More questions than answers

After giving you a moment to collect yourself, Victoria hauls you to your feet. “Well, I had hoped for more. He spent more time ranting than I expected. Maybe next time we’ll get more out of you.”

You wonder what she was expecting, and she answers your thought as if you had spoken aloud. “I had hoped to get more information about your little resistance group. Maybe I’ll question you myself next time.”

Victoria smirks at your surprised expression. “Oh please, you didn’t think I got to where I am by strength of arms alone? Your surface thoughts are loud.”

You look at her as she begins leading you away. “You can read minds? Then why the need to question me at all?”

She shakes her head. “I won’t give away my secrets other than to say that deeper thoughts are harder to read. The harder I dig, the more problems it causes.”

You sigh, resolving to keep a tighter rein on your thoughts around this woman. She is dangerous in many ways, it seems. Another thought occurs to you. “You’re Victoria the Silver, right? The one who captured me said you trained him.”

“I am, and I did. Patrus was always arrogant, though, and not as good as he thought he was.”

You blink. “He seemed pretty good to me…wait, ‘was’?”

Victoria shrugs. “He’s dead. Whatever that thing is you’re traveling with, it ripped him apart. A pity, he had potential.”

You shake your head. At least that eases one of your worries. The girls likely survived, in that case.

Victoria raises an eyebrow. “Ferra, hmm? A golem, and a lover as well? Interesting.”

You curse yourself for the unguarded thoughts, and **** yourself to count the steps as the two of you walk. Victoria chuckles. “And now all I hear are numbers accruing in your head. Well done. A simple trick, but effective.”

You sigh. “So, what happens now?”

“Now we throw you back in a cell. It’s your lucky day though, you’ll have a friend this time. We need to watch you to see if you got the corruption from the Great One.”

You stop in your tracks. “Wait, what?!”

Victoria shrugs. “You think the blackness around my eyes is for show? Being near him can corrupt you. Especially if you have any magic. I doubt you’ll be affected just yet, but that’s why we’re throwing you in with Sarah. Her kind are immune, somehow.”

“Her…kind?”

Victoria shrugs. “She can explain. I don’t really care. Keeps her willing to help if we let her have a companion occasionally, too.”

You can’t figure out how to respond to that, as Victoria leads you into the prison hall. She walks up to one of the doors, unlocking and opening it. “It’s your lucky day, Sarah. Just don’t break him.”