Dreamwalker 2
“I’m glad this is what the Manor pays you to do,” the lofty tone sneered softly from over one of SoYa’s shoulders.
The mind mage turned with a furrowed brow, meeting the gaze of the familiar man. “Zemus? I was just…”
“Sleeping?” his lip curled upward with the permanent expression of distaste. The sharp green eyes analyzed SoYa from behind the glare of his glasses with the same regard a child might observe a specimen in a jar.
“No,” he answered quickly, trying to maintain a level tone. Arguing with Zemus never achieved anything but trouble. “Dreamwalking.”
“Dreamwalking?” Zemus’ snorted through his nose. His gaze fell on the dream journal that lay half-hidden and protected under one of SoYa’s arms. “What do you honestly think you can learn from that?”
“I don’t know,” SoYa admitted, rubbing his face between both palms.
I was getting close to something this time. And then you had to wake me up.
“That makes two of us.”
SoYa frowned, then decided to take the conversation under control. “Is there something I can do for you?”
Zemus took a moment to browse the bookshelf at the far end of the room. One hand slid along the spines of the books, as if he could glean the knowledge from them by merely a touch. Finally, he turned to SoYa with a deliberate smile, “No, actually. I just came to offer my congratulations.”
“Congratulations? For what?”
“I heard about your son’s acceptance into the Manor,” Zemus answered coolly.
A chill rushed through every inch of SoYa’s body in response, “Acceptance? What are you talking about?”
“Despite your strange areas of study, the Manor can always use more of your kind… under proper supervision, of course,” came the non-answer.
“Your kind” meant Athrylith. That was as nice as Zemus got when talking about mind mages. SoYa’s son, FuSoYa, had shown a manifestation of mind power, even at an early age. Despite their best efforts to keep Fu’s abilities quiet, SoYa knew that eventually the Manor would take interest in his son.
Just… not this soon!
Zemus’ calculating gaze observed each minute change in the mind mage’s demeanor. Something akin to pleasure shown in the squint of his eyes. “It is a great honor to be chosen by the Manor in such a way. Don’t you agree?”
Shaking himself out, SoYa turned quickly, placing both palms flat against the surface of his desk. Silencing the stream of frantic thought, he drew in composure and heard himself say, “Yes. Yes, of course it’s a great honor. Thank you.”
Every word was a lie. The dark mage’s knowing smile filled the Athrylith with heated shame and realization. Zemus was the type of person who enjoyed bullying an honest man into untruth, simply for the sport of it.
“I’m sure the Manor will be pleased to hear your approval,” the sneer was ever so slight in his reply.
“Where is Fu?” SoYa asked, keeping his concern out of his voice.
“They left to claim him earlier today. It shouldn’t be much longer,” Zemus answered, pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose with a practiced motion. “It would be wise for you to greet your son when he arrives. Don’t you think?”
And face him knowing there is little I can do to stop this from happening?
The Athrylith’s breath drew in sharply at the thought. The dark mage waited patiently for a response.
“Yes,” he finally spoke. “I will be there.
“Excellent,” Zemus smiled again before making his way out of the room. “I’m looking forward to meeting him.”
As the final strokes of sunlight faded from the sky, SoYa slumped back down in his chair again. One hand reached for the pen out of habit, scrawling the tip against the blank page of his journal.
-Saw a dragon tonight. Somehow, it knew my name.-
Face drawn with growing despair, he peered for a long moment at the words on the page. Then, SoYa closed the journal and thrust it in a desk drawer before grabbing his staff and cloak.