The Card's Legacy

Lucius blinked as sunlight assaulted his eyes. The buzz of a busy town square swirled around him, and for a moment, he just stood there, utterly out of place. People paused mid-conversation, their heads snapping toward him like he was a freakish exhibit at a carnival. Whispers started, hushed and quick, while fingers pointed in his direction. His crimson eyes caught the light, and he winced, realizing just how much he stuck out. The sun tattoo above his brow didn't help.

"Oh, good. A crowd," he muttered, scratching his head. Then, louder, he tried, "Hi! Lovely weather today, right?"

Dead silence.

The tension felt thick enough to cut with a butter knife. Lucius shifted on his feet, wondering if he should bolt, try another joke, or just start yelling random spells.

Before he could decide, a sudden pulse of energy swept through the square like a gust of wind. It wasn't loud, but it felt... heavy, like the air itself had decided to shift.

The murmurs stopped. The crowd blinked collectively, their stares turning blank. Then, as if someone had pressed a giant reset button, everyone went back to their business, chatting and walking away like he wasn't even there.

Lucius twisted to find the source. A girl stood a few feet away, her arms crossed. Her brown hair caught the sunlight, and there was a sharpness to her gaze that made Lucius straighten. She looked young, about his age, but her stance screamed authority, like she could handle whatever came her way.

"That could've gone proper pear-shaped," she said, her tone clipped and very British. "Who the bloody hell are you?"

Lucius blinked, caught off guard. "Uh... thanks for whatever that was," he said, gesturing vaguely toward the crowd. "Name's Lucius. And as for the whole 'dropping in' thing, I was more... improvising?"

Her expression didn't budge. "Improvising," she repeated, her tone so dry it could've started a wildfire.

"Yep. just winging it," he said, flashing what he hoped was a disarming grin.

She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose like she already regretted talking to him. "Great. Another one of you."

Before Lucius could ask what that meant, she took a step closer. "Listen, winging it or not, you just scared half the town and also revealed the supernatural world. Who are you, and what are you doing here?"

"Accidental magic?" Lucius tried, holding his hands up. "Totally not my fault."

"Brilliant," she muttered, rolling her eyes. "Another bloody loose cannon."Before he could quip back, she grabbed his wrist, her grip firm. "Come on," she said briskly. "We'll sort this out somewhere less public."

As they weaved through the cobbled streets, Lucius couldn't help firing off questions. "Do you guys have, like, broomsticks? Cauldrons? Secret handshakes?"

Her head snapped toward him, her glare sharp enough to slice. "Do you ever stop talking?"

"Not really," he said with a shrug. "But hey, you're the one dragging me along. Could've left me back there with the gawkers."

She groaned, muttering something about regretting her life choices. "I'm not answering any more ridiculous questions until we find Elijah."

"Elijah?" Lucius tilted his head. "Oh, you mean Grumpy McSourface in a suit?"

Her steps faltered, and she spun around to face him. "What did you do to him?"

"Me?" Lucius held up his hands. "Nothing! I mean, probably."

Before she could press him further, a loud thud shook the ground behind them. Lucius turned to see a sharply dressed man in a pristine suit land in a heap. His dark hair was disheveled, and his expression was murderous.

"I have been falling," Elijah growled, brushing off his suit with icy precision, "non stop."

Lucius struggled to suppress a laugh, his grin wide. "Hey, uh, welcome back."

Elijah's glare could've frozen lava. "What," he said through gritted teeth, "is this?"

"Accidental magic," Lucius offered, doing a poor job of sounding sincere. "Totally unintentional."

Hope pinched the bridge of her nose, but her lips twitched with barely concealed amusement. "Right," she said, turning to Elijah. "I'll take him to Alaric."

"Good," Elijah's gaze lingered on Lucius for a beat longer before he vanished without another word.

Lucius exhaled, shaking his head. "Friendly bloke."

"Grumpy bloke," Hope corrected, already walking ahead.

By the time they reached a small café tucked into the edge of the town square, Hope's irritation had softened.

Lucius's endless stream of jokes and questions had managed to chip away at her stern exterior, even if she wouldn't admit it. She ordered them both milkshakes, chocolate for her, strawberry for him, and they sat on a bench outside, watching the world go by.

"This place is... something," Lucius said, taking a long sip of his milkshake. "Does everyone here have a stick up their arse, or is that just Elijah?"

"Shut up," Hope said, though her smirk betrayed her. Somewhere above them, Elijah watched from a rooftop, his sharp gaze fixed on Lucius. Catching sight of him, Lucius raised his milkshake in a cheeky salute before turning his attention back to Hope.

As they walked back toward the school, the tension between them eased. Hope explained bits and pieces about the magical world, her voice steady and confident. Lucius listened intently, though he couldn't resist throwing in the occasional quip.

"So, vampires, werewolves, witches... What's next? Fairies? Leprechauns? A secret dragon council?"

Hope rolled her eyes but didn't bother hiding her smile. "You've got a lot to learn."

"Good thing I've got you as my guide, then," he said, his grin widening.

Hope paused, her gaze flicking toward him for a moment before she looked away. "Don't get too comfortable. You're still a headache."

"Best headache you've ever had, though," Lucius shot back, winking.

Hope didn't respond, but the faint blush creeping up her neck was enough to make him smirk.

As they kept walking, Lucius glanced over his shoulder, catching sight of Elijah still perched on a rooftop, ever the watchful guardian. He let out a low whistle. "Man needs a hobby."

"His hobby," Hope said, pushing the gate open, "is keeping disasters like you in check."

Lucius grinned, stepping through the gate. "Then he's gonna be very busy."

Hope sighed, shaking her head as they walked toward the main building. "I already regret this."

"Too late now, sunshine," Lucius said, his tone light but his smile genuine. "You're stuck with me."