Chapter 5 — A World of Magic

When I wake again, the first thing I see isn’t the ceiling or the light.

It’s her.

She stands in the doorway, framed by sunlight and arrogance. Long golden hair spills over her shoulders, her posture elegant, practiced — like every move is meant to be watched. Her eyes are the color of polished amber, warm at first glance but cold underneath.

The boy from before bows so low his forehead nearly touches the floor.

“L–Lady Emily…”

Her heels click against the stone floor as she steps closer. The air feels heavier with every sound. I sit up slowly, unsure if I should bow too — but my wrists are still chained.

Her gaze lands on me

“So you’re the new one,” she says, voice smooth and sharp at once. “You look… fragile.”

She circles me once, as though inspecting furniture. Her perfume is sweet but suffocating.

“You’ll address me as Lady Emily. You’ll wake before dawn, clean my quarters, and stay silent unless spoken to. Understand?”

I nod quickly. My throat is dry, but I manage a quiet, “Yes, my lady.”

She smiles, faint but cruel.

“Good. I hate disobedience. The last one I had couldn’t even polish shoes properly. I hope you’re not as disappointing.”

The boy beside me trembles. I don’t look at him; I can’t. My chest tightens too much.

Emily’s gaze lingers on the chain around my wrist. “You’ll earn your freedom when you prove useful. Until then—” she tugs the chain lightly, making me flinch “—you’ll stay where you belong.”

Then, as if she hasn’t just dragged the air out of the room, she straightens her dress and turns toward the door.

“Oh, and Samuel,” she says, pausing. “You’ll be coming with me to the Royal Academy soon. Try not to embarrass me.”

And just like that, she leaves — the sound of her heels fading into silence, leaving the faint scent of lilies and power behind.

I don’t realize I’ve been holding my breath until she’s gone.

The boy exhales shakily, wiping sweat from his forehead.

“You’re lucky,” he mutters. “She didn’t hit you this time.”

I glance at him, confused. “This time?”

He doesn’t answer. Instead, he kneels to loosen my chains slightly — not enough to free me, but enough that I can stretch my hands.

“Why… why am I here?” I whisper.

He hesitates. “You’re her property now. She bought you from the capital’s tradehouse.”

“Bought me?” My voice cracks on the word. “Like an object?”

His silence is answer enough.

For a while, we just sit there. Dust floats lazily in the light, and I wonder how the world can look so calm when my chest feels like it’s breaking.

Finally, I ask, “You called her an Alpha. What does that mean?”

The boy hesitates before speaking softly, like someone afraid of being overheard.

“People are born into types — Alpha, Beta, Omega, and Engima. Alphas have power, they lead. Betas are commoners. Omegas… they heal, they calm energy. Engimas are rare — unpredictable. The royal twins are said to be Engimas.”

He glances toward the door again. “Lady Emily’s an Alpha. She’ll take her magic test at the Academy soon. Everyone thinks she’ll awaken Golden rank — that’s the second highest.”

“Golden?”

“Yeah. Magic’s ranked too,” he says, counting quietly on his fingers. “Pink’s the weakest, Green’s average, Golden’s noble. And then there’s Purple…”

He lowers his hand and looks down

“Purple hasn’t appeared in hundreds of years. People say it belongs only to gods.”

Purple. The word sounds almost unreal — too distant to mean anything to someone like me.

I close my eyes for a second, trying to understand.

A world ruled by types and colors.

A cruel mistress with golden eyes.

A name that isn’t mine.

This isn’t heaven. It’s something else entirely

“You should rest,” the boy says quietly, standing. “Lady Emily doesn’t like dull faces when she leaves for the Academy tomorrow. I’m Theo, by the way… if you ever need help.”

He leaves before I can reply, closing the door softly behind him.

The silence returns, thick and heavy. I pull my knees to my chest and stare at the faint marks on my wrists.

In my old life, I just wanted peace.

Here… I don’t even know what peace looks like anymore.

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