He sat on a couch smoking from his pipe. His hat was resting on his right knee which was on top of the other. The plate on the table near him had a piece of dry bread. His lips puckered to release a puff of white smoke in the air. The hand that did not hold the pipe was playing with an orb.
"They will never get this. The emperor is chosen by the gods, not even they can hope to challenge the gods." He took his eyes from the orbs and sniffed from the direction of the door, "I was not expecting them this early, but let them come. I have waited for too long."
Hardly had those words escaped his mouth when his door opened. The orbs disappeared into his storage wristlet as he waited. In came a group of seven. In front was an old woman, probably in her seventies. Her white hair cascaded down her face to touch her shoulders. They looked like an extension of her white dress. She looked scary with the golden staff in her right hand. Behind her were three men and three women.
"I did not know, that in this time of my life, I would be visited by the chief priest and a sniffer at the same time. Brenda, I waited the whole day yesterday, what happened?" The man gave Priscilla an expressionless look before directing his eyes at Brenda. He released a mouthful of smoke, closing his eyes as if in pleasure. "You know each other?" Priscilla looked at Brenda before directing her eyes at the man sitting on the other side of the room.
"We have met before, I think. That, however, does not explain why there are strangers in my home." His look was still without expression. He picked the plate on the table and held out his hand, "I just had breakfast. This is the only food left in my home. Will you mind helping yourselves with it?"
"Wicker, this is not the time. You know why we are here." Priscilla gave a disapproving shake of her head. He returned the plate on the table. He took the hat from his knee and covered the plate with it.
"I left the service of her Celestial. Why do you want to drag me into her service?" He looked at Brenda and squinted a little before looking back at Priscilla, "What did you do to my dear sniffer?" Brenda lowered her head shyly.
"I said, Wicker, that this is not the time. The mage already bears the mark. You know you are the only one who can finish him now. You cannot turn your back on your duty, and your people."
Jack straightened at the mention of the mage. He knew who that was. A sly smile disappeared from Brenda's face as quickly as it came. She lifted her head and turned to Jack. She shook her head to warn him against what he was about to do. He caught the signal and remained still.
"My people? Those fool who made me a prisoner? I will take no part in this." Wicker stood and almost shouted.
"Maybe, Wicker, but the prophecy had long told us of this day. You cannot escape this; we both know that." Priscilla smiled before she knitted her brows in seriousness, "In three days, the full moon will rise. Your time has come, Wicker."
"He is to save people like me from people like you. My path will not be paved by your prophecies…"
"I am against him, but we both know he will not survive this without you, keeper of specter. You are also a seer; you know you cannot escape what is ahead of you." She smiled wickedly before lifting the hand that held the stuff, "Here, take the stick. You are the only one who can put it to better use."
Wicker put the pipe down, rubbed his palms together before blowing in them. He rubbed his hands on his trousers before walking towards Pricila and taking the stick. The muscles of his hands tightened at the grip of the stick. He clenched his teeth in pain as he asked, "What did you do? You cannot play with the stick as you wish. It is not a toy."
"Precautions, I took precautions, in case you decided to turn your back on us like you did years ago. Let us go." She waved unconcernedly before turning to leave. Wicker followed, out of his own will. She had used the stick to cast a spell on him.
"Wicker, it seems you are bound to him, more than Jack and I are." Brenda reminded as they walked behind the other five, Jack was beside them. "She is playing with magic she has no understanding of. I can't wait to see her cry." Wicker looked at Priscilla's back as he said.
"Is there something you have done?" "You will see."
"Mistress, is her work not over?" Gordon walked to Priscilla and whispered his question, he looked over his shoulder to quickly take a glance of the two men and the girl.
"We need her. We will have a bigger problem after this is over. Her services will be greatly needed." "Okay, mistress."