Parting Ways

Ryan fell silent.

Hachir noticed the sudden hush. He glanced at Ryan, the sorcerer who never failed to astonish him.

Yet now Ryan said nothing.

Every time Hachir saw Ryan, he felt a mix of emotions. The sorcerers of Kamar-Taj got along well and rarely compared themselves with one another.

There was little room for a sense of superiority.

Even if one sorcerer bested another in a spellcasting contest, he might feel pleased for a moment, but that was all.

But Hachir never dared feel smug around Ryan. He was afraid Ryan would prove him wrong.

When Ryan still did not speak, Hachir broke the silence. "Kaecilius has many followers. They've formed a faction that doesn't fit in with the rest of Kamar-Taj."

"So?"

"Ryan, I know Kaecilius brought you into Kamar-Taj, and you think well of him. But you need to see clearly how isolated he's become."

"That's your reason for telling me to stay away from him?" Ryan was speechless. He had not expected Hachir and the others to be wary of Kaecilius before he had even made a move.

Hachir ignored Ryan's reaction. "Kaecilius seems to be planning something. I don't want to watch you follow him into doing something wrong."

"What counts as wrong?"

"Anything that harms Kamar-Taj."

Hachir spoke firmly. Even after saying it, he did not get up to leave.

Instead, he stayed beside Ryan and read with him.

Ryan, however, could no longer settle his thoughts.

Everything he knew of magic had come from the sorcerers of Kamar-Taj.

He was deeply grateful to every one of them who had taught him.

Now Kaecilius had invited him to betray Kamar-Taj, while Hachir was urging him not to lose his way.

Caught between them, Ryan did not know what to do.

Then he considered what