A Noble’s Inquiry
The morning sun bathed the Tristain Academy in golden light, but the air was tense with whispers.
Something had happened last night.
A strange pulse had rippled through the academy—brief, but undeniable. Some thought it was a noble testing a new spell. Others suspected a hidden artifact’s activation.
But a few—those who had been near the gardens—had felt something far more unsettling.
Louisa sat stiffly at breakfast, barely touching her food. Her thoughts were elsewhere.
She had been there. She had seen the torches flicker, felt the sudden shift in the air. And she had seen Priyam freeze—his usual arrogance replaced by something she had never seen before.
Shock.
Fear.
Recognition.
What had awakened in him?
"You're distracted this morning," a smooth voice cut in.
Isabelle d’Este.
Louisa’s fingers tightened around her fork. "And you seem quite pleased with yourself," she shot back.
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Isabelle smirked, sipping her tea. "Can you blame me? Last night was… fascinating."
Louisa's eyes narrowed. "You were with him when it happened. What do you know?"
Isabelle set her cup down, resting her chin on her hands. "I know that Priyam is hiding something. And whatever it is, it's not insignificant."
Louisa felt a twinge of unease.
She hated that Isabelle had been there. That she had seen something Louisa hadn’t.
And worse—she knew Priyam wouldn’t just tell her.
He wasn’t the type.
He kept things to himself.
But she wasn’t going to let him do this alone.
---
The Scar of Power
Elsewhere, in a secluded section of the academy, Priyam sat alone beneath an ancient oak tree, staring at his hand.
Something was different.
Last night, he had felt it—a force deep inside him, buried beneath the surface.
And when it stirred, something changed.
Rolling up his sleeve, he traced his fingers over his forearm.
A mark had appeared.
It wasn’t a wound, nor was it a tattoo. It shimmered faintly in the morning light—an intricate design of interwoven symbols, pulsing ever so slightly.
It wasn’t there yesterday.
And yet, it felt… familiar.
Like it had always been part of him, waiting to be revealed.
Priyam clenched his fist.
This was it.
The beginning of something more.
He wasn’t going to remain powerless in this world.
---
A Test of Strength
"Priyam."
He looked up to see Louisa standing before him, arms crossed.
"You've been avoiding me," she said flatly.
"Have I?" Priyam smirked. "Or have you just been chasing me?"
Louisa scowled. "What happened last night?"
Priyam debated telling her.
Then he decided against it.
"Nothing."
"Liar."
Priyam chuckled. "You wound me, Louisa."
She stepped forward. "Priyam, this isn’t a joke. Something changed in you. I can feel it."
Priyam hesitated.
Then, without a word, he extended his hand.
And for the first time—he called upon it.
The mark on his forearm glowed.
A sudden gust of wind surged around them, rustling the leaves, sending dust spiraling upward. The energy in the air crackled, invisible yet undeniable.
Louisa’s eyes widened.
"You…" She took a step back. "You have magic."
Priyam lowered his hand, flexing his fingers.
"No," he said quietly. "I have something else."
Louisa swallowed.
She wasn’t sure whether to be relieved… or terrified.
---
A Shadow Watching
From a distant balcony, a hooded figure observed the exchange, golden eyes gleaming beneath the shadows.
The rumors were true.
Priyam was no ordinary familiar.
And the Duke of Hohenstein would want to know.
With a final glance, the figure disappeared into the darkness.
---
End of Chapter 6