Cassian sat perched on edge of the slope. He looked down at the road, Amy was still asleep behind him.
This was a major road. It was only a matter of time before someone came past. They couldn't walk, it would take far too long. He needed to be back at Norrath before the Archon sent anyone else.
When he was around Norrath, he believed it was possible— with good enough eyes, they could've found him.
When he went east, to Eveldor, it was probably bad luck and the suspicion of the chief.
But at Solmere? He was halfway across the world from Norrath and they still managed to get to him. They were tracking him, and he needed to go back. To find out how they were doing it, but to do that, he needed more power
"Isn't it about time you stopped being so cryptic"
"I haven't the slightest idea what you mean" Dea responded her tone laced with it's usual sarcasm
"Really? Let me help you then. I'm talking about my mark"
"What about it?"
She had to be doing this intentionally
She pestered him for not learning about his mark—'his greatest asset' she said. And then when he asked about it, she acted like he was asking too much.
"Tell me the next step"
"Do you even remember the first?"
He closed his eyes and concentrated on gathering the divine energy around him, and when he felt the back of his hand sting, he opened his eyes and his mark glowed.
"Does that answer your question" he replied
She sighed, like she hoped he'd forgotten so she would have a reason to not teach him
"Take out the grimoire" she said
"The grimoire?"
"The grimoire boy, before I change my mind" She said again this time firmer.
He opened his satchel and pulled out the grimoire placing it on the grass
"What are you waiting for do I have go tell you to open it?"
Cassian snorted as he opened it. He flipped through the pages one by one and then in twos finally stopping on the page with his mark. She didn't say anything.
"Where am I supposed to stop?"
"I'll tell you, just keep going"
He flipped past the pages with an inverted diamond pattern that resembled a hilt, past the one that looked like a flame until eventually she said stop. It was a diamond shape with chains wrapped around it.
"What is this?"
"The mark of control" She said "It allows the bearer to cast physical binds"
"Dea how is this helping me?"
"Sometimes, when the bearer is skilled enough, they can cast mental barriers, even illusions. It is not known if it comes naturally with the mark or if it is a skill only a chosen few possess" She continued
"Are you reading the grimoire?"
"You wanted to know what it said, now you do"
"Why this one? Why not my mark?"
"Can I use this mark?"
"No, but the girl has it"
He turned around and looked at Amy, she was still asleep
"And? How does this make me stronger?"
"You can help her awaken it, and she can help you"
"I can barely use mine, how would I teach her?"
"Teach her what you know, and then I'll teach you—"
"No, I barely survived that last fight, you saw, you were there, you're always there. But you never help. All I ask is that you teach me how to use this damned thing and you keep pushing it away, pretending like you don't know what I mean"
"You're not ready"
"The Archon doesn't care. What happens when someone else comes? When I run out of luck?"
He almost died, he remembered the steel cutting through his palm, it still made him sick thinking about it. He still ached all over, he wasn't sure he could survive another attack, not with what he had.
"Then get better at swordsmanship, teach the girl about her mark and then maybe next time you can survive." Dea responded with a tone of finality he didn't like.
"Wait—"
There was a crunching of leaves behind him and he turned to see Amy getting up.
"Good morning" She said
He looked at her and nodded
Just then, there was a trotting below two horses and two men seated on them. They were slow and the men were laughing about something.
"Follow me" he said to her as he slid down the slope onto the road.
The men looked startled, their horses neighed
"By Korvus, what are you doing boy" one of them asked.
Amy came tumbling down after him.
"We are stranded good sirs, would you please assist us" Cassian said with a mock bow
The men looked at each other and started laughing
"You think us stupid? Out of our way you vagrants"
Of course they made it hard, everyone always did.
"Unfortunately," he said walking up to them "I need to get to Norrath very quickly, so I ask that you reconsider"
"Did you not—" The man stopped mid sentence as the other man pulled him and whispered something in his ear that made him blush. He looked at Amy as he snorted
"I have changed my mind. We will take you, but you must pay"
"Name your price" Cassian said
"We are merchants boy, you couldn't pay us with coin"
"But" he added "If you sold us the girl however" Cassian looked to Amy and saw her cringe.
"She's not for sale, but I do have coin"
"The girl, or you can walk"
Cassian stared at the man, then he smiled and walked up to him.
"Can we shake on this deal"
"What?" Amy whispered behind him, she shuffled back a few steps.
The man stretched his hands from his horse.
"I like you boy, you'll make a fine merchant"
"And I like you," Cassian replied "You are a simple man"
The moment their hands connected, he pulled the man off the horse. It neighed, frantically, but Cassian found the reigns. The man tried to get up, he stopped when Cassian's blade pressed against his throat.
"Tell your friend to get off his horse"
"Svik," the man called out "Do what he says"
He got down his horse slowly.
"Get the bags." He said to Amy. She scurried up the slope and came back with both bags.
"Can you ride?" She nodded her head and got on the horse. She bowed her head as she walked past the man, like she was apologising for robbing him. Cassian waited for her to go before he sat on the horse beside him
"Pleasure doing business sires " he said as he rode down the road. He could hear the men screaming, cursing behind him, after a while of pointless chasing, they finally stopped.