Naja’s POV

  The tavern was warm, the air thick with the scent of roasted meat and the low murmur of conversation. A candle flickered between us, casting shifting shadows along Doran’s face as he leaned back in his chair, watching me with that easy, knowing smirk of his.

  “You’re thinking too hard,” he said, tilting his mug toward me. “That’s dangerous.”

  I scoffed, sipping my drink. “I don’t think you’ve ever thought too hard in your life.”

  Doran chuckled, setting his mug down with a soft thunk. “You wound me, Naja. Here I am, trying to show you a good time, and you’re convinced I’m some empty-headed brute.”

  I arched a brow. “You are a brute. But empty-headed?” I took another sip. “That remains to be seen.”

  He laughed, his eyes crinkling in amusement. I hated that I liked the sound. It was easy, warm—something I wasn’t used to. Not anymore.

  “Alright then,” he said, leaning forward, resting his arms on the table. “Let’s put that theory to the test. Ask me something. Anything.”

  I narrowed my eyes, playing along. “Fine. What’s the most dangerous thing you’ve ever done?”

  He exhaled, shaking his head as he traced a pattern on the wooden table. “That’s a hard one. There’s a difference between stupid and dangerous—I’ve done plenty of both.”

  I smirked. “Figures.”

  “But,” he continued, tapping his fingers against the table, “if I had to pick, I’d say… standing up to the Sovereign Order.”

  The amusement in my expression faded. “You really don’t hold your tongue, do you?”

  “Not when I believe in something,” he admitted. “I’ve seen too many people turn a blind eye, pretend none of this is happening. I won’t do that. Even if it’s dangerous.”

  I studied him, my fingers tightening around my mug. “And why do you care so much?”

  Doran tilted his head, considering me. “Because I know what it’s like to be powerless. To watch the world take and take and have no way to fight back.” His voice lowered slightly. “Magic or not, we all deserve the right to exist.”

  I looked away, swallowing the unexpected lump in my throat. He made it sound so simple, like it wasn’t something we had to fight for every damn day.

  Before I could respond, my communicator buzzed against the table. I sighed, already knowing who it would be. Zara.

  I picked it up. “What is it?”

  “Malrick’s training,” she said, getting straight to the point. “I need your help.”

  I rubbed my temple. “Zara, I’m—” I glanced at Doran, hesitating. I had one night to myself. Just one. “—busy.”

  “You’re on a date,” Zara corrected, amusement lacing her voice. “Which is fine. But I could really use your magic for this.”

  Doran raised a brow at me, clearly listening in. “Who’s that?”

  I ignored him. “Why do you need me?”

  “Malrick is making progress, but he needs a controlled environment,” Zara explained. “And your healing magic could counteract his if anything goes wrong.”

  I sighed, weighing my options. Doran, ever observant, must have caught the shift in my expression because he leaned forward, a half-smirk playing on his lips.

  “Sounds important,” he mused. “I take it I’m not invited?”

  I opened my mouth to shut that down immediately, but then hesitated. He had been honest with me—open in a way most non-magicals weren’t. And truth be told, I was… curious to see how he’d handle it.

  “Fine,” I said, standing. “You want to see what my life looks like? Let’s go.”

  Doran’s grin widened. “Now we’re talking.”

  I shook my head as he tossed a few coins onto the table and followed me out. This was either a terrible idea… or a strangely good one. Either way, it was too late to turn back now.

  Doran’s pov

  I arrived at the backyard with Naja, my eyes darting between the glowing symbols and floating embers of magic that hung in the air. The scent of damp earth and burning incense mixed under the open sky, making the whole place feel more like a sacred ritual site than a backyard. This was beyond me—beyond anything I’d ever seen before.

  Naja slipped her hand into mine, giving it a small squeeze before stepping forward. Her silver hands glowed faintly as she gestured toward me. “Alright, introductions. Everyone, this is Doran. He’s not magical, so try not to scare him too much.”

  I scowled. “I’m not scared.”

  “Sure,” she said, clearly not convinced. “Doran, this is Zara, necromancer extraordinaire. The brooding one is Kage, he has shadow magic. And the nervous one over there is Malrick, you’ll get to see what he can do.”

  Zara gave me a small nod, her green eyes practically glowing in the dim light of the setting sun. Kage offered a slight smile, giving me a nod of acknowledgment. “Good to meet you, Doran,” he said, his voice steady but lacking the brooding edge I expected. Malrick, the youngest of the bunch, offered a tense smile before shifting awkwardly under my gaze. My eyes caught something strange—his veins, faintly glowing beneath his skin, pulsing like something alive. I shuddered. What the hell kind of magic did he have??

  I folded my arms, trying to look more comfortable than I felt. “So, what’s the lesson today? Raising the dead? Summoning demons?”

  “Nothing that dramatic,” Zara said, crossing her arms with a smirk. “I haven’t summoned any demons in weeks.” My eyes widened in alarm, and before I could form a response, the entire group burst into laughter. Kage chuckled, Malrick let out a relieved snort, and even Naja shook her head with amusement.

  Zara waved a hand in my direction, still grinning. “Relax, Doran. I’m just messing with you.” I exhaled sharply, rolling my shoulders as my pulse settled. “Right. Of course. Just a joke.”

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  She winked. “Mostly.”

  I studied her, a shiver running down my spine. It was one thing to joke about magic, but Zara had an undeniable power that made me wonder just how much truth lay behind her words. The way she carried herself, the sheer confidence in her abilities—it was both terrifying and impressive.

  Then, clearing her throat, she continued, “Malrick has done well with control over the last week, but now it’s time to take the next step.”

  Without hesitation, Kage drew a small blade from his belt and dragged it across his forearm, allowing the blood to drip freely onto the ground. As the first drop fell, his shadow shifted—too deliberately, as if it had a mind of its own. I stiffened, my stomach twisting at the sight. “What the hell? You people always do things like this?”

  “Relax,” Zara said. “He’s fine. This is one of the reasons I asked Naja to come—if anything goes wrong, she can heal him.” I glanced at Kage’s arm, then at Malrick’s glowing veins, my stomach flipping at the sheer unnaturalness of it all. This was magic at its most raw, and I couldn’t decide if I was appalled, fascinated, or just outright disturbed.

  “You need to learn how to manipulate the blood—draw it from the body, suspend it in the air, then control it,” Kage explained, his tone as steady as ever. “Eventually, you’ll be able to slow the flow in a wound, stop it entirely, and even form a scab.”

  Malrick’s eyes widened, his hands clenching at his sides. “You want me to—?”

  “Yes,” Kage interrupted, his voice firm. “You have the ability. Now you need the skill.”

  Zara turned to Naja, her expression serious. “Make sure he doesn’t lose too much blood.”

  Naja nodded, her glowing hands at the ready. “I’ve got it.”

  Malrick swallowed hard, then took a steadying breath. He reached out hesitantly, his fingers hovering over Kage’s wound. The air around them shimmered faintly as Malrick focused, a bead of sweat forming on his brow. Slowly, a thin stream of blood lifted from Kage’s arm, hovering in the air, twisting and curling like a ribbon caught in a breeze. I exhaled sharply, shifting uncomfortably. The way it moved—unnatural, controlled, alive—made my skin crawl.

  Malrick exhaled sharply, his fingers trembling as he guided the floating blood. The tendrils curled and shifted, and then, with another deep breath, he willed it back toward Kage’s wound. The blood obeyed, seeping into the cut, and as he focused, a thin scab began to form over the opening.

  I leaned against a post, shaking my head in disbelief. “Magic really is something else,” I murmured, half to myself. This world was so much more than I had ever imagined, and honestly, it was starting to freak me out.

  Kage gave a slight nod. “Good. Again.”

  And so they did. Over and over, Malrick repeated the process—lifting the blood, suspending it in the air, then guiding it back to form a scab. Each time, his control improved. The trembling in his fingers steadied, his focus sharpened, and the blood moved more smoothly under his command.

  I watched, both disturbed and intrigued as the gruesome lesson continued. Kage, ever patient, remained still as Malrick practiced, but even I could see how his breathing grew heavier, how his stance wavered just slightly after each attempt.

  Finally, Zara stepped forward, her green eyes narrowing as she took in Kage’s increasingly pale complexion. “That’s enough,” she said firmly, placing a hand on Malrick’s shoulder to stop him mid-motion. “You’re doing great, Malrick, but Kage looks like he’s about to pass out.”

  Malrick’s eyes widened in alarm, and he quickly let the blood drop back into the wound, his face paling. “I-I didn’t realize—”

  Naja was already moving, her silver hands glowing as she pressed them gently to Kage’s arm. “You should have stopped sooner,” she chided, though her tone remained light. “He may be tough, but he still has limits.”

  Kage let out a breath, shaking his head. “I was fine.”

  “You were two minutes from hitting the ground,” Zara countered. “We’re done for now.”

  I exhaled, watching as the tension eased slightly from the group. Magic was incredible, sure, but watching them push themselves like this? It was another reminder that power always came at a cost.

  The tension from training finally eased as they took a well-earned break. The sun had dipped lower in the sky, casting a warm glow over the backyard. Zara and Naja disappeared into the kitchen to prepare food, while Kage, Malrick, and I lingered outside, sitting on the porch steps.

  I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling deeply. “You know, I never thought I’d be sitting here, casually watching blood float in the air like it’s normal. Magic is… crazy.”

  Kage smirked, leaning back against the post. “It’s crazy to you because you weren’t raised around it. But you’re different from most non-magicals. You don’t run. You don’t pretend it doesn’t exist. You actually want to understand.”

  I let out a short laugh. “Yeah, well, when your girlfriend is a healer and your new friends can control shadows and raise the dead, ignorance isn’t really an option.”

  Malrick, sitting cross-legged in the grass, chuckled. “You say that like it’s normal. Most people would be running for the hills.”

  I glanced at him, raising an eyebrow. “What, and miss out on the chance to hang out with the most dangerous people I’ve ever met? No way. Besides, if you can get past the initial horror of watching blood defy gravity, it’s actually kind of fascinating.”

  Kage nodded, his usual guarded demeanor slightly softer. “That’s more than I can say for a lot of people. Fear keeps most non-magicals from even trying to understand.”

  Malrick looked between the two of us, his posture more relaxed than I’d ever seen it. “I guess it’s nice, knowing not everyone thinks we’re monsters.”

  I clapped him on the shoulder. “Monsters? Please. I’ve met worse creatures in alleyway fights. At least you guys have rules.”

  Malrick laughed at that, and for the first time since I met him, he looked like he truly belonged.

  Zara’s POV

  Inside, the kitchen was filled with the comforting clatter of pots and the aroma of freshly cooked food. I stirred a pot while Naja chopped vegetables, our movements effortless from years of working side by side.

  Naja glanced at me with a knowing smile. “So, how does it feel to have a kid now?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Malrick is not a kid.”

  “He’s only 14,” Naja teased, bumping my shoulder playfully. “You and Kage are basically his parents now. You took him in, you’re training him, and whether you admit it or not, you care.”

  I sighed, setting down the knife. “It’s not like I planned it. He just… needed help.”

  Naja’s teasing softened into something more sincere. “And he’s lucky to have you. Both of you. You and Kage are good for him. He’s finally in a place where he’s safe.”

  I considered that for a moment before changing the subject. “Speaking of lucky, what’s going on with you and Doran?”

  Naja’s face lit up, and she practically glowed as she grinned. “Oh, Zara, he’s wonderful. He’s funny, thoughtful, and he actually listens when I talk about magic instead of shutting down. And he makes me laugh in a way no one else does.”

  I smirked. “You’re smitten.”

  “Maybe a little,” she admitted, grinning. “It’s nice, being with someone who sees me for me, you know?”

  I nodded, then hesitated before Naja gave me a pointed look. “And you? How are things with Kage?”

  Kage has closed off a bit since Malrick got here. I can tell he’s holding something back, but I don’t know what. He’s always been guarded, but this feels different—like he’s carrying some burden he won’t share. I think he just believes that if he keeps moving forward, nothing can go wrong, but I can see the tension in his shoulders, the way he watches Malrick like he’s waiting for something to happen. I just wish he would talk to me about it.

  By the time the food was ready, the sky had darkened, and the warm glow of lanterns lit the backyard as we all gathered around the table. The aroma of freshly cooked stew and warm bread filled the air, and for the first time in a while, everything felt… peaceful.

  Doran leaned back in his chair, grinning. “You know, this isn’t so bad. A little terrifying at times, but mostly good company.”

  Before anyone could respond, a sudden clatter interrupted the moment as Bones, Zara’s skeletal cat, leapt onto the table, its hollow eyes gleaming in the dim light. Doran let out a startled yell, nearly toppling his chair as he scrambled back. “What the—?!”

  The magicals all burst into laughter, Kage shaking his head with a chuckle. “Relax, Doran. It’s just Bones.”

  I smirked, scratching behind the cat’s exposed skull. “He likes to make an entrance.”

  Doran placed a hand on his chest, catching his breath. “You people and your damn magic.”

  The laughter continued, and for a moment, it didn’t matter that we were all different, that the world outside feared magic. Here, at this table, we were just… family.