The Deal

Chapter: 5

Abeni and I stared at Alex for a while, both of us trying to understand his motives. I finally voiced the question that was burning on both our minds.

"Why would we help you?"

Alex flinched at the bluntness of my question but quickly composed himself, clutching the books tighter. "These might be able to help you, too," he said, lifting the books slightly in his hands, as if their contents were precious.

I raised an eyebrow. "And what exactly are those books?"

Alex held up the smaller book, its worn brown cover barely holding together. "This one is on the history of magic." He then lifted the larger, blue-covered book. "And this one is for Mana training, magic types, and spell casting."

I could feel Abeni's eyes on me, and I knew she was itching to understand what was going on. She shifted uncomfortably before finally asking, "Uhh, what's happening?"

I turned to her and explained, "He's asking if we can teach him magic."

Her expression instantly darkened, her hands balling into fists. "Why would we teach him magic? Wait… don't tell me you're actually considering this."

"I am, actually."

Her eyes widened, shock and anger flickering in her gaze. "Why would we do that?!"

I smiled calmly. "Simple. For what he's offering, we can get more out of this than he will if we play our cards right."

"What?"

"Don't worry, I'll explain later. But first…" I turned back to Alex, who was watching us nervously, clearly unsure of the exchange between Abeni and me.

"Um, hello?" Alex called out hesitantly.

"Right, sorry," I said. "But before I agree to anything, I need to ask—don't you have any tutors for magic?"

Alex shook his head. "No. The plan was that after both my brother and I unlocked our Mana, we'd be sent to England to attend a magic academy."

Perfect, I thought. I had to thank his brother for messing up, this was the second time he had unknowingly helped me-- do heed my sarcasm.

"Alright," I said, folding my arms. "If you add a map, a pocket watch, and a calendar to the deal, then we have an agreement."

Alex's eyes widened. "Wait, so you're—"

"Yes, I intend to help you."

His face lit up with gratitude. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! Uh, when do we start?"

"Tomorrow night, once everyone is asleep," I replied, keeping my voice steady.

"Y-yes, sir!" Alex turned and hurried off, clearly relieved. As soon as he was out of sight, Abeni turned to me, her expression full of suspicion.

"What are you planning?" she asked, her voice low.

I stretched and yawned, feeling the weight of the day catching up to me. "I'll explain everything tomorrow. For now, let's get some sleep."

Abeni, though still wary, nodded, and we made our way back to the slave quarters. The night passed quickly, and soon enough, it was morning. Abeni and I walked side by side, each carrying bundles of sugarcane to the storage building, as the conversation from last night lingered in her mind.

"So what's the plan?" she asked, her curiosity finally getting the better of her.

"It's simple," I said, keeping my voice low as we passed by the overseers. "We teach Alex magic, but only enough to keep him busy. In exchange, we get the items I secured for us."

"Which are?"

"Two books about magic, a calendar, a pocket watch, and a map."

She nodded slowly. "Okay, I get the books, but what about the rest?"

"The calendar is to keep track of the day, month, and year accurately. The pocket watch will help us gauge time during our training, so we know how long we've been working, and the map… well, I'll explain that once we get it."

Abeni frowned, still not entirely convinced. "And you think that's worth teaching him magic?"

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Abeni, you're not thinking big enough. I only said I'd 'teach' him magic, not how much or what kind. We could just have him practicing basic Mana manipulation until we're done."

Her face lit up in realization. "Oh, I didn't think of that."

"I know," I replied with a smirk as I jogged ahead of her.

"Hey! What was that supposed to mean?!" she shouted, quickly chasing after me.

That evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, Abeni and I returned to our secret training spot to prepare for the night ahead. The air was thick with anticipation. Alex would be arriving soon, and I could tell Abeni was still unsure about the whole plan.

"Are you sure about this?" she asked as she stood beside me, nervously twirling a strand of her braids.

"Positive," I said confidently. "He's desperate, and that makes him easy to manage. Besides, once we get our hands on that map, it'll open up so many possibilities for us."

Abeni glanced at me skeptically but said nothing more. Soon enough, Alex arrived, clutching the same books as before, and something else—a small bundle in his hands. He hurried over, slightly out of breath but clearly excited.

"I brought everything you asked for!" he said, holding up the bundle. Inside was a simple pocket watch, a worn calendar, and a rolled-up map.

I smiled. "Good. Now, let's get started."

Abeni shot me a look that said *I hope you know what you're doing*, but she stayed silent as I took the items from Alex.

"First, we'll start with basic Mana manipulation," I explained. "No spells, just learning to control the flow of energy within you."

Alex nodded eagerly, his face lighting up with excitement. I could tell he was eager to learn, probably more eager than he should be.

I glanced at Abeni, and she gave me a subtle nod. For now, we'd keep things simple. But in the back of my mind, I couldn't help but think about how far

we could take this… how much we could gain from this seemingly innocent deal.

Chapter 5: End