Dropping the pretence.

"Xander Coleman," Delaney muttered, once they were out of site, "I've never heard your name before." she said, looking at him suspiciously. "If there is something you want from me...then be direct about it and stop acting like a duck." she turned around, blocking his way. Xander's tall figure towered over her but she was not the least intimidated.

As someone who was naturally keen on her surroundings, she couldn't fail to notice his peculiar behaviour. When they went for a hunting spree, he pretended to be very weak but observing his strong physique, she knew he was just pretending. She then decided to just play along and see what he was up to but her patience was running out.

Any other woman could have thought that the man had taken a liking to her and was trying to get close to her, but how could Delaney compare to 'any other woman'?

"Indeed," Xander said, dropping his pretence and glad that she was very straightforward. "My cheeks were starting to hurt from smiling too much." he said flatly and Delaney snorted. "I noticed." Now they stared at each other blankly, each waiting for the other to talk. Delaney was waiting for Xander to state his business but now that he no longer had to pretend, he didn't know what to say.

"So...?" Delaney asked, quirking an eyebrow at him.

"I just want some information on Malcolm." he finally said. Delaney's expression remained impassive as if she had expected his answer. And she did. Why else would a stranger be suddenly interested in her? She moved out of his way and they continued walking side by side.

"What kind of information?" Xander observed her side profile cautiously, not sure if he should tell her outright. A sigh escaped his lips. "About the dragon." Delaney halted in her steps and her brows creased. Xander became alert, preparing to take action if she tried anything stupid.

Delaney was surprised and shocked at the same time, but she didn't pretend to be clueless. She stared at him incredulously, trying to decipher anything that would show on his face. "How do you know about the dragon?" she asked, her hazel eyes never leaving his.

"Well you could say we're enemies, or... acquaintances. And we've searched for him for a long time, but Malcolm... tsk... Malcolm always hides from us." he said, his lips curving to a sly smile.

Delaney regarded his words with an unfathomable expression. Questions started to flow in her mind but she didn't dare ask aloud. She didn't want to fall into anyone's trap. But what he said made sense. Malcolm was never around these days. Was that why he was always on a trip? Then did they want to kill him because he knew where the dragon was? Her brows suddenly arched up as a thought crossed her mind. She remembered there was also another strange man in search of Malcolm but she brushed him off immediately, this one was more persistent.

The fact that they were desperately looking for Malcolm and not going directly to where the dragon was only meant that they didn't know it's whereabouts.

"What kind of information exactly?" she asked after a long moment of silence. "Where he is." She noticed how he also said he instead of it and again she was stunned. So it was true? And it was not even a secret?

"And why would I tell you?"

"Why wouldn't you?" Xander retorted almost immediately. Delaney thought for a while and finally decided to say what she thought was right. "Because it is my responsibility to protect him. As Malcolm's student, I naturally take on his tasks when he's not around."

Xander burst out laughing, throwing his head back. Delaney just stared at him unblinkingly. "Protect him?" he asked after his laughter died down. "You?!" he didn't try to hide his mockery as he eyed her from head to toe and back. He clicked his tongue, taking a step closer to Delaney, leaving very little space between them. His eyes glimmered with a dangerous glint and Delaney thought that she saw his pupils turning red, but it dissapeared as soon as it appeared, leaving her a little confused.

A dangerously cold aura enamated from him and she could feel it in her bones, but she fought against the urge to step back and flee. Xander was satisfied when he could smell the fear in her blood, although her expression was stern. If not for the information and the power she possibly had, he would have sucked her dry.

"I'll forgive your ignorance for now." he said taking a step back. "We could still be friends though... you're quite an interesting woman." A smirk appeared on his face making him look even more cunning.

She walked away without responding , feeling very unsettled. On remembering the fear that crept up to her bones just moments ago, she hurried her steps, not daring to look back.

She carried the ginseng she had bought to Mrs Wade's house. Mrs Wade lived in a very exquisite mansion, left behind by her late husband, Mr Wade. Due to her illness, the woman rarely cared to clean the house. Delaney would come by once in a while to weed the garden and help out where she could. Pushing the door open, she was welcomed by a strong scent of burning incense.

"Mrs Wade," she called out. She climbed up the spiral staircase and went to Mrs Wade's room. Although it was daytime, the room was dark, only lit by a few candles. The thick curtains were pulled together, blocking the sunlight. Mrs Wade was lying on the bed unmoving. The room was filled with different types of plants and flowers on flower pots.

"Mrs Wade," she called again stepping closer to the bed. She got a huge shock when she saw the woman's eyes had turned completely white. Her eyes widened and she panicked.

"Mrs Wade," she shook the woman vigorously. "Wake up... Mrs Wade." she called anxiously, almost bursting to tears.

The woman suddenly sprang from the bed, sitting up straight. Delaney screamed as she jumped back. She collided with the bed side table, which shook slightly, the candles falling over and setting the carpet on fire. She looked at the woman whose eyes had returned to normal and she sighed in relief patting her chest.

"My God, you scared me." But before her fast beating heart settled down, the woman grabbed her hand harshly, pulling her over the bed.

"They're coming," she said in a panicky voice and Delaney's brows pulled up in confusion. "Who?" she asked. Mrs Wade grabbed her shoulders, forcing her down, "They're coming for you. You cannot run now! He's the only one who can protect you now. He must! He has to!" the woman exclaimed, then slumped back on the bed, startling Delaney yet again.

"Mrs Wade," Delaney tried tapping her but she didn't move. Her face looked drained and her eyes closed. She felt for her pulse and it was normal. She only felt relieved when she heard her soft breathing.

The candles and the carpet fire were automatically turned out, the moment Mrs Wade fell asleep. The smell of burning incense had also dissapeared.

When Mrs Wade had mentioned about her saving, Delaney's thoughts had drifted to Merikh. She remembered Malcolm mentioning the same thing and they unsettled her to a great extent. Was this some sort of witchcraft? she wondered, taking out her hip flask and gulping down the wine to cool her itchy nerves.

*****

A/N

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