Spellcaster series #5: The Sage

The Seeing Eye

TRISTAN

I had only met Alana Locke once.

It was almost ten years ago at a Spellcasters event held in the Magic realm. They were not yet married but her eyes were unmistakable. Sam was a controlling partner but Alana had strength and resistance in her own light. Not until he sent her to the gallows in Heidi's place, for reasons still unclear to me.

Heidi had not seen the video of the execution which Captain Bells showed me, nor did she have knowledge of it. Instead, I shared it with Vicky and we decided to keep it that way.

Michael began, "About five years ago, we were told that you stepped down from your title as a Sage so my father was summoned as the interim. He began to teach me spellcasting even though I was not of age. He said he was training me."

"Training you for what?" Heidi asked, her voice a little curt. There was an expression on her face that I couldn't understand since I walked into the room. Irritation? Annoyance?

"To be a Sage," Michael replied. He was young but his tone was sure albeit slightly anxious. "A few weeks ago, I tried to contact my mum but she did not respond—something which I find out of character. It's around the same time when I realised I've been followed."

I waited for him to explain but he remained silent. "Can't you just go home?"

Michael hesitated before replying, "I...ran away from home about five years ago. I've been living in Plainsview all these years with my girlfriend's family."

Heidi nodded but her eyes darted from him to the door. "Okay, so does that thing live with your girlfriend's family as well?"

She nodded to the entrance of the house and we both turned to see a dark figure standing by the window looking in, perfectly still. Its white eyes did not leave us. How did I not notice it before?

"How long has it been there?" I asked, taking a few steps towards it, readying my energy.

"Since Michael showed up," she replied flatly. Then she turned to the teenager and her voice lowered, "It's not an ordinary djinn, is it?"

I shot her a questioning look and Michael's gaze fell to the floor. He shook his head slowly.

"I don't think so. That's what I need help with."

"Are you trying to get rid of it?" I asked.

The boy nodded anxiously. "I don't know where it came from but it showed up one night about two weeks ago."

"Why is it hunting you? Did you do something?"

"It doesn't feel like it's hunting," Heidi stood up and pocketed her dagger. "There is some sort of connection between Michael and the djinn."

"Connection?" I turned to her, slightly bewildered.

The boy shook his head. "What do you mean?"

"The djinn seems to be attached to your aura somehow. You brought it here, Michael, I can feel it."

Michael gasped. "That explains my nightmares! I see it in my dreams all the time."

I raised a hand to settle him down—he was beginning to panic. "I'll bring you to the Vampire Queen tomorrow. If there is some sort of attachment between you and the djinn, she can help."

"Can't you?" He asked, eyes wide and pleading. "You're a Sage, right? Can't you get rid of it with some Untamed Sage spell or something?"

I exhaled and eyed him in silence. Heidi glanced at me and then back at him.