After delving into the story of Discovery, check out the latest episode here, I turned my attention to the second Wattpad story for the month. With this tale, I wanted to explore Darren’s education. When I went to my notes, I had a brief description to use for the tale. This story centers around Wayne as he interrupts a study session with Darren and Lia. He pulls Darren aside and tries to enlist him in a special job to help position him with their family. Granted, it’s been some time since I last visited this blurb, but it was enough to give me some ideas on how to take the story.
Throughout the previous tales, I’ve highlighted that Darren wants nothing to do with the portion of his family represented by Wayne. He considers his mother’s desire to run away from them justified, simply due to his cousin’s arrogant attitude. Check out the series to get a full look at how this unfolds. Considering the path I know Darren is going to eventually march down, I wanted a motivation that would force him to ignore his previous conceptions of his arrogant family member.
Secrets don’t always come in the form of whispered words or hidden chambers. Sometimes they enter the room draped in elaborate dressings. In a school meant to hide students from the eyes of the ruling Council, study sessions are more than practice. They are a refuge. Darren and Lia spend their evenings bent over tomes, chasing knowledge on their own terms, far from the politics of powerful mages.
But peace in the school is fragile. Old rivalries, family pride, and simmering expectations wait just outside the door. When it creaks open, the weight of tradition steps in, uninvited and unwelcome, to remind Darren that his life is tied to more than lessons and laughter. What begins as banter between friends quickly shifts into a test of loyalty and resolve. In this tale of quiet halls and louder demands, the question isn’t only what you study. It’s what you’re willing to carry.
When Wayne disrupts a study session between Darren and Lia, he demands his cousin accept the job. Will Darren agree to the request? Or will he deny his cousin’s desire?
Soft light filled the common room while Darren pushed a heavy tome across the table. He sighed, rubbing his face with one hand. He glanced at Lia’s notes and let out a wry laugh. She poked Darren’s side as she glared at him. “What are you laughing at?”
“I believe your runes are drawn poorly.” He rubbed his side as he tapped the scribbled arcane marks. “Unless your goal was a devastating explosion.”
Lia stuck out her tongue and closed her eyes. “You don’t understand the balancing act I’ve gone through in order to create this scheme.”
Darren laughed harder and reached forward, closing the surrendered book. “All our teachers insist that keeping your runes simple is always preferred. Unless you’re hoping to survive an explosion right in your face.”
“You are being a touch dramatic,” Lia said, elbowing Darren’s side.
The door opened with a squeak, pulling their attention to Wayne as he strolled into the room. His demeanor dripped with the arrogance of a nobleman’s son, and then some. The emerald cloak, hugging Wayne’s shoulders, swept behind him like a banner of entitlement. Darren’s body stiffened, while Lia gripped her pencil and looked down.
“Well, well,” Wayne said, his gaze bouncing between them until settling on Darren. “Why doesn’t it surprise me that you two are once again going the extra mile to please the teachers?”
“You should try it,” Lia said as she drew a fresh rune. Halfway through the design, she lifted her head, her eyes as sharp as any blade. “And if you refuse, we can manage the extra work without your commentary.”
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To continue reading the story, click here to head over to Wattpad.