Finia set her bag down at the foot of the stairs with a sigh that seemed to deflate her completely. She shuffled to the table and slumped into the chair, sinking as if the weight of the day had bent her double. Her furrowed brows already announced her reluctance; she hadn't even taken the time to tame her curls, which hung tangled over her shoulders.
Dyan watched her from the corner of his eye from the kitchen, as the buttery aroma of fried eggs began to fill the cabin. The crunch of bread in the pan accompanied the crackling of the fire.
"Are you in a bad mood?" he asked, not taking his eyes off the pan.
"I slept terribly," she grunted, resting her cheek on her fist. "Going back to the Tower makes my stomach turn." She sighed, letting her fingers drum on the table. "I had already gotten used to this house, the woods, the tranquility and..."
Her gaze, suddenly more lively, turned toward the ajar door.
"...to my favorite assistant."
As if she had summoned her, the door burst open and the cold forest wind entered first, followed by Cadin, who stormed in like a whirlwind of laughter and swift footsteps. Behind her, Frila tried uselessly to warn her to be careful, though it was evident the girl never listened to the first call. Cadin crossed the living room with her arms wide open, as if that momentum were going to lift her off the ground.
"Auntie Ninia! Uncle Mage! I'm here!"
Finia barely managed to stand up when the girl threw herself at her. Cadin buried her face in her chest, clinging to her tunic as if she feared she might disappear.
"Auntie Ninia, you're so warm," she murmured, in that adorable mix of tenderness and sincerity that only children possess.
Finia lifted her easily, laughing, and ruffled her dark hair with affection. "My favorite assistant has arrived. Did you know your auntie missed you a lot?"
"Missed Cadin?" she replied with a smile peppered with gaps where a couple of teeth were missing.
Dyan came out of the kitchen with a steaming pan of eggs. The steam rose in pale wisps, filling the room with a comforting smell. "Cadin, Frila, have breakfast with us," he said, setting the pan on the table.
Frila shook her head, though the corner of her mouth lifted in a resigned smile. "Thank you, Master Dyan, but I have chores. The little one can stay."
Cadin sat between them, but even with her usual energy, she cast constant furtive glances toward Finia's bag on the stairs. Her laughter hadn't lost its brightness, but beneath it lay a tremor, an unease that even a child could perceive.
Dyan watched her with a pang in his chest. He couldn't burden her with a bitter truth. "Cadin," he said softly, "do you want to join us for a trip to the capital?"
The girl opened her eyes wide as if the whole world had lit up in front of her. The piece of bread she held fell onto her plate. "A trip? Cadin likes trips!" She turned her head toward Frila, imploringly. "Can't Cadin go?"
Frila let out a defeated sigh. Who could resist that look? "Alright," she yielded. "I'll tell Mom you went with Master Dyan."
Cadin clapped so hard the echo resonated off the walls. She leaned over the table, her hazel eyes shining like lamps. "Where is Cadin going?"
Finia wiped her mouth with the hem of her tunic, smiling with an affection that softened her voice. "Your favorite auntie has to go back to the Magic Tower. Do you want to come see me off?"
Dyan looked at her then. Really looked at her. The tranquility of those days, the girl's laughter, the forest light entering through the windows—it had all returned something to him he didn't know he had lost: a piece of himself. And watching Finia like that, being warm, laughing with the child... it hit him hard. Many things had changed since his departure from Scabia. He had changed. She had, too. But that tenderness they shared, almost unintentionally, without admitting it, remained intact.
"Don't be sad, Cadin," he said with a gentle voice. "Finia will come back whenever she can. And we can visit her, too."
The girl's eyes filled with small, glistening tears. "Really? Cadin has to practice lots of magic to surprise Auntie when she comes back."
Finia took her cheeks and squeezed them affectionately. "Do you really want to be a mage?"
"Cadin wants to be the best!" she proclaimed, puffing out her chest.
"Then I'll be waiting for you to surprise me," Finia said, holding out her pinky finger. She glanced at Dyan sideways, like someone trying to hide an emotion.
Cadin entwined her pinky with hers. "It's our promise," she said with that mischievous laugh that always managed to light up the cabin.
After breakfast, they prepared their cloaks and bags for the journey. The forest air drifted in through the open windows, heavy with the scent of resin and damp earth. The morning light illuminated suspended dust motes, like little floating spells.
The three of them stood in the center of the living room. Frila waved goodbye from the door, pulling her shawl tight around her shoulders to protect herself from the wind.
"Behave yourselves," she warned, though her voice was tinged with affection.
Cadin raised her hand energetically. "Cadin always behaves!"
Frila arched an eyebrow. Dyan suppressed a laugh.
A silvery flash began to envelop them, growing from their feet until it wrapped their entire bodies. The air vibrated with a soft hum, the wood creaked, and lights danced around them like swift stars. And in an instant, as if they had been gently plucked from reality... they disappeared.