‘Touchy subject?’ he asked.
‘No.’ I shook my head. ‘I just miss him, that’s all.’
Dagon folded his arms across his broad chest. ‘I want to help,’ he said.
‘Help?’ I repeated. ‘Why?’
‘I told yeh.’ Dagon leaned forward and grabbed my hand, which was resting on the table. I jumped at the sudden contact. ‘I don’t like what the Realm is doing. I’m against it. But until now, it’s not somethin’ I’ve been able to talk about. Not many people understand, see?’
‘I understand,’ I said, looking down at our hands.
Dagon entwined his fingers with mine and stroked the back of my hand with his thumb. ‘I knew a human once,’ he said.
I looked up. ‘What happened?’
‘We were best friends since I was a kid. Oliver, his name was. Never knew, though.’
‘You never knew he was human?’
‘Yeah … his parents never told anyone. He was raised amongst the Mages, and they kept it a secret.’
‘Parents tend to do that.’
Dagon nodded. ‘It’s obvious now, when I think back on it. Why he never used his Power, I mean. He always said he was an Empath, like his parents.’
‘An Empath?’
‘They can feel … or rather sense emotions.’ Dagon waved a hand dismissively. ‘Pretty hard Power to disprove, I guess, so I never questioned it.’
‘When did you find out that he was human?’
‘Six months ago. I came back from a two week stint at sea, and he was gone. His parents told me everything. The Realm came and took him away during the night.’
‘I’m sorry. Do you know where he is now?’
Dagon shook his head. ‘I don’t even know if he’s alive. I heard what they do to humans at Capital city … it makes me sick.’
I squeezed Dagon’s hand gently. ‘Oliver’s story is not uncommon. I’ve met many Mages who have had their children taken away by the Realm because they are human.’
‘Really?’
I nodded. ‘I once thought it very uncommon for a Mage to give birth to a human child. Even now, the Realm still considers it impossible. They don’t want to accept the fact that we are related to the human race.’
‘That’s bollocks.’ Dagon tightened his grip on my hand.
‘I know,’ I said. ‘But no one seems to be asking the most important questions.’
‘What’s that?’ Dagon asked.
‘Why is the Realm collecting Mage-born humans?’ I said.
‘Shh,’ Dagon hissed, looking around nervously.
‘-And why are Mages giving birth to human children when history-’ I formed air-quotes around the word, ‘-deems it impossible? Are we suddenly losing our Power? Will it become more and more frequent, until all Mages die out?’
‘I don’t know,’ said Dagon nervously.
‘Why is the government so adamant that a Mage can’t give birth to a human?’ I continued my rant. ‘We evolved from humans.’
‘It’d be like a human giving birth to an ape,’ Dagon said in an undertone. ‘That just doesn’t happen.’
‘Well, it is happening,’ I said, bringing my fist down upon the table and making it rattle. ‘Mages are having human children, and the Realm is rounding them up.’
‘Maybe they’re trying to find out why it’s happening,’ said Dagon. ‘Maybe they’re asking the same questions as you, Lass.’
I sat back and took a deep breath. ‘I just … I don’t know what to do anymore.’
‘Is it true what the posters say, though? That you’re the leader of a pro-human group?’
I scoffed. ‘Don’t be stupid. I mean … I’ve been part of a group intent on rescuing humans … but I’m not the leader of some rebel organisation.’
‘Why not?’ Dagon said. ‘They’ve got a bounty over yer head for being just that-’
‘It’s a lie,’ I interrupted.
‘It doesn’t have to be.’ A smirk slid across Dagon’s face. ‘Why not be guilty of the thing they’re accusing you of?’
I considered this for a moment. It was utter madness, yet it made sense all at the same time.
‘If the human gene is as common as yeh say it is-’ Dagon looked at me with wide eyes, ‘I reckon you got an army of angry parents, relatives, and friends on yer side.’
Chapter Eleven
Across the Sea
Dagon was right. If I was being accused of creating pro-human organisations, there was no reason I shouldn’t do just that.
‘I thought you said it was best if I vanished?’ I said.
Dagon nodded. ‘That would be best fer yeh, if yeh don’t want any trouble. But I think yer the sort of girl who attracts a lot of trouble.’
‘I have a hard time avoiding it,’ I admitted.
‘So do it,’ he said. ‘I’ll be yer first member.’
I couldn’t help but smile. ‘Avalon and Dagon, pro-human rebels.’
‘Ha!’ Dagon said, pointing a finger at me.
‘What?’ I said, startled.
‘I knew yeh name wasn’t Elizabeth.’
Whoops. During our moment of intimate honesty I’d forgotten my alias.