Lor blinked once—slowly, the gold fading from his irises like the last rays of dusk, leaving only his usual hazel, soft and human again.
His shoulders loosened, the weight of the ritual and teaching slipping off quietly, leaving behind just a boy—slightly tired, ink smudging his fingers, a faint streak of sweat clinging to his temple.
He cleared his throat, his voice no longer humming with magic, just warm and relaxed. "So…"
The silence that followed was full of thought, the lavender lamp's glow casting soft shadows across Lia's cozy bedroom.
Sophia leaned forward, hugging her knees, her blonde twin tails swaying slightly, her blue eyes bright with a mix of awe and exhaustion. "That… was more than I expected."
"Me too," Lia agreed, her red curls framing her freckled face, her green eyes thoughtful as she rested her arms on her knees. "Not even counting the, you know—wild ritual chaos—the magic and the math… you actually taught. Like, taught well."
