Dana told the driver and address and he took us there. It was a fenced in compound with repelling enchantments on the walls. I could feel them as we passed by them to arrive at the gate. We came to a stop and Dana jumped out and walked over to the gatehouse. A guard was there and she had a short conversation with him. He barked a laugh and then told her to wait, and ran inside.

“We only need to wait for a couple of minutes.” Dana said and waved me to join her, which I did. “Driver, we'll need a ride at suppertime from here.”

“Yes, ma'am.” The driver said and took off.

“He's an agreeable fellow.” Dana said.

“He is available for my people to use at a working man's Sanctuary. He is paid very well, even if he never leaves the compound.” I said and she looked surprised. “He gets two gold coins a week, or more if making deliveries.”

“He just delivered us.” Dana said.

“He's not done for the day.” I countered and she smiled.

“Welcome, welcome!” A well dressed man said as he approached the guardhouse with the guard. “I would accept any offer for assistance that the police are offering.”

“That's why we're here.” Dana said and took my hand. “I hope you don't mind me supervising.”

The man smiled. “Not at all, Constable! I welcome the scrutiny... and perhaps a word to the chief about the budget.”

“I already made him fall on his ass by giving him two gold coins as a bribe to let me off work for three days. I don't think he can handle it if I keep talking to him about money!” Dana said and they both laughed.

“Too true!” The man said. “If you will follow me, your associate can get started.”

“Lead the way.” Dana said and we followed the man through the gatehouse and into the large building. It was a fairly long walk to get to where were going.

“Is this considered a date?” I asked her.

Dana looked surprised for a moment, then she grinned. “I believe so. It can be our first, if you follow through at the end.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“I rarely get time off and it's even rarer that I have the opportunity to share it with a man like yourself.” Dana said. “I don't have the time for you to romance me and make me all giddy from hearing your voice before I take you to bed.”

I raised my eyebrows at her and she laughed.

“You nobles really need to relax with all the protocols and social niceties dragging you down.”

“I thought women liked being treated like a Lady?”

“We do... I do... when it's not going to interfere with our fun.” Dana said. “There is a time and a place for you to treat me with more respect and I fully expect that... later.”

I understood and stayed quiet until we reached our destination.

“Here they are, the worst of the worst criminals in the country. They have been sentenced to death and even the army won't take them.” The well dressed man said and waved at the large cell that was filled with men of all kinds. “Murderers, cannibals, rapists of men, women, and children, and people so violent that they killed their own cell mates to stay in prison.”

I felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped on me. If I had a painting of myself as the Marsh Man before I cleaned myself up, it would be nearly identical to every single man inside the cell. Long dirty hair, horrible smells, wearing rags, and bare feet.

“We've tried rehabilitation, both physical and magic, and even given them multiple chances to change their behavior.” The man said. “They've all refused, so we piled them all together in there, with the hopes that they would kill each other before the executioner could visit and handle them for us in a few months.”

Dana let my hand go and turned me to look into my eyes. “David.” She whispered. “They are not you. They are what you could have been if you weren't smart enough to accept yourself for who you are.”

I blinked my eyes at her. “But, Dana... I used to look just like that.”

Dana reached up and put her arms around my neck. “You kill, you maim, you injure and scare people.” She whispered and then kissed me. “What you've never done was enjoy it.”

I sucked in a sharp breath and my mind suddenly replayed all of the people I've personally killed. It was like watching my life flow in front of my eyes. Even the last few mages that my magic had let me track down, I watched die without emotion. It didn't mean anything, because they had to die to keep myself safe. It has always been that way. Keeping others safe was just a bonus.

“I can see it in your eyes. Calculation, expectation, and ruthlessness... but, not enjoyment.” Dana said. “I want you to prove it to yourself. Here. Now.” She whispered. “These men are what you would be like if you enjoyed hurting people and felt happy about it.”

“They... they are not... me.” I said.

“No, David. They are not you.” Dana said and let me go. “So, show me. Show me your magic and remove these stains from the world for me.”

“Do you want to see how...”

“No, the method doesn't matter.” Dana said and waved at the cell. “Only the result.”

I kept my eyes on her and pointed my palm at the cell. “Incinerate Maximus.”

*WHHOOOOOOOOOFFFF!*

Dana kept her eyes on me while the well dressed man near us started cursing about the damage to his nice prison. “How long?”

“Now.” I said and dropped my hand.

Dana turned to look and the cell was empty, except for thirty small piles of ash. “They didn't scream.”

“No time and I used up all of the air in their lungs.” I said and looked at the well dressed man. “I reinforced the cell with Mould Earth. It just needs a rinse to get the soot off of the stone.”

The man stopped cursing at his horrible luck and then smiled at me. “Excellent! Thank you!”

“It really was excellent.” Dana said. “I expected to be here until suppertime dealing with them all and didn't expect them to die instantly or at the same time.”

“Well! Let's give you both the full tour. I seem to have the afternoon free as well.” The well dressed man said. “We can head back this way and we can stop by the kitchens first.”

_______________

Montage mode engaged. Skipping time. Done.

_______________

“Thank you both for joining me for a meal after the tour. It was quite enjoyable having two intelligent people to talk to.” The well dressed man said and walked us out to the guard house.

“I bet you say that to all the temporary executioners.” Dana joked and the man laughed.

“I suggest you keep her, young man!” The man said to me. “She is a treasure!”

“She is as against a slave contract as I am.” I said and the man laughed again.

“Constable! You keep him, too!” The man said and the guard opened the gatehouse for us. “Have a great day, the both of you.”

“You, too.” Dana said and we stepped out and there was the carriage waiting for us.

“The academy.” I said and we climbed in. I didn't try to hand Dana into the carriage like she was a lady, either. Now was not the time for such things.

It was a nice ride and Dana had her hand in mine.

“I'm sorry that I can't share magic with you, David.” Dana said in a soft voice.

“I'm glad.” I said and she turned to look at me with surprise on her face. “Every person close to me that my magic has touched, seems to be destroying themselves. I don't know if it is a curse the Hag placed upon me as a baby or if it is one I've perpetuated on myself.”

Dana pulled herself onto my lap and looked into my eyes. “David, you can't blame your magic like that. It is powerful, yes. Can it kill? Yes.” She gave me a soft and tender kiss. “Does it have a mind of its own? That depends on if you believe magic was given to you or if it grew from you.”

I thought about her words and really thought about it. The Hag had taken me and fed from me for years. It hadn't stunted my magic growth like the crystals do, probably because she had forcibly taken it from me and I wasn't giving it up willingly and pushing it out. When she left so suddenly, I was weak, terribly weak. It took a long time for my magic to grow back. Oh. My magic grew back.

My. Magic. Grew. Back.

It was me and I am it. I am magic. I thought and a smile grew on my face. It was the same smile that Hope always enjoyed seeing on my face. “I am magic.”

Dana caught her breath and stared at my face, then she pulled me into a passionate kiss. We kept kissing until the carriage came to a stop at the academy gates. I pulled out a gold coin and tossed it to the guard without looking.

“Thank you, sir!” The guard said and let us through.

The carriage stopped at my dorm and I climbed out with a giddy Dana holding my hand. We entered the building and the dorm monitor was there, to my surprise.

“You finally came for your things.” She said, a little angry.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out a handful of gold coins and put them on her desk, then added another handful. “I forgot to pack before leaving to fix my skin.”

She looked stunned at both my skin and the pile of gold coins on her desk.

“Thank you for staying and protecting my things. I hope this is enough for your time.” I said.

“Y-y-yes, my lord. This... this is more than enough. Thank you.”

“I hope you are in charge of my dorm next year. You have been nothing but accommodating and I appreciate that.”

The woman blushed. “Thank you, my lord. I hope to keep watch on you next year as well.”

I nodded and took Dana up to my dorm room and it hadn't been touched. It was a little dusty with no one living there or maintaining it for a month. That was all right, since I didn't have much left inside anyway. I gathered up the books and all of my class notes, both mine and the copies from Vanessa and Jinelle, and packed up my clothing and other things that I had there.

Dana helped and we carried everything down to the carriage and loaded it onto the luggage rack. I even took the spare bed that wasn't supposed to be in the room. I checked the food stores in the kitchen and looked at Dana, who chuckled and then smiled.

“I won't turn down free food.” Dana said. So, we packed that up as well.

“I have one more stop to make.” I said and told the driver to take us to the library.

We rode over there and I stepped out. It was mostly deserted, except for the between year staff that took care of the place. I entered the administration building, went up the stairs past the cafeteria, and went to the library. I opened the door, that surprisingly wasn't locked, and saw Victoria King there talking to Eludora.

“David!” Eludora gasped when she saw me, then she saw me. “By the Son's Light!”

“Yes, I finished it.” I said and walked over to the main desk.

Victoria stood there with a shocked look on her face and didn't speak.

“Here are two jars. Your height and longer limbs require more than the regular sized person that would only need one jar.” I said and put them on the table and then explained how to work it and how much to apply. “It works on your hair, too. I suggest you do one side, preferably the front first, then get a friend to help you with the rest after it sets.”

“David...” Eludora started to say.

“I'm going to be busy for the next ten days.” I said and wiggled my fingers on my hand, to show her I was going to fix myself. “Goodbye.”

“Good... bye.” Eludora whispered.

I walked out of the library and Victoria still stood there, stunned. I went down the stairs and dropped the books off inside the administration building on the proper desk, marked the papers there that they were returned, and left.

“That was fast.” Dana said.

“She wanted to ask me to help her with the creme and I stopped her before she could and left.”

Dana nodded. “You don't have to cater to her whims anymore. She knows she isn't stuck where she is. If she chooses to ignore trying to get a life of her own, that's not your problem. It's also not your job to hold her hand and try to make her do it, either.”

I reached over and took her hand, and she laughed softly.

“Good point.” Dana said. “Driver, 128 Crescent Street on the West Side, please.”

“Yes, ma'am.” The driver said and we left the academy to go where Dana said to go. It took a little while, considering the traffic, and we came to a stop beside a nice little home that was tightly packed in with similar homes on either side of it. I unloaded the boxes of food from the dorm to stack by the door.

“You can come back in the morning.” Dana said and reached into my pockets, dug out several gold coins, and handed them over. “Have fun tonight. Your lord is going to.”

The driver laughed and accepted the coins. “Goodnight, ma'am.”

“Goodnight.” Dana said and didn't watch the driver leave and went to her front door to open it. “Welcome to my little home.”

I brought the boxes of food in and closed the door behind myself before I looked around with both my eyes and my vigilance technique. “You don't have any enchanted protections?”

Dana laughed. “Who can afford things like that?”

“I lived in a marsh for most of my life. I learned to make them myself.” I said.

“I want to hear all about that, David. I really do.” Dana said and pulled off her coat, then she looked right into my eyes. “Right now, I need you to show me what you know about the right way to make love.”

“The right way?” I asked.

“Our way. The commoner way.” Dana said and started to take off her clothes. “If I'm still conscious after that, you can tell me about your childhood.”

“Our way?” I asked and started to strip off as well.

“You weren't always a noble. You earned it. You were just a regular commoner like me until you became something else. Something people shouldn't cross.”

“The Marsh Man.” I said and she turned to smile at me.

“Yes, the Marsh Man. Someone to respect, someone to fear if they anger him, someone to run from if they cross him.” Dana said and pulled off her bra and underwear. “No one ever escapes from you for long, do they?”

I pulled off my underwear and she gasped and then licked her lips. “No. I always find them.”

“Just like me. I always find my prey.” Dana said and walked over to me and looked into my eyes. “Well, I've found you and you've found me. What are you going to do about it?”

I thought about that for a moment, then made my decision. I picked her up and hugged her, checked I was in the right position, then pulled her down and pushed up with my hips at the same time.

“OHH! BY THE SON'S LIGHT!” Dana yelled as I penetrated her, then she had her legs and arms wrapped around me and kissed me unlike anyone else ever had.

Our hips moved as we had sex right there in the middle of her living room, standing up, and her moans grew louder as we kept going. She let out a scream of pleasure and kissed me so hard that I thought she was going to suck my tongue out.

Dana broke the kiss and her breathing was laboured and heavy. “Keep... keep going. Don't stop. Don't... don't ever stop.”

I nodded and walked with her to her bedroom and we stayed there for the rest of the night.