Once they had made camp, Lanni joined Jahree in a quiet corner of the tent. The others in their group understood the need for privacy and busied themselves nearby, casting sidelong glances but keeping their distance. Jahree took a deep breath and began explaining everything Lonna had told him. A moment later, Raylee slipped into the space beside them, her expression one of quiet concern as she gently took Lanni’s hands, checking them for signs of cold damage. “Jahree said Lonna took away his magic,” Lanni murmured, wincing as Raylee’s warm fingers pressed against her numb ones. Raylee nodded, unfazed. “It’s a common procedure,” she replied, her voice calm but matter-of-fact as if explaining a well-known truth. Lanni’s eyes widened. “But...I thought Tameria didn’t have magic. They’re the non-mages from Lertan, right?” “They are, mostly,” Raylee admitted, releasing Lanni’s hands as she began to rummage through her bag, pulling out a small jar of healing balm. “Back on Lertan, there were two groups: those who used magic and those who didn’t. The conflict between them was endless. But, as with any society, there were those who disagreed with their government’s stance. Some people on both sides believed in cooperation rather than war. Over time, that led to some... mingling.” She began massaging the balm into Lanni’s hands, her touch firm but gentle. “Some descendants ended up on Tameria, hidden among their people. Even though magic is scarce, it never fully breeds out—especially not immortal magic. Now and then, children are born with minor abilities. The Tamerian Law Bureau takes it upon themselves to remove any traces of magic in those children. They believe in keeping the world free of magic, and while it might sound harsh, it’s usually harmless. The children live perfectly normal lives.” Jahree leaned forward, his brows furrowed. “And what about this anti-magic? Is that part of the process?” Raylee nodded. “Every so often, one of these children shows signs of resistance to magic—a rare trait. They can even negate spells, like what Jahree did to the gate the other day. Tameria’s bureau had Lonna examine children born with this ability. They’re trying to understand why it happens and if it can be duplicated. They claim it’s a precaution in case the Ertonians attack. They want defenses, but...” Lanni frowned. “Or maybe they’re lying. Maybe they’re building an army of anti-magic soldiers to attack us here.” Raylee sighed, rubbing the last of the balm between her hands. “It’s possible. But I’ve seen their records and don’t believe they’d risk an open war. The number of children born with magic is small, and those with anti-magic are even rarer. They’d need to create a whole new process to give non-mages magical abilities just to strip them of it again. It’s a complicated and risky endeavor.” “Unless they’re developing something like this magic-eater,” Lanni countered, his voice tight. Raylee gave a small, tired smile. “You’re right, it could be. But if they wanted to hide these experiments, they wouldn’t have let me get so close. They just want to be left alone, Lanni.” Lanni wasn’t convinced. She crossed her arms, her voice dropping to a whisper. “Then why did you take Lonna? Won’t they retaliate?” Raylee’s expression softened, and for the first time, she looked weary. “They’ll be angry, but Lonna is family. She doesn’t belong there. She told me she doesn’t remember how she got to Tameria—whether they abducted her or someone else did. She has no loyalty to them, and she belongs with us. It would be a treaty violation for them to demand her return.” Jahree and Lanni exchanged a glance. For a moment, they sat in silence, absorbing the weight of Raylee’s words. The cold wind howled outside, but in the dim light of the tent, they felt the warmth of shared purpose and an uncertain, fragile trust. #fantasy #magic #dragons #hiddenlands