MADELINE
"I did my research," my father continued. "Even her mother, although she lived a decently long life, used her gifts clearly a bit too much and the side effects of it... it killed her. I have to have her."
Pauline said something else. Her voice had gone sharp again, almost panicked.
"I'm not killing her," my father replied. "She will be returned. I just need to observe her."
My stomach turned.
"Are you insane?" Pauline's voice came through clear and furious. "You are the reason I got caught in Aldric's crossfire in the first place. And now that we are free, now that we are rid of that bastard, you want to shackle me again to a new prison?"
"I'm doing this for your sake too."
"For my sake?!"
There was a long pause. Then my father spoke again, his voice calm and measured.
"Think about it," he said. "Call me back when you aren't so emotional."
The line went dead.
