Chapter 5
Merlin was still puzzling over why Jasmina looked so familiar when he returned to Gaius's chambers for his afternoon chores. The old man was leafing through some books and looked up when he heard Merlin enter.
"Ah, Merlin! Have you heard about what happened last night?" Gaius still didn't fully trust Jasmina and he wanted someone to confide in.
"You mean about Jasmina? Yeah, I heard. In fact, Arthur and I went over and met her this morning." Gaius looked surprised. "Did you?"
Merlin nodded. "Gaius, Arthur and I think we've seen her before but aren't sure where from."
Gaius frowned. "Now that you mention it, she does look familiar, but Merlin, I don't entirely trust her."
Gaius spoke with such assuredness that Merlin was surprised.
"Really? She seemed really nice to me." Yet even as he said it, Merlin realized that there was something certainly not right about Jasmina besides the fact that he was sure he'd seen her somewhere before. It was all so strange.
"Merlin..." Gaius hesitated, as if he were unsure about what he was about to say. "Merlin," he began again, dropping his voice to a whisper, "I think that Jasmina might be a sorceress."
Merlin didn't know what to say to that. She certainly didn't seem like a sorceress to him, but then again Merlin himself was living proof that you can never judge based on looks. "Are you sure? I'm mean have you actually seen her use magic?"
"No," Gaius admitted, "but something just doesn't feel right about her. Promise me, something. Promise me that you'll keep an eye on her."
Merlin nodded. "Of course." Keeping an eye on people was just one of Merlin's specialties. He had done it lots a times and so far he hadn't been caught at it. "Have you told the king about your suspicions?"
Gaius shook his head. "I told him that I didn't think she could be trusted, but he didn't listen." Merlin wasn't surprised. Uther tended to ignore good advice. Merlin was beginning to think he would never learn.
"As usual." he couldn't hide a smile as he said it, and Gaius gave him a reproachful look, but then he broke down and began to laugh.
"Yes," he agreed, "as usual."