Servon’s Eye

Damien and Kai walked in together, Kai's muscular body was evident beneath his tight singlet. He had a towel slung over his neck, his expression was curious but calm. Kai raised an eyebrow as he addressed Zephyr and Anya.

"We heard squeals," he said. "I hope it's good news."

Anya beamed with excitement, she was practically glowing. She held up the rabbit she had been working on. "It's more than good news!" she said, unable to contain her pride. "Look at him! He was severely injured, and now he's as good as new."

Damien walked over, placing a congratulatory hand on her shoulder. "Congrats, Anya. You've unlocked a part of your powers. Impressive." He gave her a nod before moving to sit beside Zephyr.

Kai's gaze softened slightly as he looked at Anya. "Took you long enough," he said.

Anya felt insulted by Kai's statement but she didn't want Kai to know she was affected. "Zephyr helped me," she said with a smile. "I couldn't have done it without him."

Kai gave Zephyr a brief look of acknowledgment. "You did good, brother."

Zephyr nodded.

Kai turned back to Anya. "Let's see if you can do the same on a human this time," he challenged, pulling the towel from his neck and exposing the rotting wound.

Anya's breath caught as she took a step closer to him. The room went silent, and all Anya could hear was Kai's anxious beating heart. 

Anya's hands trembled as she raised them to Kai's neck, with her fingertips brushing the decayed skin.

"Okay," Anya whispered, her voice was barely audible, trying to suppress her nerves.

Kai's eyes bore into hers, while Anya tried averting her gaze and focus on healing him. He stood still as she began the healing process, with her hands resting on his neck.

Anya closed her eyes, focusing on the energy flowing through her. Then she started the incantation.

"From shadow to light, from wound to mend, let life return, let darkness bend."

Her hands began to glow with a faint light, and the rotting part of Kai's neck started to heal. She could feel his pulse quickening beneath her fingers.

Kai's muscles tensed under her touch, and a low groan escaped his lips.

Zephyr shifted uncomfortably at the sound of his brother's groan, clearing his throat to break the excruciating silence.

But Anya remained focused, with her hands glowing brighter as the healing continued. Slowly, the wound on Kai's neck healed, and his breathing began to steady.

When the light finally faded, Anya pulled her hands away, with her heart still racing. She met Kai's gaze, and her eyes widened with relief. She did it!

"How do you feel?" she asked, with her voice trembling slightly.

Kai touched the healed skin, with his eyes never leaving hers. "I feel you still have a lot of mastering to do, cause it hurt like hell." Kai lied.

Damien clapped, trying to lighten the atmosphere. "Looks like you've got it, Anya. Well fucking done."

Zephyr, on the other hand, watched the interaction closely. He didn't know why watching Anya heal Kai brought him nothing but discomfort.

He forced a smile. "Yeah, great job," he muttered, though his tone lacked enthusiasm.

Kai's gaze lingered on Anya a moment longer. Anya was waiting for her thank you from Kai, but she got nothing. Kai left, leaving her standing alone.

Anya swallowed hard. Kai was such a ungrateful twat!

———-

In a small shop in Burdly Town, an orb sitting on a shelf flickered for a split second, with a faint blue light radiating from it. Lizzie, a 38-year-old single aunt with black hair and gray eyes, was sorting through some herbs when the glitch caught her attention. She froze, staring at the orb as it flickered again.

"What in the world...?" Lizzie muttered under her breath, narrowing her eyes. She took a cautious step toward the orb, with her heart pounding. "Who's practicing magic in Burdly Town?" she whispered, her voice was barely audible.

The orb was called Servon's Eye, named after an ancient wizard, Servon, who crafted the orb to monitor and understand magical energies.

It was meant to alert them to any magic being practiced nearby, though it didn't necessarily have to be within town limits. It was rare for it to flicker, as the witches in Burdly Town had long ago agreed to a truce with the humans—not to practice any magic unless it was absolutely necessary.

Just then, the door to the shop swung open, and her nephew Justin stepped inside. He was an attractive boy, 18 years old, with a quiet charisma that made the girls at school swoon. Justin gave her a nod as he dropped his backpack onto the floor.

"Hey, how was school?" Lizzie asked, still distracted by the orb.

Justin shrugged, running a hand through his tousled hazel hair. "Same old, same old. Nothing special."

But before Lizzie could reply, the orb flickered again, this time glowing steadily for three full minutes. Lizzie's breath caught, and Justin turned to look at the orb, with his eyes wide with surprise.

"Aunt Lizzie," Justin said slowly, "someone's practicing magic in Burdly Town."

Lizzie, who was already tense, nodded grimly. "I see it too." She walked over to the orb, examining it closely as the light finally faded. "We need to find out who's doing this, Justin. If Agatha finds out..." She trailed off, shaking her head. "If Agatha gets wind of this, it could cause a serious problem for everyone. The balance here is fragile."

Justin frowned, his arms crossing over his chest. "It has to be a witch."

Lizzie shook her head, pacing. "No witch would be foolish enough to break the pact in Burdly Town. We've all agreed."

"Unless..." Justin's eyes lit up with a thought. "Unless it's not technically in Burdly Town. What if it's happening on the outskirts? That's still close enough to trigger the orb."

Lizzie paused, considering his words. "You might be right. It's possible someone's skirting the edge of town, thinking it won't be noticed." She turned to Justin with a determined look. "We need to head there, to the outskirts, and see for ourselves."

Justin nodded, grabbing his jacket from a nearby chair. "Let's go, then."

"And take the orb with you," Lizzie added. "We'll need it to track any more disturbances."

Justin picked up the orb, holding it carefully in his hands. "Let's hope we don't find something we're not ready for," he muttered under his breath.

Lizzie, who was already at the door, glanced back at him. "Ready or not, we're going to find out."