Jorah Mormont, who had remained close, protecting Daenerys and the young Rhaenys, stepped forward until he stood beside Kerse. His voice was firm, though heavy with caution.
"Khal Kerse, that man is not a ghost. He is an illusionist mage."
Kerse frowned slightly. The term sounded strangely familiar to him, like an echo of something read long ago, yet he could not recall it clearly.
Jorah, noticing the doubt reflected on his face, continued explaining, though his own tone wavered slightly.
"An illusionist mage is a dark priest who has learned the art of changing shape. They pray to malevolent gods, drink the poisonous water of the night-shadows until their cheeks turn pale and their lips become blue. They use their terrifying appearance to display their power."
When he finished, even Jorah seemed to doubt his own words, as if he had just recounted an old sailor's superstition.
But Kerse did not take it as fantasy.
He knew that this world was still steeped in sorcery. Priestesses like Melisandre claimed to be the voice of the god R'hllor, and miracles—or abominations—occurred far too often to be ignored.
Besides, that face… it was unlike anything he had ever seen. Kerse was certain of one thing: in neither of his two lives had he ever looked upon a man so unnaturally ugly.
For the first time since arriving in this world, Kerse felt real danger.
His body tensed, ready to lunge and crush the mage before he could react.
Then, a new sound broke the tension.
Hooves.
Growing clearer, approaching from ahead.
Kerse and his men turned their gaze toward the source of the noise. Moments later, two tall camels emerged from the gloom, carrying two human figures.
Kerse did not bother to analyze who they were. In his mind, they were already marked as allies of the mage. He made a subtle gesture, preparing to strike the newcomers first while his warriors kept the illusionist surrounded.
Sensing the hostility, the bald, obese man, covered in jewels and luxurious garments, visibly paled. He raised his hands clumsily and shouted urgently in the Valyrian dialect:
"Dothraki, please, stop! I am Xaro Xhoan Daxos, one of the Thirteen Great Lords of Qarth."
Kerse understood enough Valyrian thanks to his wives' teachings.
The moment he processed the name, a wave of contempt surged through his chest. The refined liar from the story. The man who had tried to win over the Mother of Dragons with empty promises.
For an instant, Kerse felt the urge to kill him on the spot.
Even so, he restrained himself.
He raised a hand and ordered his men to stand down.
He studied the three figures carefully and thought coldly:
"If he truly is Xaro Xhoan Daxos, then the supposed illusionist mage can only be one… a sorcerer of the House of the Undying."
As if he had heard that thought, the man with white skin and blue lips stepped forward. He spoke in Dothraki, though his pronunciation was clumsy and unnatural.
"I am the truth of the Undying House. The great mage Pyat Pree. I came only to greet you, but I did not expect my appearance to cause a misunderstanding with friends who have come from so far away… accompanied by dragons."
Kerse knew that name.
In the series, Pyat Pree was capable of changing shape, deceiving the senses, and appearing where no one expected him.
The fact that he had been able to approach undetected, combined with the sense of danger Kerse had felt moments earlier, raised his alertness even further.
Noticing that Kerse did not lower his guard, Pyat Pree slowly stepped back and positioned himself beside Xaro.
It was then that the third figure spoke for the first time.
The masked woman, who had remained silent the entire time, spoke calmly in the Common Tongue.
"I am Quaithe, priestess of Asshai. We have followed the Bleeding Star in search of the dragons."
Kerse observed her carefully.
Unlike Xaro and Pyat Pree, whom he knew well, Quaithe was an absolute mystery. He did not remember her true name, nor her face, nor the limits of her power.
Throughout the entire history, she had been a shadow.
And shadows, in this world, were often more dangerous than visible monsters.