“I am not a toy to be used!”

The pity radiated from them all. The quiet, onlooking servants occupying the room with us, who could do nothing but stare at the floor as I raised my voice. I knew she wouldn’t send them away, that this was some twisted lesson in humility and learning my place. Because I pushed first.

“You’ve always just been a toy, Adran.” My body shook, not only from the coldness of her words but the sudden frigid temperature of the room. Her magic had come alive-breathing into every corridor of the castle, so that no one inside it could escape this freezing cold. It illuminated her skin, turning it such a light blue it looked like she might be deprived of oxygen and not vibrating with the force of centuries old magic in her. But as usual, her face gave away nothing, an expression as if she were bored by this whole conversation. A mask I learned she wore often around everyone else, that I was only just starting to peek behind.

The truth of our relationship was staring me in the face-that she may never have truly given me a second thought as she went through her day, and would never be able to care for me the way I cared for her. That I may very well have been nothing but a toy to her. Even the servants could tell the situation was getting dangerous as they slowly backed out of the room through the servants doors.

“Where do you think you all are going?” She asked, an incredulous lilt to her speech, “All of you are my toys,” she looked into my eyes, “And don’t forget that.”