The Marchioness Treasure | HIATUS

Chapter 16: Confrontations (2)

Marleigh arrived at the hut and noticed that the villagers were already gathered and having a debate amongst themselves. She reached the chief's hut and saw that Kai was having a serious conversation with the village head. Out of courtesy, Marleigh decided to leave but stopped when she heard them mention her.

"Does the Augur know?" asked the chief, her greying eyebrows set in a deep frown.

Kai shook his head, his lips forming a thin line, "It defeats my purpose, wouldn't you say? I am here only because they are paying me."

Marleigh took a step back in shock, "A-Am I hearing things now?"

Kai had always been a man of few words but she did not think he would do something like lying. Sure, she had only known him for a month now but Marleigh did not peg Kai to be someone who takes advantage of other people. Or in this case, deceiving others.

"Exactly! You have only known him for a month. You can't just...assume things about him," a very familiar voice whispered in her mind. She immediately recognised that reverberating sound.

"Iver, hello. Long time," Marleigh whispered in her mind with an annoyed tone. She had tried contacting him for the entirety of their stay but he did not respond. Marleigh was lost and had given up all hope on ever trying to communicate with him.

"I know what you are angry about. I was...a bit busy. Anyway, why do you trust him so much? He has done absolutely nothing to earn it."

Marleigh let the words of the mist sink in and she wondered the same. Whenever she came close to questioning him, Kai had somehow managed to either evade it or a disaster struck.

He seemed to know exactly who she was, down to her favourite colour. But now, Marleigh was more curious as to who hired Kai and so, despite Iver's disappointed grunt, she leaned against the door and placed her ears on the cold wood, trying to eavesdrop.

"-use it. You can't tell her...not until I do." She heard Kai whisper. A chill ran down her spine, "Chief, promise me. Promise that you won't tell Marleigh that I am a Maggi."

Marleigh's eyes widened at the revelation. All the scattered puzzle pieces were beginning to rearrange themselves in her mind's eye. Marleigh, in the few weeks she spent with the Eidikos, learnt a lot about maegic and its history. Maggi, as everyone knew, were the strongest of the magic users only second to the Augur. This was because they possessed the greatest ability of all, mind-manipulation.

"And how do I believe that you are not a threat to the last standing Augur?" Chief said, her voice turning low, "She's our only hope at saving this kingdom. She has to translate the last page of the Cahier."

Marleigh had heard about this duty of hers from the Eidikos more than a couple of times. The secret to saving the kingdom lies in the last page of Cahier and since there were no augurs for the last three hundred years, people were desperate to find the cure for the Nation's curse.

Marleigh, both hurt and confused, made her way through the front door and sat next to Kai. She tucked her shivering palms into the pocket of her pants and smiled, "So Chief, I heard you called for us."

____

After a three hour lecture on the Eidikos culture and Gorgon hunting, Marleigh left the hut with her shoulders slumped. Her thoughts swirled around Kai and his revelation, which she had eavesdropped on.

"I am so sick of these lies and games," muttered Marleigh, her eyebrows forming a deep frown.

No one gave her a straight answer even when she tried to learn. The bits and pieces she had learnt from the Eidikos and the recent events were starting to confuse her and the will to know what was happening around her intensified a thousand fold.

With a determined look on her pale face and a clenched fist, she marched towards Kai. To Marleigh's relief, he was leaning against an oak tree at the corner of the village with no people in sight. She stood before him and shoved the letter onto his hands.

"What?" Kai asked, his green eyes trembling in shock. Kai quickly took a look at the seal and sighed. Marleigh guessed that he was glad that she had not opened the envelope.

"Don't be relieved yet, Kailan," said Marleigh with a conniving smile, "I know you are from Fidlekin. What's your business here?"

Marleigh deliberately left the information about her knowing that Kai was a Maggi and gently stroked her newly owned ring on her finger. The Chief had given her the ring as a gift for all her hard work but Marleigh knew it was much more than that.

The stone glowed a bright orange in the sunlight, almost matching her now flaming red hair. It was a blessed artifact made from the eyes of the gorgon which protects its user from dark maegic. Before leaving to look for Kai, Marleigh, with the help of Iver somehow managed to infuse a little bit of Augur's light into it, thus making the artifact strong enough to resist a Maggi's powers to an extent.

"I-I am not from Fidelkin. I am sorry I did not tell you this but believe me this time," Kai said with a sad smile playing on his lips, "My mother is from Athaliah and she brought me up by working as a palace maid. My father...well, he had Fidelkin roots."

Marleigh suspiciously looked at Kai and crossed her arms across her chest, "How can I believe you? It's not the first time you lied to me...or hid the truth."

With a defeated sigh, Kai opened the button of his linen shirt and removed his pendant. It had a beautifully carved peacock on it with a lock mechanism. Kai opened it with a click, revealing a portrait of a young boy smiling with his parents.

"This...I have only this portrait to prove my lineage. I'd like to think that I inherited both my parents' features." Kai said with a sheepish smile playing on his lips.

Marleigh had to trust him on that. There was no way that she could deny it was a fake portrait. Kai had inherited his father's eyes and lips while his raven black hair and slightly crooked nose were gifts from his mother.

Marleigh stared at the intricate peacock patterns on the locket. She noticed that the bird was coloured in gold, it's wings spread out to create a beautiful array of green, blue and red. It also had a small red gem for an eye and the bird seemed to be dancing, enjoying it's life to the fullest.

"I...I don't know what to say." stuttered Marleigh, her eyes still drawn to the little red gem, "This is a beautiful pendant."

Kai had a mischievous smirk on his face, "I mean, I was a handsome little lad. You can't deny that."

Marleigh smiled a little and shook her head, her nerves relaxing. She wondered why she had suddenly felt relaxed and she remembered a page from one of the many scrolls she had read in the past few days. Maggi had the power to manipulate minds. They can throw one's mind into chaos or calm them.

"Yes, I can feel the energy emitting from him. He's trying to keep you calm." Iver whispered in her mind.

"Ah, so now you decide to be useful." Marleigh asked back in her mind, her tone a bit rough, "But...can he hear you if he can manipulate minds?"

Iver let out a quiet laugh, "No, don't worry. He can't. Maggi can only manipulate emotions, not read...thoughts. The reason why you are still able to keep your conscience and talk to me is because of the ring."

Marleigh let out a sigh of relief. Kai stared at her in confusion to which she smiled awkwardly, "Sorry, spaced out a bit. Shall we go?"

___

Ah, yes. This doesn't answer everything but wait...don't go yet. Things are about to get interesting for you (or so I hope).

If you enjoyed this chapter, don't forget to leave comments and votes. Summer's almost here and some jackfruit ice-cream might soothe my soul *wink wink*

 I know this story is not perfect and we still have a long way to go. It is my wish that you all will stay with us until the very end.

Happy Reading (: