Chapter 17

The dining hall was bathed in the warm glow of candlelight, the long wooden table lined with plates of steaming food. The rich aroma of roasted meat and fresh bread filled the air, but Kenny barely touched his plate. His muscles ached from a full day of training, his mind clouded with frustration. Across from him, Isabella sipped her drink with an air of patience that Kenny found infuriating.

"I’m telling you," he muttered, stabbing at a piece of bread, "you’re just not a good teacher."

Isabella’s golden eyes narrowed. "Or maybe you’re just a terrible student."

Adisa, seated between them, let out a sigh. "Alright, enough. The point was to let Isabella give you the basics. If she fails, I’ll step in."

Isabella rolled her eyes. "I’m not failing."

"You are," Kenny countered. "You keep saying magic is about feeling and ‘letting it happen.’ What does that even mean? That’s not how things work. There has to be a process—like some rules."

Isabella shook her head. "That’s your problem. You’re thinking about it like a machine. Magic isn’t about steps and rules—it’s about letting go, using your intuition."

Kenny scoffed. "That’s ridiculous."

"You’re too closed off. You don’t believe in it, and that’s why you can’t do it."

Hernandez, who had been quietly eating, finally spoke. "We don’t have time for this," he said, his deep voice cutting through the tension. "Kenny, you need to at least learn how to break the barrier. Until then, we can’t leave this world."

Kenny frowned. "Can’t we just go the way you guys came?"

Silence.

He looked around the table, waiting for an answer, but everyone avoided his gaze. Even Hernandez, always so blunt, said nothing.

"You can’t use that method again, can you?" Chidi pressed.

Hernandez exhaled sharply. "No."

Kenny wanted to ask why, but the way they all stiffened made it clear they wouldn’t tell him.

"Chidi, how are you doing?" Adisa asked

"Thanks, I've been meaning to talk about that." Chidi paused. "What's the plan, regarding my situation and my family?"

"Well, the situation is that you are mostly a lycan now. Going back home will endanger your family, you will not be able to control your transformation"

"Yeah, I figured I would need some training and someone to watch over me during full moon, but my brothers need someone to take care of them. Our mother… she’s useless. She drinks all day. Without me, my brothers will starve."

Kenny looked at her, his frustration melting away. Chidi had been attacked because of him. She was a werewolf now, her life permanently changed.

Hernandez nodded. "We can send them food, and I’ll see if we can find a family to take them in."

Chidi hesitated, then nodded. "That’s good enough for now."

Kenny’s stomach twisted. "Chidi, I—I’m sorry," he blurted.

Chidi turned to him, confused. "For what?"

"If I hadn’t come into your life, none of this would have happened. You wouldn’t have been attacked."

Chidi sighed, shaking her head. "Don’t do that, Kenny. You didn’t attack me. You didn’t turn me into this. We’re both just victims."

It did little to dissuade his guilt. Kenny wanted to say something, but before he could, a knock at the door interrupted them.

A guard stepped in, bowing slightly. "A man named Orvin is here. He’s waiting in a private room."

Kenny’s breath caught. His uncle was here

He stood up so fast his chair scraped against the floor. "I’ll go see him." As he reached the turn, he turned around. "Isabella, please come with me."

---

The private chamber was dimly lit, the scent of burning wood thick in the air. Kenny stepped inside hesitantly, and there he was—Orvin, his uncle, pacing near the fireplace. The moment Orvin saw him, his face broke into a mixture of relief and disbelief.

"Kenny!" Orvin rushed forward, gripping him in a tight hug. "You’re alive."

Kenny exhaled, tension easing for just a moment. "Yeah, I’m okay."

Orvin pulled back, gripping his shoulders. "Then why the hell didn’t you come home?" His voice was strained, desperate. "Do you know what it’s been like, not knowing if you were dead or alive?"

Kenny swallowed hard. "I wanted to, but… I can’t."

Orvin’s brow furrowed. "What do you mean, you can’t? Where is this place, are they the one who kidnapped you?"

"No uncle, they are helping me."

"Helping you with what?"

"Remember the tattoo?"

"You are still on about that tattoo!"

"Yes, because it's real and there is more to it."

"Last time I checked, there were no tattoo"

"There was, but you just couldn't see it. I can show you now." Kenny extended his hand. "Isabella."

Isabella stepped forward, and whispered some incantations. The tattoo became apparent to Orvin, who appeared shocked. He closely examined the tattoo, short for words.

"Told you."

"I can pretend, I have explanation for this, but tattoos are not supernatural?"

Kenny turned to her. "Show him."

She hesitated for a fraction of a second before lifting her hand. A flick of her fingers, and the air around them shimmered. A swirl of golden light sparked to life, dancing in the air like fireflies. It twisted and coiled, shaping into glowing symbols before vanishing into nothing.

Orvin took a step back, eyes wide. "God above…" he whispered. "This isn’t… this isn’t real."

"It is," Kenny said.

"OK, what does this all mean?"

Kenny took a deep breath. "I have to leave, Uncle Orvin. Leave this world."

Orvin’s face twisted in confusion. "What?"

"I have to leave this world"

His uncle’s expression was a storm of emotions—shock, confusion, fear. "Where?" he asked. "Where are you going?"

"A magical world," Kenny said simply. "A place I didn’t even know existed until a few weeks ago."

Orvin shook his head. "This is madness." He reached out, gripping Kenny’s arm. "Come home, at least for now. We can talk about it, outside these atmosphere"

Kenny placed his hand over his uncle’s, squeezing gently before pulling away. "I can’t."

Orvin’s face tightened. "Kenny—"

"Thank you," Kenny interrupted, his voice softer now. "For everything. For taking care of me after my parents died. For being there when I had no one else. I won’t forget it."

Orvin’s mouth opened slightly, then closed. His eyes glistened, his hands clenching at his sides.

Kenny forced a smile, though his chest ached. "This might be the last time we see each other."

Orvin let out a shuddering breath, looking at him like he was still that orphaned boy he had taken in. And maybe, in some ways, Kenny still was that boy.

Finally, Orvin nodded, his expression hardening. "If this is your choice."

Kenny nodded. "It is."

And with that, he turned and walked away.

"That was brutal" Isabella remarked

"Yeah"

"Are you going to be alright?"

Kenny nodded.