Hope Falls

"Mhm, protecting the children from a terrifying hound. You know how canines are." She closed her eyes at the touch, leaning into it. "Even the uhm, even the one foot ones. Especially the one foot ones."

Karina slowly opened her eyes, brushing the backs of her knuckles across his face. Following the line of his cheek first of all, and then circling to his jaw. Her eyes gleaming, and voice thick as she answer; "I'm glad you're alive."

(( BRB need to shower ))

She leant in, going as if to kiss him - a slow but determined motion. Though, centremeters from their lips touching she froze, shoulders trembling with the intensity of which she was holding her back- her breathing ragged.

Karina coughed then, trying to bite back a sob that had nestled itself in her throat. Settling herself down to try and perch on the edge of the sofa next to him, resting her head against his chest.

"I want you, don't- don't doubt that." Karina whispered hoarsely. "He just.. isn't even buried yet and I think if we did it would make me so irredeemable even the Fallen would be aghast."

"Good? What good have I done?"

"I do my job, I belong to whomever has a crown on there head. I tell people visions I have, when they are meant to know them. I haven't done anything extraordinarily good, just survived like everyone else."

"It's okay, that - that's okay." Karina assured, swallowing thickly. Tracing patterns against the fabric of his top. "We have.. spent a lot of time a part. We don't know what the other has done, or not done. What they've seen. Did news of any of the wars here make it to the East?"

"Emmett and I got captured by the Fae, in the first one and then Thea a few days after us. They would use their affinity with nature to... uh... make plants with thick barbs grow through the cracks of walls and..." She let her voice trail, pushing herself up and pulling the messy pony tail to the side. "Just... undo my dress, you'll see."

"They were targeting anyone they thought would give them clout, bargaining tools for land. They weaponized us too, the Fae and the wolves - they would kill one of us, knowing it would make the rest of us blind and that is when they would attack." Karina continued, letting out a shaky breath as she cold air hit her skin. Most of the scarring had faded, appeared only as hundreds of needle prick indentations along the entirety of her back and disappearing beneath the fabric towards her ribs. Though some marks remained where the plants had grown and broken her skin from beneath- clear bands of now unnaturally smooth, glimmering skin. "The war ended, the fae turned against the wolves and Conan agreed for Aesira to marry the Fae Prince to preserve an alliance. The only king-ly choice he has made."

"Sometimes I wake up screaming from nightmares where I have travelled through those halls to find Aesira covered in those thorns and unable to cry out but her eyes.. her eyes bore into my soul."  Karina swallowed. "Other times it isn't Aesira I see, but Eden. Eden being forced to touch things to trigger visions she doesn't want. That is why they captured Emmett, see - to force their brand new Seer into that place to extract Conan's battle plans.  And.. and when it is that nightmare it isn't Emmett they have restrained and beaten, it's Ira and Cassius. Zaria is screaming in the background, every time, like Thea had been."

"People are vicious," Karina stated, letting herself fall back against him. "Memories are just as unforgiving, as I'm sure you know."