Shadow Warriors

Chapter eighteen

A booming laugh had them both turning to find a man approaching. Long white hair flowed all the way to his waist, matched with an equally long beard. His brown robe brushed the stone floor as he walked, and his eyes fixed on them.

Sarah could only compare him to one thing.

"You're kidding, right?" Her whisper made Axin look at her.

"What?"

"Let me guess. Nilu? An actual wizard?"

Axin's loud laugh echoed on the walls of the cave, making her belly clench.

Nilu approached, a wide smile on his face.

"Hello, Sarah. I have waited a long time to meet you." He stuck his hand out to her and waited.

She rolled her eyes at the still laughing Axin and shook his hand.

"Hi."

Nilu gripped her hand for a moment, examining her face.

"She's prettier than I thought."

Axin finally stopped laughing and came to stand at her side.

"No words would do her justice."

A blush heated her cheeks.

"It's nice to meet you."

Nilu released her hand and crossed them behind his back.

"I hear you learned a lot over the last few days. I'm sure it must all be very scary and confusing."

"Yes, it is. I still have a lot of questions, though."

"Oh, I bet. Why don't we eat? We can talk, and you can ask anything that still bothers you."

He spun, moving to the large stone table in the back of the room. They climbed the three stone steps leading to the table, and Sarah saw the carved surface. It showed a map of the world on the left, and another place she didn't recognize on the other. Tiny figures stood in random places around the map on both sides.

Nilu came to stand beside her and waved his hand over the surface. The map vanished and a delicious looking buffet appeared in front of her eyes.

She shook her head. I'm never going to get used to that.

Axin pulled out a heavy stone chair for her and sat down next to her. Nilu took a seat on the other side of the table and reached for a glass of red drink. She could see the fire behind him, the glow of the flames giving the space a cozy feel.

"Raztus is watching over your grandmother. She is awake and baking apple pie. Jake is still waiting in the car like he promised."

Sarah relaxed, reaching for her drink, "Thank you. I honestly wasn't sure he would keep his word."

"You saw something in him none of us did. I will need to be near him to know for sure, but I think he may be telling the truth. When he used his magic to wipe Margeret's memories, I felt the pain in his soul. He's confused. Unsure of who or what he is, and where he belongs."

"I don't trust him, Nilu." Axin took a long sip of his drink, finishing the content of his glass in two large swallows. He put his glass on the table and Sarah's eyes went wide as it filled itself up.

"I know you don't. You have a good reason not to. But we have been fighting Fasia for a long time. Perhaps change is what we need."

Axin grumbled under his breath and grabbed his glass again.

Nilu chuckled, "You just don't like him because he got too close to Sarah. But you would never have met her if not for him. Remember that, Axin. He is far younger than you."