He watched the rise and fall of her breath and Velentham found himself breathing in rhythm. He had held his prize long enough to work her mind to the point that at least now, he could let her speak. Her words were befuddled, but not openly resentful. The hatred in her eyes had softened, even if it wasn't outright love. Not yet. Not that it mattered right this moment. This moment was caught up in matching breaths and small beads of perspiration from tremendous magical efforts.
He had been holding up the magic forcefield for days now, and between working Sanria's mind, keeping her magic subdued, and keeping the tent up, the exertion was taking its toll. He found himself snapping on her when she'd allude to Gilean, and that was almost enough to drive him to see red. But he'd taken care of her little secret, oh yes, he'd reached into her with magic and snuffed out what he found - the way he'd do with Gilean given the chance. Close enough. Other times he'd catch himself dozing off, woken by the intense furnace-like heat. Still other times he'd hear his father talking to him, "Calm yourself, son. The Tribunal won't tolerate insanity." Insane. Bah. He wasn't insane. He was winning. He was victorious.
He ran his hand through Sanria's hair, noting how she let out a small sigh. Lie after lie after lie he had to tell her to keep her here. The stage after confusion, however, wasn't far off. Eventually, she'd stop asking, she'd stop even feeling something was missing. Eventually she would belong to him. Once that happened, once he had kept them away long enough, he'd find a place for them to stay while he figured out how to travel the planes.
Velentham smiled. His people would love her and grant her eternity, he was certain of it. They could live forever in a place - content, complete, and together. They could raise a family and-
The infernal heat woke him and quickly he renewed the spell that kept the torment outside at bay. Sanria's hair was now plastered to her skin with sweat, and Velentham cleared it away. She'd sleep until he woke her, and with nothing more to do, he drifted back into his dreams of success until woken by the heat again.
