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  Katalin woke slowly, blinking against the warm light spilling through the window. She frowned, shifting beneath the covers. That was strange—she never slept this late.

  Papa had gotten home so late last night, so of course her parents had slept in too.

  They probably stayed up talking.

  She pushed herself up on one elbow, rubbing a fist over her eyes. “Where’s Papa?” she mumbled, her voice thick with sleep.

  A quiet chuckle met her ears. She turned toward the sound and found her mother sitting beside the bed, already dressed, her dark hair neatly braided.

  Seraphina grinned down at her daughter. “He went up to the residence to see some people.” She tapped Katalin’s knee through the blankets. “Now, up you get.”

  Katalin groaned but swung her legs over the side of the bed. Her feet met the cool stone floor, sending a shiver up her spine. “Alright, Mama,” she muttered, stretching her arms above her head. “Do you want me to get some eggs?”

  Seraphina smiled. “That’s up to you. I already made breakfast for your father, so do you want to eat before or after our exercises?”

  Katalin didn’t hesitate. “Let’s meditate first.” She rolled her shoulders, still shaking off the last traces of sleep. “My wolf pup has been running in circles since Papa showed up. I need to calm him down.”

  Seraphina nodded. “Alright. Do you need to use the bathroom before we start?”

  Katalin opened her mouth to say no—then paused, frowning slightly.

  “…No.”

  A heartbeat passed.

  “…I mean, yes.”

  The moment she said it, the need became urgent. She dashed out of the room, bare feet slapping against the cool stone floor.

  “Put on your slippers!” Seraphina called after her, but Katalin was already gone.

  Before leaving the bathroom, she paused at the mirror, tilting her head slightly.

  Mama said mirrors were almost magical—how they could show you things you didn’t always notice. It was unusual for them to have one at all, something only nobles or rich merchants owned.

  Katalin had never really thought about it before. But…

  Papa said I’ve gotten bigger.

  She studied her reflection, really looking at herself for the first time in a while.

  Her brown hair fell to her shoulders—some might call it curly, but it was really just wavy. She pushed a strand behind her ear, then frowned slightly.

  She knew she was small for her age—everyone reminded her. And thin. But turning twelve at the harvest festival had to mean growing taller. It had to.

  She leaned closer, studying her eyes. Brown, but flecked with hints of green and gold, depending on the light. Had they always been like that? She hadn’t noticed before.

  She leaned closer thinking about something Mama often said: “The eyes show what's hiding inside a person.” Katalin searched her reflection, wondering if she could see whatever it was that made her wolf pup run away during practice.

  Katalin pulled back and exhaled. She looked more like Mama than Papa, which she supposed was good. People always said Mama was beautiful.

  Not that it really matters.

  She turned away from the mirror and padded back toward the bedroom.

  As Katalin returned, she plopped on the edge of the bed beside her mother, adjusting the hem of her nightdress.

  “Will our new home have Papa’s bathroom?”

  Seraphina smirked. “Oh yes. I told him, ‘Do not come back until it is ready.’” She crossed her arms and gave a dramatic shudder. “I am not going back to hand-pumped water, outdoor privies, or—” she made a face “—buckets.”

  Katalin giggled. “Buckets are the worst.”

  Seraphina sighed. “Truly.” Brushing her hands over her skirts, she stood. “Now, get dressed. Wear your riding clothes.”

  Katalin blinked. Realization lit her face. “Aunt Teo!”

  Seraphina held up a hand before she could get too excited. “Yes, but check with Mirelle first. Make sure Lady Teodora is feeling up to riding today. If she’s having a weak morning, don’t press her—just give her your company.”

  Katalin nodded quickly. “I will. But if she’s feeling well, do you think she’ll let me ride Smokey again?”

  Seraphina smiled a knowing glint in her eye. “That depends on whether Lady Teodora thinks you’ve earned it.”

  Katalin grinned as she pulled out a pair of sturdy trousers. “Then I better be extra sweet today.”

  Once Katalin had finished dressing, Seraphina pulled a brush, comb, and a few ribbons from her apron pocket and tapped the bed beside her.

  Katalin groaned but did as directed, flopping down with exaggerated reluctance. “Do we have to?”

  Seraphina merely arched an eyebrow. “Unless you want to look like a wildling when you see Lady Teodora.”

  Katalin huffed but sat still as her mother began pulling the brush through her hair, careful but firm. She endured it in silence, only squirming slightly when Seraphina worked through a stubborn tangle.

  Once her hair was properly braided and secured with a ribbon, Seraphina gave it a final pat. “Alright, get your mat and candle.”

  Katalin hopped off the bed and crouched down, reaching beneath it for her rolled-up meditation mat. Then, standing, she grabbed a plain beeswax candle from the shelf by her bed.

  Seraphina, meanwhile, retrieved her own mat from the table, where she had placed it earlier when she came in to wake Katalin.

  Together, they unrolled their mats on the floor.

  Seraphina settled into place, then reached for the small pouch tied around her neck. She untied it slowly, fingers brushing over the worn leather, and looked expectantly at Katalin.

  Katalin reached for her own throat—where nothing was hanging.

  Her heart skipped.

  She glanced at Seraphina, then bounced up, rushed to her bed, and grabbed a small pouch hanging from the bedpost. She plopped back down and meekly muttered, “Sorry, Mama.”

  Seraphina hummed, shaking her head. “One day, you’ll misplace your own tail.”

  Without another word, she reached into her apron pocket and pulled out a flint striker—the same pocket where the brush and comb had disappeared earlier.

  Katalin placed her candle between them, and with a few practiced motions, Seraphina struck a small spark, lighting the wick.

  The flickering flame danced between them, casting warm, steady light across the floor.

  They each reached into their pouches.

  Seraphina pulled out a small stone, smooth and familiar beneath her fingertips. The carefully etched hound’s paw print caught the flickering candlelight, shadows deepening in the carved lines.

  Katalin withdrew a wolf’s tooth, noticing how its rough surface was beginning to give way to polish where her fingers had worried it during these lessons.

  Seraphina’s voice was soft but steady. “Alright, like we practiced. Breathe deep and slow. Look into the candle. Feel the texture of the tooth in your hand.”

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  Katalin obeyed, letting her breath slow, her fingers running over the curves and ridges of the tooth as she focused on the steady flame before her. The warm glow wavered gently with each breath.

  They sat in silence for several minutes, the room settling into stillness.

  Seraphina’s voice came again, quiet but firm. “Concentrate inside yourself. Find your mana.”

  The world narrowed to the rhythm of her breathing, the warmth of the flame, the weight of the tooth against her palm.

  Silence stretched between them.

  Then—

  “Did you find him?” Seraphina asked softly.

  Katalin nodded but didn’t take her eyes off the candle. “He’s there,” she whispered. “But he won’t come.”

  Seraphina remained unbothered, her voice patient. “That’s alright. Be patient. Feel your mana. Where is it now?”

  Katalin’s brow furrowed as she concentrated, her breathing steady. “He’s everywhere,” she whispered. “Just running around.”

  Seraphina nodded. “Well, he’s just a young puppy. He wants to play with you.”

  Katalin frowned slightly. “What do I do?”

  Seraphina’s voice remained calm, steady. “Chase him. And if you get close, turn around and run.”

  Katalin’s fingers curled around the wolf’s tooth in her palm. “But how?”

  Seraphina shifted slightly, her posture relaxed but unwavering. “Just will yourself to be there. I know it’s not easy, but we’ve done it before. You can do it. It will get easier.”

  For a moment, Katalin hesitated. In a voice barely above a whisper, she murmured, “Alright, Mama.”

  She was somewhere else—her world. She couldn’t always reach it, but it was getting easier.

  A vast space stretched around her—undefined, weightless, not quite real but more than a dream. The edges of it shifted and wavered, as if it were still forming, a world not yet solid. It felt familiar but distant, like something just out of reach.

  Fog curled at her feet, thick and swirling, but beyond it—motion.

  A flash of pale fur, darting through the haze.

  Her wolf pup.

  Vaelkan to her. Wavefang to anyone else.

  It was nothing but blurred movement and restless energy, a streak of white flicking in and out of sight. Paws kicked up dust that wasn’t really there. A shadowed tail cut through the mist. Once, she caught a glimpse of bright, clever eyes watching her—then gone, lost to motion again.

  She tensed.

  Run, she willed herself. Chase him.

  She lunged forward—but she was slow. Her body felt heavy, her steps dragging as if the fog itself resisted her movement.

  The wolf pup was effortless. It leapt and turned, bounding in wild arcs, never still. Not afraid of her. Not avoiding her. But not listening either.

  Still, she pushed forward, forcing herself through the weight of the space between them. For a moment—just for a moment—she felt close.

  But before she could reach him—he veered away.

  Katalin stumbled to a halt, frustration curling in her chest.

  I can’t do it.

  The pup kept running, tireless, untouchable.

  Looking around Katalin felt another presence. Something new and dark. A shape lurking in the mist, massive and formless. And cold. When she tried to focus on it, it seemed to grow larger, pushing between her and the wolf pup. She felt a creeping sensation, like icy fingers reaching for her. Her heart beat faster.

  Looking around for the wolf pup she couldn’t see him. She could sense that he was there but he was blocked from view. Shielded by the cold, lurking beast in the mist.

  Katalin's eyes flew open. “Momma, there's... there's something else there. Something big.”

  Seraphina's voice remained gentle. “What does it feel like?”

  “Like... it doesn’t want me to do this. Like I'm not good enough.” Katalin's voice trembled.

  “Ah,” Seraphina said with a slow nod. “That’s doubt, Little Wolf. We all have to face him from time to time. But he cannot hurt you. He only stands in your way.”

  Katalin glanced down at her lap. “But I’ve never seen him before. Not like that.”

  Seraphina’s tone stayed warm, but firmer now. “Just yesterday, you were still having trouble entering your private space, right?”

  “Yes, Mama.”

  “And how was it this time?”

  “Easy. I was there right away.”

  “And how long were you working on that?”

  “Weeks and weeks.”

  “See?” Seraphina gently brushed Katalin’s hair from her cheek. “You are making good progress. It’s normal to have breakthroughs, then go back to slow and steady for a while. I know it can be frustrating, but you’re doing so good, Little Wolf.”

  Katalin thought about her mother’s words and nodded. “Alright, Mama.”

  “Now that you’re connecting more deeply with your mana,” Seraphina said, “your thoughts and emotions will start to take shape in that space too.” She shifted slightly. “That doubt you’re feeling—it’s keeping you from Wavefang. Acknowledge it, then let your attention drift past. Focus on your pup.”

  Katalin took a deep breath and focused on the candle and her breathing.

  After a few minutes she was there again, in her inner world.

  She squeezed her fists, feeling the phantom shape of her wolf’s tooth even though it wasn’t here with her. She could hear her mother’s voice—steady, patient.

  The beast was there, lurking in the mist. But now she knew what it was. She willed it to step aside - challenging it to try to stop her. “I CAN DO THIS!”

  It seemed to grow smaller and slink away. With the beast no longer lurking just out of sight she looked around for Vaelkan and he was there. Just like before, dashing in and out of the fog around her.

  Again she willed herself to move. It was a little easier this time.

  She watched as the wolf pup ran through the fog and followed. She thought he was ignoring her, but then he dashed towards her and turned away as he got close.

  If you get close, turn around and run.

  Katalin exhaled.

  Instead of lunging forward again, she did the opposite.

  She turned and ran the other way.

  For the first time, the pup hesitated.

  It didn’t stop—but it faltered.

  For a breath, a heartbeat, it turned toward her.

  She took another deep breath and whispered the name only she knew, the one that belonged to her alone.

  “Vaelkan.”

  The pup's ears twitched. His tail flicked.

  But then the pup bounded off into the mist once more, leaving her alone.

  She stumbled to a halt, frustration curling in her chest.

  The wolf pup dashed away again—further this time, further than before.

  A flare of heat pulsed through the mist, sudden and sharp.

  “Stop running from me!”

  The air crackled. The fog around her flashed red, twisting like it had been struck by lightning.

  And then—something moved.

  Not creeping like doubt. Not waiting.

  This thing lashed out, quick and fierce, rippling through the mist like fire racing across dry leaves.

  The wolf pup saw it. Felt it.

  Its ears flattened, its body crouched low, and in a blink, it was gone—vanished into the mist.

  Katalin gasped.

  The thing—the force—was still there, thrumming in the air like the aftershock of a storm.

  Burning. Uncontrolled. Unseen.

  She didn’t know where it had come from. Only that the wolf pup had fled from it.

  She snapped back to awareness.

  Seraphina’s voice was already there, calm and knowing.

  “What did you feel?”

  Katalin clenched her fists, her breath still short. “It scared him,” she admitted, her voice small.

  Seraphina nodded. “That is your anger and frustration.” Her mother reached out, pressing a steadying hand to Katalin’s arm. “It burns like fire. It pushes when you need to pull. It commands when you need to listen. And when it flares—your mana flees.”

  She studied Katalin carefully, her voice calm but certain. “I expected something like this. This beast is strong in you, and you will have to learn to tame it.”

  Katalin swallowed, her pulse still thrumming in her ears. Her mind flickered to other times when she had snapped too fast, shouted too loud, clenched her fists too tight. Mama always said her temper ran hot—but now it was driving her wolf away.

  Determined, she nodded to her mother.

  She would do better.

  “Breathe with me,” Seraphina murmured.

  Inhale. Exhale.

  Again. Again. Until the fire cooled, until the trembling inside stilled.

  Seraphina’s hand lifted, brushing a loose strand of hair from Katalin’s brow. “Wavefang wants to be your friend,” she reminded gently. “But he is wild. He is as unsure of you as you are of him. If you wish to lead him, you must be calm.”

  It took longer this time to slip into the other place, but when she did the burning beast had faded to wisps of smoke and the other was again small and distant.

  “Calm,” she told herself.

  Again she watched as the wolf pup glided in and out of the mist. Again she followed. And then this time when the pup dashed towards her she was ready. Instead of trying to meet it she turned and moved away.

  He followed. Only a few steps and then he ran past and away.

  Excitedly Katalin moved behind him. And when he again ran towards her she turned and ran away. Soon they were moving in a pattern, almost a dance. Each chasing the other. The fog and mist swirling around them.

  This was not submission, not mastery—but a shift. A first step. She could feel a bond growing.

  But then her steps slowed and she faltered—just like at the start.

  Looking around, the space that had seemed so vast now appeared to be closing in. She looked for Vaelkan and he was there. But moving slowly. She could sense that he was tired.

  “Katalin.”

  The voice was distant, pulling at the edges of the space.

  She took a step, where had her wolf gone? The fog was getting thicker.

  She could barely sense him now. He seemed to be far away.

  She tried to move in the direction she felt was right but could only go a few steps.

  “Katalin.”

  The voice was louder. More insistent.

  It was hard to breathe. She felt on the edge of panic.

  “Katalin!”

  Her vision blurred, her breath faltered—the world around her dissolved.

  With a sharp intake of breath, Katalin’s eyes—eyes she hadn’t even realized were closed—popped open.

  The room spun. A deep ache curled in her chest, like she’d been wrung dry. Every limb felt sluggish, too heavy, too weak, and tingled like she had slept on it wrong.

  She swayed. Seraphina’s steady hand was already on her shoulder, keeping her upright.

  “Easy, Little Wolf,” her mother murmured.

  Katalin squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, then blinked hard. The weight lessened slightly, but she still felt hollow—like something inside her had drained away.

  Then, despite it all, a wild, breathless grin spread across her face, her heart still racing from the chase.

  “Oh, Mama,” she gasped, barely able to contain her excitement. “He played with me! He’s so beautiful.”

  Seraphina smiled broadly, warmth filling her expression. She gave Katalin’s shoulder a squeeze before releasing it, then reached down, laying a gentle hand over Katalin’s closed fists.

  “Nicely done, Little Wolf.” Her voice was soft, steady. “I am proud of you. And your father will be surprised when he learns how far you’ve come while he was away.”

  Katalin shook out her hands and arms, careful not to drop the wolf’s tooth. The tingling hadn’t fully left her, and exhaustion dragged at her limbs, a sluggish weight beneath her skin. But despite the heaviness, excitement burned beneath it, pushing past the weariness.

  “Let’s do it again,” she said eagerly.

  Seraphina held up a hand, stopping her before she could settle back into position. “Slow down. You need to recover. He will be there waiting next time,” she said gently.

  “Tomorrow?” Katalin asked.

  “We will see. We’ve been at this for an hour. You don’t want to overuse your mana. Not ever—but especially not this soon.”

  Katalin blinked, frowning. “An hour?”

  Seraphina softly laughed, the warmth of it settling between them. “Yes. It’s very easy to get lost in there. But as you improve, it will get easier. You’ll be able to slip in and out, even being here and there at the same time.”

  Katalin sighed deeply but didn’t argue. “Alright, Mama.” She turned the wolf’s tooth over in her palm, watching how the candlelight flickered across its surface, then slowly curled her fingers around it.

  After a moment, she rose onto her knees and leaned forward, pressing a small kiss to her mother’s cheek. “Thank you for teaching me, Mama.”

  Seraphina smiled warmly, and maybe—just maybe—her eyes were a little glassy. “Of course, Little Wolf. That’s what we do in our family.”

  She gave Katalin’s hand a light squeeze before releasing it. “Now, put up your things and go get those eggs so you can have breakfast.”