Shalap looked at me and Evena, her curious eyes bouncing between us like she was measuring something.
"So they are my brother and sister?" she turned toward Sinus, blinking.
"Oh yeah, they are," Sinus nodded with a proud smile.
Shalap stepped forward, hugged me tightly like she'd known me forever, and said, "Okay, you are my brother."
"Why brother? Why not big brother?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"She is big sister," Shalap said, pointing toward Evena with all the authority in the world.
"And why not me?" I tried again, confused.
"You're only one year older than me," she said without hesitation.
"Oh. I see?"
There wasn't much to argue against that.
Then, without skipping a beat, Shalap turned to Evena and hugged her too. For a second, Evena froze like a puppet with cut strings. Her eyes blinked rapidly as if she couldn't believe someone was this close—this warm. Shalap snuggled in tighter, and Evena… slowly rested her head on Shalap's shoulder. Her eyes closed, like she was memorizing the feeling.
I couldn't help but crack a small smile. Maybe this place would work for her.
"Well, anyway," I said, clapping my hands, "that settles it. Storytime."
Monday arrived at the perfect moment, carrying snacks like a man on a mission. Gars and Sinus plopped down in front of me like kids waiting for a bedtime tale. Shalap remained glued to Evena's side, who—despite her usual detachment—stayed seated, her arm gently touching Shalap's.
I launched into the tale. The deity. Ophean. Wanora's Light. The chaos, the barrier, the way it turned night into day. They had all felt it—even if they couldn't see the Light itself. It had made people talk. Whisper. Wonder. By the end, even the skeptics among them fell silent.
Shalap was the most skeptical, her face twisted in disbelief.
Gars reached out, gave my back a heavy pat. "You did well, Heide," he said with that rare, honest grin. "I'm sure Gramps would be madly proud. You broke one of his barriers. The old man would've gone on about it for weeks if he were here."
I smiled softly. "Yeah…"
We all missed Gramps. Maybe more than we admitted. If Gramps had been here, maybe Evena would've smiled like us by now. But he wasn't. So I'd do what I could to make sure this place—our home—became something she could belong to.
---
The next few weeks passed in a blur of peace. Rest. Laughter. Taskhand went back to its natural rhythm. I found myself dozing off more often than not, interrupted only by small tasks here and there.
"Hello! Mail!" the mailman's voice cut through the afternoon like a blade.
I walked to the backdoor—the usual place for our deliveries since the front was always swarmed with random task-takers. I picked up the box. It had a note.
To Wanora, by Levinar.
Huh.
I walked into Wanora's office. She was mid-sip, tea in one hand, calm as a sleeping dragon. The moment she saw me:
"Don't know what's called knocking?"
"Oh, screw off," I muttered, stepping in and handing over the box.
She raised an eyebrow, sliced the tape clean with a knife.
"…Imp's tail."
My eyes went wide. "Hey, what—"
She smiled, casually. "Hey Heide. Prepare a pact formation."
"Huh? How? What?"
She sighed, almost pitying me. "Nevermind."
She went to the closet, pulled out the safe, twisted the dial like she'd done it a hundred times, and from inside brought out a single ring.
She slid the ring onto her finger. Instantly, it cut her skin. Blood trickled. She held the Imp's tail and let the blood drip onto it.
The moment the blood hit the tail, it erupted into flames.
"Get out," she said.
I didn't argue. I closed the door behind me, smiling faintly to myself.
---
Inside the office, Wanora didn't flinch.
The flames danced and whirled, forming a figure. The imp emerged, larger than expected. Stronger. But it was missing its tail.
Wanora stared at it without blinking. She reached forward and attached the tail, fixing a second ring around it.
"Well, there you are," she said with a smile. "From now on, you're my slave. Disobey, and you die."
The imp stared, silent… and then, it laughed. A huge fireball exploded in its hand and came hurling toward her.
Wanora raised her palm. Absorbed it. Effortless.
The room fell into silence.
"Hey," she said, voice low. "You can't beat me. I don't think you get it yet. I summoned you so I don't have to use First Fire all the time. So shut it. You don't have a choice—the ring and the blood are on your tail."
The imp's rage simmered beneath the surface, but it didn't move. Having your fire absorbed like nothing was the magical equivalent of a toddler being scolded and shoved in a closet. It hated it, but it couldn't do anything.
Wanora handed it the tail. The imp wordlessly attached it and vanished.
She exhaled, sat back down, wiped the blood off, and began bandaging her now-missing little finger.
---
Outside, Evena was adjusting slowly. Still quiet. Still herself. But there was progress. She had started to get things on her own. Took a few tasks here and there. Moved with more purpose.
She walked up to me, stopped in front of me, and said in a soft voice,
"Katherine… called… you."
She stuttered. Paused between words. But she got it out. I didn't mind. None of us did.
I walked to the reception. Sure enough, Katherine stood there like a vision in morning light. Wanora had already come down. Probably used her Clarion to peek through the wall.
"This early?" Wanora asked, eyes narrowing. "You wanna die?"
"Wanora… oh dear. Don't threaten me. I'm getting married soon."
"Oh, congrats," I said, clapping with a smile. Evena mimicked me, clapping with both hands. She was trying. That was enough.
Katherine smiled smugly. "Thanks. Still, an explanation is needed."
"Yeah… go, Heide," Wanora muttered with a scowl.
I looked at her. She was clearly not in the mood.
"Sure," I said, sighing. "Let's go."
Katherine led the way. I waved at Wanora and Evena. Evena waved back.
I climbed into the carriage.
"To the tower, please," Katherine told the driver.
As we drove off to the authority of continents tower.