Zenith lunged, his blade aglow. Lodo met it with his metallic claws, and their weapons clashed with an impact that echoed through the entire arena.
For a heartbeat, the two remained locked together, straining against each other. Then they broke apart and leaped back. They circled, sizing each other up.
Zenith snapped his sword forward. The light engulfing the blade brightened, and Theo felt their combined Levias pulse harder. It was like two hearts beating as one. His soft dawn glow, and Zenith's crystal core.
As their power climbed to its peak, the light concentrated into a beam so bright it made dark spots dance in Theo's vision. The beam shot from the sword straight toward Lodo.
But seconds before it could strike, a scarlet shield diagram flared in front of the werecat. Theo felt the impact in his bones when the beam slammed into the shield. It indented beneath the onslaught, its lines fracturing into scarlet sparks, but it had done its job. With most of its force absorbed, the beam scattered into motes of light that drifted over Lodo like glowing snow.
Zenith stumbled a little, breathing hard. Theo ran to his side.
"How are you feeling?" he asked.
"I should be asking you that," Zenith said with a dazzling smile, wiping the hair out of his eyes.
There was no use denying how Theo's heart skipped a beat. Somehow, it was easier to bear now that he wasn't running from his feelings for Zenith.
Even if they hadn't gotten together after that conversation, Theo felt like they'd still gained something valuable. Another step toward truly understanding one another.
Zenith was still looking curiously at him, so Theo hurried to say, "I'm fine."
He really was. Casting the elemental spell had left him a little lightheaded, but otherwise he felt no worse for the wear – if anything, he thought he might easily be able to do it again.
Meg came walking toward him, clapping her hands. Behind her, Lodo looked just as proud. "Well done, you two. You really have mastered that spell."
"Indeed." Lodo chuckled a little. "Why, if Lady Meg hadn't intervened, I'm afraid I wouldn't be here to congratulate you."
"I believe it's important to treat even training spars as if they are real. That is the best way to ensure one is always prepared," Zenith said, serious as ever.
"Right you are, Sir." Lodo nodded smartly.
"So, shall we take a break for now?" Meg said, winking. "We can get ice cream after lunch, if you want."
"Yeah!" Predictably, Sam pumped her fist.
Meg collapsed the arena and Theo joined the others in heading upstairs. Sam skipped at the very front, humming the Mashuparo theme song. She seemed even more gung-ho than usual, which was saying a lot.
Summer break had started, and that meant they could spend every day training. In a way, it was no different from how Theo had spent his previous summer breaks, hanging out and shooting the shit with Sam all day. Of course, now it wasn't just Sam but everyone else. Zenith. And instead of farting around on a game that would never actually get made, they were improving their skill as wizards.
Theo's spirits couldn't be higher as they gathered for lunch in the sitting room – Lodo's homemade paella. He went into the kitchen to help gather plates, but no sooner had he opened the cabinet did a sudden bang echo throughout the entire house.
Theo quickly slammed the cabinet door shut, not wanting the plates to fall. "What's going on?" he yelled as another bang shook the walls.
"Oh, my." Lodo hurried out of the kitchen. "It seems somebody is knocking at the shop's front door."
"Can't they see the closed sign?" Meg sounded irritated, but was already heading down the stairs.
Curious, Theo followed her. The banging became louder, like the person wanted to break the door down.
As if hit by the same thought, Lodo ran the rest of the way to the front door and swung it wide open. "Excuse me," he snapped, uncharacteristically stern. "But if you'd mind the sign, you'll see that we are – "
"Fucking finally!" an unfortunately familiar voice blared. "God, thought I was gonna have to knock forever. You guys deaf or what?"
"Ryan?" Theo exchanged dumbfounded glances with Sam beside him. Sure enough, a sandy-haired boy was standing in the doorway.
But Theo had never seen Ryan looking quite so wrecked before. He was doubled over and gasping for breath, his face flushed blotchy red, his normally impeccable hair a sweat-soaked mess. He looked like he'd run halfway across the city.
"I see your parents haven't taught you any manners," Meg declared, drawing herself up haughtily.
Ryan ignored her. Instead, his gaze landed on Theo, then he blinked twice before shoving past Lodo and grabbing Theo by the shoulders.
Theo jerked. This was the first time Ryan had ever touched him, and his grip was a lot stronger than he'd expected.
Before he could tell Ryan to let go, the guy started babbling a mile a minute. "Oh, thank God you're here. Didn't know where else to look. I know you come here a lot after school so I figured you might be here during break too."
"Hold up!" Theo yelled, squirming. "How the hell do you know that? Are you stalking me or what?"
"That's not important," Ryan said breathlessly, even though it kind of was. "Look, look, I need your help, Theo."
"Uh." Theo stopped his attempts at wriggling free. He couldn't help it: those were about the last words he'd ever expected to hear out of Ryan Crowley's mouth.
Before Ryan could provide an explanation, Zenith came up behind him. "Excuse me, Mr. Crowley, but if you would please unhand my wizard?"
His tone was polite as ever, but with a decidedly frosty edge. Ryan must have caught on, because he let go of Theo and stepped back. Theo sighed in relief.
"All right." Meg raked a hand through her hair. "I have no idea what's going on, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to discuss it over tea."
~*~
So that was how Theo found himself back in the sitting room, this time with the unexpected new addition of Ryan Crowley in the flower-upholstered armchair that Meg usually took.
Ryan. Here. Theo could have never imagined it. Let alone the fact that Ryan apparently wanted his help.
A few sips of Lodo's lavender chamomile tea seemed to have calmed Ryan down, though the redness still hadn't faded from his face. He squinted over the edge of his cup as if trying to imprint every detail of the sitting room into his memory.
Then he fixed his eyes on Meg, staring so blatantly Theo felt uncomfortable on her behalf. Of course, she could handle herself.
"What is it?" Folding her arms, Meg arched an eyebrow. "Have you never laid your eyes on such a gorgeous woman before? I'm flattered, but I'll have you know I don't go for little kids."
"Huh? What? No!" Ryan jerked like he'd been stung by a bee. "That's not – look, I'm sure of it. I've definitely seen you before."
"Of course," Meg said dryly. "I was there for your first battle with Theo."
"No, no, even before that." Ryan rubbed his hands through his hair. "I thought you seemed familiar before, but now I'm sure of it. You're Margaret Wetherill, aren't you?"
"Who?" Sam blurted, while Theo felt rather embarrassed that Ryan had apparently mistaken Meg for someone else. Besides, this wasn't what they'd come here to discuss.
He opened his mouth to remind Ryan to get back on topic, but Meg's reaction startled him. She'd taken a step back, her brows drawing tight together. Then she sucked in a sharp breath and straightened her shoulders.
"What are you talking about?" she said, her voice thin as a razor.
"Don't play dumb!" Ryan yelled, gesturing excitedly. "I saw you at that party five years ago. You were with that same butler." He indicated Lodo. "But it sounds like you cut off all contact with your family shortly after that. So you've been here running a bookstore all this time?"
Meg sighed. Just like that, all the tension fled her posture, and she looked more defeated than Theo had ever seen her. "I'm impressed you remember. Weren't you a toddler back then?"
Her voice held a caustic edge, harsher than her usual teasing. She looked at Ryan as if he were an insect she'd discovered under her shoe.
Ryan didn't seem to notice. "I was twelve!" he yelled indignantly.
"Wait, wait, what's going on? Margaret Wetherill? Her name's Meg Ruby," Sam cut in.
Another deep, bone-weary sigh from Meg. She swept back the hair from her forehead. "Meg Ruby is my legal name now. But I was born Margaret Wetherill, eldest daughter to the Wetherill lineage of wizards."