Chapter 60: Lock Spell

Elara:

Kairo opened one of the books and skimmed through several pages before his expression changed slightly. "You know Liliana isn’t going to leave you alone after today, right?"

My attention immediately shifted toward him as I replied, "I figured that much."

He shook his head. "No. I don’t think you understand." His teasing tone had disappeared now, replaced by something much more serious. "She won’t simply be angry because you made her loose face in front of nearly half the academy. She’ll blame you for everything that happened afterward."

"Everything that happened afterward?" I repeated, confused. "Are you talking about her losing 30 credit points and getting a detention?" I couldn’t help the little scoff that escaped me. "I don’t think that’s even enough compared to the half of the day I spent unconcious in the infirmary, at least not if it teaches her nothing."

Kairo didn’t say anything. He just studied me with an expression that made it seem like he wanted to tell me something but eventually decided against it.

"I just want you to know that today’s incident will only make her and her lackeys target you more. Maybe not publicly, but there are far worse things they could do when no one’s watching. So be careful." He sounded genuine about his warning.

I let out a soft sigh. "I never expected anything to change for the better, anyway."

That usual smile returned to his lips and he tilted his head, looking at me with a proud expression. "You are smart, Princess."

"Can you stop calling me Princess all the time? I got a name." I couldn’t explain exactly why him addressing me as ’Princess’ bothered me so much. Or maybe bothered wasn’t the right way to put it.

There were so many people who had addressed me as such, but there was something about the way he said it which made me feel he didn’t use the title because I was supposedly a real Princess. Instead, it carried a different meaning.

A small frown appeared on his face instantly, and for a moment, he went cute from charming. "Why? I like calling you that."

I stared at him. Not sure what to say to that. Eventually, I just gave up and tried to reach for the books. "If you aren’t going to teach me, then let me study on my own."

Before I could pick up the books, his hand caught my wrist and stopped me. My gaze immediately lifted and met his, my heart skipping a beat at the sudden contact.

"Of course, I’ll teach you." He said, releasing my wrist and putting the books aside on the floor beside him. "How about we start with a lock spell?"

"A lock spell," he repeated with a nod. "Simple enough that even someone with little magic can attempt it, but useful enough that you won’t have to worry about waking up one morning to find your enemies inside your dorm."

I gave him a flat look. "You make it sound comforting."

"I’m charming. Comfort isn’t really my specialty." The grin that accompanied those words made it difficult not to roll my eyes.

He explained how every dorm door in Moonveil could be sealed by its resident with a personal magical signature. Once activated, the spell would recognize its owner’s energy and reject anyone else who tried to enter without permission. It wasn’t an especially powerful spell, because it didn’t need to be. The real strength came from the connection between the spell and the person casting it.

"Think of it like leaving your fingerprint on the door," he said. "Except your fingerprint is magical, and anyone trying to break through gets thrown back."

I nodded slowly. "And what happens if I fail?"

"Nothing dramatic." His smile widened. "The door stays unlocked."

I took a breath and fixed my gaze on him. "Fine. Teach me."

Something close to mischief flickered through his eyes. "You know, you are surprisingly obedient when you actually want something."

"Don’t ruin the moment."

He chuckled and moved closer until his knee brushed mine. The contact was barely anything, yet my entire body seemed to notice it. I immediately shifted my attention to the book he had opened on his lap.

Kairo didn’t comment, thankfully. Instead, he pointed at the first line of the spell and instructed me to memorize the meaning rather than the exact pronunciation.

I repeated the phrase quietly, trying to understand every syllable before holding my palm toward the floor.

"Now," he said, his voice dropping into a softer tone, "don’t force your magic. Call it."

I frowned. "How?"

"The same way you would call someone you trust." He explained patiently.

That made me look at him. "And what if I don’t trust my magic?"

His lips curved. "Then start by giving it a reason to trust you."

I stared at my palm for several seconds before closing my eyes. I had tried this countless times during the past three weeks. Usually, there was that familiar warmth, a faint pulse beneath my skin that disappeared almost as quickly as it came. But today felt different.

Maybe it was because of what had happened during combat class when my power rushed out to protect me from Liliana’s attack. Maybe it loosened the seal enough for my magic to reach me better than ever before. Whatever the reason, the moment I reached inward this time, warmth answered me almost immediately, catching my breath.

There it was. Stronger than before. It was still nowhere enough to overwhelm me, but enough that I could feel something moving beneath my skin. "Kairo..." I whispered. "I feel it."

"I know." His answer came instantly.

I opened my eyes and found him watching my hand rather than my face, his expression serious as he guided me."Don’t lose it. Follow that warmth."

I focused harder.

The warmth gathered in my palm, spreading toward my fingertips until faint silver-blue sparks flickered between them. My heart began pounding. I repeated the spell, this time with more certainty, and the air around us shifted. A thin translucent shimmer appeared around my hand before stretching toward the nearest bookshelf.

"That’s it," Kairo murmured. "Keep going."