"So, we meet another Returned once more, from that confounded Island. You’re called, what, Peony Plumflower?"
Of course she was not supposed to reply, gagged and bound and suspended physically, with redundant magical bindings, though it had to look to these Frontier punishers like she was some lowly rogue runaway, despite her powers they were not supposed to show they dreaded.
The monologuing interrogator continued, “What did you expect, coming back? You Islanders will not bend knee to larger domains as loyal subjects, and you expect to trade your skills for resource? Oh sure, you will break free of your fetters and flee again - though I don’t suspect soon or ever this time, since we’ve tripled our holding wards on you. You’ve got spunk, I’ll give it to you, but ideas don’t great feats make!”
And for precaution, he jabbed a poisoned spear point into her abdomen, puncturing out blood in a spurt. Just to make sure Peony Returned Islander could not muster physical reserves to escape her trapping. Too busy stanching bleeding hole to do anything else, was the reason for wounding.
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