HEka's Chosen One

Seti held it between two fingers.

Caspian's breath hitched not in fear, but frustration.

How could the man look so unbothered? His every action with ease

Caspian had the powers of a god. He should not feel intimidated.

Then

A spark.

A flicker of energy at his fingertips.

His stomach clenched. He stared at his hands. His magic had never been triggered by emotion before. Never without his will.

He clenched and unclenched his fingers, shaking them as if to rid himself of the sensation. It was nothing. He was just on edge.

Then, Seti spoke, his voice smooth, unhurried.

"You should have waited for me."

Another arrow flew at them.

This time it was Suspended in the space between them, before it crumbled into dust and faded into the night.

Somehow, Caspian was not surprised to learn that Seti was gifted.

"I have no patience for this," Seti murmured.

From the shadows, a figure emerged.

A woman, astride a camel.

She had long, dark hair adorned with beads, framing a face that was eerily similar to Seti's softer, fuller, but unmistakably kin.

Her amber eyes, just a shade lighter than Seti's, studied Caspian with an unsettling brightness. And then there was her smile wide, white, it was more than a little disarming. He tried to imagine that same expression on Seti and failed completely.

"Welcome back, brother." Her voice was warm, light."Thank the Fates for your safe return."

Seti didn't respond. Somehow Caspian hadn't expected him to.

Undeterred, the woman continued, her smile never faltering. "I see your travels did not improve your temperament."

And then, her gaze flickered to Caspian.

"You found him."

Her words made his stomach drop.

"Heka's chosen one…"

Caspian's breath hitched.

Found him?

His heart pounded. Adrenaline surged through his limbs.

"Sister, enough," Seti cut in, his voice sharper now. "We'll do this when we get there."

Caspian barely processed their exchange. His mind was stuck on that one phrase Heka's chosen one.

Seti turned to him.

"We mean you no harm." His tone was steady, sincere.

"We're going to help, in fact," his sister chimed in cheerfully.

Caspian didn't need to see Seti's reaction to know he had just shot her a lethal glare.

"You'll be given an explanation when we arrive," Seti continued.

Caspian inhaled deeply, forcing his mind to steady.

"And if I don't want to go?" he asked, voice measured.

"You'll be free to leave," Seti answered without hesitation.

Caspian noted somewhat distantly that Seti spoke to him like a spooked horse.

His sister rode her camel closer, leaning sideways to study him with open curiosity.

Before she could speak, Seti's voice drifted forward.

"Behave."

She shrugged

"I thought you would have told him"

she let out a sigh but obeyed though with obvious reluctance.

Caspian exhaled slowly.

A wiser man would have demanded answers. Perhaps even tortured them for information, then killed them to keep their secrets buried.

But he had a feeling Seti would not be an easy man to kill.

And besides, given his recent choices…

Wisdom and self-preservation clearly weren't his strengths.

Tension stiffened Caspian's body. He was so lost in thought that he didn't notice when they stopped.

They stood before a building that reeked of wealth and status.

The structure, made of polished sunbaked clay and limestone, was reinforced with wooden beams. It only soured Caspian's mood further.

Nobles. A breed of liars and schemers. Their kind were nothing but trouble, he would know.

"We're here."

Dismounting, Caspian resented the wobble in his legs, the gracelessness of his movements before Seti and his sister, who moved with an effortless elegance he could never master despite his birthright.

This was a mistake. He should stay far away from people like them.

"My sister will guide you inside while I tend to the camels," Seti said.

"I want an explanation."

"And you'll get one."

Caspian shot him a glare.

"This way," the girl's soft voice cut through the rising tension.

Caspian exhaled, reminding himself that he needed the answers they held. He followed her as she withdrew a golden key and fitted it into the double doors. With a groan, they swung open.

Darkness greeted them.

She stepped forward, made a subtle gesture, and the stone torches lining the archway flared to life. Their glow cast flickering shadows along the polished floors.

At the threshold, she cupped her hands and bowed.

"We bid you protection as we seek refuge in your shelter."

She straightened, as if receiving an answer.

It was an old tradition, rarely upheld these days. The gods were gone—only the living offered protection now. Once, Caspian would have scoffed. But after Heka, he wasn't so sure.

She moved forward.

"Come," she urged when she noticed his hesitation.

The air inside was cooler, heavy with an unfamiliar scent. As she walked, the torches ignited without so much as a glance from her.

She wielded her magic too effortlessly.

She led him to the inner courtyard, where opulence was undeniable.

Above, towering wooden beams wrapped in deep indigo linen stretched to the high ceiling, golden embroidery spiraling over the fabric symbols of protection and lineage.

At the heart of the room, a sunken seating area overflowed with woven silk and embroidered leather cushions. Crimson, ochre, lapis blue a visual declaration of nobility.

She gestured for him to sit. He obeyed. She took the seat directly across from him.

"I am called Titi by those who know me," she offered.

Her directness startled him.

He nodded but gave no reply.

"We mean you no harm, truly," she said. "We've been waiting for you. Can you imagine? Some had begun to think you weren't even real. My brother will be rewarded for finding you. Mother was furious when he left—oh, I'm rambling again, aren't I?"

"You're confusing me," Caspian said. "Waiting for me? What do you mean..."

She waved a hand, cutting him off.

"Brother will explain. He'd kill me if I told you anything and you misunderstood. Let's wait for him."

Annoyance bubbled within him. He clenched his jaw and exhaled.

Waiting, then.