ログインZeda burst through the front door of her apartment, her heart hammering against her ribs as the ticking clock in her head grew louder.Carrie wasn’t home yet, so she began scrambling around the room, grabbing her essentials while pulling out her phone to dial her roommate.Carrie answered on the second ring, her voice bright. "Hey, Zee! What's up?""Carrie, the mage kingdom is going for a mission right now," Zeda breathed out, her hands moving rapidly as she rifled through her drawers."I was selected among the twenty people tasked to carry it out, and we’re leaving immediately.”There was a pause on the other end of the line, followed by the rustle of Carrie shifting around."Wait, really? When are you guys supposed to come back to the academy?""Tomorrow," Zeda replied, tossing a few items onto her bed. "We will be staying away just for a single night.""Oh wow, okay! Congratulations, Zee," Carrie said excitedly, then her tone became cautious. "But please, you have to stay safe out
The silence in the conference room stretched thin as Mr. Percival leaned forward, his gaze fixed on the center of the table. "The village we are targeting is remote," he began, his voice echoing slightly against the high ceiling. "The closest hotel is a small, local establishment, and we were only able to secure thirteen rooms for the entire group. “Between the twenty mages, the driver, and the five medical staff joining you, there are twenty-six people in total. That means we will be doubling up. You’ll have to pair with a partner to share a room for the duration of the stay."Lucas blinked, his eyebrows shooting up toward his hairline as he let out a sharp breath. "That’s it? That’s the big inconvenience?"Zeda let out a long, quiet sigh of relief. She had been braced for something grueling, perhaps an announcement that they would be forced to go without supplies. Sharing a room felt manageable. It wasn't exactly a luxury, but for a short mission, it was hardly a disaster. She k
Everyone sat perfectly still, their eyes locked on the Director as he prepared to lay out the stakes of their sudden summons. Mr. Percival leaned back, the leather of his chair creaking under the weight of his authority. "There is a group of dangerous, rebellious, rogue supernatural beings causing trouble," Mr. Percival began, his voice devoid of emotion. "Our intel suggests they plan to attack a nearby human village by dawn tomorrow. “Their goal is to seize it, likely to turn it into a permanent refuge or a base of operations for further raids. I want you to stop them before they even reach the perimeter." The air in the room seemed to chill. Zeda felt a prickle of unease crawl up her spine. A village. Real people with real lives were being targeted by things they probably didn't even believe existed. Ava shifted in her seat, her fingers laced together on the polished table. "Sir," she began, her voice respectful but curious, "are they planning to wipe out the entire pop
The heavy doors to the mage kingdom conference room groaned as they swung open, revealing a space that felt much older and colder than the rest of the building. A long, dark wood table dominated the center of the room, polished to a mirror finish that reflected the dim light. Nine chairs surrounded it—four on each side and a larger, more imposing head chair at the center. To the left, a tall, narrow window overlooked the front grounds, offering a view of the gray sky and the wet grass that shimmered under the damp air of the rainy season.Mr. Percival moved with a purposeful stride and settled into the head chair, his presence immediately anchoring the room, while Adrian took the seat closest to his right. Zeda hesitated for a heartbeat, her eyes scanning the empty chairs, before she finally settled into the seat beside Adrian. The proximity felt strange now—comforting yet tense after the kiss that had been so abruptly cut short.They sat in a silence so thick it was hard to breath
Zeda watched the warmth drain from Adrian’s face as he pulled away, his focus shifting entirely to the phone vibrating in his hand. A deep frown creased his forehead, and the air between them—which had been soft and electric just seconds ago—suddenly turned cold and professional. Before she could find the words to ask who was calling, Adrian answered, his voice dropping into a respectful, measured tone as he greeted Mr. Percival. Zeda stood there, her heart still hammering against her ribs from the kiss, but the romantic haze was already evaporating. She understood that look on Adrian's face; it was the expression he wore whenever duty called, and the fact that Mr. Percival was calling personally meant something significant was happening or about to happen. She decided to wait in silence until the call was over, but she didn’t have to wait long. The conversation lasted less than thirty seconds, ending with a sharp click that left the room feeling emptier than before. When t
“It happened on her birthday,” Adrian revealed. “We had a three-day mixed team mission and the second day was her birthday. Mr. Percival respected our relationship and gave us the option of opting out of the team and celebrating together because obviously, no one wanted to spend their birthday in pain while fighting on a war front with the potential of being killed. Ava agreed, but I didn’t. I didn’t think it was right for a leader of one of the kingdoms to be unavailable when needed by the academy—to be unable to help because of a birthday party. I told her that I’ll make it up to her when I return and went for the mission while she stayed behind.”“I guess she didn’t want anything to do with you when you returned?” Zeda asked.Adrian nodded. “When I came back, she was livid. She said I valued my position, title, and reputation over our relationship. That she had willingly adapted to be with me, but I’ve never done that—never sacrificed for our relationship,” he chuckled without humo
“Oh my goodness, Z, you were amazing!” Carrie exclaimed when Zeda and Rylan joined her at the table after the first act of the drama.The performance had taken a short break at the climax due to a technical malfunction, leaving the crowd at the edge of their seats.“Your acting skills are even bett
Zeda considered her options. She wanted to choose the second option, but it was impossible to find a job at the academy that would earn her five thousand dollars in three months to pay Torvin back. She also wanted to focus on her training lessons with Adrian and access her powers quickly without b
Zeda recoiled at Torvin’s demand. “No, I won’t.” She couldn’t dance with another guy now that she was with Lucian, especially not Torvin. He was an asshole.“No? It seems you want to owe me forever. My patience is thin,” Torvin said with a careless shrug.“How is dancing with you related to clearin
“Hi, I’m Ava,” Ava said, offering a handshake. Zeda and Carrie took it.“I’m Zeda.”“Carrie.”Ava smiled at Zeda, her bright blue eyes sparkling beneath a bob of perfectly styled black hair. “You’re the new mage. Adrian’s personal student, the girl everyone’s talking about.”“Yeah, obviously,” Zeda







