[[[ ౨ৎ]
“Well,” Amani began, shrugging her shoulders with an air of insouciance. “You cannot say I didn’t try to be nice by giving you an option.” A fleeting smirk played on her lips, but it vanished almost immediately as she leaned forward, her fingers brushing his forehead to check his temperature. The meticulousness of her movements, the intense concentration in her eyes, betrayed the gravity she placed on her magical prowess. Despite her outward confidence, a trace of doubt seemed to linger, a doubt quickly dispelled as she found no signs of error in her work. Of course, there were none. She was, after all, a prodigy—a great sorcerer from a tender age—but even the greatest can harbor fleeting fears of imperfection.
playing her role as the concerned friend, Amani asked how he felt. Tae’s response, a simple affirmation of improvement, drew a hum of satisfaction from her. “Of course it did,” she said, her smile small but self-assured. “Did you doubt me?” Her words carried the subtle pride of someone who had paid close attention to their mother’s teachings, a pride well-earned and deeply rooted.
Azriel and Tae—two central figures in her life, yet perpetually at odds. Their animosity, often amusing, sometimes edged into the realm of the absurd. Even in moments of irritation, Amani found herself bemused by their antics. There was no real cause for Azriel’s insecurity; he knew the depth of her trust in Tae, knew the essential role he played in her life.
“Perhaps a hundred times each day,” she teased, a glint of mischief in her eyes. “And to stay six feet away at all times. Maybe then he’d feel less threatened. But that’s not happening anytime soon, so I suppose you two can keep arguing like fools. It’s entertaining, at least.” Her tone shifted, becoming more serious. “I might call him later today or tomorrow. If my dad talks to you, tell me.”
Their conversation meandered to the immaturity of the Dunmans and the latest scandal involving Renlin. Laughter bubbled between them, but it quickly subsided as Amani broached the subject of the woman—the true reason she had summoned Tae.
“Maybe it is a memory,” Tae suggested, his voice thoughtful.
“It’s possible,” Amani mused. “But it’s so vague. Her face was blurry, yes, but her voice… it felt familiar in a way I can’t quite place. Like trying to recall a song you haven’t heard in years but still remember the melody of. The emotion was so strong—fear, desperation. And the way she moved… it was like she was trying to reach out to me, like there was something urgent she needed to say but couldn’t.”
Amani’s lips pursed, her gaze drifting as if searching for something just out of reach. An uncomfortable expression settled on her face as she sighed. “I feel like there’s a key in this dream, something important I’m supposed to understand. Do you think it could be some kind of magic or spell affecting my dreams?” Her eyes met Tae’s, filled with a silent plea for insight, for some suggestion that might help her uncover the truth behind the haunting vision.