Chapter 390 Practical Magic for the Outside World

Chapter 390: Chapter 390 Practical Magic for the Outside World

Emilia’s POV

Grandmother and I spent hours discussing what kind of classes to offer. By the time we finished, it was well past midnight.

"Are you sure you can pull this off? What if nobody shows up?" she asked.

"Then I’ll teach an empty room," I said. "At least the chairs won’t talk back."

She laughed, and that was how we settled it.

It wouldn’t be a spellcraft lesson. The coven already had plenty of those, taught by women who could bend fire and bone. What they lacked was practical knowledge of the world beyond the forest.

So we came up with something different. A class about how the outside world worked, the differences between wolves and witches, and why ignoring those differences could get you killed. I’d teach them how to spot a con artist, give basic first aid, read a map, use a phone, and find information when no one would hand it over. Most importantly, I’d teach them how to survive beyond Hollowthorn on their own.

I refused to call it "How to Become Civilized." That title would give Carina a weapon before I even opened my mouth. I wanted something that made it clear we were equals, not that I was dragging them out of some hole.

"Practical Magic for the Outside World," I told Grandmother.

She raised an eyebrow. "There’s no magic in any of it."

"That’s a little creative advertising," I admitted. "But it’ll get them through the door."

"Clever," Eve murmured. "Though they’ll figure out the trick soon enough."

"Let them. By then, they’ll already be sitting down."

The first lesson attracted exactly five students.

Melissa and Hazel took the front bench, looking as eager as ever. Behind them sat three younger witches who kept glancing at the door, afraid of getting caught going against Carina but too curious to stay away.

Five was still a victory, even if a small one.

Then Carina arrived.

She was late on purpose, letting the door bang against the wall. She settled onto a stool at the back, crossed her arms, and looked like a queen forced to attend a disappointing circus.

After listening for a while, she finally spoke.

"If the outside world is so wonderful, why did you come crawling back here?"

A few younger witches flinched, waiting for me to lose my temper.

I simply looked at her.

"Because this place is mine too," I said. "That doesn’t mean I have to pretend it’s the only place worth knowing."

Her jaw tightened. She’d expected me to defend the outside world like a traitor making excuses. Instead, I’d reminded everyone that Hollowthorn belonged to me too.

So she tried another approach.

"You don’t have magic right now." She tilted her head with a cold smile. "What makes you think you’re qualified to teach any of us?"

The room fell silent. Melissa glanced at me, clearly worried.

Carina wasn’t going to miss a chance to undermine me.

"You’re right," I said. "I don’t. Not a drop, not right now."

Her smirk grew.

"So I won’t teach you spells. I’ll teach you what I know. And believe me, out there, what I know has kept me alive longer than any spell ever could."

Carina opened her mouth, then closed it. Her smirk disappeared.

"Oh, I like that," Eve purred. "Twist the knife."

I turned back to the students and continued the lesson.

I showed them how to recognize unconsciousness, clean and bandage a wound, and check someone’s pulse and breathing. I also explained when magic wasn’t enough and they needed proper medical help.

Then I demonstrated on Hazel’s arm, wrapping a strip of clean linen around her wrist.

"Snug, not tight. If your fingers turn white, you’ve gone too far."

Hazel nodded as if I’d revealed some great secret.

From the back, Carina scoffed. "Witches don’t need any of this. We can heal ourselves with basic magic. We’ve managed for a thousand years without fumbling around with bandages."

"Right up until the day you can’t," I said, without turning around. "Magic fails. Hands don’t."

She rolled her eyes.

And then, as if the universe had decided to prove my point, everything went wrong.

One of the younger witches had wandered over to the side table, where a kettle was steaming. A little girl named Posy, barely seven, had followed her sister into the room. She stood on her toes to get a better look, but her elbow caught the handle.

The kettle tipped.

Boiling water spilled across her small forearm.

Posy screamed.

The room erupted. Three young witches jumped to their feet, hands raised as they chanted healing spells. One palm glowed, but the magic sputtered and died.

Another witch stumbled over her words. Her spell produced nothing but a weak spark.

Posy cried harder, and the others grew more frantic. Their magic was useless against their own panic.

I was already moving.

"Give her to me."

I crossed the room and knelt beside the girl.

"Posy, look at me. That’s it. You’re going to be all right."

She stared at me through her tears.

"Hazel, get some cool water. The basin by the door. Melissa, bring me the clean cloth from my bag."

I kept my voice calm. Posy needed someone to stay calm, and the others needed clear instructions.

I checked her arm. The skin was red, with a few blisters forming, but the burn didn’t look deep.

Hazel returned with the basin, and I helped Posy put her arm into the cool water.

"Keep it there. Don’t rub it or scratch it."

She sniffled but obeyed.

Melissa handed me the cloth. Once the burn had cooled, I carefully patted the surrounding skin dry and loosely covered the injured area.

"Someone fetch the healer. I want her to check the burn and make sure it heals properly."

One of the younger witches hurried out.

The whole thing took only a few minutes. No flash of light, no magic knitting skin back together. Just cool water, a clean cloth, and a steady pair of hands.

Ordinary. Human.

And that was exactly why it mattered.

Posy sniffled against my shoulder. I smoothed her hair and looked up.

Everyone was watching me. Melissa looked surprised. Even Hazel had gone quiet.

Carina stood at the back, her arms still crossed. She’d clearly expected me to fail, but I hadn’t given her the chance.

As she turned to leave, she stopped at the door.

"Any child could have done that," she said flatly.

I helped Posy over to Melissa before meeting Carina’s eyes.

"Then next time, you’ll know what to do."

She held my gaze for a moment, then walked out without another word. For once, the door closed behind her without a slam.

Melissa let out a breath. "That was..."

"Just a kettle and a bit of bad luck," I said, brushing the dust from my knees. "Nothing more."

But something had changed. The three younger witches weren’t edging toward the exit anymore. Instead, they gathered around me, asking what else we’d be learning.

Five students. One of them barely seven. And even Carina had shown up, if only to complain.

"Victory," Eve said smugly.

I hid my smile and reached for another clean cloth.