Chapter 2 The Quiet Morning...

The smell of scrambled eggs filled the little kitchen, mixing with the faint scent of rain that drifted in through the half-open window. Una moved lazily around, hair tied up in a messy bun, humming a song from last night's party. Her head still ached a little, but not enough to dull the pleasant rhythm of a quiet morning.

She flipped the eggs and looked at the clock on the wall. Almost nine. Aunt Reina would be back soon from her night shift. The woman had this habit of coming home exactly when breakfast was almost done like she had some inner alarm for food.

Just as that thought crossed Una's mind, the front door creaked open. "Smells like heaven in here," Reina's voice called out, tired but warm.

Una smiled. "Hey, Aunt R, you look exhausted."

Reina trudged in, still in her scrubs, her dark hair slightly damp from the drizzle outside. She kicked off her shoes by the door and leaned on the kitchen counter, watching Una move around with that gentle, familiar smile.

Una noticed a faint, almost sickly pale cast to her skin, which the fluorescent kitchen light seemed to highlight. "Rough night. Two emergencies back-to-back. You?"

Una hesitated. "Uh... about last night..."

Reina raised an eyebrow, half-smiling. "The big birthday bash, right? How'd it go? I hope you didn't drink yourself into the hospital I work in."

Una laughed nervously, "Not exactly. It was... fine, mostly. Until the end." She paused, stirring the eggs a little too long. "There was this guy-Lana's friend, I think. I offered to give him a ride home."

Reina's smile faded slightly. "Okay..."

"Well, he started being weird halfway through. I told him to stop, but then..." Una frowned, trying to find the right words. "It's going to sound insane, but I think I pushed him away. Literally. I didn't even touch him. He just flew backwards, like... something threw him."

The silence that followed was sharp. The only sound was the soft sizzle of eggs.

Reina blinked slowly, her expression unreadable. "He what?"

"I don't know, I swear! Maybe he tripped or something. But he looked terrified, then ran off." Una gave an awkward laugh, hoping Reina would too.

But Aunt Reina didn't. She just stared at her, something unreadable flickering behind her calm eyes. Then she sighed softly and forced a smile. "You've been drinking, sweetheart. Maybe it was just the shock or the lightning. Things look strange when you're tipsy."

"Yeah... maybe." Una turned back to the pan, trying to shake off the weird feeling twisting in her gut.

Reina stood up suddenly. "We're out of greens. I'll get some from the garden."

Without waiting for a response, she slipped out the back door.

Una watched her leave, a little confused. She'd seen her aunt tired, grumpy, even emotional but this was different. Something about the way she'd gone quiet after she told the story... like she knew something she wasn't saying.

When Reina returned, she had a basket of fresh vegetables and a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Add these to the mix," she said, placing them on the counter.

"What's that?" Una asked.

"Herbs," Reina said simply. "Good for the body. You should add a few to the eggs."

Una stared at them. "Uh... you sure? It looks kind of... wild."

Reina smiled faintly. "It's good for you. Trust me."

Una shrugged and took the leaves. "Okay, if you say so."

As she chopped the vegetables, she caught her aunt watching her again, calm but distant, almost like she was studying her. The silence stretched between them, soft but heavy.

For a brief moment, Una thought she saw something flicker in Reina's eyes-fear, maybe. But when she blinked, it was gone.

The smell that came from the pan was oddly sweet and minty, but she didn't question it. She was just glad breakfast was almost done.

When they finally sat down to eat, Reina seemed quieter than usual. She kept watching Una from across the table, her gaze distant, like she was thinking about something heavy.

Una noticed, of course. "You okay, Aunt?"

Reina blinked, forcing a small smile. "Yes, dear. Just tired."

Una nodded slowly. Something about that answer didn't feel true, but she didn't want to push it. Reina had always been a bit strange, especially when she came back from the garden with her 'herbs'. Maybe it was just one of her moods.

They ate mostly in silence, the sound of the spoon scraping the plate filling the room.

Halfway through the meal, Una felt a small warmth settle at the back of her neck, faint, but real. She rubbed it away, thinking it was just from the kitchen heat.

Reina, on the other hand, lowered her gaze, her lips moving slightly, almost like she was whispering a prayer.

The air in the kitchen shifted for a moment, light but steady. The warmth on Una's skin faded.

Una blinked and looked around. "Weird," she muttered, brushing her hair back.

"What is?" Reina asked, her tone even.

"Nothing. Just thought I felt something."

Reina gave a small nod, smiling faintly again. "The morning sun, maybe."

"Yeah, maybe," Una said with a shrug, going back to her food.

By the time they finished breakfast, the strange feeling was gone, and Una was laughing again, talking about how Lana almost tripped into the punch bowl last night.

Reina laughed softly too, but her eyes were far away - knowing too much, and saying too little.

Reina turned to pour herself some coffee. "You should rest after breakfast. Big day yesterday," she said, her tone light again.

Una forced a smile. "Yeah. Big day."

Reina left the table once they were done eating.

"I'll go freshen up," she said quietly, picking up her basket.

"Alright," Una replied, still humming softly as she cleared the dishes.

Reina went down the small hallway to her room. She closed the door and leaned on it for a moment, breathing slowly. The air in the room was thick, almost heavy, and she could feel that dull ache again deep in her chest. The kind that came whenever she used too much of the old magic.

She moved to the bathroom and turned on the tap. The water hit the floor in a steady stream, filling the small space with the sound of rushing water. She stepped in slowly, letting the cold drops run down her body.

For a while, she just stood there, her hands pressed to the wall, her mind turning over and over the same thought.

It was wearing off.

The spell.

The one she had placed years ago to keep Una's true nature hidden. It had been strong then, bound with herbs and old words. But time was cruel to such things. And Una... Una was changing.

Last night proved it.

Reina shut her eyes. She could still feel the faint echo of Una's power which was wild, untrained and dangerous. It was no accident that the boy had been thrown back. The magic was slipping through the cracks, no matter how tightly Reina tried to seal them.

And worse, the same herbs she used to strengthen the spell were beginning to take a toll on her own body. They had been safe at first, but now, each time she used them, they burned inside her like smoke. Her veins felt hot sometimes, her heartbeat slower, heavier.

Still, she couldn't stop. Not when Una's life and everyone around her could depend on it.

Reina ran a hand through her wet hair and sighed deeply. "Not yet," she whispered. "Please, not yet."

She didn't know if she was talking to herself, or to something else.

From the other room, Una's cheerful voice suddenly broke through her thoughts.

"Aunt Reina! I'm going out for a bit! I'll see you later!"

Reina blinked, forcing a tired smile. "Alright, dear," she called back, her voice steady even though her chest felt tight.

The sound of the front door closing drifted faintly down the hall.

Reina stayed under the water a moment longer. Then, as she tilted her head back and closed her eyes, a small, fragile, but clear thought came to her.

There might be another way. Something older. Something she had promised never to use again.

If it could keep Una safe, even if it took a little more from her - then maybe it was worth it.

She opened her eyes slowly, the water still running over her face.

"Maybe this time," she whispered, "it'll be enough to bind the Veyrath soul, but the price will be heavy."

And in that quiet bathroom, with only the sound of the dripping water, the air seemed to shift faintly as if the house itself had heard her.