Spellcaster series #5: The Sage

Book 1: After All These Years

TRISTAN

Truth be told, I wrote, there was never really a correct solution to ridding Synto's remnants within the seams of humanity for good. Its evil was so powerful that even after Dean Ryans was dead, Synto's dark energy dispersed and spilled between the three realms. If I would theorise, there was a larger menace taking Dean's place to finish the job. When I shared this thought, Heidi told me I was bordering on paranoia. Perhaps she was right, but I could not bring myself to ignore the possibility.

There had been more active djinns now, leading humans and living Vampires astray before trapping them in their world—the endless Void. They hunted for Heidi from time to time, what with her dark energy acting like a magnet for these beings.

I flipped a yellow page of the leather-bound book and inked my pen.

"Catch, daddy!" Her high-pitched voice squealed in utter delight, breaking my focus.

"My little monkey!" I scooped her into my arms and onto my lap. "Instead of messing with my work, why don't you help me with it?"

Her round hazel eyes gazed onto my book, picking at it with her small, stubby fingers. She turned to me, curiosity piquing her interest. She had her mother's look. Ada traced the hand-drawn symbolic rune that I had sketched with her tan fingers, completely ignoring everything I said. I let her sit there for a while.

"What is this?" She asked.

"That's the Sage's protection rune, my darling. It protects us from all that is bad."

Ada yawned. She leaned her head into my chest.

"All right, that's my cue."

I lifted her from the desk and carried her to her bedroom. Ada did not resist like she always did. Her eyelids were drooping, head on my shoulder. As I laid her in bed, she watched as I tuck her in.

"Tell the story, daddy."

I couldn't resist a smile. "You want to hear about the Queen of the Evening Star? Again?"

She nodded lazily.

I placed a stool next to her bed and leaned in, brushing her hair with my fingers. She maintained her gaze on me, her hazel eyes darting back and forth as I began the story.

"Once upon a quiet little town, there was a Queen who lived in a grand palace. She was the strongest there was and the wisest too. Her beauty was far beyond any mortal eyes could behold..."

Ada fell into a deep slumber. I planted a kiss in her brown locks and carefully returned the stool by the window before leaving the room. I turned the light off on my way out before joining my wife in the kitchen.

"She's finally asleep," I said as soon as I saw the back of her ebony hair, leaning over the sink.

"Well, she didn't take her nap today."

I stood behind and wrapped my arms around her. "Need any help?"

"I'm actually done here," Heidi leaned her head into me while I kissed her hair.

She dried her hands and I took them. I levelled my gaze onto hers. "Looks like it's time for bed."

"How's the book going?" She asked as we made our way into the bedroom.

I flipped the switch on. "My uncle had a good start on his study before he died. I think I can finish it by tomorrow night—if Ada doesn't try to ruin it again."

Heidi laughed, her soft airy chuckle. There was never a second that passed when I was not enamoured by her being. We slid under the covers and I reached my hand out to turn the light off from the nightstand. Then, in the pitch blackness, she asked me in a more sombre tone.