"Kai, what's wrong?" he asked, moving quickly to sit beside him. "Kai, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Kai flashed a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "How is the boy?"

"Better when I left Abe. He has—"

"Alchzic curse, I know."

Dallan wasn't surprised. Kai was a man of knowledge and must have seen the signs in Jake. "I don't know how we can get a solution though," Dallan said and shrugged.

Kai said nothing since he was too busy trying to decode the sparkle in Dallan's eyes. "What happened?" he asked out of the blue.

"Huh?"

"I what happened?" Kai repeated.

"I... I don't understand you. What do...