After high school, I didn’t even have a shred of doubt about which academy to apply to—Mirravel, the premier academy in the city, named after the city itself, was the only choice for me. For one, it had the best potion-making instructor, Mareva Talani. And for another, Nida was already studying there.
Nida and I had been friends practically since we were in diapers. I can’t even remember a time when we weren’t close. Nida doesn’t recall how we met either, even though she’s two years older than me. We’ve been through everything together, including babysitting her little brother, who showed up out of nowhere when Nida was already 14.
My whole family supported my decision, thrilled that I wouldn’t be leaving the city. The only person who tried to talk me out of Mirravel was Raiden, my boyfriend—or rather, my ex-boyfriend now. He was set on applying to Torra Academy in Rigarani, but I had zero interest in moving to another city. I might’ve considered Miad Academy, which trained healers and had a decent potion-making program, but it wasn’t on the same level as Archmage Mareva’s. I was a huge fan of hers. She’d created so many new potions herself and improved countless old recipes! Studying under her was a huge honor and my deepest, most secret dream. No guy was worth throwing away the dream of a lifetime for. I saw myself as a potion-maker, nothing else. I was terrible at healing, and focusing solely on healing potions didn’t interest me. So, there was no point even glancing at Miad, let alone any other academy. It was Mirravel or bust, and Archmage Mareva was the goal!
Right after I got accepted, Nida pulled some strings to have me room with her, even though they usually paired students from the same year and study group. But sometimes they made exceptions for friends. Besides, I didn’t plan to live in the dorms full-time—my house was just a half-hour walk from the academy. Nida lived on the outskirts, so it took her longer to get home, and she only went back on weekends and holidays.
The first half of the day in the new academic year was reserved for introductions and the rector’s welcome speech, so after about thirty minutes, we were free to do whatever for a couple of hours. After dropping off my stuff, Nida and I headed to the library. We both needed to pick up books for the new term. We walked in, chatting about random nonsense, but the second my eyes locked with the librarian’s, I froze. Nida had to nudge me to snap me out of it.
I barely heard her as I mechanically made my way to the counter, still staring at the librarian while Nida handed over her list of books. Once he was done with her, he turned to me:
“Are you a freshman? Tell me your name so I can add you to the registry.”
Nida had to elbow me again to bring me back to reality.
“Ketta Viralani,” I whispered.
“Almost like Kettilia,” the librarian said with a smile, and I felt the ground slip out from under me.
Kettilia Yodari was our legend, an ancient heroine, and many names in our culture were derived from hers. Like mine, Ketta, or others like Kettala, Kettia, and Kettalama. They’ve always been popular, alongside names like Eria and Ersa, after another heroine of our tales, and male names like Asgorn and its variations, after Kettilia’s beloved, and Ruadan, the name of yet another hero.
“You didn’t tell me you had a librarian like this!” I whispered to Nida as we stepped into the hallway.
“He started at the end of last year when the old one retired. I thought he’d just be temporary, but looks like he’s sticking around. And what do you mean by ‘like this’?”
“Hot…” I kept my voice low.
“Maybe he’s cute, though definitely not my type, but he’s way older. He’s gotta be pushing 30.”
“So what? He gives me goosebumps.”
“What, already forgot about Raiden?”
“Ugh, forget him. I don’t even wanna think about that selfish jerk. What’s the librarian’s name?”
“No clue. Never had a reason to find out. If you’re so curious, go introduce yourself.”
All day, I couldn’t get the librarian out of my head. The guy was seriously good-looking—tall, broad-shouldered, with short, dark chestnut hair that just begged to have fingers run through it. And his eyes! Bright blue, like the sky on a clear day, the kind you could stare into forever. And his lips, slightly full and perfectly shaped, practically screamed to be kissed. I loved lips like that, unlike mine, which weren’t super thin but definitely not plump either.
“Where’s your head at, Ketta Viralani?” A sharp voice cut through my thoughts as a painful burn seared my arm just above the elbow. I’d forgotten to put up my shield.
“Sorry, Archmage Tirrena, I got a little distracted.”
“You can’t daydream in combat magic class. Focus only on your fighting technique. Remember that, dear!”
“Of course, sorry again,” I mumbled, avoiding her bright blue eyes, which hadn’t faded with age and reminded me way too much of the librarian’s.
Combat magic was taught by Archmage Tirrena Lutem, a former imperial battle mage and now the rector of Mirravel Academy. She was strict in class, but as Nida had told me, generally kind and fair. She had an eccentric look—wavy red hair, like mine, but long, streaked with gray that she didn’t bother dyeing, though she’d added purple highlights. Her hands, adorned with rings and bracelets, were covered in intricate tattoos, mostly of constellations. Archmage Tirrena was 69 years old, but she was full of energy and fire. Her short stature and slender frame could fool anyone, but when it came to a fight, she could take down just about anybody. She had incredible combat skills, a rare regeneration ability—super useful for battle mages—and powerful magical energy that let her fight for long stretches without a break. Learning from her was considered a great honor, and even though I wasn’t planning to become a battle mage, the knowledge and skills I’d gain from her could come in handy down the road.
After class, Archmage Tirrena approached me. I thought she was going to chew me out for being distracted, but instead, she just recommended an extra textbook on combat magic. Perfect—an excuse to go back to the library. But first, I needed to hit the infirmary to treat the burn from that fireball.
After the infirmary, Nida dragged me to dinner, saying the books weren’t going anywhere, but the good food might get snatched up. I followed along reluctantly, even though I was dying to see the librarian again. I poked at my plate with a glum expression, half-listening to Nida chatter about her first day, when he walked into the academy cafeteria. I was about to jump up and approach the librarian, but he quickly loaded up a plate and left. I scarfed down my dinner and hurried to the library. To my delight, I was the only visitor there. No one to interrupt my chance to talk to the guy of my dreams.
“Hey,” I said shyly as I approached the counter. The librarian looked up from his dinner—he hadn’t finished yet.
“Hey,” he replied with another smile.
“I’m looking for a book on combat magic theory, not the main textbook, but another one. Darn it, I forgot the author.”
“‘Fundamentals of Combat Magic by Archmage Davis Tarani,’” he suggested instantly.
“Oh, yeah, that’s the one. How’d you know?”
“It’s often recommended to freshmen,” he said, heading off to grab it. A few minutes later, he returned with a heavy tome. You could probably kill someone with this thing, no magic needed. Was Archmage Tirrena messing with me? “So, you’re into combat magic?”
“Not really,” I shrugged, eyeing the massive book with dismay. I loved reading, but fiction, not textbooks, and definitely not endless, giant ones like this. “Potions are my true love, but I wouldn’t mind picking up a little combat magic too.”
“Alright, I’ll check it out under your name. Ketta, and your last name? Sorry, it slipped my mind.”
“Viralani,” I said, surprised he felt the need to apologize. Did he really have to remember every student’s last name? I doubted it. “You remembered my first name?”
“You’re too striking to forget,” he said with another smile that made me feel like I could float away. “And I’ve always liked stories about Kay.”
Kettilia Yodari was often shortened to Kay, using the first letters of her first and last name. That nickname was commonly used for derivatives of Kettilia too.
I think my cheeks flushed at his comment. I usually didn’t get flustered around guys, but this one was older, and that threw me off a bit. I was used to dating guys my age, but right now, I was ready to toss that habit out the window. I really liked this librarian.
“What’s your name?” I asked, figuring now was the perfect time to find out.
“Demmin Lutem.”
“Wait, are you related to Archmage Tirrena?” My eyes widened in shock. Good thing I hadn’t said anything snarky about her.
“She’s my grandmother,” he said, and if my eyes weren’t already wide, my eyebrows shot up too. Now it made sense why her eyes reminded me of his.
“And you work in the library?”
“I love reading. I’m good at combat magic too, but it’s not my path. I’m still figuring out what I want to do.”
I took the book and struggled to stuff it into my bag, racking my brain for something else to talk about, but Demmin beat me to it.
“Did you get hurt in combat magic class?” he asked, noticing the bandage on my arm as I shoved the book away. It stood out under my shirt.
“Yeah, I got distracted and took a fireball to the arm.”
“Grandma doesn’t let anyone slack off in her classes,” Demmin said, shaking his head, seemingly disapproving. “Let me heal it,” he offered suddenly.
“They already put some ointment on it at the infirmary. It’s good stuff. It’ll be fine in a few days.”
“And it’ll leave a scar. I’m a healer. I can fix it in a couple of minutes, and there won’t even be a mark.”
“Seriously?” I was taken aback. I knew there were people with the gift of healing, but they usually worked in hospitals, not academic libraries, and their services were expensive. I’d never needed one before. For minor stuff, you didn’t bother with healers, and thankfully, I’d never had any serious injuries or illnesses. “Well, okay, if it’s not too much trouble.”
“No trouble at all. Roll up your sleeve.”
I rolled up my sleeve and was about to unwrap the bandage, but Demmin stopped me and carefully removed it himself. His fingers were warm and gentle, sending a pleasant flutter through my stomach. He set the bandage on the counter and, holding my arm steady with his left hand, placed his right over the wound. At first, I felt a slight tingling, a little painful, but within a minute, my arm warmed up, and the pain vanished. When Demmin lifted his hand, I was amazed to see that the wound was completely gone. I’d always treated minor injuries with my own salves, but they left scars. Healing, it turned out, was pretty awesome.
“There you go,” Demmin said with a smile.
“Thanks, Demmin,” I said, grinning back, though my smile probably looked a little goofy. I felt almost euphoric after the healing—so good that I didn’t even want to move.
“No big deal, Ketta! And just call me Dem.”
“Alright. So why don’t you work as a healer? They make decent money, don’t they?”
“I’ve done some healing work, just like I’ve tried being a battle mage. Neither felt right.”
“And working in a library does? Books are great and all, but when you’re reading them, not handing them out all day.”
“The library gig is temporary. I’m studying again, but remotely. Here, I can read my textbooks and write papers while still getting paid,” Dem explained.
“What are you studying?”
“Dark mages. I want to understand their nature, the theory behind the origins of dark magic, and develop the best strategies to fight them.”
“Whoa, that’s intense! I didn’t even know you could study something like that,” I said, surprised. Dark arts were always mentioned in passing during classes, never studied in depth, as far as I knew. Guess I was wrong.
“No, academies don’t teach dark magic, even theoretically. I’m studying under a private mentor,” Dem clarified. “He’s been collecting and organizing information on dark mages since he was young and teaches those who want to understand the dark arts. Of course, there are no spells or rituals involved—nothing the Emperor or ministers could object to. Everything we learn is about how to fight dark mages, how to win, their weaknesses, their traits, and the history of dark magic. Knowing their tactics and strategies helps you counter them. I think this knowledge is crucial right now, especially since dark mages have become more active than ever.”
“Yeah, that makes sense. Personally, I’m not great at combat magic. But when it comes to potions, I’m unbeatable. They’re my passion.”
“I figured as much,” Dem said with a smile that made me feel so warm and cozy I wanted to lean into him. How quickly he’d gotten under my skin! We’d only just met. Crazy!
We chatted a bit more about random stuff, and then I headed back to my room. I hadn’t really gotten to know my roommates that morning, so I decided to make up for it in the evening. Torona and Orflea turned out to be pretty nice girls, and we hit it off over a cup of fragrant tea and some cookies I’d brought from home. Nida had told me about them before—she’d been friends with them since her first year—but hearing about someone is one thing, and forming your own opinion is another. They didn’t care that I was two years younger; they were just happy to have Nida’s friend around.
“Either way, you’re better than Vinela,” Orflea remarked.
Nida quickly explained that Vinela Colayne was a grumpy, messy girl who thought way too highly of herself. No one wanted to live with her, so she kept switching rooms. When Nida suggested me as a replacement, the girls were thrilled. Vinela, used to moving around, didn’t care where she ended up. She didn’t really have friends, so it didn’t matter to her.
Throughout the week, I kept popping into the library under the pretense of needing a book, when really, I just wanted to talk to Dem. He wasn’t just good-looking; he was smart, and I enjoyed our conversations. But things hadn’t gone beyond chatting yet. On Friday after class, I swung by the library again and saw that Dem was getting ready to leave, with an older lady who handled uniforms and dorms taking over his shift.
“Heading home?” I asked Dem, skipping the hello. We’d already seen each other in the cafeteria earlier.
“Yeah, I don’t work weekends. Did you need something?”
“I keep forgetting to grab ‘Techniques of Herb Harvesting.’”
“Hold on, I’ll find it.”
Even though his shift was over, Dem went to look for the book. Five minutes later, we left the library together—him with me, and me with the book.
“You heading home for the weekend too?” Dem asked.
“Yeah. I wanted to grab the book and go.”
“Walking or taking a portal?”
“Walking. It’s just a half-hour for me, and I feel like stretching my legs.”
“I live on the outskirts in an apartment, so I’ve gotta use portals,” Dem admitted.
“I pass by the portals on my way. We can walk there together,” I suggested.
“I’d like that,” Dem said with a smile.
We strolled at a leisurely pace. Dem talked about the daily grind of being a librarian, and I vented about how his grandmother tortured us in combat magic class. Dem just chuckled. His grandma was a real pain in the neck, and he didn’t hide it, but it was clear he loved her. My own grandmother was pretty energetic too, and I loved her more than anyone. She’s the one who got me into potions and herbs, which I told Dem about. Talking about our grandmas, we reached the portals before I even realized it.
“What’re you up to this weekend?” Dem asked.
“Gonna stuff myself with my mom’s cooking, read up on herbs and potions, maybe do some sketching. Nothing special. Just wanna unwind from the academy. Home’s cozier, you know?”
Suddenly, Dem stepped closer and took my hand. A pleasant shiver ran through me instantly.
“Wanna go on a picnic by the lake tomorrow afternoon?” Dem looked into my eyes, making the shiver even stronger.
“Are you asking me out on a date?” I tilted my head playfully and smirked.
I expected Dem to dodge with something like “sort of” or “maybe,” but he caught me off guard with his directness:
“Yeah. I like you.”
I’d never met a guy like this before. Besides Raiden, I’d had a few casual flings that lasted no more than a month, and none of those guys ever straight-up told me how they felt. Sure, Raiden said he loved me, but not right away. Usually, guys shy away from showing their feelings, thinking it’s not “manly,” but Dem laid it out clear as day, and that completely won me over.
“You don’t beat around the bush, huh?” My lips stretched into a satisfied grin.
“What’s the point? We’re not kids. I like you, you like me. So, what’s the problem?”
“Nothing. Wait, how do you know I like you?”
“You come to the library every day for a book, always just one, and stick around to chat. Seems like the books are just an excuse.”
“Well, not exactly an excuse. I do need them…”
“But you could’ve grabbed five at once and not run over every day.”
“I gave myself away that easily, huh?” My grin widened.
“Totally!” Dem grinned back. “So, you in? I’ll bring some tasty stuff. I’m a decent cook.”
“You cook?” I was genuinely surprised. In my family, the men couldn’t cook anything beyond the basics. To be fair, I wasn’t much of a cook either, but that’s another story. “I’m terrible at it. Alright, I’m in. Where should we meet, and what time?”
“How about by the lake portal at 4 p.m.? That work?”
“Yeah, perfect.”
“See you then?” Still holding my hand, Dem leaned in and kissed me on the cheek, sending shivers all through me. His closeness was electrifying.
“Yeah, see you!”
Dem let go of my hand and stepped into the portal. Only after his figure vanished into the magical arch did I snap out of it. Touching the cheek he’d kissed, I closed my eyes dreamily and let out a happy sigh. Looks like some exciting changes are coming my way.