Page 22 of Magic in My Bones

I nodded, my mind racing with the possibilities. “But who would do such a thing? And to what end?”

Mina sighed, her gaze returning to meet mine. “I wish I had the answers, my dear. But in my experience, those who seek to exploit the suffering of others rarely have noble intentions.”

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees as I considered her words. “Then we must uncover the truth before more harm can be done. These spirits, as tormented as they may be, do not deserve to be used as pawns in someone's twisted game.”

Mina sighed. “Unfortunately, I’m afraid I’ve been sidelined for the time being. You’ll have to find yourself another partner in crime to investigate this time, old friend.”

I smiled, a fond twinkle in my eye as I reached out to pat Mina's hand reassuringly. Mina had been there for me during some of my darkest moments, including the aftermath of my parents' tragic experiment. She'd shown up at Gran's cottage in Ireland with a pot of tea, a shoulder to cry on, and centuries of wisdom about handling grief. “The dead may leave us,” she'd said then, “but love? Love stays.”

It was Mina who'd helped me see that necromancy could be beautiful rather than terrible, who'd taught me that speaking with the dead didn't mean losing touch with the living.

“Fret not, my dear Mina,” I said. “Your well-being is of the utmost importance. Focus on mending your wounds and regaining your strength. The secrets of these tortured spirits shall not elude us for long.”

Mina returned my smile, a knowing glint in her gaze. “And I suppose a certain dashing young necromancer-in-training will be assisting you in this endeavor?” She arched a delicate eyebrow, her tone playful yet laced with understanding.

I pressed my lips together and turned away, tapping my fingers on the arm of the chair. “I hadn’t considered inviting any of my students to assist, but now that you mention it…There is one withpotential.”

Mina’s smile widened as she sat up a little straighter, her tone light and teasing. “Potential, hm? Youdohave a soft spot for the underdog, Dorian. But I suspect there’s more to this than a simple academic interest. Is itonlypotential you see in this student?”

I shifted in my seat, feeling warmth creep up my neck. Thoughts of Ren had been haunting me like particularly persistent spirits lately. I thought of the way his eyes lit up whenhe mastered a new spell, how his genuine compassion for the dead matched my own, the gentle strength he carried beneath his awkward exterior. “It's not like that, Mina. He's a student. I'm his professor.” I traced the rim of my teacup, remembering how my heart had nearly stopped when I'd found him in the necropolis, his magic dancing with the spirits so beautifully. “Besides, he deserves someone closer to his own age. Someone who hasn't spent decades wrestling with the darker aspects of our craft. It wouldn’t be…appropriate.”

Mina gave a dramatic sigh, as though she’d just heard the most predictable of responses. “Appropriate, Dorian? You, of all people, are going to talk about appropriateness?” She gave a little wink. “Let me remind you, I’ve lived long enough to know thatappropriateis a very flexible concept. Especially when it comes to matters of the heart.”

I gave her an exasperated look. “This isn’t about that. He’s young. He deserves the chance to focus on his studies, to grow and thrive and not be distracted by... well, me. He sees the beauty in the art,” I found myself saying softly. “In death magic. Not just its power or its practical applications, but its genuine beauty. Do you know how rare that is, Mina? To find someone else who understands that?”

Mina chuckled softly, crossing her arms in a way that suggested she knew exactly where this was heading. “Well, I don’t know much about the lad, except for the rumors that swirl around him. They say he's talented, clever, a bit awkward. Precisely your type, if I recall.”

“As if you would ever forget anything.” I snorted and finished off the last of my tea.

“And,” she continued, holding up a finger, “if he’s as talented as you say, he’s more than capable of handling a littledistraction.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but she held up a hand, cutting me off with a playful smirk. “Now, I’m not saying you should throw caution to the wind, though ithasworked out for me in the past, I’ll admit. But you’renotgetting any younger, Dorian.”

“I beg your pardon?” I lowered my empty teacup and scowled at the vampire across from me. Not getting any younger? Now there was the snake calling the adder a serpent.

“Time is a fleeting thing,” Mina said, “and you’ve spent so many years keeping everything so...orderly.” She let the word hang in the air, almost teasing. “Maybe it’s time you let yourself have a little fun.”

I thought of the quiet moments in class when Ren would look up from his work, catch my eye, and smile that gentle, slightly uncertain smile that made him look both younger and somehow older than his years. I thought of how naturally our magic resonated when we worked together, like two instruments perfectly in tune. “It's not about fun, Mina,” I said quietly. “It's about... it's about doing what's right. Even when 'right' feels rather like holding your breath underwater.”

She raised an eyebrow. “And how long do you intend to keep holding that breath, my dear?”

I let out a sigh, rubbing my temple. “Mina, you’re impossible.”

She leaned back again, her smile wide and warm, as if she'd already won. “Impossible? Or justpractical? The boy’s got potential. You’ve got time. Maybe nota lotof time, but enough to enjoy what’s in front of you. Don’t let it slip away because of some self-imposed rule about what’sappropriate.”

I frowned, but couldn’t entirely suppress the smile tugging at my lips. “You’re incorrigible.”

Mina gave a soft laugh, the sound like honey in the quiet room. “I preferpragmatic, myself. Now, go on. Go invite the lad over for tea, maybe take a romantic stroll at midnight through thewhispering wood with him. See where it leads. You’ll feel better about it. I promise.”

“I’m not sure Iwantto feel better about it.”

She winked. “Oh, trust me, Dorian. You will.”

9

Autumn Runes

Ren

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