I was stunned by Quinette’s words, I had expected anything, but a child. The cave went silent after she spoke. I was speechless, but pretty curious, to be accurate — what had made her go to such lengths. She held her eyes on me. Her breath calmed down a bit after the confession.

"See, you can’t defend me now, can you." Quinette said. She arched her eyes.

"I cannot. I’ll admit that, cause you don’t look like some who would do such a thing. Maybe if I had a hint of the reason, it would have been better."

"No context would justify what I have done."

"But it will help. To understand. Because in normal circumstances, I wouldn’t still be seated with you right now. I want to understand you. So I don’t stay in doubt. If we’re going to make it out of here alive, I suggest you open up, so we fully understand each other."

She looked me dead in the eye. "No. I’m not telling you a thing. If you don’t want to trust me, that’s your problem. I could leave this place for you to have the comfort you wish for."

Then she let go of the fur from herself. Standing away from where we were seated. Walking to the end of the cave. "I should find myself out."

I stared at her as she exited the cave, carefully drawing closer to the blazing wind on the outside. I didn’t stop her, because I found such behavior childish. Unlike when I first met her. This isn’t her usual behaviour.

It must have really broken her. The act she committed. On a normal day I wouldn’t care to stop her. Cause I barely know her. Still, she held great importance.

"Quinette."

She paused, but at the edge. Hand rested on her hilt.

"Before you leave the cave, to die in the cold. Like a foolish child running from a little argument."

She scoffed.

"I have only one question. If you answer it, I’ll let you go. If you don’t, I’ll stop you myself."

I stood, the fur flowing down my shoulder like a cape, then took a step, then another, calmly drawing closer.

"What?"

"Tell me. Is that the reason you’re protective? You’ve taken a child’s life. And have judged yourself."

Quinette didn’t speak. The words caught in her mouth. Lips parted to speak, but no words came out. Staring at me with disbelief.

I was right. The face she held gave me the answer I needed.

I paused, arm’s length from her. "Tell me. You’ve taken a life that cannot be reversed—"

Quinette snapped.

"I’ve taken countless lives. Not one." She took a deep breath, her hands fell by her sides.

’New information.’

"So what were you?" I kept throwing questions, since she was answering. This was a good opportunity to let her stay longer.

"You said ’one question’."

"Well, you haven’t answered any properly."

"I was — I was an assassin." She lowered her head, looking down at the ground.

"Who sent you to kill a child?"

"No one sent me. I was there for his parents."

"Then?"

"After I did my job as usual, I didn’t know the parents had hidden their child in their wardrobe." Then her voice cracked, tears dropped from her eyes. "He jumped out, in rage, and tried to cut at me, and I... killed him."

She broke down into tears. Her legs gave out.

I pulled her into my embrace, wrapping my arms around her before she hit the ground. She buried her face in my chest and kept crying. For a moment I regretted opening such wounds. The scar on her face explained it. The child had given her that scar.

A constant reminder of her sin.

"I didn’t do it intentionally. I didn’t know."

"It’s okay." I gave her a gentle pat, comforting her while she let go of her pain.

Slowly, her cries reduced to sobs.

She pulled away from my embrace, wiping the streak of tears from her face. She avoided looking at me, darting her eyes to the end of the cave. Wrapping her arm around herself.

The cave went silent. She had sulked up, trying deeply not to admit that just happened — seeing the embarrassment on her face.

"You said you didn’t have any intention to kill the child, right? It wasn’t intentional?"

"Yes." Quinette answered. I had to strain my ears to catch the word.

"Then how did you kill him?"

Quinette adjusted her belt, unhooking her sword with its sheath. "This. This isn’t just a sword."

"I know. You said it’s sacred."

"It’s more than that."

I tilted my head. "How?"

"This sword conceals my real magic — a forbidden magic."

"Forbidden?" I repeated the word. My ears perked. "How?"

"Unlike the severing magic I use, my true magic is more powerful — the ability to sever anything with only intention. As long as my targets have mana in them, no matter how little, and my eyes are on them, severing magic is a sure hit."

"Magic that can cut from intention only!’ My eyes widened.

Her blade sang out. She raised the steel, catching the little light in the dungeon. "But when activated, it takes out my consciousness, makes me... hollow. And can work on total reflexes. I can’t use it anymore, since it’s contained in this sword. But if this blade were broken..."

She didn’t complete her sentence, but I got the message. If that magic was contained in that blade for a long time.

The dark energy contained in it would be amplified. Releasing it might fully corrupt her. The hollow feeling she claimed — it would fully control her soul.

This had to be the reason the magic is forbidden.

I watched her sheath her blade, then walk deep into the cave to sit alone.

I couldn’t help but imagine how powerful such magic is. She could destroy armies with just looking at them — just intention — even with the risk of letting such magic out, I wanted it.

I wanted her to be able to wield it. I was willing to take the risk. The queen would surely know of Quinette’s true strength, for her to give a former assassin a position after coming to our land.

If I have Quinette by my side, with her forbidden magic, I’ll have a wildcard against the queen. Push my goal further. I grinned, then looked at the blade laying beside her.

’I’ll get it out.’