Warlock Ch 162. Get In And Act Well
Damian froze, his senses sharpening as a familiar presence made itself known. From the darkness at his feet, a shadow stretched upward, elongating into a sleek, humanoid figure. The inky form solidified. It was one of Cassius' shadow servants.
"Well, isn't this a surprise," Damian muttered under his breath, crossing his arms as he regarded the figure with a wary glare. "Let guess—he sent you to babysit ?"
The shadow tilted its head, its featureless face sohow managing to convey a sense of disdain. Its voice echoed in Damian's mind, smooth and cold like Cassius himself. "Babysit? Hardly. I'm here to deliver a ssage."
Damian rolled his eyes. "Of course you are. Let guess, Cassius wants to stay out of trouble?"
The shadow ignored his sarcasm, stepping closer. "Master is aware you're here, as always. And he wants you to get in."
Damian frowned, his expression twisting in disbelief. "Pardon ? Get in? Isn't he with Aria right now?"
The shadow nodded, its form rippling slightly like a restless fla. "Master said to get in. And act well."
Damian let out a long exhale, running a hand through his hair as he muttered under his breath, "Right. Can't hide forever." He nodded repeatedly, trying to convince himself more than the shadow. "Fine. I'll go in. Just an apprentice. Act normal."
But he couldn't shake the weight in his chest. The problem wasn't walking into Cassius' place; it was walking into Aria's scrutiny. Would she buy the act? Would she see right through him? A thousand scenarios played out in his head, each one ending worse than the last.
Still, he knew this was the best move. Aria was sharp, but her greatest weakness was her adherence to logic. If he played the part of a clueless apprentice convincingly enough, it might just keep her suspicions at bay.
"Tell Cassius I'll co," Damian finally said, his tone resigned.
The shadow gave a slight nod before dissolving into the air, leaving Damian alone once again. He turned to his Shadow Minion, gesturing for the bag. "I'll take that now. Return."
The minion handed him the bag without a sound before fading into the void. Damian adjusted the strap, taking a deep breath to steady himself. He needed to sell this. No Fenrith, no unnecessary spells—just a lowly apprentice answering his master's call. The thought of calling Cassius "Master" made him cringe inwardly, but it was a small price to pay.
"Alright," Damian muttered, steeling himself. "Ti to put on the show."
Cassius' house lood ahead. Damian pressed the bell, the sound echoing faintly before the door swung open, revealing a shadow servant. The creature gave him a blank, unblinking stare before stepping aside, motioning for him to follow.
Damian stepped inside, imdiately hit by the sensation of powerful magic pressing down on him. The air shimred faintly, the unmistakable signature of a high-level barrier. It wasn't just any barrier—it was designed to nullify all servants except Cassius'. Damian suppressed a grimace. 'Of course. Nothing less from him.'
The shadow led him through the dimly lit halls, the silence punctuated only by the faint creak of the floor beneath his boots. Damian's thoughts raced as they approached the living room. He had to be convincing—casual, obedient, completely unassuming. But how convincing could he be when the person waiting inside had known him as Kaelan?
The shadow stopped at the threshold, motioning for Damian to enter. He adjusted the strap of his bag, squared his shoulders, and stepped through the door.
The atmosphere in the living room was thick. Cassius sat in his usual chair, his posture relaxed, a steaming cup of tea in his hand. Across from him sat Aria, her back straight, her expression unreadable but her sharp eyes locking onto Damian the mont he stepped in.
"There you are," Cassius said, his tone as calm as ever. He gestured lazily toward Damian. "You are late, Damian."
"Apologies, Master," Damian replied, forcing himself to say the word without hesitation. He kept his voice steady, bowing his head slightly for good asure. "I studied the books you gave yesterday and overslept."
Cassius raised an eyebrow, the faintest hint of amusent flickering across his face. "How diligent."
Aria didn't say anything, but her gaze lingered on Damian, dissecting every detail. He felt her eyes rake over him, taking in his attire, his posture, his every movent. It took everything he had not to flinch under her scrutiny.
Damian set his bag down near the wall, turning his attention back to Cassius. "Is there sothing you need to do, Master?"
Cassius took a slow sip of his tea before replying, "Not at the mont. But since you're here, allow to introduce you." He gestured toward Aria. "This is Aria. She's an old acquaintance of mine."
Damian turned to Aria, giving a respectful bow. "A pleasure to et you."
Aria's eyes narrowed slightly, her lips pressing into a thin line. "So, you're his apprentice," she said, her tone neutral but carrying an undercurrent of skepticism.
"Yes," Damian replied smoothly, eting her gaze but not holding it for too long. "I've been training under Master Cassius for a while now."
"And how's that going?" Aria asked, her voice sharp enough to cut.
Damian forced a small, sheepish smile. "Challenging, but rewarding. Master Cassius doesn't go easy on , but I've learned a lot."
Cassius let out a soft chuckle, setting his cup down on the table. "That's one way to put it."
Aria's gaze didn't waver, her eyes narrowing slightly. "You seem… competent. For an apprentice."
Damian shrugged lightly, keeping his tone humble. "I still have a long way to go."
There was a brief pause. Damian could feel Aria's scrutiny, the way her mind was working to piece together a puzzle she didn't yet have all the pieces for.
Cassius broke the silence, his tone casual. "Well, now that my apprentice is here, perhaps we can continue our discussion."
Aria's gaze flicked back to Cassius, her expression hardening. "This isn't sothing to discuss in front of him."
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