Page 3936

Hector eyed the newcomer with skepticism. “Why should I agree to that, exactly?”

“Because he will be my eyes,” said Caster, clapping Loren on the shoulder. “Through him, I will be able to see all that you do.”

That answer did nothing for Hector. “This doesn’t bode well for your claim that you won’t be spying on me, anymore.”

“Oh, come now,” said Caster, laughing. “I apologized for that, did I not? And this is a different matter. It can no longer be considered spying if you know that I am doing it, surely.”

Hector just returned a silent stare. The other man may not have been able to see his expression beneath his armor, but Hector was quite certain that his aura was saying more than enough on its own.

Caster’s smile waned, then disappeared entirely. “Perhaps that was too flippant. Very well. If you take Loren with you, then you will be able to contact me on a moment’s notice, in the event that you find yourselves in need of my services.”

Hector remained doubtful. “Your services? And what do those entail?”

“Consultation. Or an emergency escape, perhaps. Or even combat support, potentially. From what I’ve been hearing, the situation in Intar is rather... fluid, at the moment.”

“Hearing?” said Hector. “Or seeing?”

“Aha. Only hearing, sadly. I do not currently have any eyes in that region. Hence my desire to send some.”

A thought struck Hector. “Is that the real purpose of this ‘network’ that you’re trying to build? To give you more ‘eyes’ in various places?”

Caster paused at that, then bobbed his head a little. “I won’t deny that it is part of my motivation, yes. But to say that it is the ‘real purpose’ would be a mischaracterization, certainly. Why, if that was my only goal, then there are easier ways to go about it than scouring the planet for points of geographic resonance and then constructing entire towers for public use.”

Ugh. Even if the guy deserved some credit for his honesty, Hector still wasn’t exactly thrilled to hear all that. “Easier ways, like what?”

Caster motioned to Loren. “Like marking individuals with my power and having them become my eyes wherever they go.”

Goddamn. Now it was Loren who was not looking thrilled by what he was hearing. Seeing the guy’s face and reading his confused aura was making Hector feel bad for him.

Hector might not have known much about Loren yet, but it already seemed rather obvious that this was all a bit more than the dude had signed up for.