BLOOD & SIGILS

Chapter 8: A Lesson in Shadows

Kael waited until he was sure his mother was gone before exhaling.

That had been too close.

Even now, her words lingered in his mind.

"If you're going to do it, do it properly."

She wasn't stopping him.

She wasn't forbidding him from studying rune magic.

And that meant one thing: he had a chance.

Still, he needed to be more careful. His mother was sharp, but if his father found out, it wouldn't end with playful teasing. The Duke wouldn't tolerate what he would see as a waste of time.

Kael took a deep breath and pulled the ancient book from its hiding spot, setting it on the desk once more.

The pages whispered as he turned them, his eyes scanning the intricate diagrams and inscriptions. Unlike the Crimson Sigil, which burned through mana quickly, these runes could be prepared in advance, stored, and layered.

A rune wasn't just a spell.

It was a foundation—a way to weave magic into reality itself.

"But how do I even begin?"

The book mentioned materials—special inks, engraved stones, enchanted tools—things he didn't have. But there was one thing it said was essential above all else:

Intent.

"Magic begins with will. The stronger the intent, the greater the effect."

Kael frowned, his fingers hovering over one of the simpler runes.

A spark rune.

Meant to ignite small flames, it was one of the most basic magical inscriptions.

Could he do it without the proper materials?

Kael hesitated, then pressed his finger against the parchment, tracing the rune's shape slowly. He focused, imagining a tiny ember forming at his fingertip.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then—

A flicker of red light.

Kael's breath caught as a tiny spark danced at his fingertip before fading away.

It had worked. Even without blood, even without proper ink.

His heart pounded.

This… this was different from Crimson Sigil. Blood magic was fast, raw, and consuming. But this—this was controlled, a puzzle waiting to be solved.

"I can do this."

A knock at the door made him jump.

"Kael?"

It wasn't his mother this time. It was Elira.

He barely had time to shove the book aside before the door creaked open and his sister stepped in, her piercing red eyes scanning the room.

"You're hiding something," she said immediately.

Kael groaned. "Do people not know how to knock and wait?"

Elira smirked. "Not when you're acting suspicious." She stepped closer, glancing at the desk. "What are you up to?"

Kael hesitated.

Should he tell her?

Elira was sharp, but unlike their mother, she had always been brutally honest. If she thought he was wasting his time, she'd tell him without hesitation.

And yet…

He didn't want to keep this completely alone.

Slowly, he pushed the book forward, watching her reaction.

Elira raised an eyebrow, then picked it up, flipping through the pages.

After a long silence, she sighed. "…You really are desperate, huh?"

Kael stiffened. "What's that supposed to mean?"

She shut the book with a thud. "It means you're trying to do something crazy. And I respect that."

Kael blinked. That was… unexpected.

Elira crossed her arms. "You always say you're weak, that you'll never be like Rheon. And maybe that's true. But this?" She tapped the book. "This is your way to fight back, isn't it?"

Kael swallowed. "I don't want to be protected anymore."

Elira studied him for a moment, then—

To his surprise—

She smiled.

"Then I guess I'd better keep this a secret, huh?"

Kael's eyes widened. "You mean… you won't tell anyone?"

Elira snorted. "What kind of sister would I be if I ruined your first act of rebellion?"

Kael let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

Maybe he wasn't entirely alone in this after all.

She moved to his desk, flipping through the book once more, curiosity flickering in her eyes.

"So… do you even know what you're doing?"

Kael scratched the back of his head. "Not really. But I figured I'd start small."

Elira sighed. "Of course you would."

She leaned over, scanning the pages before tapping at one of the runes. "This one—this looks like a reinforcement inscription."

Kael blinked. "You can read this?"

Elira rolled her eyes. "I can understand it, idiot. The Veyrin library has more than just war manuals, you know. I used to read some of the older texts when I was bored."

Kael stared at her. "Wait. Why have you never mentioned this before?"

She shrugged. "Because it never seemed important. But if you're actually serious about this…"

She sat on the edge of his desk, arms crossed.

"Alright. Let's see what you can do."

Kael hesitated. "You're testing me?"

"Of course." Elira smirked. "You wouldn't want to disappoint your first audience, would you?"

Kael grumbled under his breath but turned his focus back to the book.

The reinforcement rune she pointed to was basic—meant to strengthen an object temporarily. It required mana flow across the inscription, something Kael wasn't sure he could manage yet.

Still, he placed a small wooden box from his drawer onto the table.

Taking a deep breath, he traced the rune onto the surface, pouring his intent into each line.

Nothing happened at first.

Then—

A faint glow pulsed beneath his fingertips.

Elira leaned forward, eyes narrowing. "Not bad. Now, try applying force."

Kael frowned. "Like… punch it?"

Elira grinned. "Exactly."

Kael sighed. This was either going to be impressive or really stupid.

He curled his fingers into a fist and struck the box lightly. It didn't even budge.

Elira's smirk widened. "Harder."

Kael hesitated, then put more force behind it. The box remained firm.

His heart raced.

It worked.

Elira whistled. "Huh. Guess you're not completely hopeless."

Kael huffed. "Thanks for the encouragement."

She hopped off the desk. "Don't get cocky. This was a baby step."

Kael nodded. He knew this was just the beginning.

But for the first time, he felt something different.

Not just the thrill of success—

But the realization that he was onto something real.