BLOOD BOUND
Aurora came home for winter break differently. She was taller, more self-assured, and exuded a sense of belonging. At the station, Sera felt the change instantly as she hugged her daughter.
"You've grown."
"Three inches since September. Professor Ashwood says hybrid growth patterns are unpredictable. I might hit six feet by sixteen or stop growing next month.
No one is aware.
The streets were covered in snow as they drove home. Aurora talked about the tournament, her lessons, her classmates, and a particularly challenging project that required her to use three forms of magic simultaneously.