Chapter 49

I blinked and he was gone.

As if he was never there...

I continued to stare at the spot, catching the attention of the sorcerer as I did.

"Are you alright?" he asked, snapping me out of my surprise.

"Yes! I - I think I should get going!" I stood up, heart thudding, blocking out my words as I spoke, "Thank you for your company. I enjoyed it more than I thought".

He laughed at my bluntness.

"Please. It's my pleasure".

For some reason, this stranger had made me feel comfortable around him. Something I hadn't felt around anyone in a long while.

Angela could only make me worry or fret and Cain kept me on my toes all the time.

But this man...

I smiled at him, as warm as I could muster and turned on my heel. I decided i'd come back for the clothes once they properly dried. But It wasn't the clothes that I wanted to return to.

There was no mistake.

Those eyes. That body... It was unmistakable. That was Justin.

But why was he aiming at the sorcerer?

I wanted to say I imagined it. But there was no way. Unless, I was finally going mad.

When I passed the maids who had smugly watched me take away the clothes basket, they gave me looks of astonishment.

I had returned before sun down.

But the lack clothes in sight made one of them speak up.

"You haven't forgot the clothes have you?" snorted a red-headed maid. The others smirked in amusement.

"They're drying by the lake". I answered coldly.

She turned at that and left me alone. Finding no amusement in bothering me. Stomping as a way to show her very obvious dissatisfaction.

"You have to teach me how to do that" A voice, one that I was becoming all too familiar with over these last few days, said in awe.

It was Kassie. Somehow, despite it all, she hadn't been deterred from speaking to me yet.

"Just show them the reaction they don't want" I replied almost absently, recalling the many times I had needed to use the technique on Cain. I felt a shiver run down my spine as I compared our drastic relationship changes.

It could really happen to anyone...

"Matilda has such a long stick up her arse. I can't wait to see her tonight. She's going to be pissed!" Although her words were unpleasant, Kassie had a grin on her face. She looked me over, as if noticing something off and asked, "Is everything alright? You look... skittish".

If there was one thing I both loved and hated about her, it was her honesty.

"I'm okay" I brushed past her, looking over my shoulder to her as I continued speaking, "I met a strange man in the woods. Someone who probably shouldn't be in a place like this" I made a vague gesture to the manor, but she understood.

The Goldiar Manor was an unchanging place. It had been for centuries. Always the same noble, unfiltered men and women alike being bred. When I thought of those tatoos. That height. It was.. strange.

Her eyes hadn't become quizzed at all. Instead, they shone bright, as if a bulb went off behind them.

"You must've met one of the adventurers!" Her voice pitched as she squealed and she quickly covered it and cautiously checked for any sign of Naomi in the deserted hall way. As we were alone, she continued without holding back. "You won't believe whose come along with them! You are going to be so excited!"

"Really?" I gave her a skeptic look, "Because the man I met was a sorcerer".

She frowned as if confused and then as a realization came to her she gasped.

"You met Kendrick!" She squealed so loud I heard my ears pop.

I gave her a look of blatant confusion.

"Kendrick is a mage." I stated, because there was a difference between mages and sorcerers.

Mages were natural born magic users. You couldn't tell they had magic unless they told you or used it in front of you. I thought of Zebediah, and the way he dissapeared. Sorcerers, on the other hand, were people who were born normal. People who shouldn't have ever wielded magic, but through forbidden rituals - the image of those tatoos covering his body flashed in my mind - had access to it. The telling sign was that they all had glowing eyes.

Insighting the saying, 'Eyes are windows to the soul'. In this case the soul was corrupt.

"You must've seen wrong then, because he isn't a sorcerer. Everyone knows that and if he was, I think it would be fairly obvious" She counter argued.

"And it isn't?" I furrowed my brows as I though of his appearance.

That was clearly not a Mage.

"Not when I saw" She shrugged, tired of the conversation.

"But I saw those eyes. They were purple and-"

"Ladies!" Naomi's voice had me straightening my back and barely stopping myself from jumping off my toes. Kassie on the hand flew back and held her heart for her dear life.

"Naomi", I breathed, feigning calm as I glanced at the shaken Kassie," We were just back from washing and hanging the clothes. I had Kassie help since I couldn't do it myself".

She frowned at Kassie, eyes as stern as ever and nodded to me.

"We need help in the kitchen. It seems our guests have an appetite we haven't dealt with before, and we could use all the help we could get".

"Yes Ma'am!" We both said in unison.

The food to be prepared was of a bulk so large that the bustling kitchen, full of screaming workers almost seemed not enough. As far as I had understood, the esteemed guests were actually the party of the hero Kendrick, who had lead them here. And that there were only four in total, but they ate the feast of an army.

I usually avoid having to serve, mostly because the memory of cups deliberately being tipped over the moment my foot came in a 10 inch radius. But also, the plain quiet. It was only ever the sound of the utensils being scrapped against plates. The occasional news related to work.

The late duke would usually dine out. Probably in the presence of women or men of high status.

But Cain… would always sit on that long table. Empty and void. And he would eat as if he were numb to that loneliness.

But today was different.

I wanted to see them.

So when I offered to take a few plates, Naomi gave me smirk as if she understood and nodded. I beamed back and made my way.

I could feel my heart beating, drumming loudly in my ears. But my hands didn't shake. Never on a job.

I walked into the dinning hall. Tables void of anyone as we started setting food down. And then when the food was placed they began entering.

The first person to enter was a beautiful woman. She wasn't your typical beautiful woman. Her face looked like it had been crafted with much care and love and her body… the outlines of muscles in her arms and legs.

The clothes that looked to be that of men's but yet made her exclude a womanly beauty that other could not. She sat down. Eyes glided across the staff, searching for things we may never understand.

The person who followed her however, was very much the opposite. He was a short man. And looked … feminine and delicate. But the confidence his face eluded had me convinced not to be tricked by his image.

And then that man entered. The one I had met. Face half covered by his hood and arms still bulging with those tattoos. But when I looked across the room to Kassie, who eyed the man like he was a feast, I could spy no surprise.

Why didn't it bother her?

And then behind him, was another man. One who had the entire spot light on him the second he entered.

An older man, clearly once a very handsome youth, and aging into a finer man. His clothes were that of nobilities and I had an inkling as to who he was judging by the rumours of the hero Kendricks party.

Once they all sat down, their eyes glided on the food but not daring a bite.

'The hosted shall not eat before the host'.

A noble tradition I may never be able to understand.

Every second felt too long until footsteps echoed the hall.

When Cain entered the room. Face as beautiful as always. Red eyes shining in the reflected light of the chandelier. The lips that curved into a small smile.

My legs felt strangely weak.

Heart suddenly pulsating, as if it were last night all over again.

I found myself eying my shoes. The heat in my cheeks unmistakable.

I was going mad…