Page 7 of Dark Shaman: The Lost Treasure
The aroma of Chinese takeout filled Kian's penthouse at the keep, the familiar scents of sesame oil and soy sauce wafting through the modern space. He checked his watch, then glanced at Esag, who sat on the leather couch embodying that peculiar immortal paradox of an impossible age and a permanently youthful face.
At two thousand and one years old, Kian had long held the distinction of being one of the clan's oldest, but that title had become almost meaningless lately. First Wonder had arrived, older than even his mother, though the millennia spent in stasis made that a technicality at best. Then Toven had appeared, crushing all records with his seven thousand years of actual lived experience. The Kra-ell refugees had added their own complexity to the age hierarchy—some had spent seven thousand years in stasis pods, making them more like Wonder than Toven in terms of real-life experience. The same held true for Ell-rom and Morelle.
And now there were Esag, Davuh, and Roven—each having marked over five thousand years of living the day-to-day, the entirety of it spent awake and aware, believing themselves the last of their kind. The weight of those millennia showed not in Esag's unmarred face, but in the depth and wonder of his gaze, as if he was still amazed to find himself among his own people once more.
"They should be here soon," Kian said, reaching for another spring roll. "Andrew is punctual to a fault, but Tim is never on time. It's almost like a point of pride with him."
Esag speared a piece of beef with his fork and smiled. "I'm not in a rush. This is excellent. I'm glad that Tim insisted on takeout from the Golden Dragon."
Across the table, Anandur snorted. "Tim always makes insane demands in addition to the exorbitant prices he charges. He could try the patience of a saint."
"He's the best forensic artist in the country," Kian said. "Probably the world. Which is why we put up with him."
"And also why we are willing to pay him ridiculous amounts of money," Anandur added. "Don't forget that part."
Kian leaned back in his chair, studying Esag. The ancient immortal had been in the village for just over two weeks now, but this was his first venture outside its protective boundaries. "Tim doesn't know about immortals. As far as he's concerned, we're just a private organization with deep pockets and unusual requests."
Anandur chuckled. "As long as the checks clear and we keep him supplied with food from his favorite restaurants, he's happy todraw whatever we describe. Though he does complain a lot and he's rude, so be ready for that."
Esag nodded. "I have a lot of experience deflecting questions, and if someone is stubborn, there is always thralling, right?"
"True," Anandur said. "Tim's talent is so extraordinary that we suspect he might be a Dormant, but he's such a pain in the ass that we are hesitant about bringing him into the fold."
"That seems rather harsh," Esag said between bites of beef and broccoli.
"You'll understand when you meet him," Kian said.
Esag put his fork down. "How do you find Dormants? In five thousand years, Davuh, Roven, and I never encountered a single immortal or Dormant. We thought we were the only survivors."
Kian felt a pang of sympathy for the guys who'd spent millennia believing their entire race had been wiped out.
"We were in the same situation," Kian admitted. "We knew they were out there, but we didn't know how to identify them. Then one day, Amanda decided to study neuroscience. She became a professor and started researching people with paranormal abilities. Her theory was that Dormants might manifest stronger psychic abilities than what can be found in the general human population, and she was right. The first Dormant she found through her research was Syssi, my wife."
"Lucky you," Esag said.
"Indeed, but I was so jaded by that point, so tired of the endless revolving door, that I didn't even want to meet her despite Amanda's urging. The Fates conspired to put me in a position where I had to visit Amanda's lab, and the moment I saw Syssi, itwas as if I had been struck by lightning. I knew immediately that she was the one."
"You're fortunate," Esag said. "To find your truelove mate is a priceless gift. I'm jealous."
"You'll find yours too. You've certainly earned it."
"Perhaps your sister could help?" Esag sounded hopeful. "Does she still conduct the research?"
Kian chuckled. "I'm afraid Amanda's track record isn't as impressive as that story might suggest. She found two Dormants through her research—Syssi and Michael. Every other Dormant who's joined the clan has been brought to us by the Fates, not scientific method."
"The Fates," Esag repeated. "They only reward those who have suffered greatly or who have sacrificed much for others. I do not deserve their boon."
"On the contrary," Kian said. "You should be at the top of their list. You've certainly suffered enough, spending five thousand years believing all of your people were gone except for your two companions. You also sacrificed by leaving everything behind to search for Gulan. It saved your life, but you couldn't have known that at the time. The Fates conspired to save you."
Esag shook his head. "That wasn't a sacrifice because it wasn't my choice. Khiann commanded me to find her, and I was following orders."
"Would you have said no?" Anandur asked. "If he gave you the choice?"
"Of course not." Esag looked a little flustered to be asked that question by Wonder's mate. "I was the reason she ran. I felt responsible for her drastic reaction."
"Then that was your choice." Anandur reached for one of the take-out boxes and emptied its contents onto his plate. "You sacrificed the cushy life your fiancée represented to go looking for the girl whose feelings you hurt."
When the doorbell chimed and Anandur walked to the front door to answer it, Kian looked at his watch. "Finally. Twenty minutes late. If he complains about the food being cold, I'm going to empty the noodles over his head."
