10

Allan turned toward the door, his steps uncertain but determined. "I'm leaving," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.

Thomas Kent, Canya's father, regarded him with concern. "You've come too far to leave like this."

Allan stopped, the man's words lingering in the air behind him like smoke.

Thomas moved closer, his arms folded behind his back, chin lifted with that same careful pride Allan had seen before. "If you leave, it will be without my protection. I don't know what will happen to you in those woods. It's not safe in there, even during the day."

"I'm not afraid," Allan said without turning, "and even if I was, I can't stay here. You lied to me."

Thomas didn't flinch. "Yes, for a reason." His eyes flickered when he saw Allan turn to give him a hateful look. "Our seers knew what they saw. It would be unwise to take their prophecies lightly."

"I don't care about your seers," Allan growled. "I came for Lulu, and she's not here."

"No, she is not," Thomas said, almost gently now, "but your spirit stirred just a moment ago, in my daughter's presence. You felt it, didn't you?"

Allan faltered, his mouth tightening. He had felt something, but that something felt more like betrayal, not the destiny Thomas was trying to force on him.

He turned back to the door. "Whatever I felt has nothing to do with your prophecies."

"You admit, but deny. Don't you see you're lying to yourself?" Thomas said, stepping closer. Seeing Allan say nothing, he shook his head. "Stay because it's wise. You are a spirit painter, Allan. You can tell whatever I am doing is out of true concern."

"I didn't ask for it." Allan heaved, unsure what to do. He'd been spelled to come to this place; chances were he could still be deceived into believing that Thomas wasn't lying.

"Everyone chooses direction for their lives, but no one chooses where they end. Yours has been decided for you. No matter how hard you run from it, fate will still lead you there. The earlier you accept this, the better."

A silence followed. Allan's breath slowed as he lifted his head to look past Thomas. His eyes briefly rested on Canya, who still stood in the same spot by the far wall, quiet and still, her arms folded loosely in front of her. There was no pleading in her face; she was just waiting.

"I will stay, just long enough to discover this destiny you are imposing on me." Allan finally said with a sigh. He had seen something in Canya's eyes; he knew she could never be his woman. However, he had been dragged to this place by magic, and any attempt to leave would likely be thwarted again. A little compromise would give him enough time to figure out how to escape. No one was going to replace Lulu.

Thomas gave a single nod, satisfied. "You will see that this is for the greater good."

Allan walked to the couch Canya had beckoned him to and sat down slowly, as though surrendering a war inside his bones. Thomas then invited his other three children. They emerged from the shadows and greeted Allan: two males and a female. After a moment, they left the house to attend to their errands.

Thomas turned to his daughter. "Take him to his room so he can take a proper bath, then give him something to eat."

Canya nodded and stepped forward. "Come."

Allan looked up and met her eyes. For the first time, they lingered—his brown against her black. Her gaze was not sharp now, but softened by something unspoken. Curiosity, maybe, or restraint.

He followed her to the door that had been beside where she had been sitting. After she went through it, she snapped her fingers and light filled the space. It was a dining room with a kitchen at the other end. On their right was a corridor, with doors embedded. She asked him to follow her. She walked to the very end of the corridor and stopped at a door.

"Inside will be your room. Everything you need is in there, including everything you came with." She smiled.

"Canya, what is with this prophecy your father is talking about?" he asked.

"You freshen up first, and we will talk about that later. That is also what I am going to find out now."

He nodded and pushed the door open. Then he was swallowed up inside before closing the door behind him. Canya, a sinister and determined look replacing her calm face, turned and walked straight to her father, who was still standing in the living room.