Chapter 213 - Bk 2 (9)

Lucy strolled to the receiving room with Ndaga Nnung alone. Every other person had dispersed and those who had come with her had been shown to their quarters. Both of them kept silent till they were both seated, served tea and all the servants had retreated.

"I suppose asking you why you are at the Crack will be too much of an intrusion." he asked her.

"Mr.." she started to say.

"Call me chief Nnung." he corrected.

"Ah, Cheif. What I know of the middle realms is of it's over fragmentation. Clans and races do not mix. Well, mix is a bit too far. Let's say they don't cross each other's territories. This is the light realm. And the fragmentation is even more apparent. Yet, at the edge of the crack, deep into the Red hands territories, you are here undisturbed. I suppose asking why would be quite a stretch." Lucy said casually.

"What do you know of Lady Xier?" he asked and Lucy paused.

"Nothing at all." she answered, "I have accepted that we Thraines want different things, have different goals."

"We are not from your world, Lucy. As such, many of the rules in this world have never applied to us. Lady Xier is someone that sees beyond your world." he said.

"I do not truly care. When I made way for her to enter Other-side, I understood that she had been leaving Thriergor for quite some time. Obviously she was not using the gates as there was no machine to help one cross the realms with such speed on Thriergor. Regardless, I knew she would have settlement in the other realms, no matter what sorcery she used to come and go as she pleased. Helping her enter Other-side, she now owed me a favour. Imagine my surprise that she could offer me a safe base on the middle realms. Better, there was an option of living by the Crack." Lucy said. She saw the man frown slightly as she spoke, making her smile slightly.

"You do not like me, I wonder why." she said.

"I doubt there are many who like you, Lucy. Sadly, I am not one of them. Still, I frown at the way you see Lady Xier."

"You call me by my name, unlike you do Lady Xier. Yet the way you talk about her, it does not seem as though you hold her with reverence."

"Our people respect Lady Xier's mind and curiosity. But we care not for the Thraine legends. Such things do not concern us."

"Yet you sit here and talk to me about how foreign you are. No matter how much you refuse to explain, you have made it clear that you do not fear me. If you hold no fear for the Thraine name, then what do you fear, to put your hope on that very dismissible name?" Lucy asked.

"You think I put my hope on your name?" he asked in amusement.

"Oh? Then tell me Cheif Nnung, what do you wish I do for you?" Lucy asked and saw the look in his eyes go serious.

"I wish nothing but to enlighten you. Your goals are not yours alone. You will fail at them, Lucy Wickshire and we are here to make sure you fail well." his voice sounded as though from the pit of the afterlife.