This is Stange

Cassadrei's POV

Cookie chirped after Michael, begging him not to leave but his pleas fell onto deaf ears. Michael was already gone. I sat stupified, trying to process what had just happened. Is Magnus really that desperate to take my life? I shift uncomfortably in my chair as I feel Sofosys' eyes boring into me, trying to measure my thoughts as he kept his own a secret. 

"Hey! Don't do that." I tell him with irritation. 

"Do what, Cassadrei?" Sofosys replied, feigning confusion. 

"That….that look, as if you are trying to read my mind. I don't like it when you try to do that." I bluntly said. 

"Now...now you overestimate me, Princess." Sofosys replied, lifting his hands in the air as if to defend himself from some invisible force, "why, I was only trying to guess what you are thinking. Mind-reading is an art possessed by only a gifted few, and alas, I don't belong to that privileged milleu."

I smiled despite myself. 

"Did anyone ever possess the gift of mind-reading? I must admit, I would be  quite envious of them." I said.

"This is the reason, I encourage you to read more." Sofosys made a clicking sound with his tongue, his voice ringing with disapproval, "Had you been thorough with your readings, you would not have been envious of this particular power."

"Why? Mind-reading sounds absolutely fantastic! I, for instance, would love to know what goes on in your head." I said, thoroughly confused. 

"See….that is the problem. If you could read minds, you would be able to know what others are thinking, right? It also implies that you would be able to know everything that the others are thinking. Don't you see how cumbersome that would be? Not only would you be burdened with your own thoughts and worries, but also you would voluntarily add other people's burdens into your head. It's enough to drive a man insane!"

"I'm sure it doesn't work like that." I snorted. 

"Yes, it does." Sofosys replied gravely, "Now, imagine you are already worried about Michael's departure. If you were able to read minds, you would be able to comprehend all my thoughts and almost all of them are filled with greater worries about different aspects of life. How would you cope up with so much going inside different people's heads?"

"I guess you are right." I replied, finally understanding, "it would indeed be a blasted gift. If only, I could read only selective people's minds."

"No power works in that way, Cassadrei. It's always a all or none phenomenon, you cannot selectively choose your abilities."

"I only wish that I could read Michael's mind." I said wistfully, "I don't understand what goes on in his head half the time. He's so volatile, he makes decisions so rashly….and frankly I am exasperated with him!" I sighed. 

Sofosys stared at me curiously. Even the Petrywinkler gave me a strange look. 

"See...you are passing it unto Cookie! Now, even he is giving me looks!" I said with frustration. 

"Michael did have a point though. Why should he endanger his life trying to save ours? Afterall, he doesn't owe us anything." Sofosys replied peevishly. 

I was riled by his insensitive reply. 

"So, you are taking his side too!"

"This is not about taking sides! I am saying what I have felt." Sofosys replied, sitting down on his plush armchair and opening the thickest volume of book near him. 

"But, but you only warned him that he would be in further danger, if he stayed away from us. We could protect him! My powers are coming back, and I am stronger now. If he had stayed for a little while more, maybe...maybe I would have become strong enough to use my powers without any key."

Sofosys kept his huge book aside, nearly toppling the rest of the books piled up precariously. 

"Do you really want him back only because you want to get stronger?" He asked. 

"What do you mean?" I answered sharply. 

"Cassadrei dear, you are not as naive as you are sounding right now. You know what I mean. Tell me honestly, don't you care about Michael beyond his role in amplifying your magical powers?" Sofosys replied with a magnanimous sigh. 

I was tongue-tied for a second, fumbling for an appropriate answer. What did I really feel about Michael? He's annoying as hell for sure, but he's also caring... he's mysterious and always on his guard, as if he has something to hide... something that no one must know or all hells will break loose. 

My father used to say that a lot of people translate their inner turmoil into external rage, as a result they are angry all the time. They put on a facade of gravity to hide their inner softness and vulnerability. Mother was a lot like that, and Michael is always so angry and so serious. I wonder what he had to hide.

I wanted to understand Michael, I wanted to penetrate his outer facade but I don't know why it mattered to me so much. 

"Cassadrei? Are you listening?" Sofosys said urgently, breaking my reverie. 

"I don't know Sofosys. Maybe, I do care about Michael." I admit sheepishly. 

"No. No...listen." he said, pointing towards Cookie. 

The Petrywinkler held his tiny head up towards the ceiling and seemed to be…. howling! I had never seen him do this before and he seemed to be really agitated, the fur on his neck standing up against the air. 

"Cookie...are you alright?" I said, placing my hand softly on his back. 

The Petrywinkler looked at me, his eyes a blazing red and howled. Then he chirped frantically, trying to reach out. 

"I…. I can't understand him. My powers aren't strong enough in the absence of Michael to comprehend his language. But, something is wrong, I can feel it...else Cookie won't be so hypervigilant." I said, turning to Sofosys for counsel. 

"This is strange." Sofosys said with his brows crinkled, "Michael can't be that far from us, in such a short time that your powers would absolutely stop working!"

Then, it hit me like a thunderbolt and I could feel my mouth going dry. 

"What if, what if something happened to Michael? What if he's so far away, that his amplification isn't available for me?" I replied, dread surging through my veins. 

The Petrywinkler howled violently, as if to validate my worst fears.