I opened my eyes again and looked down at the man. He lay staring yet unseeing toward the dark window, a trickle of drool ran down his cheek to pool on the floor below. Could I do it? Could I kill him? Should I kill him? I lowered my fist and looked down toward my daughter. She was sleeping again, comfortable in the crook of my arm, head upon my breast. How could she sleep through this? Then again, I had slept through nearly as much at her age. I could feel her dreams and emotions, she was happy in my arms. I felt my anger fade.

As my mind calmed the pain began to intrude, then the fatigue followed. "No, no no no. I am not going to pass out with a spear straight through my… oh goddess, I still have a spear inside me." I had somehow forgotten that fact while I was buried in Fostas' memories. There was a pool of blood on the floor between my legs, not large, but large enough. I stemmed the bleeding as best I could, but the spear remained. I couldn't bend at the waist, I couldn't sit, I couldn't lay down without falling over. My telekinesis stamina was drained too, completely, whatever it was I did to his arm had spent it. It would recover over time, but not fast, enough for me to fight back against the bleeding? "I… I need help."

I looked toward the door, then took a timid step. It jarred my body enough to shift the spear. The pain was incredible. I took another step, more pain. A splatter of blood gushed from my sex, another torn artery. I sealed it with a limited dose of healing, but even that redrained my already drained stamina. I stumbled, but caught the door frame. Now I just had to… had to… I started to weep as I stared down, one hundred forty one steps between here and the dining room. Perhaps I would meet someone on the way? I began to descend.

One hundred and forty agonizing steps later I stood atop the last one. I clung to the banister for all it was worth and kept myself aloft on my tiptoes. The spear had slipped further down, enough that if I wasn't careful it would bump the floor on each step. That was a good sign, in a way, it would be relatively easy to remove once I had some help.

I took the final step, yet couldn't release the banister. I knew for a fact that I would tumble flat if I let go. "H-help? Anyone?" I called out. The Magi Tower was so silent, it could have been completely empty for all I knew. How long could I stand here waiting for someone to approach? An unformed terror began to climb up the back of my throat with a high pitched keening. I called again, though it was more noise than words.

Someone stepped out of the kitchen and around the corner in an apron. She wiped her hands dry as she took in my appearance. I wasn't entirely sure what I looked like, and showing up naked was certainly not your every day occurrence, but… "My Lady Ane, I did not realize you had come to visit! Uhm, can I ask, ah, Where are your clothes and why do you have a broom shoved up your… ah…" Her babble was inane.

I wanted to cry, but I laughed instead. And then the tears started to rolled down my cheeks, "Please, ah… I never got your name I'm afraid, but introductions can wait. Please please please help me get this thing out."

Her bemused expression shifted suddenly as her vision adjusted. Behind me was a trail of blood, and below me it was a growing puddle. I had stopped the bleeding repeatedly, with every step, but only temporarily. If I fainted now I might never wake up. She rushed immediately to my side and tucked her shoulder under my armpit, "Lets get you a little more comfortable." She paused for a half a step, then observed, "Have you lost weight? You were already thin, My Lady, you didn't need to diet." It was only then that she realized what the disheveled bundle of pink skin was tucked in my other arm, "Is… is she yours?"

"Yes," I replied through clenched teeth as we hobbled toward a dining room table. "Barely an hour old."

She pursed her lips and gave me a look like I was mad, then shook her head, "My Lady, I fear there are too many unknowns here for me to form an opinion or even a question. Tell me what to do. I'm no Magi, but I can hold things in place and sew a stitch if need be."

I shook my head and smiled at her, "Lets hope that is unnecessary. I'm exhausted, but I'm a fourth star biokinetic. If you just pull it out, I'll… I'll stop the bleeding."

She nodded her head and helped me to the edge of the table, then gave me support as I laid back. She did her best to ignore my scream as the spear shifted inside, but I felt her trembling anyway. At last my back touched the cold oak boards and a sigh of relief left me that threatened to take my awareness with it. I focused instead on the warm bundle of life nestled to my breast, and reminded myself, I had to persevere for her. I could see how it worked, a telepathic mother, pregnant, defending herself and her unborn. Perhaps she doesn't even realize what she's doing as she taps into the latent ability of her child to push beyond her own limits. Anything to protect her child.

"Alright, now that we're comfortable," I said aloud and looked to the woman, "What's your name?"

"Julie, My Lady. What exactly do you want me to do?"

"See that spear shoved inside of me?"

"W-wh… Spear? Um, yes." Right, she thought it was a broom.

"wipe the blood off a patch, get a good grip, and pull as firmly yet gently as you can. I'm going to scream, I might even pass out. If I do, wake me up, don't let me fall asleep even if you have to take a branding iron to my clit, got it?"

She stared, eyes like saucers, mouth gaped. "I… yes… I think? Um, what is a clit?"

I stared back for a moment, then laughed, once, which turned into severe coughing. I started talking as soon as I could and a trickle of blood ran down my chin, "Nevermind, just pull."

"My Lady, you are bleeding from your mouth!"

"Gravity kept the internal bleeding from pooling in my lungs. Now that I'm horizontal, it's pooling. That's why I can't pass out, I could easily drown. Now pull Julie, pull as if my life depends on it, because frankly it do-" I never finished the sentence. She grabbed that blood red shaft and ripped it from my body with muscles that belied her small frame. I didn't scream, the relief was too great. Pain yes, intense pain, but something else too… something… My body shook, hard and violent quakes. Seizure? No, my mind was fully aware, what… Then it connected, my first orgasm in six weeks. I started to laugh, moan, and cough all at once, then spent the last bit of awareness on emergency triage upon my tattered innards. I didn't get very far. Perhaps enough?

Quietly and drew my infant to my breast and cradled her as darkness crept in upon the edge of my vision. She woke and took my nipple while Amethyst eyes stared back up at me. I felt like she had some very harsh questions to ask, and I'd have to beg her forgiveness for the next thirteen or so years. I kissed her forehead and left a red smudge, then laid back and closed my eyes. This was enough, wasn't it? I'd done enough, right?

"But why did he try to kill her?" I asked with a faint sob.

"Who My Lady?" There was awe in her voice. Reverence even. I couldn't quite find the thread of her thoughts though, perhaps she was shielding her mind.

"Fostas, he tried to kill my baby. I offered him my life, but he wanted hers too. Why? Why wasn't I enough for him?" Julie didn't reply, or if she did, I could no longer hear it. I did however feel her presence diminish rapidly into the distance.