noveldrama
Chapter 86: I’m a Wanted Man!
Chapter 86: I’m a Wanted Man!
Warlock Ch 86. I'm a Wanted Man!
Damian nodded. It made sense. Cassius was a legend, and if this silver-haired sorceress had that same commanding presence, then she was probably someone who shared that same level of history, that same haunting reputation. But still… something didn't add up. "True," he murmured, a note of skepticism slipping into his tone. "But who is she? And why… why would she appear in my dreams?"
Evelyn's gaze darkened, her expression growing distant as if she was dredging up some long-buried knowledge. "She," Evelyn began slowly, her voice barely above a whisper, "is one of the strongest sorceresses alive. She's a master of elemental spells, an archmage who has spent her life perfecting every branch of magic known to us. She's untouchable, Damian. She's one of the elites."
Damian's frown deepened, his thoughts racing. "Is that all?" he asked, his voice filled with a quiet defiance, a refusal to let this end here. "Look, I get that she's powerful. I get that she's some kind of big deal. But that doesn't explain why she's… showing up in my life. In my dreams. Why are you telling me to keep my distance?"
Evelyn turned to him, her expression hardening as her gaze bore into his. "Damian, it's more than just a 'big deal,'" she replied sharply, her voice low and intense. "If she's interested in you—if she's been watching you—that's dangerous in itself. Her power, her influence… it reaches everywhere. She holds a position at the very top of the mage faction. She can make people disappear with a snap of her fingers. She's no one to take lightly."
Damian shook his head, unphased. "I get it. But there's more to this, isn't there?" He met her gaze, his tone resolute, unwilling to back down. "Why should I be careful with her? Why all the warnings?"
For a moment, Evelyn's composure wavered, a flicker of doubt crossing her face. She looked away, her hands clenching slightly as she wrestled with herself, visibly torn between keeping secrets and revealing truths that might be too dangerous to know. Finally, she took a breath, her voice barely above a whisper. "Because she's… dangerous."
Damian raised an eyebrow, sensing another mystery building up, another layer he wasn't being allowed to see through. He felt that familiar frustration creeping in—the kind that nagged him every time Cassius or Evelyn dangled some cryptic warning in front of him without any real explanation. "And?" he pressed, trying to keep his tone steady, though he could feel his patience thinning. It was like being told to stay away from the edge without knowing how far the drop was. "Please don't tell me this is one of those 'you'll find out yourself' moments," he added, his voice edged with irritation. "Because I'm sick of it, Evelyn."
Evelyn pressed her lips together, her gaze hardening. After a moment, she seemed to relent, letting out a sigh as she glanced at him, her expression heavy. "Do you remember the person I mentioned earlier?" she asked, her voice low and cautious. "The one who killed Victoria's husband."
Damian nodded slowly. "Yeah," he replied, his voice barely audible.
She looked down, her gaze distant, her fingers nervously tracing the edge of her mug. "Well," she began, her voice strained, "she's looking for him too."
There was a pause between them.
"So… if she somehow finds out I've got a similar mana flow to that killer…" He let the sentence hang. His voice dropped, barely more than a murmur. "I'm… I'm doomed, aren't I?"
Evelyn's silence was all the confirmation he needed. She gave a small, reluctant nod, her expression grim, her eyes filled with a sorrow he hadn't expected. She looked almost… apologetic, as if she wished she could change the truth but knew it was beyond her control. There was no comfort in her gaze, no reassurance. Just a cold, hard reality.
He leaned back, letting out a low, humorless laugh. "Great. Just great…" he muttered, taking a long, steadying sip from his drink. "So, I'm not just a target. I'm a wanted man."
The words tasted bitter on his tongue. But here it was, undeniable, a truth he couldn't run from.
Evelyn's gaze softened slightly, but there was no relief in her expression, only a grim acceptance. "This is why Cassius pushes you so hard," she murmured, her voice barely a whisper. "He's trying to make sure you're ready for whatever's coming. Whatever she might bring with her."
Damian nodded slowly. He finished the last sip of his drink, the warmth sliding down his throat a poor substitute for the answers he still didn't have. He placed the mug in the sink.
"I need to finish my books."
He turned and headed upstairs, his feet dragging just a bit, his steps a little less steady than usual.
Cassius, the training, the warnings—it all made sense now in a twisted, frustrating way, but it didn't make it feel any less unfair.
He reached the bedroom and turned to his stack of Cassius' books. He reached for the nearest one and sank into his chair, opening to a page he hadn't looked at before, trying to drown out his spiraling thoughts in the words.
But his focus wavered, his mind drifting. 'Why? Why me? Why did I have this cursed power in the first place?' He clenched his fist, his knuckles going white as he fought the urge to slam the book shut, to throw it across the room and yell. But he kept himself still, his chest rising and falling with barely contained frustration. None of this made sense. Why was his mana like that of some killer he'd never even heard of? Why did it have to be him?
The thoughts grew darker, angrier, and twisting. He took a shaky breath, trying to calm himself, but the bitterness remained.
But then a thought crossed his mind. It made him frown.
'Why would Evelyn or Cassius even bother helping me if they knew this all along?' They weren't fools. Cassius especially wasn't the type to take on lost causes. And yet… here they were, risking themselves for him, dragging him through merciless training, and guiding him down this perilous path as if they saw something in him worth saving. But why?