The Firelands

45 - The Hand Collector's Maze

24thday of the fourth Month, Joker's Moon

7:00 pm

The Hand Collector's Maze

Dixon hurled Kalen to the ground, sending him skidding to the middle of the chamber floor, into a patch of twilight light that spilled down on them from a crack in the roof.

Groaning, Kalen looked around. The chamber was circular, with a domed ceiling. The only light was that crack in the middle of it. A sheen of white dust covered the floor, sprinkles of it catching onto Kalen's lips from his skid; salt, and the only exit was the tunnel Dixon had dragged him through and now stood in front of.

Quickly jumping to his feet, Kalen backed up against the wall and Dixon held up his hands.

"Easy now, Kalen, I promised I would not hurt you," Dixon said softly.

"Forgive me for not believing you," Kalen said.

"What if I said I had merely come to return this?" Dixon said and from his pocket he pulled a bag and - gripping the bottom - he opened it and turned it inside out. He then opened his gloved hand and revealed the content of the bag.

Kalen's breath hitched. It was the sapphire. Dixon had kept it with him.

Kalen's eyes snapped to Dixon and his brow furrowed. "Why would you return it? I know you wanted it."

Dixon looked at it and his expression was pained. "It is a burden on me," he said gently, "A reminder of what my job demands of me."

"You mean my murder?" Kalen said coolly and Dixon looked away.

"Work is work, Kalen. You, son of Mara-Marie and Zane of the Forest Village, you of all people know that."

"I do," Kalen said gently.

"But a job does not always need to be followed through."

Kalen's brow creased again, confused, not sure he had heard correctly, Dixon had but whispered it.

"What?" he said, pressing tighter against the wall.

"There is no one else chasing you personally, Kalen," Dixon said slowly, looking up. "Mica chases Incendio. Nero and Riko chase Theth. I chase you, only me, only I determine your fate."

"Zedkiel."

"What?"

"Who chases Zedkiel?" Kalen said, "You didn't mention him."

"I don't know who follows him," Dixon said, "If there is someone, he is not part of my group. Perhaps Dustin has something special in mind for the leader of the Knights."

"Who's Dustin?"

"You are wandering from the path, Kalen," Dixon said, gently coaxing Kalen back to where his focus should be. "You always wandered from the path."

"You always told me it was not a bad thing."

"Tis not but I have been ordered to kill you, you may wish to pay attention."

"Fair enough," Kalen said, his eyes flicking up the gap in the roof. Could he fit through there? Maybe, but even if he could, could he jump that high?

"You're not listening, Kalen."

Kalen's eyes shot down and he hit the ground in fright, scrambling away. Dixon was right in front of him and he hadn't heard and sensed him approach. He trembled, his breathing fast. He had never known Dixon to move like that, so fast. He hadn't realized Dixon could do that. What a fool he was, Dixon still treated him like a child. He had always slowed down for Kalen - he realized that now - he had moved the way adults moved for children, so their little ones could always keep track of their parents or older siblings.