Kage’s POV

  The training rooms at the university were eerily quiet at this hour, the usual hum of students replaced with the stillness of an empty space. The walls were reinforced with runes, meant to contain magical outbursts, and the open floor provided plenty of space for us to work without risk of collateral damage.

  Malrick stood in the center of the room, his arms wrapped tightly around himself. His crimson-lit veins pulsed faintly beneath his skin, a constant reminder of what we were here to fix.

  I crossed my arms, my gaze sharp. “First goal—control.”

  He swallowed hard, nodding but not meeting my eyes. Zara stood beside me, arms crossed, her glowing green eyes locked onto Malrick with a mix of patience and determination.

  “We need to start simple,” she said. “You need to be able to touch someone without pulling from them.”

  Malrick stiffened. “I—I don’t think I can.”

  Zara stepped forward, her voice gentle but firm. “That’s why we’re here. And that’s why we’re starting with me.”

  I snapped my head toward her, frowning. “Zara—”

  She lifted a hand, cutting me off. “My necromantic tethers are stronger than most people’s. If something goes wrong, I’ll be able to handle it.”

  I clenched my jaw. Every part of me hated this idea. But I also knew Zara was right—if anyone could do this, it was her. That didn’t mean I had to like it.

  Malrick looked between us, his panic growing. “No, I can’t. I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “You won’t,” Zara assured him, stepping closer. “That’s why we’re doing this in a controlled environment. We need to know what happens when you touch someone willingly. You need to know.”

  She pulled a small dagger from her belt, and before I could protest, she dragged the tip across her palm. A thin line of blood welled up, crimson against her pale skin.

  Malrick’s breath hitched, and I saw his hands twitch, his entire body going rigid.

  “Focus,” I ordered, stepping closer to him. “Don’t let your instincts take over. This isn’t about pulling. It’s about control.”

  Zara extended her bleeding hand toward Malrick. He hesitated, trembling. “I can’t.”

  “Yes, you can,” Zara said. “You need to.”

  With a deep, shuddering breath, Malrick reached out, his fingers brushing against Zara’s palm.

  Immediately, her blood reacted—pulling toward him like a tide drawn to the shore. Malrick gasped, eyes widening in horror as the red strands curled toward him, eager, hungry.

  “No, no, no—”

  His panic rose, and I saw it happening—the magic flaring to life, the pull intensifying.

  I moved fast, getting face to face without touching him. “Malrick! Stop.”

  His eyes snapped to mine, wild and desperate. “I can’t—I don’t know how—”

  “Yes, you do,” I said firmly. “Breathe. Don’t pull—push.”

  His chest heaved, his fingers twitching as he fought against the magic. The blood hovered in the air, trembling between him and Zara, caught in a battle between instinct and control.

  “You are not your magic. You control it—not the other way around.”

  Malrick’s breath shuddered. His fingers curled, and for a moment, the blood hesitated. Then, slowly, the crimson strands retreated, seeping back into Zara’s palm, the blood forming into a scab.

  The moment the pull stopped, Malrick staggered backward, staring at his hands in shock. “I—I did it.”

  Zara smiled. “Yes, you did.”

  I released him, my own heartbeat slowing. “That’s step one. We do this over and over again today and again tomorrow. And the next day. Until you can do it without thinking.”

  Malrick let out a shaky laugh—half relief, half disbelief. “I didn’t think it was possible.”

  I met his gaze, my voice steady. “It is. And you’re going to get better.”

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  He nodded, determination settling in his expression. For the first time, I saw something other than fear in his eyes. Hope.

  Zara, determined to push Malrick further, opened her cut a little more, allowing more blood to pool onto the floor. The moment it dripped, Malrick stiffened, his hands clenching into fists. The scent, the raw energy of it, called to him, but he forced himself to remain still.

  I swore under my breath, stepping in before she lost too much. “Enough,” I growled, grabbing Zara’s wrist. “You’re done bleeding for him. Put gauze on that and wrap it.”

  She shot me a look but didn’t argue, pressing a cloth to her palm and binding it tightly. I turned back to Malrick, his expression unreadable. “Now, you’re going to move it.”

  Malrick’s breath hitched. “What?”

  “You heard me,” I said. “Push it away. Redirect it. If you can pull it, you can push it.”

  Malrick hesitated, staring at the glistening blood pooled at his feet. He lifted a shaking hand, his fingers twitching as he tried to call it, to control it, rather than letting it take over. The blood quivered, shifting slightly, but it wasn’t enough.

  “Stop thinking like it’s a curse,” Kage said, stepping closer. “Magic listens when you tell it what to do. You have to believe you’re the one in control.”

  Malrick gritted his teeth. “What if I can’t?”

  Kage exhaled, running a hand through his hair. “I was like you once. A kid with too much power and no idea how to hold it back. I almost killed a boy with my shadows once. Didn’t mean to. But I lost control, and it nearly consumed him.”

  Malrick’s eyes widened. “How did you stop?”

  “I learned,” Kage said simply. “Through discipline. Through failing. And through trying again. You’re not going to get this right immediately, but you’re not giving up either. Now try again.”

  Malrick swallowed hard, turning back to the blood. This time, when he reached out, it trembled, then—slowly—it inched away from him, like a ripple in water. It wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t easy. But it was progress.

  Still, frustration flickered in his eyes. “It’s too slow. I can’t do it like you want.”

  “You’re learning,” I reminded him. “That’s the point. Now, again.”

  Zara’s POV

  I watched as Kage stepped back, his expression shifting into something more focused, more certain. This was a side of him I hadn’t seen often, but as Malrick continued trying, I realized just how good he was at this. He wasn’t just barking orders—he was guiding, pushing, knowing when to be firm and when to ease up.

  Pride swelled in my chest as I observed him. Kage made a good magic instructor. He knew how to get through to Malrick, how to keep him from slipping into panic. It was different from how he normally carried himself—quiet, watchful, reserved. But here, he was in control, confident. And I could see how much he cared.

  I stepped beside Malrick, placing a hand on his shoulder when I noticed his frustration creeping in. “You’re doing great,” I told him. “This is something most people never have to learn. But you’re learning it, and that matters.”

  Malrick’s fingers twitched at his sides, but he nodded. He was listening.

  Kage gave me a glance, and in that moment, I knew he saw what I saw—hope. And something else, something I didn’t say aloud. He was good at this. He was good for Malrick. And he didn’t even realize it yet.

  Malrick’s POV

  The blood moved, but not how I wanted it to. It trembled, hovering in the air, pulled by the force of my magic, but it was chaotic—wild, unrestrained, slipping between my control and instinct. My hands clenched at my sides as I fought against the familiar pull, the hunger that always lingered beneath my skin. I could feel my own heart hammering, the veins along my arms pulsing in response, like they wanted to take, to consume.

  No. Not this time.

  I took a slow breath, willing the magic to listen, to obey. My thoughts raced—memories of the past, of the times I had touched someone without meaning to, of the moments I realized I was different, wrong. The fear in my parents’ eyes. The way they had looked at me like I was a monster.

  I can’t lose control. Not again.

  I squeezed my eyes shut, focusing, feeling the weight of Zara’s presence beside me, the way Kage’s voice cut through my panic. They weren’t afraid. They weren’t running. They were waiting.

  I exhaled sharply and reached out again. The blood wavered, resisting at first, but I didn’t let it take over. I didn’t let it pull. Instead, I pushed—tentatively at first, then firmer. The crimson strands recoiled slightly, like an ebbing tide. It wasn’t perfect, but it was something.

  A shaky breath escaped me as I opened my eyes, staring at what I had done. It wasn’t much, but it was the first time I had ever managed to stop my magic from simply taking. I looked at Kage, my chest heaving. “I—”

  “You did it,” Kage said simply, his expression unreadable but steady. “Again.”

  I swallowed, forcing myself to nod. My fingers twitched, but this time, when I reached for the magic, I wasn’t just afraid of it—I was determined to control it. Because for the first time in my life, I wasn’t alone in this. Kage and Zara had given me something I never thought I’d have again—a home, a chance to learn, to be more than my fear. They weren’t just teaching me to control what I feared most; they were showing me that I wasn’t a monster. I was something else. Something more. And I would not let them down.

  Zara and Kage continued to work with me for another hour, guiding me through each step with patience I never expected. I had finally gotten the blood on the floor to pool into a perfect circle, lifting it just above the ground without letting it spiral out of control. The rush of joy at finally succeeding sent a burst of exhilaration through me. Before I could react, Kage slapped me on the back, a firm but approving gesture. Instinct took over—I shied away instantly, the fear of hurting someone still deeply ingrained in me.

  But then, I realized something. Kage had touched me, his hand still resting on my shoulder, and nothing happened. My magic stirred, the pull still there beneath the surface, but it wasn’t overwhelming. It was manageable. I wasn’t hurting him.

  I stared at his hand, feeling something foreign swell inside me—relief. Gratitude. For the first time, I wasn’t alone in this. Zara and Kage weren’t just helping me control my magic—they were showing me that maybe, just maybe, I didn’t have to be afraid of myself anymore.

  Kage smiled down at me, “I knew you could do it.” My smile widened, warmth blooming in my chest. These two had given me more than just training—they had given me a home, a chance to be something more than my fears. I swallowed past the tightness in my throat, my voice quiet but firm. “Thank you… for everything.”