Desert Wind

Chapter 8

***

I slowly entered the room, feeling as though I was in the presence of a predator rather than a human. Cassander was a magician, of that I was certain, but his true capabilities were a mystery to me. Why was I on this cursed ship? Helias followed me in and closed the door, then stood by it, waiting attentively. Perhaps he too was unsure of what was happening. I refocused on Cassander, who now lounged in an armchair—an addition that must have been made while I was away. He seemed extraordinarily calm, his broad fingers resting on a large blue pillow, hands draped lazily over the armrests. His legs were splayed out in front of him. Despite his casual posture, he exuded an aura of strength and dominance that was hard to describe. He seemed to fill the entire room, the very center of it. Everyone had treated him as if he were above them, like a captain. Even Helias appeared ready to jump into fire for him, as a loyal dog would for its master.

A deep voice jolted me from my thoughts.

"I have two pieces of news for you," Cassander said, his honey-golden eyes piercing through me. In the dim room, they seemed even darker and deeper.

"Let me guess. One is good and the other is bad? And now I have to choose?" I interrupted him, my irritation clear.

"Be careful," Helias' voice came from behind me, but Cassander raised a hand, signaling him to remain silent.

"Because of what happened to you recently, I will overlook the tone of your voice, Klelio. However, remember that you are on a strange ship with strange people—or should I say, mages. And for you and your kind, a mage is not considered human, right?" I frowned, irritated by his condescending tone. He acted as if he were superior to me. In this situation, however, I was at his mercy. He didn't have to bring me here. I hadn't asked for any of this.

"I heard you have two messages for me?" I hissed through clenched teeth, feeling anger and frustration building inside me.

He sighed heavily, brushing a stray strand of hair from his forehead. "You already know you're on a ship, but you don't know where it's going. You don't know what you're doing here or what we want from you." He paused. "The bad news is that you'll only find the answers to these questions—if you live long enough—when we get there. The good news is that in this dead-end village, you happened to run into me." He smiled at my surprised expression. This conversation was taking an unexpected turn.

"Is this supposed to be good news? What are you playing at?"

"Isn't this what you wanted? To escape from Aram? To get away from the Ruby Games?" he countered.

"I—" I started.

"This escape—or rather, this opportunity—is not free," he interrupted.

I raised my eyebrows, puzzled. What game was he playing, and how could I play if I didn't know the rules?

"You owe me an explanation, Klelio," he said sharply. He sprang up from the chair and, as agile as a cat, closed the distance between us in an instant. I was caught off guard, unable to back away. We stood just centimeters apart. He smiled, a smile that made me uneasy, as did his proximity.

"Since when have you been showing magical abilities?" Before I could react, he grabbed my wrist, pinning me in place. "Look at me when I'm talking to you, and don't try to lie."

I stammered, "I... I don't know what you're talking about. I swear." Images of the note burning in my hands flashed before my eyes, followed by the fire in the cottage and the explosion of the door.

Could it be that I have magical abilities? It must have been someone else. I couldn't have done anything. It was impossible.

"Do you know what happens to people like you?" Cassander's voice was low and steady. "To those who refuse to believe what's right in front of their eyes? Magic has its consequences, Klelio. If you don't accept the truth, you will die." His words made no sense to me.