Adam walked back towards the village. His mother Rachel was beside him. Anastasia walked on his other side, silent and withdrawn.
"Ana, are you alright?" Rachel asked, her voice gentle.
Anastasia ignored her mother completely. She just stared straight ahead and kept walking. Rachel sighed and smiled sadly. She looked at Adam. "She is your older sister. You should not let her words bother you."
Adam did not look at her. He kept his eyes forward. "I don't care what she thinks," he said, his voice flat. "And I don't care what you think."
He walked past his own house and continued down a different path. He was not interested in family drama. He needed information.
He extended a hand slightly and released a subtle pulse of his magical power. It spread through the entire village in an instant, an invisible net of perception.
