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Excerpt from Red Mage–
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“How did you even know I was the Red Mage all those years ago?”
Sarren smiled wickedly, “You don’t recognize me. I didn’t think you did, but I wasn’t certain until now. It’s the doom of the noble class. They never bother to look into the face of their servants. You never bothered to look at me.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I was your mother’s handmaiden. I watched you. I set up your meeting with Tovo. It was me! I did it all! I followed you to the city of Talt and to the Sephera family.”
“That’s why you disguised yourself as a man.” She looked at Thessa, “You have failed Sarren, you can’t turn my own blood against me.”
“I never do anything I haven’t meticulously planned out. You should know that by now!” She lurched forward and stabbed her twisted dagger into Hana’s stomach. “I may not be able to kill you, but I can have another do it.” Hana fell to her knees. “Get the dagger from the girl.” Sarren commanded.
Hana looked back to see Thessa dive for the dagger as a young man beat her to it. Thessa grabbed the boy by the waist.
“Let him go, child,” Sarren said. Thessa began to change again, and it freed the boy from her. Hana crawled toward Sarren, but she easily sidestepped her.
“Kill the Red Mage!”
The boy stabbed Hana in the back repeatedly. Hana felt no pain, and it was then that she remembered the dagger was her own. It was the ruby-handled dagger of the Red Mage; it wouldn’t hurt her. Thessa ran up behind the boy and attacked him by the throat.
“No, Thessa, that’s my dagger!” Hana pleaded.
Sarren screeched with glee until she realized what Hana was saying. Thessa now had the dagger, and she was inches away.
“No, Thessa, that dagger can’t hurt me! Don’t do it! Just drop it!”
It was too late, Thessa plunged Hana’s dagger into the heart of Sarren. The blade of the Red Mage, which had no effect on Hana, was deadly to Sarren. Hana watched in horror as the life force drained from Sarren and entered Thessa. A black fog rolled out from Sarren’s body as she fell with Thessa still gripping the dagger. Thessa looked at her mother with terror. Her eyes turned red and her facial features contorted while she collapsed onto Sarren. Hana went to her, still holding the wound in her stomach. She took the blood from her wound and began smearing it on the now unconscious Thessa.
“I can turn you back.” Her tears flowed, blocking her vision. “Please, I can turn you back!” The blood burned Thessa’s skin rather than help her. Thessa began to whimper and Hana wiped the blood from her. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” She took the Well of Life stone from her pocket and rubbed it over her wound. The green light from the stone healed her. She tried to use it on Thessa, but it too burned her skin. She moved away from her daughter and Hana’s eyes caught sight of Tovo, who was still standing near the throne. He gazed forward with a catatonic expression.