Page 51 of Blood Currents
“Aurora’s covering for us.To everyone else, we’re buried in an intensive study session in the royal dorm.”He extended his hand, silver light gathering around his fingers.“Ready to collect the others?”
I took his hand, the warmth of his magic meeting mine in a familiar rush—steady, grounding.Keane had always felt like this: a quiet anchor when everything else was chaos.
“First stop, Cyrus,” he said, opening another flawless portal.
We stepped through liquid starlight and landed on the front walk of the Raynoff estate.
Cyrus emerged almost immediately, his pack slung over one shoulder, movements clipped and efficient.His eyes found mine and lingered just a fraction too long—steady, searching, like he was trying to read everything I wasn’t saying.My heart gave an unhelpful stutter.
“Any trouble getting away?”Keane asked.
“Told my father I was staying at the academy for extra training.”Cyrus’s tone was dry.“Apparently, my magical control still needs work.”
“If only he knew,” I muttered, earning a brief, humorless quirk of his mouth.
Another portal shimmered open.“Elio next,” Keane said.
The Lightford estate loomed like a monument to power, every detail as perfect and cold as its owners.
Elio slipped out a side door, Echo’s scales flickering anxious purples as she climbed onto his shoulder.His smile was flawless, as always, but I’d spent enough time with him to recognize the cracks in the mask—the faint strain in his voice, the illusions fluttering unevenly at his fingertips.Once, I would have reached for him, closed that distance.Now, I stayed silent.
“Ready?”Keane asked as Elio joined us.
“As ready as we can be,” Cyrus replied, still watching Keane with that careful reassessment he couldn’t quite hide.“A lot of this plan depends on variables we can’t control.”
“Which is why we’re doing it together,” Elio said smoothly, though his illusions flickered faintly at his fingertips.
Keane offered his hands.“Portal travel’s more stable with contact for longer distances.Everyone ready for Wyckhaven?”
We stepped through together, our magic harmonizing with Keane’s in a way that felt almost effortless now.The transition was soft, like moving through a veil of silver water, and when we landed, the cold of Wyckhaven’s winter bit immediately at my cheeks.
“Impressive,” Cyrus said.
Wyckhaven was like a town caught between centuries—stone buildings etched with magical wards standing beside modern shopfronts glowing with fairy lights.The air hummed with layers of magic, old and deep, settling into my bones with an almost physical weight.
“There.”Keane pointed to the quaint storefront.“Silverpine Pages.”His eyes met mine for a brief moment, and my cheeks warmed when I remembered our date there.
“Everyone remember the plan,” Cyrus said as we approached, his voice clipped and authoritative.“Students on a research trip.Nothing more.”
I pushed open the door, the cheerful chime announcing our arrival.Warm air, spiced with old paper and incense, wrapped around me like a hug.Classical music drifted from somewhere near the back, soft and welcoming.
“We’re just about to close,” a voice called from between the stacks.
“I’m looking for silver bells,” I said, hoping I had the code exactly right.
An elderly Black man emerged from between the shelves, his salt-and-pepper beard immaculately trimmed and his eyes as sharp as the crisp creases in his tweed vest.When his gaze settled on me, it was like being pinned in place—not unkind but unwavering in its assessment.
Keane shifted beside me, confusion flickering across his face.“I’m sorry, I was expecting to see Dr.Walton.Is she—”
“Not here today,” the man said simply, still studying us with careful attention.
I tapped the paper where it clearly saidMr.Walton, and Keane nodded.He’d told me before that a retired professor owned the shop.Maybe this was her husband?
“Students, are you?”he asked finally.
“Yes,” Elio said smoothly, “we’re working on a research project about—”
“About silver bells,” the man interrupted, his tone carrying a note of dry humor.“Yes, you mentioned that.Interesting research topic for academy students.”
