Mara’s words hung in the air, warm and impossibly heavy.

  Our fight? My heart beat heavily in my chest, a slow, hesitant rhythm. My brow furrowed in uncertainty. Yes, Lord Rockford had helped me, and even Lady Ainsworth had supported me, albeit in a way that was certainly not entirely selfless. But somehow, hearing those words from her, from Mara—someone who owed me nothing, someone I barely knew—felt different. It felt terrifying.

  I had to admit to myself that I was scared. Scared of trusting, scared of leaning on someone only to fall. I was terrified of being disappointed again.

  But maybe that was part of it. Learning to trust, in order to grow stronger. I knew there would be battles that I couldn't fight alone. After all, I had paid people to search for Pip myself, precisely because I was afraid I couldn't do it alone.

  Closing my eyes for a moment, I gave Mara a small nod before saying with a genuine, hesitant smile, “Thank you. That… that really means a lot to me.”

  But as soon as she heard this, Mara’s face turned bright red. She quickly let go of me, stumbling back a few steps as if she’d been burned. “N-no problem! Hehe… s-should we start… after supper, then?” she stammered, her sudden confidence completely gone.

  Somehow… she was acting so differently than usual. Not so cold and distant? I shook the thought away and just nodded. “That sounds great. I’m actually not hungry, so I’ll probably start right away. But please, take your time. Should we meet back here?”

  Mara looked thoughtful for a moment, then she nodded, a shy smile gracing her lips. Without another word, she turned and quickly left the room.

  Shaking my head, a small, confused laugh escaping me, I went to the desk, took out a blank sheet of paper and a quill, and walked over to the bed. The girls in this city really are… strange.

  I sat on the edge of the bed and began to note down a few keywords on the paper: Fire. Life. Healing. Ember. Rebirth. And a few others. Keywords that might help me identify the Phoenix Ember Root. Carefully, I opened the massive book. My fingers gently stroked the name of the plant that had already piqued my interest at Niclas’s shop: The Salamander’s Heart. The description of its effects had only one interesting point: “Holds fiery essences granting temperance against heat.” And with that, fire resistance was the only noteworthy property of the plant that fit my criteria.

  Noting the name of the plant with the remark ‘Fire Resistance’, I pondered. Phoenixes in this world were surely fire-resistant… right? Well, it’s a start.

  With that, I turned the page, looked at the four plants on the left side, and thoroughly read their effects. An oily grass, a poisonous root, a plant whose leaves helped as a catalyst for some potions, and a tree whose bark was good for frostbite. None of it fit the pattern, so I moved on to the right side of the page. But those plants were just as unpromising. The stem sap of one plant was said to have a disinfectant effect because it was so… sharp or hot. But did that relate to fire? Uncertain, I noted it down anyway and turned the page.

  Laboriously, I leafed through the volume, studying the contents of the book page by page. Here and there, I made a few notes, but nothing truly promising emerged. Time passed, and the sun began to set, casting long shadows across my room.

  With a heavy sigh, I looked up at the gently glowing flower on my desk. So, Mara isn't coming back after all… Why didn't that surprise me? Every time I thought I could rely on someone, I was bitterly disappointed. And even if it was for a good reason… even Pip had, in a way, left me alone.

  Dejected, I turned my attention back to the Codex Botanica and studied a few more pages. But here too, no new clues were to be found. My mood plummeted. Carefully, I opened the book to its halfway point and realized that I still had over 800 more pages in front of me. That meant there were still roughly 3,000 entries waiting for me to check… alone.

  But suddenly, my room door creaked open.

  Startled, I spun around and saw… Sister Elodie? And Mara? Both of them were carrying a tray laden with food and glasses, which they placed on my desk. Confused, I looked at them both. What’s going on now? Mara’s face was bright red, and she nervously avoided my gaze.

  But Elodie smiled at me lovingly and sat down next to me on the bed. Gently, she placed her hand on my shoulder and said, “I’m so sorry it took so long. Mara told me you needed help. So, we quickly prepared some snacks and drinks so we can fully concentrate on the search for Pip’s cure.”

  My gaze wandered in disbelief to the lavender-colored eyes that were now shyly looking at me. I had to take a deep breath. So much shit had happened lately, and without Pip, I thought I was completely alone… but Verity, and now Mara and Elodie, were showing me that perhaps I wasn't entirely alone in this world after all. That maybe… maybe I really did have a family here.

  I felt tears welling up in my eyes, but this time, I couldn't hold them back.

  The bed creaked softly as I pushed myself up and, a little unsteadily, walked over to Mara. Her hands were twisting nervously, and her lips trembled as if she wanted to say something. But I didn't care. Gently, I pulled her into my arms, and my tears dripped silently onto her shoulder.

  “I-I’m so sorry I doubted you…” I stammered, my voice thick with tears. “I thought you weren't coming back… I-I…” I was such a pessimistic idiot. Always seeing only the bad in people.

  Mara gently stroked my head, rocking me back and forth soothingly. “Thank you… for being here for me…” I said, hugging her tighter.

  “That’s what family is for…” Mara whispered softly back, returning my embrace.

  And then… I felt another hand on my back? Confused, I looked up, and my tear-filled eyes met Elodie’s. She had joined in, hugging both Mara and me.

  “Together, we’ll surely find a solution to bring our little furry angel home soon…” she said softly. Pip had been gone far too long, and every day only made it worse.

  After we had hugged for a long moment, we sat down on the floor, and the three of us began to work our way through the Codex Botanica. We discussed, based on name, appearance, and description, whether a plant should be added to the rough selection or not. Both Elodie’s and Mara’s knowledge of the world proved to be incredibly useful. For several hours, we worked until Elodie finally shooed us to bed. The haul wasn't too bad, but it was still just a preliminary, rough list.

  Mara yawned widely and stretched after getting up from the floor. Picking up the quill and the papers from the floor, she placed them on the desk. With quiet steps, she went to the door and opened it. “Good night, Elodie. Good night, Grim. See you tomorrow,” she said tiredly, standing in the doorway.

  This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  “Good night, Mara, and thank you so much for your help. I won’t forget this.”

  Her lavender-colored eyes seemed to practically light up, and with a contented smile, she turned and went to her room, which was directly across from mine.

  Elodie followed her but paused in my doorway, looking at me with a slightly sad expression. “Grim. Please promise me that you won’t just leave tomorrow morning without saying anything. And… we would all surely be happy if you stayed for breakfast.”

  I had a lot planned for tomorrow, but since I wasn’t searching through the Codex Botanica alone anymore, I could probably take the time for a shared breakfast. “I’ve just been under so much pressure because of Pip,” I admitted. “But with your help, I think I can slow down a bit. So… I would love to have breakfast with everyone tomorrow.” I replied, managing a confident smile.

  Apparently, Elodie was satisfied with the answer, because she practically beamed. “Good night, Grim, and sweet dreams.”

  That sight… it was nostalgic. How many years had it been since my mother had stood in my doorway just like that, wishing me a good night? But the beautiful memories were quickly pushed away. Images of that fateful night flashed in my mind. “RUN AND DON'T LOOK BACK” echoed in my head. I closed my eyes and breathed out slowly. Elodie looked at me with concern and was about to come back into the room, but I put on a genuine smile and said, “Good night, Elodie. I wish you sweet dreams, too.”

  That seemed to ease her worry. With a smile, she nodded slightly and gently closed the door.

  Sighing, I made my way to bed, but I almost stumbled over the Codex Botanica, which we’d left on the floor. Just as I was about to bend down to pick it up, a thought came to me. Stepping over the book, I sat down on the bed.

  In front of Mantris’s shop, the idea had already occurred to me: was it possible to cast magic from a distance? Now was the time to test it thoroughly. I raised my hand and aimed at the Codex Botanica. But then I hesitated… if I use the expensive book as a test subject… and accidentally damage it… yeah, that would be bad. Very bad.

  Sighing, I stood up again and lugged the heavy Codex Botanica over to the desk.

  What could I use instead? Thoughtfully, I looked around the room. The furniture was out of the question. I needed something small, something not too heavy, and above all, not valuable. Ah, perfect! My gaze fell on the quill. That would be perfect for this. I took the quill and sat down on the floor, placing it about a meter away from me on the wooden planks.

  I took a deep breath, raised my hand, and aimed at the quill. Mana gathered in my palm, and I shot it directly at the quill. Of course, nothing happened, but according to my theory, my mana should now be on the quill and the surrounding area. I didn't know how long it would take for my mana to dissipate, or if it would dissipate at all. How would I best test my theory now?

  I could use water magic, but then the floor would get wet. Fire magic was absolutely out of the question. So, that left only Air and Gravity magic. Gravity magic wouldn't show a direct effect, and Air magic? I wouldn't be able to see that without sand, or I would have to summon so much air magic that I could feel the draft or see it from the surroundings, if it kicked up dust or something. In the best-case scenario, the quill might also roll away.

  Learning by doing, as they say. So, I concentrated on the quill and willed a steady stream of air to that spot. But somehow… nothing happened. Frowning, I increased the mana output and observed the quill intently. But still, nothing. Disappointed, I let my head hang. What now? Use the brute force method or change the approach?

  Yeah. Brute force it is. I just hoped that in the worst-case scenario, I wouldn't blow out the side of the house or something…

  Taking a deep breath, I willed a large amount of Air magic into the quill. It felt like I was trying to move a mountain. My face grew terribly warm, and I probably looked like a tomato from the effort. But still, nothing happened.

  Frustrated, I pumped every last bit of mana I had into the Air magic surrounding the quill. My head started to spin, and drops of sweat ran down my forehead. I felt completely dizzy, like an empty husk that was about to collapse, but…

  The quill actually began to roll. It moved a few centimeters, then stopped as my mana completely ran out.

  Totally exhausted, I fell backward onto the floor. Sweating and panting, I lay there, but a huge grin spread across my face. So, it actually works… But if I need all my mana just to move a quill a few centimeters… then I’d have to come up with something else. But maybe I should just change my approach tomorrow. Summoning magic is perhaps one thing, but influencing objects with it is clearly much harder. But time will tell.

  For now, it was time for bed. I was too exhausted, and honestly, way too tired, to wait for my mana to return.

  With shaky legs, I pulled myself up and really just wanted to fall into bed. But sleeping in clothes isn't comfortable. So, I undressed, laid my clothes neatly on the desk chair, and staggered, dazed, to the bed. I burrowed deep under the covers and breathed out, satisfied. Oh yeah… that feels good. Sleep claimed me almost instantly, and I disappeared into the realm of dreams.

  Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock.

  A dull sound penetrated the deep, comfortable fog of my sleep. …I just fell asleep…

  Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock.

  Just… let me sleep… Annoyed, I heaved my body over, turning my back to the door and ignoring the sound. The warmth of the heavy blankets was too good. Sleep reclaimed me almost instantly.

  Poke. Poke poke.

  My eyelid twitched in annoyance. What the hell is that? Sighing, I cracked open my gritty, tired eyes and saw a finger poking me in the cheek. I blinked the blurriness away, and my vision focused. …Mara? What was she doing in my room? Was something wrong?

  “Grim… if you don’t get up soon, I’m going to pull this blanket off and open the window,” she threatened, but her voice was light, and I could hear a barely suppressed giggle in it. She was being… playful.

  Okay, doesn't seem to be an emergency. If it's not urgent, then I can keep sleeping. I closed my eyes and tried to burrow deeper into the warmth.

  “I’m counting to three. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  Oh no… she’ll pull the blanket off. How terrible. The thought was hazy, unimportant.

  “One…” she counted slowly. As if the cold bothers me. I’ve slept in the rain.

  “Two…” I lazily scratched my hip under the blanket. My fingers met bare skin. …w-where is my underwear?!

  “Three…”

  OH FUCK.

  My eyes snapped open in sheer, unadulterated panic, but it was too late. I lunged for the blanket just as she yanked it away. It flew through the air in a triumphant arc, landing in a heap by the door. I froze, grabbing instinctively for anything to cover myself, which ended up being a useless handful of sheet. The cold morning air hit my completely bare skin. I swallowed, my throat suddenly desert-dry, and looked at Mara.

  She was still smiling, her victory lasting for about half a second. Her gaze, which had been fixed on my panicked face, slowly, uncertainly, traveled down. Past my shoulders… past my chest… down below my waistline.

  The smile vanished. Her face, pale in the morning light, went from confused, to shocked, to a shade of crimson so deep I was almost worried she’d pass out. For one agonizing second, there was no sound at all.

  Then, she shrieked.

  It wasn't a normal yell. It was a high-pitched, soul-shattering shriek of pure, unadulterated mortification that probably woke up the entire orphanage. Scrambling backward, she tripped over her own feet, crashed into the wall, and fumbled wildly for the doorknob. She tore the door open and fled the room in an absolute panic. The door slammed shut behind her, the sound rattling in its frame.

  For a long moment, I just lay there, staring at the ceiling, the echo of the slam and her scream still ringing in my ears.

  …What a shitty morning.

  Sighing, I rubbed my face, the embarrassment washing over me in hot waves. She's never going to look at me again. She's going to tell Elodie. She's going to tell Verity. Gods, Grimelda is going to find out. I'm going to be the laughingstock of the entire orphanage. I'd rather face another twenty skeletons right now.

  Right. Okay. I swung my legs out of bed. Before anyone else comes to investigate that scream, I should probably put on some underwear.

  Five minutes later, fully dressed and feeling like I was walking to my own execution, I stood before the doors of the dining hall. This felt infinitely worse than facing Lord Ainsworth. My stomach was in knots. I could hear the low hum of conversation inside. Is she in there? Did she tell them?

  I braced myself, pushed the door open, and walked in.