3

Aiden walked home slowly after the crystal incident. His arm still felt cold where the shadows touched him. Like something inside him had woken up and wouldn't go back to sleep.

He kept thinking about Damian's hand on his waist. How strong it was. How safe it felt. But also how tight—like Damian never wanted to let go.

Aiden shook his head. "He's just protective," he told himself. "That's what friends do."

His small room was dark when he got inside. He locked the door like Damian always told him to. Then he sat on his thin bed and stared at the wall.

His phone buzzed.

Damian (text):

You home? Safe?

Aiden smiled a little. He typed back fast.

Aiden:

Yes. Locked in. You okay?

Damian:

Always when you're safe.

Rest. Tomorrow we train your shadows.

Aiden's heart jumped. Train? Like real magic lessons?

Aiden:

Really? Where?

Damian:

My place. Noon. Don't be late.

Aiden put the phone down. He felt excited. Scared too. But mostly excited.

The next day he told Sera everything at the market.

Sera's eyes went wide. "You're going to his house? Alone?"

"It's just training," Aiden said.

Sera grabbed his hands. "Aiden, listen. Damian looks at you like... like you're his whole world. That's not normal friend stuff."

Aiden pulled away gently. "He's been good to me. He saved my life more than once."

"I know," Sera said softly. "But promise me—if anything feels wrong, you run. Okay?"

Aiden nodded. "Promise."

At noon Aiden went to Damian's place. It was a tall black building in the rich part of Nightspire. Guards at the door knew him. They let him in without questions.

Inside it was fancy. Dark wood, red curtains, candles everywhere. Damian waited in a big room with no windows. The floor had a circle drawn in chalk—magic circle.

Damian smiled when he saw Aiden. "Good. You're on time."

Aiden looked around. "Nice place."

"It's safe," Damian said. "No one can see in. No one can hear."

They started training. Damian told Aiden to close his eyes and feel the shadows inside him.

"Think of something dark," Damian said. "Something scary."

Aiden thought of the night his parents died—fire, screams, him hiding alone. Shadows came out from his fingers. Small at first. Then bigger.

Damian watched closely. His eyes were hungry.

"Good," he whispered. "Now shape them. Make them do what you want."

Aiden tried. The shadows twisted into a small bird. It flew around the room.

Aiden laughed. "I did it!"

Damian stepped close. "You did." He touched Aiden's cheek. Soft. Slow. "You're stronger than you know."

Aiden felt warm. Too warm. He looked up. Their faces were close.

Damian leaned in a little. Like he might kiss him.

Then the door opened.

Thorne came in fast. "Boss. Trouble."

Damian pulled back. His face changed—cold now. "What?"

"Inquisitors. They found one of our shipments. Vesper Kane is leading them personally."

Aiden's stomach dropped. Lord Vesper Kane—the name everyone feared. The man who burned magic users alive.

Damian looked at Aiden. "Stay here. Safe."

"No," Aiden said. "I want to help."

Damian stared. Then he nodded slowly. "Fine. But stay close to me."

They went out together. Thorne drove a black car fast through the streets.

At the docks, chaos. Inquisitors in black masks surrounded crates. Lord Vesper stood in the middle—tall, silver hair, white coat. He looked calm. Like he owned the night.

Vesper saw them arrive. His eyes went to Aiden.

"Ah," Vesper said. His voice was smooth. "The shadow boy. I've been waiting to meet you."

Damian stepped in front of Aiden. "Stay away from him."

Vesper smiled. "Protective. How sweet. But the boy has something I need. A gift from long ago."

Aiden felt cold. "What gift?"

Vesper didn't answer. He raised his hand. White light shot out—bright, painful.

Damian pushed Aiden down. The light hit the ground where Aiden stood. It burned a hole.

Fight started.

Damian used blood magic—red lines from his cuts, fast and deadly. Thorne made earth rise to block attacks.

Aiden tried to use shadows. They came, but weak.

Vesper laughed. "Still young. But you'll learn. Soon you'll come to me willingly."

Damian roared. He attacked Vesper hard. But Vesper was strong. He blocked everything.