Page 41 of Stranger's Choice
She stepped out of the doorway and practically pushed Sebin inside.
Timben sat behind a low table, much like the one in Sebin’s suite back in Kalitalo. He was older, but not yet old—a man with decades of experience and decades more to apply that experience. He also had the long-suffering expression of a youngster being given the same advice from his elder for the hundredth time.
Pajwar wasn’t sitting on the cushions opposite Timben. He stood over him. He turned toward the door, cocking his head to the side when Sebin walked deeper into the room. “I am not the maker of this path. I will leave it in your hands.”
With that, he turned unerringly for the door. Sebin stepped out of his way and watched him shuffle out of the room.
“So you are the prince from beyond the Storm Barrier.”
Sebin considered Timben for a moment, then shrugged. “I am a prince from the other side of the ocean. I take it you are Timben?”
“I am.” He gestured at the cushions. “Please, take a seat. I was just about to seek you out.”
Sebin sat. “Pajwar’s words hold that much sway?”
“I respect our elders, yes. But I was actually getting ready to look for you before Pajwar came in and announced your arrival in Opiesa. Not that I knew the man I was searching for was the foreign prince.”
“Then why were you seeking me out?”
“A report came from the stables that someone had arrived in the village who was immune to our power.”
So the stable hand really had tried to scan Sebin.
“Were you worried?”
“Excited. Pajwar’s report only solidifies my belief that you are the one my people have been anticipating for generations.”
Sebin wondered if it was because of his charm induced immunity to Auraelie’s power or her many years at the imperial court that made dealing with her so much saner than dealing with the oracles of Opiesa. He did not enjoy the cryptic comments that told him nothing. He was fairly certain he wasn’t supposed to.
He crossed his arms. If Timben wanted to explain, he could. Sebin wouldn’t ask for clarification.
He must have been telling the truth about being excited, because Timben didn’t wait long at all. “Pajwar is not the only one who has Seen you, or rather the changes you would bring.”
This time Sebin asked a question, but probably not the one the oracle expected. “How does that work? As your stable hand reported, I am immune to magic.”
“Yes, I would like to confirm that.” Timben held out a hand. “May I scan you?”
Sebin kept his arms crossed. “First, explain how Pajwar and these oracles from generations ago could have seen me.”
He had his own guess. When the oracles had used their power, Sebin hadn’t been wearing a null charm. But he wondered how Timben could explain this inconsistency, since he thought Sebin immune to magic.
Timben sighed. “Pajwar does not scan people. His visions focus on moments. He scanned a moment and saw a future that included you. My ancestors scanned the distant future, not a person or place. In each instance, they did not apply their magic to you, and so your immunity would not stop their visions.”
But his charm stopped Auraelie from seeing him when she scanned other people. Maybe Timben’s theory was partially right, but Sebin suspected his own about not wearing the charm also played a part. Then again, he hadn’t realized some oracles couldn’t scan people to see the future. His understanding of their magic was limited.
Timben wanted to test Sebin’s immunity. He decided to leverage that desire to gather more information. “But you access your power by scanning humans.”
“Not just humans. I can scan people of any race to see their future.”
Sebin uncrossed his arms, but didn’t extend his hand out to Timben yet. “My immunity is part of one of these visions those long-gone oracles or Pajwar had?”
Actually, Pajwar had already alluded to his charm back at the inn. Sebin wondered if he should be worried that the secret to his immunity was about to come out.
Timben shrugged. “Let me test your immunity myself, and I will explain everything.”
Sebin extended his hand. He had no reason to deny the oracle a chance to scan him, and every reason to cooperate. He wanted to know these visions the oracles had seen of him.
Timben took Sebin’s hand in a firm grip and closed his eyes. He remained like that for several heartbeats. Finally, he opened his eyes and released Sebin’s hand. “Interesting.”
