The night was colder than usual.
Jazara Saegwyn Thymund, nicknamed Zara by her friends and family, gently stirred a spoonful of cocoa into a porcelain teacup of melted hot chocolate, and sprinkled some cinnamon on it. The mouthwatering aroma drifted through the house.
Three bars of dark chocolate, a single red rose, and maybe a scented jar candle beside it might do the trick. Her instinct was never wrong—someone would pay her a visit that night and she must be ready.
Her father warned her on his dying bed that they would come for The Sage, an ancient grimoire that had been in her family for many centuries. Coming from a long line of alchemy knights tasked with guarding the sacred book, she took her heritage seriously.
As she grabbed a book from the shelf and moved towards her rocking chair by the window, the shadow of the window drapes shook unnaturally, convoluting to form a human figure. A tall, dark and handsome stranger.
Zara froze for a moment, her jaw dropping. Only one clan used the shadows as a portal to any location. Knights of Scelus.
The attraction was instant as the good looking man smiled, his dark eyes gleaming with menace. On his left temple was a tattoo of three black stars cocooned within a crescent moon.
A spymaster.
They were ruthless and known to leave no survivors or witnesses. She gave him a once-over. He had no visible weapons on him.
“Subtle,” she said, keeping her voice steady in contrast to her pounding heart. “You could have used the door and I would have let you in.”
“And miss that fear in your eyes?” He winked, his lips spreading into a predatory grin. Her heart lurched. Her face often gave her away but not tonight. She would use this supposed weakness of hers against him.
His eyes shifted to the lovely arrangement on the table. “Expecting company tonight?”
She shrugged. “I was going to treat myself to a quiet evening but now that you are here, how about a cup? You can tell me why you broke into my home.” She turned to pour another cup of the cocoa drink.
“Let's not pretend, Saegwyn Thymund,” he said, his tone sharp. “I'm here for the book and you'll give it to me.”
Zara paused, her eyes widening in surprise. No one knew her by that name except those who knew of The Sage. The spymaster chuckled, pointing a finger at her. “That face. My spies reported I would get everything I need just by looking at you. They are right!”
“I don't know what you mean,” she whispered, walking towards him. He didn't take his eyes off her face. She offered him the cocoa drink. He hesitated, his eyes darting between the cup and her face.
“No. I'll drink your tea instead. All the seven clans know how skilled your family is with elixirs.”
He picked up the cup on the table, and grabbed the rose, crushing it until all the petals scattered to the ground. In a single gulp, he downed the hot cocoa drink without flinching.
“Now Saegwyn, where is The Sage? If I have to torture you for it, I—” He paused, his brows furrowing in confusion. He cleared his throat as though something was stuck inside.
“Are…you okay, spymaster?” Zara asked gently like she cared, a soft smile gracing her face.
The spymaster coughed for a while. “Yes…I think I'm fine. So as I was….saying…”
“Yes?” She prompted as the confusion returned into his eyes. The spymaster glanced around the room, staggering backwards, his hands gripping the wall for support.
“How did I get here? Who are you?”
Zara shrugged. “I'm no one,” she said, walking towards her front door. Nothing was more dangerous than wiping a man's mind clean. It was permanent and unrestorable. She opened the door. “You shall leave my house and return to wherever you came from. Please use the door this time.”
The spymaster stumbled out the door into the night, coughing and glancing over his shoulder in confusion. Zara watched him disappear into the darkness with some satisfaction.
Once again, The Sage was safe with its guardian.
What I See
A cup of coffee or chocolate drink with spice sprinkled on it, a red rose and bars of chocolate beside it. The romantic setting feels complete with the glowing scented jar candle on the table.
What I Feel
Danger and Deception.
I hope you enjoyed reading this short piece. It's my response to A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words writing contest. You may click on the link to participate.
Thank you for visiting my blog.
Image credit: AlexSky
Posted Using InLeo Alpha
Now this was blissful to read. I love short tales because you can feel every emotion at the edge of your spine from start to finish. Way to go for our heroine. Maybe next time, sage-theives.😂❤️
Sage thieves, indeed! 😄 Zara is smart and resourceful. She'll certainly be prepared for any further attempt to take the book from her. I'm glad you loved this story. Thanks so much for your visit and comment.
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Thank you for joining pic1000! Try to read and comment on other entries.
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Thank you so much for your visit.