Book of Fates ✔

Fate?

Pleased with himself, Nikk let go of the thread, and the vision died out. It was done. Nikk achieved what he desired. He knew Anya recognize the place.

Opening his eyes again, Nikk glanced at Anya expectantly. Her own eyes were wide, shining with astonishment-two glowing flames looking at Nikk.

"What did you show her?" Daphne's demanding voice ultimately returned Nikk to reality.

"Doesn't matter," he motioned the question away, and collapsed into the armchair. A wave of enormous exhaustion suddenly consumed him. The trick sucked more strength out of Nikk's body than he presumed it would. Seemingly, by accident he gave Anya more than just a glimpse of the memory observed from his point of view. He bounced his emotions off her-his awe verging on fear he felt the moment he saw her in the woods.

Nikk raised his heavy head to see Anya. She was still standing in the same place, shocked. And what if those were her emotions actually? And Nikk simply absorbed them as he was not fully in control over the situation? Then, Anya's way of thinking was disturbingly similar to Nikk's own. Dangerously similar.

"What was that?" Anya finally spoke, her voice weak. "A magic?"

"A magic is what you can't comprehend," Daphne said evasively, glancing in Nikk's direction, worried about him. "And what you can is a science."

Drawing a deep lungful of air, Anya slowly sat back on the couch. Her eyes were darting here and there, harboring doubts. It was hard to admit that something you never believed in was possible. She probably questioned the reality of the world now.

At last, Anya's restless eyes touched Nikk. "Why?"

"What why?"

"Why are you showing me this?"

"To prove it to you I'm not crazy," Nikk's lips curved impishly. His dizziness was retreating, and his head became clear once again. "Or you're crazy, too."

"But if you're aliens-" Anya's voice faltered as she remembered Eirn didn't like the word. "If you're from another planet, then why do you look just like humans?"

"Because the natural conditions on Earth and Da'Ariya are pretty much alike."

"And if I tell someone?"

"That we're not humans who look just like humans?"

Anya timidly laughed. "Yes."

Standing beside Nikk and possessively placing her hand on his shoulder, Daphne twitched her mouth with annoyance, "No one will believe you." Through the fabric of his t-shirt, Nikk felt Daph's nails dig into his skin. Well, it seemed like she was a little bit upset that he'd squandered his vitality to impress an earthling.

Anya bobbed her head once in a nod. "So... What are you doing here then? What do you want? To conquer humanity?"

Taken aback, the daitias stared at Anya. Was she serious? To conquer humanity? What nonsense. What for? But Anya was deadly serious. She stared back at them, anxiously wringing her hands on her laps.

"No, we're not going to conquer humanity," Nikk assured her, suppressing a smile.

"Yeah, your planet isn't that unique," Eirn chuckled and dropped on the couch next to Anya, chewing a chocolate candy. He flippantly threw a few books off the cushions, looking for something among them. "We simply need to find one thing." Another tome thudded onto the parquet. Out of the rest of the stack, Eirn snatched a tablet computer. "One thing we've lost here a long time ago."

Anya's puzzled gaze traveled back to Nikk, asking for further explanation. She didn't seem scared or confused anymore, but rather curious. Nikk liked this Anya better. He thought they were friends already, though he yet knew nothing about her. The air of bewitching mystery was all around her, as if hiding her from Nikk. Oh, if she'd been a spy, she would have been the best, Nikk thought.