Mage of Eden

Chapter 14

Walking furiously towards an unknown destination, with your head high up in the clouds in the middle of a thick forest, is quite a dangerous task. Only if I had realized it sooner, I would have seen the gruesome ravine below. Just as I was about to plummet down hard into the ravine, a hand reached out to grab my wrist just in the nick of time. Turning around to see who that would be, I saw Haytham with a horrified expression in his face.

"Are you trying to kill yourself?" he shouted, making a few birds scatter from their cosy nests.

Thank God that it was raining or he would have noticed my tears. I refused to give him a vocal reply, fearing my voice would croak, so I ended up shaking my head merely. His eyes and grip softened, as he gazed on my pained expression, not knowing if I was hurt physically or emotionally.

We walked in absolute silence, with him leading the way. The rain had ceased and it was merely a drizzle, something which would have been enjoyable if I hadn't been on such a mood. We arrived at a clearing where he made arrangements for me to sleep and went to hunt for food. I didn't try to escape this time as I knew he would definitely find me. Over dinner, we had noticed that the silence was getting quite awkward and someone needed to break it. But who? Certainly not me. He was the one at fault here.

I wonder what he was thinking precisely. How long would it take for him to apologize?

I sat on the grass, warming my numb hands over the fire he built, gazing at the stars. A few crickets hummed along, making the night a cosy one, despite the chilly winds rampaging about. He sat beside me, rubbing his hands to create friction.

"Such a cold night, would you like something warm to eat, Jane?" he asked casually, trying to play cool. I merely shook my head, letting him know that I wasn't going to talk with him.

Not till I get an apology.

He seemed to notice my indifferent and stubborn behaviour and that seemed to irk him. He started pulling the grass from the ground and throwing it into the fire. When that went on for quite a while, he let out an audible sigh and turned his head towards me.

"Listen, Jane, I didn't mean to say that. It was on the spur of the moment. I have great respect for General Summers."

I shook my head again, letting him know that I didn't believe a single word he said.

"Jane, silence does not really solve a conflict. Your father was a role model to me"

"Stop your incessant lying please. I don't want to believe that my Father was a role model to someone like you"

"Someone like me?"

"An assassin. You kill for money, your loyalty lies with the highest bidder and you wouldn't even mind killing your own kinship!"

Suddenly he stood up and looked at me, those ochre eyes forbearing a sense of imminent darkness and danger.

"What do you know about me? Some things in this world must be protected, even if it means getting your hands dirty. Some things can only be seen through a tainted eye."

His fierce reply caught me off guard.

"What do you mean, Haytham?" I asked, never breaking my steady eye-contact. I must not let him know that I am intimidated. He, on seeing my stubborn and indifferent counter, let out an exasperated sigh.

"Never mind. It wouldn't matter to you."

He looked above to the stars, his eyes glistening with water.

Maybe, he was saying the truth?

"Haytham. "Was my quiet whisper.

"Yes, Jane?" was his equally quiet reply.