Experimenting with Friends

It occurred to Hade that the reason why August might have refrained from teaching him how to control the merged souls' ocular ability... was because he never had any intention to, in the first place.

The hypothesis made some sense, when you really thought about it.

Although the magic prodigy had not struck Hade as the type to lie, the cowardly act seemingly beneath him, he had quite consistently given the impression that he was the kind willing to do almost anything to realize his goals, no matter who or what stood in his way... including Hade.

So if August had made it his duty to help him, not out of the goodness of his own heart but for personal gain, what insurance did Hade have that his procrastination this time was not an elaborate ploy to keep him in his shadow forever?

None, really.