Firouz had advised them all to give him time to sort things out and a little bit of space. Bryn took that advice one step farther. Sinbad scared her now, and she made certain never to let him closer than arm's length. Just the sight of him froze her blood and whenever he got close, she got a chill down her spine as when someone walks over your grave. For as much as she tried to convince herself the feelings were unfounded, they still refused to subside.
Only a week after the unexplained and unexplainable events found Bryn standing topside. Dermott perched on the rail beside her and she playfully ruffled his feathers, though her mood was anything but playful. Just the knowledge that the young Captain stood on the other side of the deck, staring out at the sea, made her blood run cold. When he stole a glance her direction, she turned quickly and tried to force back her fear.
Though her back was turned, she knew he had begun to walk towards her and she was afraid. Dermott sensed the tension and let out a loud squawk before taking to the air and perching overhead but still nearby, watching. "Bryn," Sinbad said. His voice was quiet but the sound of it made her tremble.
"What do you want?" she said, fear making her voice a little harsher than she meant.
"I need to explain something to you but you have to promise not to tell anyone else," Sinbad said. A slight tremor lit in his voice but it did nothing to calm Bryn. She told herself again how irrational it was to be afraid of this man who had treated her so kindly, but his eyes on her made her skin crawl.
"Of course," she said, quietly.
"The reason we've been sailing aimlessly is because I've been trying to find Rumina," Sinbad explained. "I think I know where she is but you can't tell the others what I'm doing, OK?"
"Sure," Bryn agreed. "But why would they care? Who is Rumina?"
Sinbad felt like he was trying to explain why to world was flat but he chose the highlights of his relationship with Rumina and said, "She's a sorceress. We've had a few run-ins though and basically, she wants to kill me but she's the only one I can think of who might know... who might be able to help."
"OK," Bryn said, not sure she understood but more than anything she just wanted him to retreat to his little corner of the deck and not come near her again. He nodded then turned and walked away. Her heart slowed back to normal and she felt a little safer with him on the other side of the ship as opposed to standing over her. Dermott came down and perched back on the rail, squawking his concern.
"Everything's fine, Dermott. I hope."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Sinbad left his crew almost the instant the Nomad docked. He didn't know how but he knew exactly where Rumina was. He found the hotel, went straight to her door, and knocked. Rumina shuddered when she felt the presence of someone with immense power outside her door. She took a deep breath before calling out, "Who is it?"
"It's Sinbad," came the reply. Rumina made no pretense of hiding her surprise. Had the handsome sailor finally come to his senses? Either that or whoever stood on the other side of the door had just lied and the powerful presence she felt said that the second was more likely.
"Coming," she said, as she slowly opened the door. She scanned the man up and down. Then up again and then down again. She hadn't seen Sinbad in a while and though he had the same strong handsome face, he could've almost been someone else. The tight leather pants suited him, as did the length of his bronze hair. What didn't suit him was the fear behind his eyes.
"Come right in," she said, stepping aside and gesturing him in, then searching outside for the source of the power she still felt. Finding nothing, she closed the door behind him. "This is a pleasant turn of events. You coming to me for once." The powerful presence hadn't subsided but with Sinbad in her room, she no longer cared. She settled herself gracefully across the bed and patted a spot beside her. "Let's catch up a bit, Sinbad. Long time no see."
Sinbad took a few steps towards her and she suddenly realized that the electricity in the air was emanating from him. She jumped up and threw her hands out. "Stop," she screamed. "Stay right there and don't come any closer. I wouldn't think twice about flambeing you where you stand. No more lies and no more games. Who are you?"
"This is no game, Rumina," Sinbad said quietly. "This is really me but I have no idea what's wrong with me." She could hear a child-like quality in his voice and she was concerned that he looked truly frightened. "I thought maybe you could help me find out... what happened."
Rumina found herself trusting those sea-blue eyes just as she always had. Whatever power she felt inside him, he was still the same Sinbad. "First, it might help if you told me what happened to... do this to you," she said softly, dropping her hands to her sides.
"I'm not sure," he said, his voice cracking. "He wanted the power from this crystal so he could rule the world and he said he could get the power if I touched it and I didn't want to but I must've and then he said he didn't want to share it and he tried to kill me but I killed him first and now I..." The story had rolled from his lips in a rush and now he stopped suddenly, his eyes filling with tears. "You're afraid of me and so is Bryn, but I don't understand why?"
"Perhaps this Bryn can sense the same thing I can," Rumina answered, keeping her distance. "I'll try to help but first, tell me about this crystal."
"There were two of them," Sinbad began. "They were dark red, almost black, and attached by a gold chain." Sinbad stopped when Rumina's eyes grew wide.
"The Blood Crystals," she whispered. "I thought they were only legend."
"So you know about them?" Sinbad asked hopefully.
"I know enough of them not to free their power," Rumina said, putting a bit more distance between herself and Sinbad. "Twin brothers, sorcerers, and they hated each other. They were more powerful than anyone has a right to be and still young. One challenged the other to a fight to the death. Their parents tried to stop them but it was no use. They were both as strong as the other and neither would let up. Finally the parents trapped their powers in the Blood Crystals, saying they would release the powers once the boys agreed not to use it on one another. They both refused. A short time later, one of the boys died. Because of the spell the parents had used to trap the power, there was no way to release it without both boys but legends began that all that is needed to break the spell is the blood bond. Brothers, sisters, any blood relation. Then the crystals vanished and the story became legend. Who is this man who needed you to release the power? What is he to you?"
"My father," Sinbad whispered. His heart pounded in his chest and he tried to slow his blood but he couldn't. There was more he needed to know. "Whatever is inside me... this power. I have to get rid of it. Sometimes, I can hardly remember who I am or was, I don't know, through this haze of anger and hate. It just keeps getting stronger and I don't know how to stop it." Rumina saw a single tear gleam in his thick lashes and watched it rush down the curve of his cheek. "Please, help me. I can't live with this inside me. What do you know about it? And can you help me get it out of me?"
"That power is pure evil," Rumina said, softly, distantly. "That's all I know of it. And I wouldn't for my life want the burden of it upon me..." Then almost as an afterthought but with no real thought to it at all, "... or you." She extended one hand without taking a step closer to him. "I'll help in any way I can. Come with me." He looked from her light hazel eyes to her outstretched hand and reached out to her.
She misted both of them out of the room and to a musty library. She dropped Sinbad's hand and began digging through a pile of leather-bound books on a table. Sinbad followed her but his presence made her nervous. She dropped one of the books and looked fearfully at Sinbad as he picked it up and set it on the table next to the others. "Sinbad, don't take this the wrong way but can you stand over there?" Rumina pleaded, pointing across the room. Sinbad obliged and Rumina began thumbing through one of the books. "So, do you have any idea what you're capable of now?" she queried.
"Do I look like someone who knows much about magic?" Sinbad retorted. Rumina giggled and shook her head. She was much more at ease with him a bit farther away. "All I know is I burned his wrist and some blue stuff came out of my eyes," Sinbad answered matter-of-factly. Rumina laughed again at his explanation. Then she drew her breath sharply, holding up a book.
"This is it," she said, handing Sinbad a book bound in leather so red it was almost black. Sinbad held his breath as he took it and turned it over in his hands. His eyes took in the worn cover, the frayed edges and delicate pages. Rumina snatched it back from him and opened it.
"Can't you read, sea dog?" she snapped. She looked up at him and caught the wounded look in his sea-blue eyes and found herself apologizing. "Sorry. I guess I'm not very good at my people skills."
"You don't have to apologize," Sinbad said. "As long as you'll help me figure out what's going on, I'll put up with every insult you can dish out." Rumina shoved the books to the other side of the table and sat, gesturing for Sinbad to sit beside her.
"Ordinarily, I'd probably take you up on that offer," she said, with a smile. Then she looked into his eyes and grew serious. "But since you can't control that power, I don't want to risk making you mad and having you zap me into oblivion, okay?" Sinbad laughed softly and nodded. "Good, now that that's behind us..." She began skimming the pages of the old book. "Power of the brothers... released by touch... depth of evil... hmm, let's try this part. 'Legend has it, the evil of the brothers originated in ancient Egypt when a pharaoh summoned the demons of darkness and possessed two young boys to do his bidding...' Let's try a different section," Rumina said, suddenly. Sinbad felt despair wash over him. He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples.
Rumina glanced over at him and noticed his tension. She set down the book and stood behind him. She placed her hands on his shoulders and began gently massaging the knotted muscles. He groaned under her touch as his tension eased for the first time in a week. His long soft hair brushed her hands as she rubbed and she wanted to run her fingers through it, letting them tangle its thickness. She had grown accustomed to the evil power emanating from him and now, it drew her to him. She was enjoying being on the same side as the object of her desire. Especially since he had come to her.
Sinbad enjoyed their closeness no less. For a week, he had avoided any and all contact with everyone around him, fearing what he might now be capable of. He had grown desperate for human contact, even if it was Rumina. She looked better than he remembered. It no longer mattered that she worked for the side of evil. Now, he walked the line, neither good nor evil, and he sensed that he would eventually have to choose. With Rumina working her magic on his tight shoulders and neck, he thought it might not be so bad to join the side of evil.
t.b.c.