Zara’s POV

  The noise outside had been growing for the past hour—shouting, footsteps moving in clusters, the occasional crash of something being knocked over. Protests had become a daily occurrence, but today felt different. Louder. More restless.

  Malrick and I exchanged a glance before I stepped toward the window, peering through the glass at the crowd forming near the front gates. Signs waved in the air, angry words painted across them. End Magical Corruption. Stop Magical Violence. Magic Has No Place Here.

  “It’s getting worse,” Malrick murmured beside me. His voice was tight, his shoulders stiff. “They’re not just yelling anymore. Look at the way they’re moving. It’s like they’re waiting for something to happen.”

  I nodded, my fingers tightening on the windowsill. “Something’s coming. We should—”

  A commotion near the entrance cut me off. A group of protesters had surged forward, and at the center of it, I caught sight of the familiar silver bands on the arms of Sovereign Order members. I sucked in a breath. “Come on, we need to see what’s happening.”

  Kage’s POV

  The knock on the precinct door was sharp and insistent. Kage looked up from the file he had been studying, exchanging a quick glance with Hall before the door swung open. A uniformed officer stepped in, his face tense.

  “There’s been an incident at the university,” the officer said. “Nothing major, but the protesters and students are riled up. There was a magical outburst near the front gates. Some injuries, but nothing severe.”

  Kage was already moving, shoving his chair back as adrenaline surged through his system. His first thought was Zara. His second was Malrick. They were both at the university, and the thought of something happening to them made his chest tighten.

  Hall didn’t need to ask if Kage was coming. He just followed. The councilor, Councilor Marek, fell into step beside them as they rushed toward the car waiting outside.

  Councilor Marek was here to discuss the magical incidents that had occurred over the last few weeks. She was going to present the evidence at the council meeting tomorrow.

  “What exactly are we walking into?” Marek asked, her voice steady despite the urgency of the moment.

  “Protesters have been pushing boundaries for weeks,” Hall answered, voice clipped. “Now with tensions rising, someone was bound to snap. If we don’t handle this right, it could turn into a city-wide incident.”

  Kage barely heard them. His mind was already at the university, imagining worst-case scenarios. Zara injured. Malrick losing control. The Sovereign Order turning this into the moment they had been waiting for.

  The ride was too long, yet not long enough. As soon as the carriage pulled up, Kage was out before it fully stopped. The sight in front of him was chaos—students, faculty, and protesters, all caught in a storm of emotions. And at the center of it, Malrick stood frozen, Zara standing protectively in front of him, and a Sovereign Order member sprawled on the ground, gasping for breath.

  Kage’s stomach dropped. He had seen that look in Malrick’s eyes before—the wide, shaken stare of someone realizing what they had just done. He didn’t need to ask what had happened.

  He could already guess.”

  Malrick’s POV

  Everything happened so fast. One moment, Zara was speaking calmly, trying to de-escalate the situation, and the next, one of the Sovereign Order members had stepped forward and grabbed her by the arm.

  “You should know when to stay silent, Professor,” the man sneered, his grip tightening.

  I didn’t think. I just reacted. Kage and Zara were my family—the only ones who had ever shown me love, who had ever believed in me. I couldn’t let anyone hurt them. I wouldn’t.

  A wave of heat rushed through my veins, pulsing like a second heartbeat. The world narrowed, my vision tunneling toward the man restraining Zara. I felt the blood inside him, felt the way it moved beneath his skin, the way it pulsed through his limbs. With a single thought, I seized control.

  His grip faltered. Then, his entire body locked in place.

  He gasped, his expression twisting in shock as his fingers sprang open, freeing Zara’s arm. His breath hitched, and for a fleeting moment, I could feel the panic coursing through him—his blood turning against him, his muscles no longer his own.

  “Malrick!” Zara’s voice cut through the haze, sharp but steady. “Let him go.”

  I blinked. My hands were shaking, my pulse pounding in my ears. The man was still frozen, his limbs rigid. A part of me wanted to squeeze tighter, to make him understand what it felt like to be powerless.

  But Zara was watching. And somewhere in my mind, I could hear Kage’s words. Protect her, but don’t become the thing they fear.

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  I exhaled and released him. The man staggered back, gasping as if he had been drowning. He fell to the ground, scrambling away from me, his eyes wide with something between terror and rage.

  The crowd around us had gone silent. Some of the students looked horrified. Some of the protesters were whispering, nodding as if they had finally found their proof that magicals were dangerous.

  My stomach twisted. This is exactly what they wanted.

  Zara stepped in front of me, shielding me from the Sovereign Order who were already regaining their footing. She raised her hands, her voice steady. “This ends now. No one was hurt. We all walk away.”

  The Sovereign Order member I had stopped glared at me, his face pale. “You’ll regret that.”

  I clenched my fists, trying to ignore the way my fingers still tingled with power. “I already do.”

  Zara’s POV

  The silence after Malrick released the Sovereign Order member was deafening. For a brief moment, no one moved, no one breathed. And then, all at once, the whispers began, the ripple of fear spreading outward through the crowd like cracks in glass.

  I saw it in their eyes—the realization, the horror. They had always feared magic, but this? This was something else. They had just seen a young magical stop a full-grown man in his tracks, control his body like a puppet. And now they had their proof. Proof that magic wasn’t just dangerous—it was unstoppable.

  My heart pounded as I stepped in front of Malrick, shielding him from the growing hostility in the Sovereign Order members’ eyes. They would take him if they could. They would turn this into their rallying cry. I couldn’t let that happen.

  Then, through the chaos, I saw him.

  Kage.

  He was running toward us, his dark coat billowing behind him, his eyes locked on Malrick and me. Relief crashed over me so hard I almost staggered. I had never been so grateful to see him in my life. He was our shield, our anchor. If anyone could stop this from spiraling further, it was Kage.

  Before Kage could reach us, Councilor Marek stepped forward, her authoritative presence cutting through the tension. “Enough,” she commanded, her voice carrying over the restless murmurs. “This will not be decided here.”

  The Sovereign Order members hesitated, their leader—one of Dain’s men—gritting his teeth. “You saw what he did. You saw what he is.”

  “And you saw a child protecting someone he cares about,” Marek countered, her gaze unwavering. “This situation has already gone too far. The council will convene tomorrow. Both sides will present their case, and the city’s leaders will decide the path forward.”

  The man scowled but didn’t argue. He glanced at Malrick, his eyes gleaming with barely restrained hatred. “The council will see the truth. Magic must be controlled.”

  I clenched my fists, holding back the words I wanted to spit at him. Now wasn’t the time.

  Marek turned to me, her voice quieter but firm. “Get him inside, Zara. He doesn’t need to be out here any longer.”

  I didn’t need to be told twice. I grabbed Malrick’s arm, guiding him toward the entrance, Kage falling into step beside us. I could still feel the weight of the Sovereign Order’s eyes on our backs as we walked away.

  Tomorrow, everything would change.

  Once we were inside, I pulled Malrick into a tight hug, feeling his rapid heartbeat against mine. “Ricky, you shouldn’t have done that,” I whispered, my voice shaking with a mix of relief and worry.

  Malrick stiffened for a moment before muttering, “You were in danger. That man was going to hurt you. I—I couldn’t let him do that.”

  I pulled back just enough to meet his eyes, seeing the turmoil in them. “I know. And thank you…”

  Before Malrick could respond, Kage exhaled heavily, rubbing the back of his neck. “This is on me.” His voice was low, rough. “I asked you to protect her, and you did. But I didn’t think… I didn’t know what I’d do if something happened to either of you.”

  Malrick’s hands clenched at his sides. “I don’t regret it.”

  Kage placed a hand on his shoulder, his grip firm but steady. “You shouldn’t. But we have to be careful. They’re watching now, and they’re looking for a reason to take you away from us. We won’t give them one.”

  Malrick nodded slowly, the weight of everything settling over him. I gave his arm a reassuring squeeze. “We face this together. Always.”

  Detective Hall and Councilor Marek walked into the room, their expressions unreadable but tense. Hall’s sharp gaze scanned the room, taking in every detail, while Marek’s eyes landed on Malrick, then on me.

  Marek wasn’t just another politician. She was a member of the council that governed the city, one of the few voices within it that stood firmly on the side of magicals—despite not being one herself. Her belief in magic came from something personal, something painful. Years ago, her father had died unexpectedly, and though I had been unable to bring him back, I had spoken to his spirit, I was able to deliver his final message to Councilor Marek. My magic helped her find closure. Since then, she had fought for magical rights, knowing firsthand that magic wasn’t just power—it was connection, life, and sometimes even peace.

  “What happened here?” Hall asked, his voice even but edged with concern.

  I took a deep breath, steadying myself. “A member of the Sovereign Order grabbed me. Malrick reacted—he stopped him.”

  Hall’s gaze flickered to Malrick, who stood rigid beside me, fists still clenched. “Stopped him how?”

  Marek interjected before I could answer. “That’s a discussion for the council meeting.” She turned to Malrick, her voice losing some of its edge. “I need you there. Both of you. The council has to hear this firsthand.”

  I nodded. “And who will be speaking for the magical community?”

  Marek straightened. “I’ll be calling on a representative—a voice that will stand for all magicals in the city. They deserve to be heard just as much as the Order does.”

  Malrick swallowed hard but nodded, his shoulders still tense. “And if the council sides with them? With Dain?”

  Marek sighed. “Then we’ll be walking into a battle we can’t afford to lose.”

  Kage’s POV

  Malrick, Zara, and Councilor Marek walked ahead, their figures disappearing down the hallway as they made their way toward the university’s private meeting chambers. I turned to follow, but Hall’s hand clamped onto my arm, stopping me in my tracks.

  “You said nothing would happen with this kid,” he muttered, his voice low but edged with something I couldn’t quite place—concern, frustration, maybe both.

  I exhaled sharply, shaking off his grip. “And I meant it. Malrick isn’t dangerous. He was protecting Zara.”

  Hall’s jaw tightened. “And what happens next time? You saw their faces out there, Kage. The Order isn’t going to let this go. They’re going to use this as proof that magicals can’t be controlled. That kid just gave them everything they needed.”

  I clenched my fists. I knew Hall was right. Malrick had given the Order a reason to push harder, to demand harsher restrictions. But what was he supposed to do? Let Zara get hurt?

  “We’ll handle it,” I said finally, my voice quieter but firm. “We always do.”

  Hall let out a slow breath, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “I hope you’re right. Because if you’re not, none of us are going to like what happens next.”