The guest inside the soul

Lathel shook his head.

Pandora was silent for a moment, seemingly not ready to give up. "Even if I give you more time to think? Even if you could become a mage without needing incantations?"

The second question made Lathel hesitate.

Not needing incantations was genuinely appealing. For someone who couldn't speak, this was practically the only way to use magic like a normal mage. But Pandora had only said that each time he used the power, she would take "something he had," and refused to explain what exactly that meant.

Lathel shook his head in the end.

A sigh drifted out of the box.

"Fine. A person who's poor, weak, can't chant, and is still this hard to tempt. I honestly don't know whether to praise your caution or pity you."

Lathel ignored the jab.