Chippy practically stumbled down the stairs to the main lobby of her house, eyes half-closed as she yawned. The crisp, cool air of the Saturday morning did little to wake her. She plopped into her usual seat, head heavy, body loose, her arms folded as she leaned forward to reclaim a few more minutes of sleep.

  Eddie was already at the table, deep into his books as usual.

  She hardly noticed anything different.

  “Good morning, Eddie…” she mumbled through another yawn.

  “Good morning, Chippy,” Eddie replied sternly without looking up from the page.

  Chippy rubbed her eyes. “Where’s Rin?”

  “She’s roommate, Chippy! Can’t you take a little bit of responsibility?!” Eddie snapped, finally looking up.

  Chippy groaned into her sleeves. “Why’re you already mad at me this early in the morning…? It’s Saturday. Normal people are asleep right now.”

  “Normal people,” Eddie said without missing a beat, “aren’t failing mana-theory and alchemy in the same semester.”

  She cracked one eye open. “You’re not failing though…”

  Eddie flipped a page hard enough to make the air rustle. “I’m Someone around here actually takes his coursework seriously—plus, I still haven’t figured out what that Ra-thing was.”

  Chippy lifted her head just enough to frown. “You’re still on ? Eddie, it was a random energy anomaly! Probably a leaky battery from the lab—”

  “Leaky batteries don’t hiss ancient dialects at people then claim to be their servants, Chippy!” He jabbed a finger at his open notebook, where messy runes spiraled into half-translated notes. “Whatever that creature was, it you.”

  She blinked slowly, unimpressed. “That’s comforting. Next you’ll tell me it wants to marry me.”

  “I’m being serious,” he said, rubbing his temples. “It shouldn’t even exist, and the academy scrubbed half the records about it. There’s something connecting that thing to you and—”

  Chippy waved him off with a lazy hand. “—and you’ll figure it out before breakfast, I’m sure. Now please, let me die on this table in peace.”

  He sighed. “You’d sleep through an apocalypse.”

  “Sleep sounds so nice right now,” she mumbled, already halfway back to dozing as she turned her head toward the lobby. Through her blurry vision, she caught a glimpse of Rin standing near the exit.

  “Oh hey… there’s Rin. She’s got a cute hat on.”

  “Hm? Oh yeah, sure, whatever. Just another day for Rin leaving her friends behind,” Eddie said absently, eyes still glued to his book.

  Then he blinked.

  And

  Rin stood at the open doors, gloves on, wrapped in a big brown French coat with darker flannel patterns. The House Master was beside her, exchanging quiet words before escorting her outside. Most alarming of all—Rin was rolling a fully packed luggage bag behind her.

  In the middle of May.

  Eddie froze. “Is… Rin going somewhere?”

  “Hm? Nah.” Chippy yawned. “She’s probably gonna fetch you some books.”

  Eddie slowly turned his head toward her.

  Chippy turned hers to meet his stare.

  A single beat of silence passed between them before—

  “IS RIN ” Chippy squealed, shooting upright so fast her chair nearly toppled over.

  #

  The morning air was cool and damp, heavy with the smell of dew and stone. Gray clouds drifted lazily across the pale sky, their edges tinted gold by a reluctant sunrise. The academy grounds were quiet—too quiet for how fast Eddie and Chippy were running. Their shoes clattered against the cobblestone path, breaths puffing in faint white wisps as they rounded the last corner toward the front gates.

  There she was.

  Rin stood near the wrought-iron gates, her small suitcase beside her and her father at her side. The chill breeze tugged gently at her coat—brown with darker flannel prints that made her look far older than she should. Nearby stood a director, his hands clasped behind his back, and beside him a grumpy man leaning hard on his cane, watching the scene unfold with visible irritation.

  “What’s the meaning of this? You children should be in your home rooms!” the director barked as Eddie and Chippy approached.

  “Eddie! Chippy!” Rin exclaimed, rushing toward them with a relieved smile.

  Steve raised a hand to the director, a silent gesture to let the kids be.

  Chippy didn’t hesitate—she threw her arms around Rin, squeezing tight. Eddie, meanwhile, skidded to a stop, his voice sharp with disbelief.

  “Rin! What’s going on?! What are you doing? Why is your bag packed? You’re not… leaving the academy, are you?”

  “Eddie!” Rin began, still trapped in Chippy’s iron grip. She tried to twist around so he could hear her better. “I… am…”

  “” Chippy cried, squeezing Rin even tighter.

  “Ahh! Chippy—too tight!” Rin squealed, her voice muffled against her friend’s shoulder.

  “But ” Eddie demanded. His voice cracked as he took a step closer, his eyes darting from Rin to the packed luggage at her feet. “What happened?! You’re literally a month and a half away from finishing your first year! And—and what about the Ra thing! We haven’t solved that problem yet!”

  Rin winced but managed a small smile. “It’s okay, Eddie. I’ll keep in touch! Maybe I can find some books or information outside the academy that could help you too! We have our communicators, right?”

  “No! That’s not the same! It

  be!” Eddie’s tone rose, raw and shaking. “All the world’s greatest knowledge lies That’s why—when you graduate—you still keep coming back!”

  The early breeze caught the edges of Rin’s coat, and for a moment, it looked as if the wind itself wanted to hold her in place. But Eddie’s words hung heavier than the morning chill, and even Chippy’s grip started to falter.

  “I’m sorry, Eddie…” Rin said softly. “I’m not cut out to stay in this academy. From day one till now, I’ve only been… a burden to you guys…”

  “What!?” Eddie and Chippy said in unison.

  “Look at me,” Rin continued, her voice trembling. “I wouldn’t have made it this far unless someone was practically holding my hand the entire way. I don’t want to live like that. I don’t want to be such a deadweight friend anymore. I want to be me. Just… Rin. I have to do that on my own. I’m sorry…”

  “You’re insane! What are you talking about? Chippy! Do you hear her?” Eddie exclaimed.

  But Chippy was already a sobbing mess, her face buried in her sleeve. Eddie scoffed and rolled his eyes before turning back to Rin.

  “You’ve never been a burden! You’ve only ever been a good friend—no, a friend! Just stay! Let’s finish this year together!” His voice cracked with hope.

  “No, Eddie!” Rin shouted back, shaking her head. “Chippy said it best herself—I’m usually just some puppy girl following you guys around. You’re used to that too, aren’t you?”

  Eddie froze. His gaze fell to the ground as he tried to recall every moment they’d joked about her tagging along, every time he’d brushed off her effort. She wasn’t wrong.

  “That doesn’t matter! I don’t care what we said!” he shouted. “Just stay! I… I can’t do this without you!!!”

  Rin sighed, her expression softening. She shook her head.

  Before she could answer, Benneth planted his cane between them, the sharp tap echoing through the morning air.

  “I think the boy has a point,” Benneth said firmly. “It’s only a month and a half left, dear.”

  “Your trickery will be allowed no longer!” the director boomed, stepping forward with a voice that cracked like thunder.

  “Samuel, there’s no trickery going on here!” Benneth shouted.

  The two men’s voices rose immediately, echoing through the air. The kids instinctively shuffled aside, each taking a step back from the adults’ clash.

  “Rin, hon—did you get everything you needed to?” Steve asked, crouching down to her level. His voice was calm, soothing.

  “Yes, Dad. It’s all in here,” Rin said, pulling her luggage forward.

  Steve took the handle and, with effortless ease, swung the heavy bag over his shoulder. He smiled and gently patted her head.

  “Good. We can leave as soon as the Directors over there finish their shouting match,” he said with a light chuckle.

  “Sir! Rin’s dad!” Eddie called out, voice tight. “Where are you taking her?!”

  “Ah, Eddie, is it?” Steve turned with an easy grin. “And how could I forget Archas’s wonderful daughter, Chippy.”

  He reached down, patting Chippy’s head before offering her a folded handkerchief. She immediately took it and blew her nose loudly into it.

  “I’ll be taking her home,” Steve continued. “And don’t worry—you kids can come visit over summer break. Rin and I have a special plan for you both.” He smiled wider. “Oh, and don’t forget to bring your families too!”

  “Yes, sir!” Chippy said brightly, still sniffling.

  Eddie wasn’t smiling. “No! B-but… Rin’s school! How could she ever become a proper sorceress without Kormadyne?”

  “My dad will be homeschooling me,” Rin said, stepping in quickly. Steve nodded approvingly.

  “And I’ll still be able to use my communicator to talk to you guys whenever I want! We can hang out during breaks too!” she added with an earnest smile.

  “Just for the time being,” Steve said smoothly. “Rin could return to Kormadyne sooner than you think. The better she gets, the sooner that happens.”

  “…Really?” Eddie asked, blinking back the sting in his eyes.

  “Absolutely. It’s just temporary,” Steve assured him. He reached out his hand. “Once she’s confident—and I’m confident in her—I’ll waste no time re-enrolling her here.”

  Eddie stared at the offered hand for a long moment, his own trembling. Finally, he reached out and took it. Steve’s grip was warm, firm, steady—almost too steady.

  Then Eddie’s eyes widened. His lips parted, ready to speak—but Benneth interjected before he could.

  “Mr. Arthur,” Benneth said, his voice cutting through the murmurs. He squinted at Steve, eyes narrowing behind his lenses. “I trust you’ve already applied for homeschooling supervision from the Federal Department of Education?”

  “Y-Yes, sir, I have,” Steve replied, forcing a polite smile. “I’ll be approved later today and can begin lessons immediately.”

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  “Mmm… good,” Benneth muttered, still watching him closely.

  “For god’s sake, Benneth, leave the man and his daughter alone!” Samuel snapped, shoving a firm hand into Benneth’s chest and pushing him aside. “You’re exhausting everyone here with your paranoia.”

  He turned sharply toward Steve. “Mr. Arthur, you and your daughter are free to leave—”

  But Benneth wasn’t done. He adjusted his coat and lifted his cane slightly. “Do keep in mind, however,” he said with a sly grin, “should Rin need to return to Kormadyne before June thirtieth, the academy doors will remain open to welcome her back with open arms. Her current enrollment isn’t forfeit until the summer break session begins.”

  Samuel sighed heavily, dragging a hand down his face. “…Right. What he said,” he muttered, clearly defeated.

  “Absolutely. Thank you both so much for your help,” Steve said warmly. “I’ll be sure to keep in touch. And Rin will certainly keep in touch with her beloved friends, right, Rin?”

  “Yes! Absolutely!” Rin chirped, smiling brightly.

  Steve and Rin waved their final goodbyes before climbing into his modest gear-gen vehicle. The engine whirred to life with a low hum before lifting from the cobblestone road. Within moments, the two were airborne, disappearing into the gray morning sky above the academy spires.

  Samuel rolled his eyes and scoffed before turning back toward the main building.

  “Director Benneth?” Eddie called, stepping forward hesitantly.

  “Actually, just call me Benneth for now,” he said, glancing down at the boy with a small smile. “Yes, lad?”

  “I… well… it might sound weird for me to say this, but…” Eddie hesitated, lowering his voice. “I don’t trust that man with Rin.”

  Benneth’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Hm?”

  “His hands,” Eddie continued. “They were rough. But in a… familiar way.” He swallowed, trying to put it into words. “There was a boy named Kyle in the Atheneum. It felt similar to his.”

  “What do you mean, ?” Benneth asked, his tone shifting.

  “He a boy! He said his name was Kyle… he was pretty tall… his nose was kind of the same too, but he had blonde hair.”

  Benneth’s expression faltered. He whipped his gaze toward the empty space beyond the gates—where the air still shimmered faintly from the departing vehicle—then back to Eddie.

  “…I’m certain it’s a coincidence,” he said after a beat, though his tone was anything but certain.

  Chippy jogged up beside them, holding out a small black band. “Look, Eddie—it’s Rin’s! She must’ve dropped it here! We need to get this back to her!”

  Benneth smiled faintly. “Hold onto it. You’ll be meeting her very soon.”

  Eddie blinked. “Soon?”

  “Now off you go. Back to your home rooms before either of you get in trouble. I’d hate to see that happen.”

  Eddie and Chippy nodded quickly, clutching the black band as they hurried back up the path. Benneth watched them disappear into the academy’s archway, his fingers tightening around the head of his cane.

  #

  “Keep holding it, Rin!” Steve shouted from behind his barrier.

  Rin gritted her teeth and pushed her wand forward, the ray of pure curse energy growing thicker, brighter — surging outward like a living current. The ground beneath her shoes cracked, grass folding flat from the pressure of raw mana.

  “That’s it! Keep going! You’re nearly there!” Steve called, straining to maintain his barrier. The yellowish-white dome flickered violently before thin fractures spidered across its surface. .

  “Almost—” he grunted, but the barrier shattered with a sharp crystalline crack.

  Steve barely managed to roll aside, landing on one knee. He snapped his wand forward, firing a burst of flame. Rin reacted instantly — her own barrier flared into existence, shimmering like glass. The Fire Bolt exploded against it, scattering embers that fizzled harmlessly around her feet.

  Her barrier hummed low at first, then pulsed brighter — stabilizing, stronger than before.

  “That’s it!” Steve shouted, eyes wide with awe. “You did it, Rin!!!”

  He ran up and swept her into a tight hug, laughing as he spun her once in the air. Rin’s tired expression melted into a wide smile, her giggles bubbling out uncontrollably.

  “You’re so strong, little one!” Steve said, grinning from ear to ear.

  Rin looked up at him, cheeks flushed, her wand still faintly glowing in her hand. “I did it… didn’t I, Dad?”

  “You did,” he said softly, setting her down and brushing a strand of hair from her face. “With the rate you’re going, I wouldn’t be surprised if you could tap into Mana Amplification… or even Mana Surge.”

  “W-Whaaa? What’s that?”

  “Ah, right.” Steve smiled. “That’s something Kormadyne teaches pretty late in their syllabus. But you know what? You’re strong enough to learn about it now.”

  He took her hand and guided her toward a nearby tree stump beside a large, mossy boulder. “Come on. Let’s sit. You need to eat before we start our next lesson.”

  Rin nodded, still catching her breath as he handed her a toasted marmalade sandwich — her favorite.

  “Alright,” Steve said, sitting beside her. “Before I start explaining, let me ask you a question. What do you think happens when a sorcerer runs out of mana in their mana pool?”

  Rin tilted her head, already chewing with her mouth full. “Hmm?”

  Steve raised an eyebrow. “You’re doing that on purpose.”

  Rin giggled through a mouthful of sandwich, crumbs dotting her cheeks.

  Steve sighed, shaking his head with a faint smile as he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. “You’re impossible,” he said, gently dabbing her face clean.

  “Hehe… sorry,” she murmured, cheeks pink. She blinked up at him. “So, um… if you run out of mana… you die?” she asked between chews, trying to sound serious but failing to hide her grin.

  “Well… close enough.” Steve chuckled. “When you run out of mana, your body starts pulling energy from your to keep a spell going. And that’s not exactly ideal—since, you know, you might need your life force for other things. Like… eating?”

  Rin burst out laughing, kicking her legs under the stump. “That sounds kinda important.”

  “It is.” Steve leaned back slightly, his tone softening again. “That’s why controlling your mana flow perfectly—to the exact fraction—can be the difference between survival and exhaustion.”

  “Mhmm.” Rin nodded between bites. “Am I doing that right, Dad?”

  “Yes, you are,” Steve said, smiling. “But there’s another side to that coin — something called ”

  “Mana… Amplification?” she repeated, blinking curiously.

  He nodded. “Let’s take something simple, like a Fire Wave… no, better — a Fire Bolt. You’ve mastered that one.”

  Rin puffed her chest a little. “Obviously.”

  Steve chuckled. “Right. So, you can keep adding mana to a Fire Bolt and make its explosion bigger and stronger, sure. But if you tap into you’re not just feeding it more mana — you’re syncing with it.”

  He gestured with his hand, tracing an invisible arc in the air. “When that happens, the spell’s impact increases exponentially. You could make a Fire Bolt explode with ten times the power of a normal cast — without using any extra mana at all.”

  Rin’s eyes widened. “Wait… you mean, I could make a huge explosion using more mana?”

  “Exactly,” Steve said, tapping the side of his head. “Your control becomes so precise that efficiency itself becomes your weapon. Every spark counts. Every motion is perfect. Pretty useful in a duel, don’t you think?”

  “Wow… that could make you win every time!”

  He smirked. “Mhm. If you can pull it off. Mana Amplification is something every sorcerer has to figure out for themselves. I can’t exactly it. I’ve only managed it… seven times in my entire life.”

  Rin gasped. “You’ve done it before?!”

  “That’s right.” He leaned back, glancing up at the clouds drifting overhead. “The closer you are to your own mana — the better you can it, feel it — the easier it becomes to reach amplification.”

  Rin nodded slowly, tucking that away in her mind.

  “Now,” Steve continued, lowering his tone, “the next one’s a bit different. ”

  “That sounds scarier than amplification…” Rin said cautiously.

  “It kind of is,” Steve admitted with a half-smile. “But it’s also much rarer. No one really understands how it happens — even the sorcerers who’ve performed it can’t explain it.”

  He reached down, picking up a fallen leaf. “Think of it this way. When your mana runs low — or you need to cast something beyond your limit — Mana Surge tears that limit open.” He held up the leaf and blew gently, sending it spinning into the air. “You draw mana from everything living around you. Plants. Animals. People. The whole area becomes a shared mana pool — and for a moment, all that energy flows through you.”

  Rin’s expression dimmed. “…That’s… kind of like stealing someone else’s mana, isn’t it?”

  Steve smiled faintly, eyes unreadable. “It sort of is, actually. You practically surge with mana at that point — hence the name. It lets you brute-force power into spells, even cast magic far above your normal capability.”

  She looked down at her wand, gripping it tighter. “That sounds dangerous.”

  “It is,” he said quietly. “But sometimes… power demands danger.”

  “I… I don’t want to hurt good people,” Rin said softly. “I don’t want to steal anything from my friends…”

  “Well,” Steve said, his tone lowering, “sometimes you don’t have a choice.”

  He paused, eyes distant. “If I’d had the ability to use Mana Surge at will… your mother would’ve been alive.”

  Rin froze mid-bite. The half-chewed piece of sandwich sat heavy on her tongue. She couldn’t bring herself to swallow.

  Steve’s gaze drifted somewhere far beyond her. “He could’ve saved us, you know… He could’ve stopped things from getting worse.”

  Rin looked up, startled — the name carried weight, a bitterness she didn’t fully understand.

  Steve caught himself, blinking before the softness returned to his face. “Sorry,” he murmured. “That one slipped out. That’s on me.”

  He reached over, gently brushing a crumb from her cheek. “It’s still something you need to understand, baby. It’s better to know everything you do in the moment than what you done after it’s too late.”

  “…Yes, Dad…” Rin said quietly. “That… that makes sense.”

  “Good.” He smiled again — that warm, familiar smile that made the world feel safe. “I’ll make sure you reach your dream of becoming a strong sorceress. I’ll be with you every step of the way.”

  Rin’s eyes lit up again. “Of course! And I won’t give up either!”

  “That’s the spirit!” Steve chuckled, patting the back of her head. “Now eat up. Once you’re done, I want to see those Fire Bolts in action against my Ice magic.”

  Rin nodded eagerly, biting back into her sandwich with renewed energy. Steve watched her with a proud smile — but his eyes, just for a flicker, were unreadable.

  #

  “I know,” Chase replied, voice low. “Eerie.”

  His wand cast a faint golden light as he swept it across the massive chamber below the warehouse. The air was cold and still, humming softly against the crystalline walls. Shadows stretched long across the floor — fragments of crystal refracting the light like frozen lightning.

  “What could they have possibly been up to here?” Sabrina asked, her boots thumping low against a layer of glassy dust.

  “I don’t know…” Chase muttered, scanning the room. “But it’s best we call HQ and get a perimeter set up. Lock the place down. This is practically a crime scene for all intents and purposes.”

  “Yes, sir. Want me to call it in?”

  “Not yet.” Chase raised a hand, eyes narrowing toward a series of faint scorch marks on the far wall. “I’ll do it. Keep looking, though, Sabrina. We’ve yet to uncover what they were doing here in the first place.”

  “Yes, sir!” Sabrina called, sprinting forward before vaulting off the edge of the massive crystal altar. Her boots clanged softly against the floor below as she disappeared into the dim blue light.

  Chase gave a firm nod, watching her go. Then his communicator began to hum.

  He exhaled through his nose, lifted it to his ear, and answered. “Yes, sir.”

  “Chase,” came the voice — smooth, distant, commanding. “What are you up to?”

  “I… I’m at the location, sir,” Chase replied, his gaze sweeping across the crystalline chamber. His squad was still hard at work, marking runes, collecting fragments, taking scans.

  “I see,” the voice replied. “Is the altar ready?”

  “It is.”

  “Good.”

  “Is the authority still in place?”

  “It is. We won’t be losing her anytime soon.”

  “Is herself ready?”

  Britlex chuckled softly. “More so,” he said finally. “Such a promising morsel. Once she steps into the altar, we’ll have our army — a perfect, smiling army. You should see her smile sometime.” A faint smirk tugged at his lips. “It’s awfully stupid.”

  “How charming,” Chase murmured.

  “There are others with you?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Get rid of them. She’s ready, and I’m not risking this over four puppets who’ve nothing better to do than play coy with you.”

  Chase’s breath caught for half a second. “Yes… sir…” he said quietly, eyes fixed on his team still combing the altar floor.

  “Good. I’ll see you soon, loyal apprentice.”

  Chase straightened, his jaw tightening. “…It’s an honor, sir.”

  The communicator clicked and fell silent, the sound of static fading into the hollow stillness of the crystal chamber.

  Chase’s voice was flat as ice. “Sabrina?” he called.

  She dropped from the altar into the blue-tinged gloom and landed beside him with a soft thud. “Yes, si—” she began — then the word died in her throat.

  He didn’t blink. His wand sang to life, a thin filament of pink light curling into shape like a surgeon’s scalpel. For a second the chamber held its breath.

  “I need you to die for me,” Chase said, each syllable measured, clinical. The light sharpened into a dagger and slid forward with impossible speed. It pierced cleanly through the center of her chest, right where the heart beat quick and young. Sabrina’s eyes widened; there was no time for a scream, only a shocked, tiny sound. Her hands fumbled at the wound, then fell slack.

  #

  “Eddie! Why do you keep inspecting it?” Chippy groaned from across the table, chin resting on her hands.

  Eddie didn’t answer. He rolled Rin’s bracelet around in his palm, squinting as the dim sunlight from the dorm window reflected off its smooth surface.

  “It’s just… I’ve never seen anything like this before!” he said finally. “It like plastic, right? Even weighs like one! And—and I’ve tried scratching it up for a week now, and it still won’t break!”

  “It’s probably enchanted or something.” Chippy pouted. “Her father truly cares, you know? And besides—” she smirked, “you’re really just proving my point here. You totally have a crush on Rin.”

  “For the last time, Chippy. I. Don’t. Have. A. Crush. On. Rin!!!” Eddie snapped, his face already bright red.

  “Brooo,” Chippy teased, “just figure it out already!”

  “Ughh! Fine! You want me to figure it out?” Eddie slammed the bracelet onto the table, stood up, and whipped his wand out, pointing it dramatically.

  “” he chanted.

  The bracelet rattled, spun like a tossed coin—and then glowed red.

  Both of them froze.

  “…What the heck was that?” Chippy exclaimed, snatching it up.

  The bracelet’s glow shifted, pulsing in a deep dark cyan that throbbed in rhythm like a heartbeat.

  “What even that? What did you cast, Eddie?”

  “I was—I was trying to make it bend…”

  “…Do it again.” Chippy dropped the bracelet back onto the table.

  “Open… cork?” Eddie tried, fumbling the words.

  “No, that’s not it!” Chippy said, drawing her own wand. “”

  The bracelet shuddered, popped upward, and began spinning again—faster this time. The dark cyan pulses narrowed into glowing lines that wrapped around the band as it whirled. Then, as the light stabilized, a red dot appeared, projected from the spinning ring — blinking on a faint holographic map.

  Eddie leaned closer. “That’s… a map of the entire U.S…”

  “Is that… New York?” Chippy asked, eyes wide.

  He squinted. “No… that’s New Hampshire.”

  The two stared at each other for a beat.

  “…Wanna go check it out?” Chippy asked with a sly grin.

  “Chippy! We How would we even leave? On a weekend, too?!”

  Chippy’s grin only widened as she pulled out her communicator. “Relax, dude. I’m a .” She winked. “I got this.”

  #

  Chase wiped the blood from his cheek, his breaths ragged. Around him, the crystal chamber was silent — four bodies sprawled across the floor, their reflections caught in the cold blue glow. Each exhale left a faint cloud in the frigid air.

  “…Nothing shall stand in our way any further, my lord,” he muttered, lowering his wand.

  “Really?” said a voice behind him — calm, low, and colder than the room itself. “Is that what you think?”

  Chase froze. His heart skipped a beat before he turned.

  Milo stood there. Cloaked in the faint crystalline light, wand already drawn, eyes unblinking.

  “What are you doing here?!” Chase barked, taking a half step back.

  “I should be asking you that.” Milo’s tone was steady, unreadable. He raised his wand higher.

  “You damn… monster,” Chase spat, forcing a crooked smile to hide the tremor in his voice. “You’d draw your wand on your most trusted colleague in a heartbeat?”

  Milo blinked once. “…Did you seriously just say that?”

  “Well—this is different!” Chase stammered. “He—he took my family hostage! He was going to kill them if I didn’t! Won’t you… aren’t you even going to ask questions? Not even going to… bring me in?!”

  Milo didn’t move. His expression didn’t change. When he finally spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper.

  “I only need to know one thing…” he said, lowering his gaze slightly. The blue light caught the edge of his wand, gleaming like ice.

  “Why are you a fan of circuses?”