Morning sunlight spilled into the apartment, glinting off the faintly metallic surface of Jane's robotic arm. The smell of fresh bread and brewing coffee filled the room.
Levi stood near the counter, sleeves rolled up, carefully chopping vegetables. She had insisted on helping with
breakfast—Jane had protested, worried she'd overexert herself
—but Levi wouldn't be stopped.
"Careful with that knife," Jane said softly, adjusting her glasses. She leaned against the doorway, watching Levi with a quiet smile. "We don't need another emergency today."
Levi paused, glancing over her shoulder. "I promise. No one gets hurt in my kitchen… except maybe the onions."
Jane laughed and shook her head. "You're hopeless."
The gentle rhythm of the morning was interrupted by the soft hum of Jane's comm device. A reminder: she was due at the academy in an hour. Jane grabbed her bag and kissed Levi's temple. "I'll be back soon. Don't burn the apartment down while I'm gone."
Levi smirked. "No promises."
The academy buzzed with energy when Jane arrived. Students hurried through the halls, their voices overlapping with the faint hum of magic and technology. Jane walked beside Levi, who had accompanied her to deliver some scrolls for the day's lesson.
Almost immediately, whispers followed them.
"Is… is that her?"
"She's not a student, right?"
"Her aura… it feels old… dangerous."
Levi's golden eyes flickered briefly with awareness. She kept her posture calm, hands tucked neatly into her coat. To anyone else, she looked like a tall, striking guest. To the gifted students, she radiated power without effort.
Jane noticed the tension and whispered, "Ignore them. They don't know anything."
Levi tilted her head. "Do they know what I am?"
Jane hesitated. "No… but they know you're powerful. They respect that. That's enough."
Levi's lips pressed into a thin line. Respect was better than fear—but it still made her uneasy. She had once ruled
kingdoms by fear and awe. Now she had to hide every part of herself that could expose the world she'd built with Jane.
Later, outside in the city, they stopped at a quiet café. Jane ordered drinks, and Levi sat at the table, casually scanning the streets.
Then it happened.
A man brushed past Jane roughly, sneering, "Careful, little witch. Don't get yourself hurt."
Levi's body tensed. Claws itched beneath her gloves. Wings itched beneath her concealed bindings. Her aura surged involuntarily, faintly visible only to Jane.
Jane immediately reached for her hand. "Levi—look at me."
Levi froze under Jane's gaze. Golden eyes met brown, soft but commanding. Jane's voice, steady and familiar, cut through the storm in her chest.
"You didn't lose control," Jane said softly, squeezing her wrist. "That's what matters. That's strength."
Levi exhaled slowly, forcing the tension out of her shoulders. "I was seconds away from… doing something I would regret."
Jane smiled gently, brushing a lock of hair from Levi's face.
"And you didn't. That matters more than your power."
Levi's wings shifted faintly beneath her bindings, the faint shimmer of her magic retreating. For the first time in months, she felt her heartbeat slow.
"You make peace feel dangerous," Levi said softly.
Jane laughed. "It's supposed to be. That's how we know it's real."
Levi leaned across the table and rested her head lightly on Jane's shoulder. The city buzzed around them, unaware of the quiet demon queen and the witch she had chosen.
For now, peace was fragile, but it was theirs.
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Thank you for reading my novel