Page 41 of Heir of Shadows

19

Keane

I hadn’t meantto watch her quite so closely. But tracking her movements had become almost unconscious—a window here, a glimpse there, just to ensure she was safe after what happened at the Cauldron on Saturday. Just to observe, I told myself. Nothing more.

Nothing to do with the way she looked in that damn maid uniform. Or the way I did nothing while they humiliated her.

She had knelt there, fire in her eyes, refusing to break even as they taunted her. And I had done nothing. Promised them I wouldn’t interfere. Loyalty to the heirs came first. I had told myself that again and again, but it didn’t stop the way my stomach had twisted as Elio toyed with her. As Cyrus pushed her past her limits. As I sat there and let it happen.

And now she wouldn’t even look at me.

I had tried. A quiet nudge here, an open portal there. Small offerings, barely enough to be called apologies, but she saw them for what they were. And she ignored them all the same.

Wisp flickered uneasily beside me as I hesitated. I knew where she was—tucked away in a reading alcove, far from the chaos of the main study area. I should leave her be. She wanted nothing from me. She had made that clear when we crossed paths in the hall this morning, her eyes burning with unspoken accusation before she turned away.

I should leave.

Instead, I stepped through a portal, closing the distance before I could stop myself.

She startled at my arrival, knocking over a pile of notes. Scout chittered irritably at me from her shoulder.

“Sorry,” I said quickly, keeping my distance. “I didn’t mean to—”

“Spy on me through your portals?” A hint of a smile took the sting from her words, but there was something else behind her eyes—something bruised and wary. “I’m starting to get used to it.”

I swallowed hard. “I wasn’t—I just…”

“Haven’t spoken to me for a while?” she finished, voice tight. She bent to retrieve her scattered notes, movements sharp, controlled. “The dead things notice when your little windows appear.”

“You’ve been avoiding me too,” I pointed out before I could think better of it.

She froze. Then, exhaling sharply, she shoved the papers back into a messy pile. “You didn’t stop them.”

“I know,” I said. “I’m sorry—not just for what happened Saturday, but for the uniform, for all of it. I should have done better.”

Scout clicked his jaw in a sound that might have been agreement. Wisp flickered uncertainly.

“What are you working on?” I asked quickly, hoping to move past everything I already knew I’d done wrong.

She hesitated, then gestured to her notebook. “Basic magic. Everyone else seems to just know how to do these things. Make light, move objects. But when I try…” She showed me her notes—messy but methodical, patterns half-formed. “It’s like speaking a language where I only know three words.”

She was trying so damn hard. Not just to memorize—to understand. And that got to me—in a place I didn’t want to think about.

“You’ve actually got the right idea,” I admitted. “You’re just making it more complicated than it needs to be. Think of magic like…” I hesitated, choosing my words carefully. “Like water finding its way through pipes. It needs a clear path.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Is this another setup? Like Elio’s little trick with remedial class?”

“No.” I meant it. “Would it help if I showed you? Sometimes seeing it makes more sense than reading about it.”

She watched me carefully, weighing the offer. Then, finally, she gave a short nod. “Fine.”

I opened a small portal in my palm, just large enough for Scout to peer through. On the other side, I created a view of the sunset over the mountains. The edges darkened slightly but she was too focused to notice.

“See what’s happening?” I ran a finger along the edge of the portal. “It’s just about shaping the path—like digging a channel for water to follow. Magic wants to move. You’re just giving it direction. The books make it sound more complicated than it is, but it comes down to intention. You need to show it where to go.”

She leaned in, notebook ready, and her scent washed over me—something floral mixed with old books. “So when I try to make light…”

“You’re creating a path between your magic and where you want the light to appear.” I kept my voice steady despite her proximity. “Here, watch what happens when I make the portal bigger and smaller.”

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