Page 4 of Dark Shaman: The Lost Treasure (The Children Of The Gods #98)

"Tim will want to come." Kian scooped some fried rice onto his plate.

"Based on what?" Anandur snorted. "The guy's about as cooperative as a rabid wolverine."

"Not when he has something to gain," Kian said. "And this is a bigger gain than any he has extorted from us over the years."

"So, what's the deal?" Tim returned with two bottles of beer and an opener.

"We're doing this tonight or what? Because I've got a Netflix marathon planned for tonight, and—" He stopped mid-sentence, finally seeming to notice the tension in the room.

His eyes narrowed, darting between the faces watching him.

"Okay, what's with the weird vibe? Did someone die? Because I don't do memorial portraits."

"No one died," Kian assured him. "Finish eating, then you and Esag can get started. You can use my office."

Tim studied him suspiciously. "You're being weird. Weirder than usual, I mean. What's really going on?"

"Nothing you need to worry about right now," Kian said. "Just do what you do best."

"Fleece rich dudes with too much money to spend while eating their food?"

Kian offered him a chilled smile. "I wanted to say that you draw impossible things from descriptions, but fleecing me and eating my food works too."

Tim shrugged and turned to Esag. "Give me five minutes to finish what's on my plate, and then you and I get to work. Once I start, I don't like interruptions. Bathroom breaks ruin my flow."

Kian stifled an eye roll. Apparently, food breaks didn't interfere with Tim's flow because he'd taken them during every portrait he'd drawn for the clan.

"No problem," Esag said. "I'm ready when you are."

In more or less five minutes, Tim gobbled down everything on his plate, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and got up. "Let's do this." He grabbed his art case and headed out of the dining room without waiting for Esag to follow.

"Charming," Esag murmured as he got up and exited behind Tim.

Once they heard the office door open and close, Andrew moved to sit next to Kian. "Do you really want to do this?"

Kian chuckled. "No, but my conscience demands it, so it's going to be done."

"Anyone want more moo shu?" Anandur gestured at the containers.

As time crawled by, Kian busied himself with going over emails and responding to Shai's questions.

The Chinese food containers slowly emptied as the guys kept digging in, and at some point, Tim emerged to fill up a plate and take it with him to the office without asking Kian if it was okay to do so.

Oh, well.

If he made a mess, Okidu would clean it up.

Finally, after what felt like hours, the office door opened. Tim emerged first, looking surprisingly subdued.

"I don't know who your guy is," Tim said, jerking his thumb back at Esag, "but he's got the best visual memory I've ever encountered. Like, scary good. Every detail, every proportion—it was like he was looking at a photograph in his mind."

Esag followed, carrying a large portrait. He gestured at the table. "May I?"

"Please," Kian said.

They had just finished clearing the boxes, and Anandur wiped the table clean, so it was safe.

Esag set the portrait down, and Kian felt his breath catch.

He'd seen the previous sketch Tim had done of Khiann from Annani's memory, but this was a different Khiann, or rather, a different facet of him.

There was mischief in his eyes instead of the loving expression that Annani remembered, and he looked younger, probably as Esag remembered him from their early years together.

The face that looked back from Tim's drawing was noble but approachable, with dark hair and intelligent eyes that seemed to hold both wisdom and humor.

There was strength in the jaw, kindness in the slight curve of the lips, and something indefinable that spoke of respect earned rather than demanded.

He looked like someone Kian would have liked to know.

"This is Khiann exactly as I remember him." Esag kept staring at the portrait, his eyes filled with awe. "Tim is incredible."

"It's perfect," Kian said.

"Of course, it is." Tim preened. "I don't do imperfect. Though I gotta say, this guy must have had excellent genes. That facial symmetry is unreal."

If only he knew .

"Speaking of genes," Andrew said, "Tim, there's something we need to discuss with you."

"If this is about my fee, it's non-negotiable," Tim said immediately. "Talent like mine doesn't come cheap."

"It's not about money," Kian said. "It's about you. About what you can do."

Tim's expression grew greedy. "Do you have another assignment for me?"

"Not at the moment." Kian leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. "But I'm sure I will have many more in the future.

That wasn't what I meant, though. Your talent isn't normal," Kian said bluntly.

"You know that, right? The way you can capture perfect likenesses from verbal descriptions alone and produce photo-realistic depictions that can trigger facial recognition, that's a talent so unique and so unparalleled that there is no way an ordinary human can do that. "

"Of course not. I'm one of a kind—" Tim stopped and frowned. "Ordinary human? Did you mean ordinary guy?"

Evidently, Tim possessed not only a sharp eye for detail but also a sharp mind that didn't miss much.

Kian just looked at him, letting him absorb the implications.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Tim asked.

"It means that you might be more than human." Kian smiled. "It means that you might have godly genes. I'm sure the thought has crossed your mind from time to time. You seem like the type to have a little bit of a god complex, only in your case, it's justified."

"Naturally." Tim stared at him for a long moment. Then he laughed, but it was a nervous laugh. "Okay, you got me. Is this some hazing thing? Or a reality show? Where are the cameras?"

"No cameras," Andrew said. "No joke. We're completely serious. You might be a dormant carrier of special genes, and we have a way to test that hypothesis."

Tim snorted. "What if I do? Does it make me royalty or something?"

"Not royalty, just someone with the potential to become immortal."

Tim's face went through a series of expressions—disbelief, fear, and finally, something that looked almost like hope.

"Immortal," he said flatly. "Like, live-forever immortal?"

"Yes," Kian confirmed. "I know you've wondered about Andrew's transformation and how he became taller and younger looking.

The story about the rejuvenation spa and spinal realignment was obviously fabricated.

He was a Dormant, and we activated him." Kian waved a hand over everyone present. "All of us here are immortal."

"This is insane," Tim said, but he didn't sound like he disbelieved them. Instead, he sounded like someone whose world had just shifted on its axis. "You're telling me that you are all immortal, and that I might be one of you?"

"Potentially," Kian said. "The only way to know for sure is to test it."

"How?"

"You'd need to fight one of us," Anandur said. "Get our aggression up enough to produce venom, then get bitten. If you're a Dormant, you'll go through the transition."

"And what if I don't?" Tim asked.

"If not, nothing happens," Kian said. "You remain human, and we can make you forget this conversation ever happened."

"Make me forget?" Tim's eyes narrowed. "How? And did you say get bitten? And venom?"

"We can make you forget by thralling you," Andrew explained. "Which is a form of mental influence. It's not dangerous if done right, and we can tell you more about the getting bitten and venom parts after you confirm that you are on board with the testing."

Tim was quiet for a long moment, processing. "Why tell me now?" He asked the question Kian had been expecting. "You've known me for years."

"We weren't sure, but the more of your creations we see, the more evident it becomes that your talent is supernatural, which is often an indicator of the presence of godly genes.

You are not getting any younger, and the transition takes a toll on the body.

The older you are, the more difficult it gets.

It can even be deadly, but we haven't lost a transitioning Dormant yet.

I just need to tell you that so you can make an informed decision. "

Tim narrowed his eyes at Kian. "What's the catch? There's always a catch."

"No catch. After you transition, you will move into our secret village.

You can continue working for the government just like Andrew does, or you can quit your job and devote yourself to art.

All living expenses are covered, and you'll even get a small allowance.

What you earn from your art is yours to keep. "

A grin spread over Tim's face. "Where do I sign?"