The Peculiar Alchemist

55 || Simply Brilliant

It was clear as day that Aubrey was distracted, and whenever Sammy tried talking to him he'd find him either pacing or deep in thought as if something didn't make sense to him. There was a stack of books on his desk, and a few ones that were left open as he stared down at them with a frown on his face.

Aubrey would also keep muttering to himself a few things about how nothing made sense, and Sammy grew curious about whatever it was that was occupying his friend's mind. On one hand, he was afraid of asking what was on Aubrey's mind fearing that he might learn something dangerous. Something that can be forced out of him by the wrong people like Briar or Vincent.

On the other hand, though, he wanted to help. There are many things Sammy had the ability to know, or might know already, and he was honestly very curious. He wanted to know, so against his better judgment, he walked over to Aubrey and leaned over to him to see him still in deep thought chewing on his lip as he did so.

A bad habit that led to them getting a bit swollen from the constant abuse, but Aubrey often chewed on something whenever he focused. It was usually pens, which often had bite marks on them, and it seems like when no pen is around he'd chew on his lip. Fearing that they might start bleeding if he continued, Sammy decided to break him from his reverie and simply find out what Aubrey was thinking of.

Of course, he did it by surprising him with his abrupt appearance, making Aubrey flinch back with a surprised gasp as Sammy asked his question with fake innocence. "What are you thinking of?"

"Can you stop doing that?" The hand he placed on his heart almost made Sammy feel bad, but it was hard to believe that when he had a huge grin on his face. "Since when were you here?"

"Long enough for it to be creepy." Sammy answered him a bit too honestly, but Aubrey never really minded that. "So, what is it you're thinking of? Can I know?"

At first hesitant to tell him, Aubrey thought that if Kellen was going to give the book to some random wannabe necromancer, he might as well tell Sammy all about it. "I know you already told me about Kellen and his secrets, but I have my own secrets, too."

Surprised, Sammy tilted his head with his interest clearly piqued. "Like what?"

"Like the fact that I know he is lying." Aubrey grumbled leaning back in his chair with a frown on his face. "I may have overplayed my cluelessness, but I am not that dumb."

"Yes, Kellen lies." Sammy wondered why Aubrey sounded so upset when that fact was not only known, but expected about Kellen. Nothing he ever said was true, and when he did say the truth it was often dismissed as a lie. "What exactly did he lie about this time?"

"Before I answer that, can I ask you a few weird questions?"

"Sure, I'll answer them if I can." Sammy was eager to know what questions he would be asked, and even more eager to see if Aubrey was actually going to uncover some of the lies Kellen was telling.

The questions he got were not what he expected.

"Did Toby always have a mark on his neck?"

Sammy shook his head. "Necromancers get it after they fracture their souls. He didn't always have it."

For some reason Aubrey looked annoyed by his answer, but the source of his annoyance was a mystery to Sammy who wondered what he'd be asked next. "What about Kellen?"

"No, he doesn't have one. Why?"

"Because he is a liar, that's why." Aubrey huffed looking a little bit concerned about something, something that has been bothering him ever since he read what was in that book. There was even reluctance when he spoke. "He wants me to believe that Toby is a necromancer, and if I learned anything from all the times he lied to me, it is to never trust whatever he wants me to believe."