Fiery amber eyes unlike I've ever seen in my entire life, with splotches of jade green suffusing into the amber-like watercolour stare down on me.Absolutely magnificent. He looks nothing like I've pictured him to look in the past fifteen minutes since this conversation started.
Immaculate clothing, perfectly groomed shoulder-length hair that resembles that of a fox, a very interesting shade of rusty blond and voluminous hair. Although his body indicates, he is a fully grown adult, his facial features are very childlike. What an odd creature. He is lean, but not overly thin, and unlike Mason and Graham, Balthasar doesn't have a single developed muscle from what I gather.
" I presume you must be Balthasar," I push myself up, while Shay settles on his haunches at my feet, observing. After all, Shay isn't a mindless creature. Mason was right when he almost bit the Baron's head off over it. Balthasar traces my movements, impassively.
" I am," He asserts with a nod," You seem to have knowledge of my identity, but I'm afraid I find myself at a disadvantage," The light must be quite poor or his eyesight is diminished after living for so long underground because he doesn't seem to recognise Anika in my features.
" My name is Lily. But I've been led to believe that you knew my mother, Anika," His eyes widen ever so slightly at the mention of her name.
" I did," He nods again, and crosses his arms over his chest, without offering more information.
" Care to share with the group," I wave a hand towards Shay who chooses to take his leave just as I point at him. Great, now he chooses to leave.
" Never mind," I amend," Care to share with me, how you knew my mother. I've recently had a very interesting conversation with a certain Baron, who was hell-bent on getting you back," His whole body goes rigid at the mention of his former master, just as Shay returns in a ball of light, bringing back Mason with him. Kush is quite far away from Morston, so there is a certain lag when it comes to distance, by the looks of it.
Mason's gaze locks on mine, silently questioning 'What the hell is going on?' In return, I smile and let my eyes drift to the man currently shrouded in shadows and darkness. Following my line of sight, Mason's eyebrows jump up in surprise, as he takes in the lanky man/boy, who is watching us without much interest.
" Welcome to the party," I say mildly amused at the situation, while Mason glances down at Shay wagging his tail and looking between us, expectantly. Sometimes I think that he survives mostly on praise.
" You did great, bud," Mason pats him on the head awkwardly, as expected Shay preens at the praise, pleased with himself.
" Pardon me for interrupting your little reunion," Mason begins dryly turning his attention back to Balthasar, who silently waits for his turn to speak, but he doesn't seem to be the sharing kind. We will have to pry the words out of his mouth with a forceps or something.
Mason shoves his hands in his pockets and sighs," So...you must be Balthasar, " Mason takes in the cavern, whatever lies beyond the edge of the light, unknown to us, but I have a feeling that is nothing good. Nor care to find out.
Balthasar says nothing, " We've met your former master recently. Very interesting fella, I must say. We would like some information. Name your price," Mason demands without too much fanfare. His directness is something I appreciate and value, but I'm afraid that Balthasar might not respond well to this kind of approach.
Balthasar scoffs, " I'm at the end of my cycle. Come back in the next and maybe we can negotiate again," Mason frowns, puzzled. He isn't the only one. Should've read the damn book I went through so much trouble to steal.
" Cycle? Explain?" Mason asks curtly, for a moment his eyes drift to Shay on the floor. Shay now lies sprawled on the floor, completely relaxed. More relaxed than I've ever seen him.
" Pitiful creatures," Balthasar mutters loud enough for us to hear, and pretty sure it's not a compliment.
" Daiō's life cycle is short. We wake up each cycle and choose a master, who serves a purpose. Baron was mine, but when I reached the end of my cycle I chose a different one. Anika. Also, who is not your mother? She is your sister. The last surviving sister. Nine of you were born. Your mother was a slave. A slave to a cruel, deceitful, despicable man...who only cared to feed his greed. King of sin, that's what the Kallah named him, among many other names. He indulged in everything, taking by force, spilling the blood of his kin, and innocents alike, but he had one weakness, and obsession, your mother, Alizee. A one-of-a-kind creature, exotic, beautiful, intelligent beyond imagination. Also, the woman who killed your father, with the help of the Kallah. It was a deal sealed in blood, your father's blood. Little did she know that the tribesmen and woman, would not offer her and her daughters salvation. Humans are greedy, filthy creatures, as we all know. Nothing is ever enough, they take without giving anything in return. Plunder, destroy all that is good, beautiful, priceless and dirty it with their insatiable need for more," There is a lot of resentment, and deep-seated rage behind those words. His thunderous eyes track my expressions, as he speaks. I don't dare to move a muscle, I'd rather not find out what he is capable of. There must be a reason why the Baron is so hell-bent on getting him back.
Silence settles in the carven, Mason fumbles for my hand without taking his eyes off Balthasar. His fingers curl around my hand, he slightly shifts his foot so he is touching Shay. He is preparing himself for the worst. Fury blazes out of those fiery amber eyes, as Balthasar traces our bodies, studying us, analysing everything. Our posture, the expressions we wear, the shape of our bodies, as if he is looking for structural weak points. I'm sure there are plenty, but if it comes to that, I hope we can survive whatever he will throw our way because I have no intention of leaving without answers this time. Even if I have to fight him for it.