not realised his voice did things to people, more especially when he sung. However he didn't understand it's nature or how it worked.
Kaylin swiftly returned to Lucius' side, and when handed the bottle inspected it. Reading the instructions and ingredients listed on the bottle. If this was going to do what he thought it did, Liam was in for a rather rough ride. It also didn't take much thinking to work out the real reason Lucius had this. It made Kaylin's heart ache more than a little, but he buried that feeling deep down as he turned to Liam. A flicker of guilt in his expression. He done many terrible things at the King's behest, and this was not going to be the worst of them.
He didn't even so much as question the King as he did what he was told. He took hold f Liam's chin in one hand. Hoping he wouldn't have to force the other slave to take it, they both knew it was better....Safer to just do what Lucius wanted. Kaylin didn't care if Liam thought he was willingly playing along or not, as he dropped 5 doses of the liquid onto his tongue.
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Post by Grimm on Oct 24, 2017 20:05:32 GMT
Liam didn't fight Kaylin when he came to give him the drops, although if the king had given it to them, he would of resisted more. And when it was done, Liam jerked away from Kaylin. The drug was bitter, yet it was smoothed into a sweet glow that made his mouth feel warm. it wasn't long before he could start to feel the effects of the drug, his pupils growing large, heat starting to roll off his skin, a heart that felt as if it thudding in his chest. Liam began to pace, pulling at his tunic trying to cool himself off, his groin growing tight and he was doing his best to try to ignore the urge to relieve himself of the clothing he had just put on.
The King crackled at him, enjoying the sexual frustration he had just unleashed on Liam. "Make sure he doesn't do anything stupid." Lucius told Kaylin and he turned back to Kyle. "Go on Sing again, my pet. Sing again for me." The King smiled at Kyle, reaching to clasp the gold leash that still hung from the collar on the half-sirens neck, but he didn't pull.
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