Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

No wedding was perfect, but if Kai was in charge, he refused to settle for anything less.

Every Saturday morning, a fluffy red squirrel appeared on Kai’s windowsill. Its fur was spiky like it ran through a lightning storm, and it had teeth like miniature knife blades rather than the blunt teeth of a nonmagical rodent. It knocked on the windowpane, chittering, bushy tail waving back and forth. Tied to its chest with red ribbon was a slip of paper, neatly folded up and labelled with scratchy letters.

“Good morning. It’s great to see you,” Kai said. He pushed the window open and the squirrel bounded inside, eagerly standing on its hind legs to display its cargo.

Kai tugged on the ribbon, releasing the paper. He unfolded it and smoothed it out on the counter.

Kai clicked his tongue. “I don’t know why Taehyun sends you. He should just ping me directly.”

The squirrel flicked its tail. If it could talk, it would probably say, because I’m a much better courier than magic.

“And what if I couldn’t meet with him today? He should have asked if I was available,” Kai said. The squirrel chittered in agreement. “Rude.”

Kai had met with Taehyun nearly every Saturday for the past two months. He had come to expect these summons, although usually Taehyun’s notes were longer. He usually included a list of tasks that they had to discuss concerning the upcoming wedding, or he would share tidbits about his week.

Always straight to the point, but more than two sentences long. Hmmm.

“Would you like to stay with me until it’s time to go?” Kai asked. Taehyun’s familiar—affectionately known as Jinju—eagerly skittered up his shoulder and burrowed into his hair.

Out of the magicians who were lucky enough to have familiars, an even smaller number were able to bond with more than one. His magic allowed him to connect with all kinds of magical creatures, from his family’s songbirds to the most intimidating, elusive beasts. He may not have been able to use the fanciest spells, but he was the person to talk to if a dragon needed calming, or a gryphon needed a thorn removed from its paw.

“Let’s get you a snack,” he said. Taehyun sent his familiar as a messenger, and Kai would provide fuel for the journey. After a few weeks of working together to plan their friends’ wedding, they had established a solid routine.

The word snack earned the attention of Kai’s own companion, who was lurking just around the corner. A bundle of iridescent feathers shot into the kitchen, leaping onto the counter. Blunt claws tapped against the worn wood, the bird’s beak clacking as he eyed Kai’s empty hands with distinct disappointment. Where were the treats? Saewoo was never one to turn down a snack.

“I’ll get something for both of you,” Kai amended. “An apple?”

He turned the sink on so that he could rinse off the fruit Beomgyu dropped off for him last week—a thank-you gift from his family farm. When Soobin introduced them, Kai had quickly learned that being friends with a nymph meant a constant supply of fresh food coming into his house.

The familiars wouldn’t complain as long as they were fed, but the lightning bird had acquired a taste for fish, and Kai had many questions about what the teeth on Taehyun’s squirrel were meant for. He sliced the apples and peeled two oranges for good measure, saving one for himself and dividing the other between the two little creatures.

“I’ve got a couple things to do before we head out. Want to come with me, or keep napping?” Kai asked. Jinju scrambled up his arm again, nestling in the fabric of his cloak. “Oh, alright!”

When Kai had finished his education and was ready to set out on his own as a mage, he had one important request for his future home: the maximum amount of land that would fit within his budget. Not because he was interested in farming, or landscaping, or had plans to build on his property. No, he needed plenty of space for all of his visitors.

Magical creatures of all kinds instinctually knew that Kai was a safe place. He left his gates open, and each morning, a different pattern of paw prints graced his doorstep. There were some repeat visitors, like the family of winged kittens that perched in his backyard ginkgo tree every October, or the cockatrice that bickered with Kai’s familiars. Just once, he caught the silvery tail of a unicorn swishing into the night. All of the nearby bushes were stripped of fruit by morning.

Some visits were peaceful. Other visits required Kai to drag natural-born enemies apart, or separate predators and prey. Just last week, he had to stop a phoenix from choking on a river sprite.

Sometimes his visitors included humans, magicians who needed help taming their familiars, or who had discovered a vulnerable creature in need of a new nest. Half of Kai’s cabin was dedicated to first-aid supplies and potion storage, ready for just about any species that might need his help.

Today was a quiet day. Kai refilled the birdfeeders, shooed the jackalopes away from the mandrake gardens, and checked to make sure last week’s wolves hadn’t returned to terrorize the local qilin. Taehyun’s squirrel stole a bite from the food bowls he set out, while his own bird soared in lazy loops overhead, eager to stretch his wings.

He still had time to share when he returned to the cabin for a shower. “Let’s get going,” he said, and Jinju chittered impatiently in response.

With a flurry of wingbeats, they were off.

While Kai lived in the forest, the preferred place for rare creatures to hide, Taehyun thrived within human company. He needed to be close to the center of action, where he could observe the world—and visit a library whenever he had one of his endless questions about magic. He was also the ideal in-between meetingplace for the best men.

Once they landed in the town square, Kai slid down from his familiar’s back. “Thank you for all of your help,” he said. Saewoo chirped, ruffled its sky-blue wings, and shrunk down to its normal size. From a horse-in-bird-form to a reasonable house pet, Kai’s familiar suited every occasion.

Magic never ceased to amaze him.

The two creatures perched on his shoulders as he walked down Taehyun’s street. Taehyun lived alone, in a smaller cottage than Kai’s. The plants in the yard were overgrown, only alive thanks to Beomgyu’s panic. A magician like Taehyun didn’t have time for yardwork, not even if it could be accomplished through simple spells. He barely had time to practice one spell before he moved onto the next, creating a mental catalogue of all the magic known to humankind.

Today wasn’t going to be an intense magic study session. If Choi Yeonjun was involved, it almost certainly had to do with Soobin and Beomgyu’s wedding. Taehyun had thrown himself into the planning as fiercely as he did his magical research, which meant that their weekend visits were for dividing up any remaining wedding-related tasks. Taehyun could have organized the whole thing by himself, but Kai was more than happy to lend a hand.

He knocked at the door, and Taehyun yelled back, “I’m coming!” It swung open a minute later, revealing a Taehyun who looked like he hadn’t slept in a week.

“Oh! Good morning,” Kai said. Jinju squeaked with delight, leaping from Kai’s shoulder and into Taehyun’s arms. Saewoo joined it, eager to greet their friend. “Is Yeonjun already—?”

“I’m here!” Yeonjun called. He must’ve already settled on Taehyun’s couch.

Taehyun’s hand moved like a robot as he gave each of the familiars a scratch. “Good, you’re here…. We have a lot to talk about.”

“I could’ve come earlier,” Kai said. “What is it?”

Taehyun peered over Kai’s shoulder, like he was expecting someone else to show up, and ushered him inside. “Come in, I’ll explain everything. Thanks for taking care of Jinju, by the way.”

“It’s no problem. I love having him.”

Taehyun’s familiar had already leapt off his shoulder, eager to greet the other guest. “Aw, I was wondering what you were up to!” Yeonjun said. The squirrel chittered at him, pleased to be the center of attention. “Good morning, Huening.”

“Good morning,” Kai said. He joined Yeonjun on the couch, offering him a polite nod.

Choi Yeonjun was one of the most interesting magicians that Kai had ever met. In school, most of the up-and-coming mages spent their time honing complex pieces of spellwork. They turned magic into an art, beautiful as well as effective—or even beautiful instead of effective.

Kai’s first impression of Yeonjun was that he was showy, melodramatic, and almost overzealous when it came to… just about everything. He had expected magic to match: all fireworks, no fire. Yeonjun would try to impress him, and Kai would smile and forget about it by the next day.

But there was a reason this man was best friends with Beomgyu, one of the most talented nymphs of their generation. Party tricks weren’t enough to catch his eye. Yeonjun had more control over his magic than any mage Kai had met before, far surpassing Kai’s most talented teachers. Like flipping a switch, Yeonjun could go from perfectly-composed to ready for a fight in seconds. Kai didn’t know where the limits of Yeonjun’s power lay, but it didn’t matter; he was never in danger.

After they were introduced, Kai asked Taehyun about Yeonjun’s family line. “They’re all warriors. You’d never beat one of them in a one-on-one fight, because they’re stronger, faster, and more resilient than you. Ask him to help wrangle your creatures sometime. You wouldn’t believe his reaction speed.”

Kai didn’t need to see it to believe it. Yeonjun’s muscles bulged under his tightly-fitted shirt. He wasn’t much taller than Taehyun, but he was thicker all around. He could probably throw Kai around like a ragdoll, even without magic to enhance his abilities. He sported a pair of brilliant antlers, and their pointed tines screamed don’t even try to touch me!

Did Yeonjun have any other specialties? Kai didn’t know, but he wasn’t exactly eager to fight him and find out.

“It’s anything but a good morning,” Taehyun lamented. “It’s a disaster. A complete disaster.”

He collapsed into the chair across from them, his head in his hands. Yeonjun and Kai exchanged a glance.

“What are you talking about, Taehyun-ah?” Yeonjun asked. “I thought we were working on wedding stuff today.”

“It’s about the wedding,” Taehyun said. “I don’t know if there’s going to be a wedding!”

Kai’s heart dropped. “Are Soobin and Beomgyu okay? Did they break up?”

“No. Never.”

“Did they elope?” Yeonjun suggested.

Taehyun shook his head. “Beomgyu wants his family to be there.”

“Was there an issue with the caterer? I was on the phone with that guy for an hour last week!” Yeonjun said. “I don’t know how we’d find a replacement on such short notice….”

“It’s not the caterer, either.” Taehyun sighed. “It’s the ring-bearers.”

Kai’s jaw hit the floor. “The ring-bearers?”

Soobin and Beomgyu’s wedding ceremony wouldn’t have been complete without their familiars. Rather than staging an elaborate magic trick, they decided to have the two creatures—a chimeric wolpertinger for Soobin, and a sentient, always-hungry gourd for Beomgyu—take a more subtle role. Although the familiars tended to be stubborn in day-to-day life, they were dyingly loyal to their mages. Kai had already spent an absurd amount of time coaching them on how to walk down the aisle, a surprisingly difficult feat for two creatures made from pure magic.

There were hundreds of things that could go wrong with the wedding—they might not have enough chairs, or Soobin’s annoying uncle could cause a scene, or one of them could have a wardrobe malfunction, or all of the centerpieces could wilt, or the cake could tip over, or all of those things could happen at once. But under no circumstances could anything go wrong with the ring-bearers. That was the part of the ceremony the grooms were most excited about.

“How could anything be wrong with those two?” Yeonjun asked.

“Did they back out? Did one of them eat the rings?” Kai’s mind was scrambling ahead, flashing through potential scenarios that might have made Taehyun so panicked. “Did they—”

His fears paled in comparison to the truth. “They’re missing!” Taehyun said, his voice nearly reaching a wail. “Not both of them,, but they may as well be. It’s Seoltang. Nobody’s seen it in days.”

Seoltang. Soobin’s wolpertinger, his most trusted companion.

“Like, missing missing? How does that happen?” Yeonjun asked.

“Tell us everything,” Kai begged.

“Kai, remember that guy we found? The one who was willing to tailor children’s clothes for animals?” Taehyun asked. “Soobin and Beomgyu dropped them off with me three days ago. I took them to the fitting, and it went great. No problems. Bichwi didn’t even bite the tailor. Then I brought them back home with me.”

“It didn’t bite anyone?” Kai repeated. Beomgyu’s devouring gourd was notorious for being nippy. “Aww. The socialization is working.”

“Yeah, we didn’t have a problem. I got home and opened up a portal directly back to Soobin and Beomgyu’s place, since I didn’t have time to drop them off myself. I mean, I always send them off on their own, and I was running late to a meeting,” Taehyun said.

He was practically tearing his hair out, more worked up than Kai had seen him in years. Kang Taehyun never lost his cool.

“Did you watch them go through?” Kai asked.

“Of course. I watched them leave, then closed the portal before I left. Then I met with my client, and didn’t think about it at all again until the next day, when Soobin called me,” Taehyun said. “I said it was great, and he was happy, but he said Seoltang must’ve been traumatized because it was still hiding.”

“He didn’t know?” Yeonjun asked. If Kai’s familiar was missing for more than a day, he’d have felt like a limb was missing, but Soobin’s wolpertinger was notoriously shy. A lone wolf, Soobin said, unfazed when the creature retreated to a secret hiding place for days at a time.

It was one thing for Soobin’s familiar to take a “vacation” between quests. It was another for the wolpertinger to run off mere weeks before one of the most important days of Soobin’s life. 

“Nope,” Taehyun answered. “I asked what he meant, and he said that he hadn’t seen Seoltang since he got home. It must’ve been in its den, he said. At first, I agreed, but… fuck, it’s been days. It didn’t seem upset at the fitting, so I know that wasn’t the problem.”

“Was there anything off about its behavior at all? Anything before the appointment?” Kai asked, jumping into veterinarian mode. Wolpertingers were tough nuts to crack. Their biology was an amalgamation of whichever unique creatures made up their bodies, on top of all the general unpredictability created by their magic.

“I don’t think so. Seoltang barely looked at me, to be honest. It only cared about what Bichwi was up to.”

“That’s as normal as you can get,” Yeonjun said. “Are you sure there wasn’t an issue with the portal…?”

Taehyun gave him a withering stare. Yeonjun cringed. “Right. Bichwi made it, and they wouldn’t have separated. Have you checked all of their usual hiding spots?”

“A bunch of times. I sent out Jinju, too, and we came up with nothing.” Taehyun’s shoulders slumped. “Seoltang must’ve dug a new den somewhere, but I have no idea where they could’ve gone.”

“Isn’t it early to be freaking out over this? It always comes back. I’m sure it’ll wander home before the wedding,” Yeonjun said.

He looked between Taehyun and Kai—Taehyun’s face was pale, and Kai couldn’t muster up any optimism. “...Why are you making those faces? What’s the longest amount of time it’s been gone?”

“Two months,” Kai said. Yeonjun looked like he was going to be sick. “Usually it’s only a few days… but….”

“It’s already been a few days,” Taehyun finished.

“Then let’s talk through all the options. Did someone steal it? Soobin’s pretty famous,” Yeonjun suggested. “Maybe it didn’t run away on purpose.”

“Soobin would know. Seoltang would’ve sent a signal if they were in danger,” Kai said. “No magic can cut a familiar off entirely.”

“As long as it’s not in danger, everything should be okay. Right?” Yeonjun asked.

“Everything except the wedding,” Taehyun said emphatically. “Soobin will be devastated. Plus Beomgyu bonded with a menace. I don’t know how we’ll wrangle Bichwi without Seoltang. At this rate, we’ll have no ring-bearers, and they’ll be too busy trying to track down their familiars to actually get married.”

“That’s not going to happen,” Yeonjun said, although he sounded more like he was trying to convince himself than Taehyun.

“Tell us what to do,” Kai said. “How can we help?”

“We have to find it, don’t we?” Yeonjun said.

Taehyun nodded. “I’ve made a list of places to search, but honestly, the only thing I know about wolpertingers is that I’m not qualified to handle them. Kai, that’s your job.”

“I can do it,” Kai said. He had a stack of books at home on magical creatures just like wolpertingers, and he had picked up a fair amount of knowledge from observing Seoltang’s behavior.

Helping magical creatures wasn’t just his job, it was his passion. Anything for Soobin.

“What do you need me for?” Yeonjun asked. “I’m great at moral support and all, but….”

“You’ll be Kai’s guard,” Taehyun said. “Wolpertingers favor areas with high concentrations of magic. Has Soobin ever told you the story of how they met? He stumbled into a magic island that no other magicians had visited in a decade, and almost got himself killed. Kai will need someone to watch his back while he’s looking for Seoltang.”

“I can handle myself,” Kai grumbled. Yeonjun may have been the paragon of a beefy warrior-mage, but he wasn’t the only battle-trained magic-wielder in the room. “I go into magic islands all the time.”

Yeonjun ignored him. “Easy-peasy. I can do that.”

“It’ll be faster with two of you. We have a deadline, but I’d like to find it as soon as possible,” Taehyun said. “Preferably before Soobin figures out that it left his property and panics.”

Kai stared at him. “You’re not gonna tell him?”

Taehyun pressed his fingertips together, his face screwing up into a grimace. “I’d rather wait for him to come to that conclusion on his own, but I will if I have to. I don’t want him to worry more than he has to.”

Soobin will definitely freak out more when he realizes exactly how long his familiar has decided to take a vacation for, Kai thought, but he wouldn’t disagree with Taehyun’s decision. He imagined the guilt of having opened the portal in the first place must be eating him alive.

“I can do it, but I’ll need a day to prepare. I should leave out some food for the creatures that come by, and put out a notice that the shop’s closed for a bit,” Kai said.

“Me too,” Yeonjun said. “But I don’t have any other clients, so.”

“The money won’t be a problem, right? Sorry, I wasn’t even thinking about your businesses,” Taehyun fretted.

“I’m in need of a vacation. I was already planning to take some time off for the wedding,” Kai said.

“Can you handle the rest of the wedding planning by yourself?” Yeonjun asked Taehyun.

Taehyun waved a hand. “Most of it’s done already. Soobin and Beomgyu are just being fussy over the little details.”

Yeonjun stretched, his joints cracking. “At least we won’t be gone for long. How hard can it be? Familiars never stray far. By the time Soobin notices they’re still gone, Kai will have convinced Seoltang to come home for the ceremony.”

It would be a lot easier for Soobin to convince his own familiar to come home… unless they had a fight? Could that be it?

“We have to figure out why it left in the first place,” Kai said. “If it was something serious, or it wants to be alone.”

“I have no idea what it could be,” Taehyun said. “But I have a feeling this won’t be as easy as it sounds. That’s why you’re the only people I’d trust to find Seoltang.”

“Are wolpertingers that dangerous?” Yeonjun asked.

“Not Soobin’s, but you should be prepared for anything,” Taehyun said. “I can’t thank you enough. You’re really saving my ass here. And saving the wedding.”

“I’ll do my best,” Kai said. Suddenly his nerves had less to do with the absurdity of the plan and much more to do with the role Taehyun had just given him.

He’d thought that being Soobin’s best man would mean helping him choose flower arrangements and coaching the local band on his favorite music, but he didn’t have time to worry—the fate of the wedding rested on his shoulders.

That was how Kai had ended up here: embarking on a quest with someone who, until very recently, had been a complete stranger to him.

It began last summer. Soobin and Kai were having their semi-regular tavern hangout, but Soobin was acting… stranger than usual. He was quiet and fidgety, and wasn’t laughing at any of Kai’s corny, drunken jokes.

Kai wasn’t taking it personally. Soobin had a busy week—apparently the stars spelled disaster, and everyone who asked him for a prophecy had complaints. People expected elves to be able to solve all of the world’s problems, but in reality, Soobin wasn’t much different from the average human magician. Kai had spent countless hours listening to him complain about magical problems that were even more mundane than Kai’s, like how his spell to unclog the shower drain had backfired and broken the pipes. There were some things magic couldn’t fix.

But as he reached the bottom of his second beer, Soobin murmured something that turned Kai’s life upside-down. “I think… I think I’m ready to propose to Beomgyu.”

Did I hear that right? Kai scooted closer, leaning in to catch Soobin’s words. It was hard to hear over the din of the tavern. “What? Beomgyu?”

“I want to marry him,” Soobin said, louder now. He broke into a smile. “I know he’s expecting it, and honestly, it’s kind of crazy that we haven’t done it yet. We’ve been together for so long, plus we’re already living together. I want to make it official.”

“Oh, hyung.” His grin was infectious. Kai grabbed him by the shoulders, shaking him enthusiastically. “When did you decide it was time? Tell me everything. How are you gonna propose?”

“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” Soobin said. “It has to be perfect. I know he’s expecting something fun… he’s been dropping all these hints about what he wants in a wedding. I’m so nervous, Kai-yah.”

“Start from the beginning,” Kai said, and Soobin gave him the whole story—the moment he realized that he couldn’t live without Beomgyu, all of his ideas for the proposal, and how hard he’d been trying to keep his intentions a secret.

Kai had met Soobin as a teenager, back when they’d only recently manifested their magic and begun specialized schooling. They were fast friends, and Kai was there every step of the way when Soobin fell for Beomgyu. He desperately needed a wingman, after all.

Over the years, Kai grew closer and closer to Beomgyu, but he didn’t know all of Beomgyu’s friends. In fact, there was one notable exception: Choi Yeonjun, who was Beomgyu’s childhood best friend. His schedule never aligned with the rest of their friend group’s, but finally, when Soobin and Beomgyu invited the whole wedding team out for drinks, Kai got to meet him.

“Yeonjun’s going to be Beomgyu’s best man. That means I get to have you,” Soobin said, hugging Kai tighter than ever. “I can’t think of a better person for the job.”

“And I get to officiate!” Taehyun said.

“We’d really appreciate your help with getting everything ready, but only what you have time for,” Beomgyu said. “I know the three of you have never worked together before, but I think you have a lot in common.”

Beomgyu was right, although it had taken some time for the awkwardness to wear off and for Kai to accept Yeonjun’s friendship during their wedding planning meetings. Yeonjun was excitable and sweet, and Kai was glad that Beomgyu had so many good friends.

But it was one thing to plan a wedding with Yeonjun, and another to go on a dangerous adventure.

“I have no idea what to bring,” Kai told his Saewoo. He tossed another set of clothing into his already-stuffed bag. “I was going to leave most of my supplies at home, but what if Yeonjun’s actually a bad warrior, and I have to go through the whole quest on my own?”

Saewoo yawned.

“I haven’t gone on a proper quest in years. It would be so embarrassing if I fucked up in front of him,” Kai continued. Making a fool of himself in front of Beomgyu’s sexy, important friend was a terrifying thought. “What do you think? Do we have room for the books? Or should I just try to memorize everything and hope for the best?”

The little bird had settled in for a nap on the windowsill, unresponsive to the world. Kai wasn’t going to receive any packing advice today.

Their morning had been a whirlwind. Kai readied the sanctuary for his absence, adding extra magical shields to prevent ill-intentioned mages—or even magical creatures—from encroaching on the property and disturbing the current residents. He set out extra food and left a sheet of instructions on how to distribute medicine, just in case Taehyun stopped by.

Then he gathered all of the essentials for traveling—his most comfortable clothing, a pouch of extra coins, a map that Taehyun had labeled with all of the wolpertinger’s old hiding places, and so on. Unlike Yeonjun, Kai didn’t need to carry weapons—but he did need tools to safely handle a potentially-aggressive wolpertinger.

Being able to provide most modern conveniences with magic still didn’t make packing easy. Especially when he had to coordinate his packing with someone he’d never traveled with before. What if Yeonjun forgot his toothbrush, and Kai was expected to save the day by providing extras? Would Yeonjun want to spend all of his time in the wilderness, or would they get to stop in town often to do laundry? Was Yeonjun talented with laundry magic? These are important things to know!

There was a sharp knock on the door. “Coming, coming,” Kai muttered. Is it that time already?

As predicted, Yeonjun was waiting on Kai’s front staircase. “‘Morning, Kai-yah,” he said. He raked a hand through his hair, giving Kai a smooth smile. “Hope I’m not too early.”

“No, just on time.” Yeonjun was dressed in breezy clothing, fitting the summer heat, black from head to toe. A scabbard was strapped to his waist, along with what looked like the sheaths for three other, smaller blades, though Kai didn’t know much about weaponry. He carried one bag, a bulging satchel over his shoulder.

Kai stepped aside to let Yeonjun in the door—and suddenly, Yeonjun was the last thing on his mind. “Oh, who’s this?” he asked. “I’ve never seen you before.”

The creature was the size of a large housecat, with tomato-red fur, dark spots, and giant, fluffy paws. It had not one tail, but five, waving in the air behind it. Curious, piercing yellow eyes met Kai’s. Between them sprouted a thick, spiralling horn, not unlike a unicorn’s.

“This is Saenggang,” Yeonjun said. “You’ve never met? I could’ve sworn I brought him to our meetings.”

“I would’ve remembered this cutie,” Kai said. He bent down to the familiar’s level, allowing it to approach him on its own. The cat stretched out its neck, cautiously sniffing his hand. “A zheng?”

“Yep,” Yeonjun said. “My best friend. Very dependable in a pinch.”

“I bet,” Kai said. Saenggang rubbed up against his leg, purring. The sound was comically rough and gravelly compared to the wildcat’s size.

Yeonjun’s jaw dropped. “I wasn’t expecting him to warm up to you so fast. Like, I kind of thought he wouldn’t warm up to you at all. It took us years to get along.”

“I get that a lot,” Kai said. He scratched under the zheng’s chin, and its eyes closed, content, whiskers practically vibrating.

“No, really. He hates everyone. It’s my fault, because we used to do a lot more guard work when we first bonded, and I don’t think it’s sunk in that he’s allowed to trust strangers yet,” Yeonjun said. “Or, at least, not bite everyone who looks at him the wrong way.”

“Saewoo doesn’t know how to be suspicious. They’ll balance each other out,” Kai said. That explained why he’d never met Yeonjun’s familiar before.

“Where do you think we should head first?” Yeonjun asked. He scanned the room, and Kai suddenly felt warm, self-conscious now that Yeonjun was perceiving his space. “You have such a nice place. I didn’t realize you had such a….”

“Legitimate business?” Kai suggested.

Yeonjun laughed. “Such a presence in the community. Should Saenggang and I be stopping by for familiar therapy?”

That made Kai smile, though he didn’t understand why. “I’m not a therapist, exactly. You know a lot more about him as an individual than I do. Each member of a species is unique.”

“Then what do you do?” Yeonjun asked.

“A bit of everything. I know some basic medicine, and I can usually care for any creature that wanders by,” Kai said. “I also give advice to any magicians who ask for help with a creature, whether it’s their own familiar, or if they need help from wildlife control. Since I’m a summoner, so I can get in contact with specific creatures if someone needs help from them.”

Yeonjun’s eyes widened. It made him look softer and younger, which was intriguing. “Any creature? You’re incredible!”

“Sometimes it doesn’t always work. It’s easier if I’ve already met that animal, and if they’re geographically closer to me. I can’t make a living being out of thin air,” Kai said, flustered. “I have to form a connection with them and convince them to come over.”

“You definitely can’t just summon Seoltang?”

“It’s different with familiars, since they’re bonded specifically to one person. Besides, even if it weren’t a familiar, wolpertingers are… complicated. It’d take all of my power to communicate with one.”

“Complicated?” Yeonjun sighed. “Of course he bonded with a complicated familiar, and not a common wyrm….”

Saewoo fluttered over to his shoulder, and Yeonjun scratched the crest feathers on top of its head.

Thankfully, Saenggang didn’t seem too interested in the little bird. Familiars weren’t in the habit of attacking each other unless their bonded magicians ordered it, but Kai kept Saewoo away from felines out of habit.

Kai took the map from his pack. As he unrolled it, the drawings took on a three-dimensional form, glowing bright pink where Taehyun had left traces of his magic. “These are Seoltang’s old dens—the ones we know of. I want to visit the most recent sites and set tripwire.”

“Tripwire?”

“The magic kind,” Kai said. “I’ll set a spell that will alert me if Seoltang passes through. It’s a modified version of the kind you’d use for a person, but it wouldn’t make sense to use Soobin’s magic signature as the trigger, in this case. I’ll cast it with the image of a wolpertinger in mind.”

“And I assume we can’t track it like we would any other animal? Using pawprints and all that?” Yeonjun asked. “It’d be too late for that, anyway, since it went missing three days ago….”

“That’s right. Wolpertingers are highly intelligent, and they have the ability to hide any traces of their existence—their pawprints, their scent, and their magic,” Kai explained. “Also, Seoltang’s prints would look like a jackalope’s, or a regular hare’s. Another wolpertinger’s prints could look like a fox’s, or a deer’s, or even a bird’s. There’s no standard method for tracking wolpertingers because every one is unique.”

“What can we do other than set tripwire? This doesn’t sound like much of a quest,” Yeonjun said.

Kai concentrated on the map, closing his eyes and envisioning the forest in his mind. When he opened them, the map was speckled with bright blue light, marking the locations from his research. “Wolpertingers prefer forested areas and high elevations. We’ll make our way up the mountains and try to get some information from the villages there.”

“Ah, it’ll be chilly,” Yeonjun said, wrapping his arms around himself. “At least there will be plenty of magic islands to search.”

“We won’t only search the magic islands,” Kai added. “We have to think about all the places a wolpertinger might be drawn to. Like, it has to eat eventually, so we should try to find its favorite food.”

Yeonjun raised his eyebrows. “What’s its favorite food? Carrots?”

“It’s one that all wolpertingers like, regardless of what species they’re made of,” Kai said. “It’s called frostberry, but it’s more similar to a pome than a berry.”

“What the fuck is a pome?” Yeonjun asked.

“—It only grows in the same high altitudes that wolpertingers are from, and the flowers only open for a couple days each year, so they’re dying out. There usually isn’t enough time for the pollen to reach the plants, plus wolpertingers aren’t the only animals that like them, so the fruit doesn’t last very long.”

Yeonjun groaned. “So we’re going to spend hours traipsing through the woods, only to find empty bushes?”

“Frostberries grow on large shrubs, actually. Basically trees.”

“I assume Soobin isn’t going through all this effort every time his familiar gets hungry? I’ve literally watched him feed Seoltang a carrot. It had no complaints.”

“If you were a wolpertinger with all the freedom in the world, would you settle for carrots? Or would you go out and find the food you actually want?” Kai said.

“Alright, alright. Let’s say we find the berries. What are we going to do with them? Make traps? Familiars are smart enough to avoid them,” Yeonjun said. He set Saewoo down, and the bird hopped onto Kai’s bags.

“We’ll leave some in the old dens and carry the rest with us. We can put it in the places we think Seoltang will be drawn to. Hopefully, it’ll pick up on the traces of our magic, and we won’t need to keep chasing it around the mountains,” Kai said.

Yeonjun looked incredulous, but he nodded. “I’ll let you lead the way. Are you ready to head out?”

Kai took one last look at the cottage. No amount of caution could fully prepare them for whatever their journey might entail—it was time to be on their way.

Out of the wolpertinger’s old burrows, two had been destroyed, three were still standing, and one Kai stumbled on as they were traveling between sites. Without the convenience of Taehyun’s portal transportation, it took them the entire day to walk between each of the sites.

Kai had hoped that Taehyun was wrong, and the familiar was just hidden in plain sight, but there wasn’t a hint of life in the old dens. Not a tuft of shed fur, or a molted feather, or the remains of a meal. Magical creatures had passed through during the recent weeks, but no wolpertingers.

Still, he set the tripwire. Seoltang may have chosen a new burrow, but that didn’t exclude the possibility that it could wander by at a later point. The spell was simple enough, extending a kilometer or so beyond the actual burrow. If the familiar was in the area, Kai would know about it.

Kai sent Saewoo to deliver Taehyun a note, outlining their plan and assuring him that they had set off. He held onto hope that Seoltang would simply return home, but by the end of the day, they hadn’t received a reply from Taehyun.

The village at the base of the mountain came into view as the sun set. The shops and restaurants were closing up for the night, but Kai strolled around the village while Yeonjun found them a room at an inn. It didn’t seem like a place that Seoltang would have chosen to stay in—there were no frostberry bushes in sight, but more importantly, there was a low level of magic—so he only gave his surroundings a glance before he went to the inn.

It was a run-down little place, worn and wooden, but warm in every way. The fireplace crackled, and a handful of other mages were gathered in the foyer. They were obviously mages—one carried a staff, and another had a winged hound by his side.

“I only paid for one night,” Yeonjun said, swinging the room key around his finger. “But there are plenty of rooms available, so we can ask to extend our stay if we decide to come back here.”

“Sounds good,” Kai said. He hoped their quest wasn’t so long that they needed to treat the inn not just as a resting place, but a base.

They trudged up the stairs together, hauling bags that seemed to have doubled in weight since they set out. No feather-light spell could erase the exhaustion of a day of hiking.

“This is it,” Yeonjun said. He pushed the heavy wooden door open. “Hm. Cozy.”

There were two small beds, but it brought Kai right back to his teenage days of questing, when he and Soobin would squeeze onto a single rock-hard mattress in the most suspicious inn either of them had ever laid eyes on. At least this room had enough space for their bags and familiars.

Cozy. There was no faster way to push a group of casual friends into a lifelong bond than through questing together.

Yeonjun immediately collapsed into the bed closest to the door. His familiar curled up on his legs, all five tails draping over him like a blanket. “I already checked it for traps, so don’t worry about that,” he said. “Oh, and there’s a shower down the hall.”

“Good to know,” Kai said. Unless something was obviously amiss, he’d never checked a room for traps—magical or otherwise. The most he’d ever found was the previous visitor’s alarm spell, which they had forgotten to dismantle.

Must be part of his training, Kai thought. It’s exhausting to be on-guard all the time. Unless it comes naturally to him by now?

They began their trek up the mountain the next morning. According to Kai’s books, there was a patch of frostberry about a day’s walk from the village—and Yeonjun, who had wandered out of bed early in the morning to make friends with the villagers, confirmed it.

“The old lady in the farmer’s market knew all about it,” Yeonjun said, practically bouncing alongside Kai as he navigated the forest’s tangled branches. “She said they send a few mages to gather the berries—or, what’s left of them after the animals get to them. They’re used in a ton of expensive potions, which is their apothecarist’s specialty.”

“She didn’t mention anything about seeing a wolpertinger pass through, did she?” Kai asked. He turned his head towards the sky, but he couldn’t see through the thick summer leaves. Saewoo was soaring far above them, acting as a scout. It probably couldn’t see anything, either, but it could sense the magic energy of other familiars.

“No. She hasn’t seen one in years, actually. But when she was younger, she used to spend a lot of time in the woods. She saw whole groups of them passing through on their way to the frostberry trees.” Yeonjun sighed dreamily. “I’d love to see that. Have you ever met a wolpertinger other than Seoltang?”

“Only once. It was wild, and another mage brought it in to see me because he thought it was injured,” Kai said. The wolpertinger had been in rough shape—patchy fur, halfway through a molt, sniffles. “I gave it some medicine, but when I went to check on it the next morning, it was gone.”

“What did it look like?” Yeonjun asked.

“It was a rabbit, but it had flippers like a duck,” Kai said. “Oh, and its antlers were more like a deer’s than a goat’s.”

“A duck-rabbit.” Yeonjun snorted. “Sounds cute.”

“Not as cute as Seoltang,” Kai said. “Most wolpertingers stick to magic islands. Unless you spend a lot of time in them, you won’t see them very often.”

“I hardly see any creatures,” Yeonjun said. “Saenggang’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. Oh, and Seoltang. But I never get to see the cute ones, or the rare ones. People only ask me to fight dragons for them.”

“Seriously? Fighting dragons?” Kai asked.

“Seriously. Lots of little dragons, a manticore….” Yeonjun counted on his fingers. “This giant-ass flaming wolf thing… that wasn’t fun. Burns fucking hurt. I’d way rather fight people.”

“Ah. That’s good to hear,” Kai said, and immediately regretted it. Even though Yeonjun knew about his familiar magic, he must have sounded ridiculous. “Um, what kinds of things do you do?”

“I’ll take anything I can get. Mostly security work. Guarding artifacts… guarding people… guarding towns,” Yeonjun said. “Or I’ll offer my services to travelers. People who aren’t comfortable making the journey without personal protection, or need help navigating a dangerous area.”

“And that’s how you ran into the dragons,” Kai guessed.

“Yeah. That mostly happens when you’re escorting other mages, since they’re up for adventure,” Yeonjun said.

“What happens when you’re not escorting mages?” Kai asked. He was so distracted by Yeonjun’s story that he nearly tripped over a tree root and fell flat on his face. Just in time, Saewoo shot down from between the branches, bowling into him and stopping his momentum.

Saving your mage from embarrassment: not the most noble part of a familiar’s job description.

Thankfully, Yeonjun was in the middle of his own battle with vegetation, so he didn’t notice Kai’s stumble. “I’m not actually allowed to tell you who I’ve worked with. Top secret, you know?”

“Top secret,” Kai repeated. What’s he doing here, then? “Like, the government? Royalty?”

“Basically,” Yeonjun said. So much for not being able to tell me anything. “Those jobs were the most boring. Lots of standing around for hours, staring into space—but it’s not like I could rest, just in case something did happen.”

“How often did ‘something’ happen?”

“Out of the hundreds of nights I spent on guard duty, there were… I don’t know, five nights when we had a legitimate security concern. Three of those were just drunk bastards who somehow managed to sneak past the other guards, but weren’t capable of much harm.”

“And the other two?”

“I like to think that I’m pretty good in a fight. Nothing to worry about if someone comes at you with a dagger,” Yeonjun said breezily. “But I was always just one member in a team. I’m sure there were threats that I never heard about, because someone else caught them long before they became a problem.”

He paused to take a swig of his water, pushing his hair back with his free hand. It was damp with sweat, and Kai realized that they had been walking for nearly the whole morning. No wonder he was tripping over himself.

Yeonjun cleared his throat. “Still, I’m only good when it comes to one-on-one combat. There’s nothing I can do if someone wants to poison you.”

“Not very reassuring,” Kai teased. He had known that Yeonjun was an accomplished warrior, but he hadn’t realized that his résumé was quite so extensive. “How’d you get into that kind of work in the first place? I know your magic gives you an advantage and all, but….”

“I know, I know. It’s a super boring profession, isn’t it? I manifested magic and all I do with it is beat people up.”

“Not boring. I haven’t met a lot of warriors.”

Yeonjun shrugged. “If you’ve met one, you’ve met them all. Sensory-enhancement magic runs on both sides of my family. My abeoji’s a military guy, so I never see him, and my eomma’s a physical therapist.”

“My family’s like that, too,” Kai said. “We all bond with birds, and our magic’s usually related to birds.”

Yeonjun snapped his fingers. “You’re an Ornith! Taehyun told me about it.”

Kai’s heart fluttered. “That’s right. My sisters, too.”

Outside of his family—and Taehyun—he’d never met someone who knew what it meant to be an Ornith. There were dozens of well-known families and clans who could trace their magic across generations, but there were only a handful of Orniths left. It was an uncommon magic to inherit, and a difficult power to harness.

“Can you fly? That’s way cooler than my magic,” Yeonjun said.

“I’m sure you’ll find out,” Kai said, grinning at him.

Yeonjun stretched his arms over his head. “That must’ve been scary to manifest. Like, I totally expected my magic, so the worst part of manifesting was the fact that I was vulnerable enough to do it. I wasn’t worried about spontaneously levitating, or anything like that.”

Kai couldn’t remember the last time he’d smiled so much. Who would have known that Yeonjun would be such an entertaining adventure partner? “We don’t levitate!”

“Either way, it’s not like humans are programmed to know how to fly,” Yeonjun said. “Unless you can’t actually fly, but I’m pretty sure Taehyun mentioned wings.”

Fledging was a story for another day. “I wasn’t really thinking about it. My magic’s based on summoning, so birds aren’t the only creatures I can communicate with. But did you know that Saewoo can control the weather?”

“That little guy?” Yeonjun asked. He glanced towards the treetops, but the bird had already returned to its mission, far above them. “How does that work?”

“It’s technically more like influencing the weather,” Kai explained. “Back when I was younger, a hurricane swept through my village. It lasted for over a week, and the rain just wouldn’t stop. All of the crops were flooded, and… gods, it was getting dangerous.”

No magician was strong enough to control the weather. It was one thing to summon a tailwind, or wish for rain, and it was another to command the clouds themselves. All they could do was hunker down and hope that rebuilding wouldn’t be too difficult. Even now, Kai was less than enthusiastic when storms rolled in.

“I only went outside to help my eomma. She was going through the garden to see if there was anything we could salvage, so we wouldn’t have to go the market. It was the first clear morning we’d had in days, but then… the rain started all over again. I could barely see, it was so relentless.”

They had stopped walking. Yeonjun was completely rapt. Kai wasn’t used to having Yeonjun’s eyes exclusively on him, but he was too deep into the story to care.

“That was when I found Saewoo. The clouds started to clear, and it perched with me.. I didn’t know I’d summoned it at first, not until I realized that all of the other animals were hiding,” Kai said. “I thought I had wished for the storm to end, but what I’d really wished for was someone who could save us. Now every time I’m in trouble, I know that I’m not alone.”

“That’s beautiful,” Yeonjun said. “That’s incredible magic to have. There’s only so much we can control with our own magic, you know? But you have access to way more with familiars.”

“Not all of them listen to me as well as Saewoo. I have to earn their trust,” Kai said. “By the way, how did you meet Saenggang?”

There was an extra spring in Yeonjun’s step as they continued. “One of the jobs I was on, a couple years after I manifested. It was with Beomgyu. He and a couple other nymphs wanted help with their foraging.. He was so set on finding a specific flower. He wouldn’t tell me why, but I later guessed that it was for Soobin.”

“I remember that!” Kai said. “Oh, Soobin-hyung wouldn’t stop raving about those flowers. It was the first time I’d ever even heard him talk about plants.”

“Glad to hear it was worth it. Beomgyu almost got himself killed for those,” Yeonjun said. “We stumbled on Saenggang’s den, and… I thought we were goners, seriously. I managed to fend him off, and when he started following us, I told Beomgyu we had to go home. But he wasn’t hunting us.”

“You earned his respect,” Kai said, and Yeonjun nodded.

“I was a late bloomer,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Way later than Beomgyu, which is impressive, considering that Beomgyu was also late. I used to think that I wouldn’t manifest magic at all, so having a familiar was never in the cards.”

“I was late, too!” Kai said, and Yeonjun’s expression brightened. “All of us have that in common.”

“Where were you when I was a teenager?” Yeonjun asked, laughing lightly. “You’re not that much younger than me, so we probably manifested around the same time.”

How’d it happen for you? The question was on the tip of Kai’s tongue, but it was often considered impolite to ask exactly how a person manifested. Magic could only be born from desperation, and for many people, a threat to their life or to a loved one was the only thing that could bring on the most extreme version of that emotion. People developed the magic they needed, not the magic they wanted.

They reached a clearing, surrounded by thick foliage and dappled with golden light. The forest floor was littered with debris, fallen leaves and sticks that crunched below Kai’s boots. As he looked up, Saewoo soared in a lazy loop overhead. It set him at ease–he didn’t like being away from the open sky for too long.

“Should we take a break?” Yeonjun asked. He was slightly out-of-breath as he took a seat on a nearby rock, swinging his pack around so he could reach his water. “We’ve been walking for a long time now. Where the hell are these berries?”

Kai shook his head. “Hopefully we don’t have to go too high. We haven’t had time to acclimate.”

“Right. Mountains,” Yeonjun said. “You don’t think it’ll take weeks to track these down, do you? We don’t have that kind of time.”

“The berries aren’t that important. We should be keeping an eye out for magic islands,” Kai said, his chest tight. “Or any signs of Seoltang, really. Even an empty burrow.”

“Well, I hope we find them soon. I’m starving. I could use a snack,” Yeonjun said, deadpan.

Kai gave Yeonjun a playful glare, and he broke into a peal of laughter. “You should’ve asked to stop for lunch sooner!”

“But we were having so much fun. I didn’t want to interrupt,” Yeonjun said.

Their conversation was making the time go faster. Kai didn’t generally consider questing to be an enjoyable activity, but so far, traveling with Yeonjun was a lot like traveling with Soobin. Their conversations hadn’t run dry, and Yeonjun wasn’t annoying, so Kai considered it a win.

If only they were more successful in their search.

As the sun began to set, they gave in and searched for a place to camp. Yeonjun set up a tent while Kai built a fire. Normally, Kai wouldn’t risk attracting unwanted animal attention at night, but the mountain was colder than he was used to.

“Damn, it’s been a while since I got to sleep under the stars,” Yeonjun said. “I need to join more mages instead of getting trapped by the city guard.”

“I feel like something is going to jump out and eat me,” Kai said.

“Nothing can eat you on my watch,” Yeonjun said. “That’s what I’m here for, remember? We can sleep in shifts if that’d make you more comfortable.”

Kai had never traveled with a magician who offered to sleep in shifts. Nobody enjoyed taking the night watch, and Yeonjun must have had more than his fair share of sleepless nights as a bodyguard. That’s sweet. Selfless.

“Don’t worry about it. We’ll need all the sleep we can get before we go into magic islands,” Kai said. He tossed a few more dry twigs into his fire. That’s when we really might be attacked….

Yeonjun yawned and stretched, leaning against the tree he’d secured the tent to. “Humanity is capable of so much magic, but we still don’t have a wide-ranging tripwire spell. Where are our priorities?”

“I know. Mine only works on animals, and only one at a time,” Kai said.

“You’ll have to show me that spell sometime. I don’t know if I’d be able to do it, but it would come in handy,” Yeonjun said. “I may not understand them as well as you, but I’m way more afraid of humans than dragons.”

“What percent of the time are you battling humans instead?” Kai asked.

“I’d say seventy or eighty. It’s super common to get animals prowling around a campsite, but they’re easier to intimidate,” Yeonjun. “One loud noise, and most creatures will decide you’re not worth it. But the wrong human enemy will follow you to the ends of the earth.”

“How many assassination plots do you have to foil every year?” Kai teased, but Yeonjun’s expression was solemn.

“Too fucking many. Can’t say I disagree with all of them, but it’s not my job to decide,” Yeonjun said.

“I don’t know how you do it. That’s so much pressure.”

“Just because I said I’d rather face a dragon doesn’t mean I actually want to,” Yeonjun said. “We’re doing the same thing. Saving lives. Besides, my magic’s dime-a-dozen. I don’t have to worry about disappointing my super-special, super-important relatives.”

Kai groaned. He agreed with Yeonjun—he’d much rather face a dragon than his grandmother’s disappointment.

He’d never spent much time considering what it would be like to have a different kind of magic, one that was more common and maybe even more useful in day-to-day life. After all, he could never give up his connection with the animals. He may have had to prove his worth as an Ornith, but he’d never questioned his own abilities.

And still, Yeonjun was sincere and passionate, seemingly undisturbed by the burden that had been placed on him. Kai could learn a thing or two about being carefree.

He brushed twig debris from his pants and dug their leftovers from their packs. He’d constructed a makeshift grill from sticks and rocks, meticulously balanced over the tender flames.

One party member in particular had taken interest in Kai’s work. Saenggang crept closer and closer to the fire, batting at the sticks with heavy paws.

It pinned Kai with wide amber eyes. “Mrrrrow?”

“He’s hungry,” Yeonjun supplied.

“You’re such a cutie,” Kai said. He scratched under the cat’s chin, and its eyes closed, tails twitching. “I can’t believe you’d ever hurt a fly.”

“He’s mauled people,” Yeonjun said stubbornly, but the way he said it only made Kai laugh. The familiar had the potential to be fierce, but right now, it was as docile as a housecat.

“I bet you’d love some catnip,” Kai cooed. “I have some in my garden. You’ll need a reward once we find Seoltang.”

Yeonjun groaned. “You don’t know what you’re suggesting. He’s already dangerous enough; you can’t get him high!”

“I don’t think familiars can get high. He just deserves something fun to roll in,” Kai said. Saenggang began to rub against his legs, purring so hard its pelt vibrated. It sounded like distant thunder.

Yeonjun folded his arms, his lips turning into a pout. “You know how long it took me to get him to purr? You’re condensing years of familiar bonding into a day.”

“I’m just lucky. Plenty of other familiars have bitten me instead,” Kai said. The number of familiars he hadn’t instantly bonded with was… negligible, but Yeonjun didn’t need to know that. “I’m sure he’s become more tame while spending time with you. He’s used to being around humans now.”

“He still doesn’t prefer humans,” Yeonjun said. He held out a hand to Saewoo, who pointedly tucked its head under its wing. “I assume the same goes for this one? Or is it personal?”

“Definitely not personal. Here, I have some treats that you can try. Bribery is always a good option,” Kai said. He reached for his bag, where he was certain he had slipped a packet of Saewoo’s favorite dried fish.

“Look at those eyes. I think they’re smarter than me,” Yeonjun said warily.

“Familiars pick up on our emotions. It’s probably interested in you because I’m interested in you, but it hasn’t had enough time to get a good read on—” Kai trailed off as he realized exactly how that sentence must have sounded to Yeonjun. “Sorry, I mean—since we’re—”

Yeonjun smiled easily. “Then I hope your positive feelings rub off on it. This journey will be a lot more fun if we’re all friends.”

“Then you should start with these,” Kai said. He tossed Yeonjun a packet of dried anchovies, and Yeonjun grimaced. “Be careful of the beak. It’s sharper than it looks.”

“I will.” Yeonjun took one of the shriveled fish by the tail and tossed it into the air, where Saewoo eagerly caught it.

Kai hid his smile as he tended to the grill. His familiar could be quite finicky, but he was sure that they would be good friends in no time.

On the dawn of the third day, Yeonjun and Kai had their first success.

The previous day had been exhausting. They walked for hours, and they only came across one other set of travelers—no other humans, and no signs of a wolpertinger. Kai’s eyes were exhausted from scanning every unique shrub, looking for the right leaf shape and distinctive icy-white berries.

The pressure was on. Kai had only seen frostberries a handful of times in his life, but Yeonjun had no expertise at all when it came to plants. Flora was Beomgyu’s specialty, but even he couldn’t summon a rare fruit from nothing. Are we wasting time here? Should we have tried a different strategy?

Not we. I’m the one leading us.

Even worse, neither of them had felt the surge of energy that indicated a nearby magic island. Kai knew that mountains were hotspots for magic, a haven for magical creatures and a place of reflection for human magicians. But real life didn’t match textbooks, and magic islands were constantly shifting, so maps weren’t of much use. He was afraid to say what both of them were thinking— what if we made a wrong turn at the beginning, and now we’re doomed?

The dew was just burning off the grass when they packed up their supplies and headed out. Yeonjun was bleary-eyed and mechanical as he stuffed the tent into his pack. In two days, Kai had already started to adapt to Yeonjun’s late-riser schedule.

“Need any help with that?” he asked, but Yeonjun shook his head.

“You forget that lifting heavy shit is my whole thing,” he said. “Want me to take your bags, too?”

“Believe me, you wouldn’t want to,” Kai said good-naturedly. He wouldn’t abandon his dignity just to free himself from his bags.

“Alright, suit yourself,” Yeonjun said. Saenggang weaved around his legs, nearly tripping him.

The path had become increasingly wild and overgrown since they left the village. In some sections, there was no path to be seen, so they relied on a compass spell until they located it again. Kai thought there was another village coming soon, and every time the trees thinned, his hopes began to rise.

He was so busy scanning the map, doing math in his head to guess how long it would be before the next settlement, that he almost missed it: a patch of frostberry.

A flash of pale blue caught his eye. Was it the sunlight through the trees, or dust in his eye? Kai turned around, not quite believing what was in front of him.

“Hyung, wait!” he said, and Yeonjun came to a screeching halt. “This is it!”

“What?” Yeonjun asked, looking around in all the wrong directions.

“Look,” Kai said. The frostberry bushes he’d seen years ago had been small, not much bigger than a tomato plant, and barely able to bear fruit. This was a massive shrub, absolutely towering over all of the surrounding brush and nearly as tall as the trees. The branches were heavy with globular fruits, the lowest-hanging ones just out of Kai’s reach.

Yeonjun whistled. “And there’s plenty left. You don’t think Seoltang passed through here, do you?”

“I’m not sure,” Kai said. He didn’t see any glaring signs of a wolpertinger’s presence, but Seoltang could’ve easily hidden itself. “Hold on, I’m gonna climb the tree. The berries are too high up.”

“Isn’t that what Saewoo’s for? The flying bird? Have it break off a branch for us,” Yeonjun said.

“Do you see it anywhere?” Kai asked. He pointed to the empty sky above. “It’s on scouting duty, so it’s too far away for me to call.”

“We can wait for it to come back in range. Saewoo’s not one to disappear like Seoltang,” Yeonjun said.

“I can do this. It’ll only take a minute, and then we can get going again.” Kai dropped his bags in the dirt, stretched, and began scanning the shrub for footholds. The branches looked awfully prickly, perfect for poking his eyes.

“We have some time. I haven’t seen any other animals this morning, so I don’t think we’re competing—”

Kai grabbed the lowest branch and hoisted himself up. When he was younger, he often climbed trees to reach birds, who typically refused to communicate with him unless he met them on their level. It had been a while since he’d needed to, but there were plenty of knobbly branches for him to grab onto. The frostberry bush’s bark was rough and crumbly under his shoes, but he managed to pull himself onto one of the thicker branches.

“Wow,” Yeonjun said, but Kai wasn’t ready for praise yet. He crawled onto the next branch, then higher, keeping an eye on the berries. “Okay, okay, that’s probably enough. You have long arms.”

“Not that long.” Kai took a swipe at the fruit above his head, but it was both too high and too far. He crawled to the next branch and straddled it so that he could edge closer to the bundle of fruit.

Finally, they were within reach. Plump, sweet-smelling, and frigid cyan, they were ready for harvest. Kai plucked the first bunch from their stems. He could carry four or five berries in his palm without the risk of crushing them, but they needed more than that.

“Damn,” Kai hissed. He had been in such a hurry to reach the frostberries that he hadn’t thought about how to carry them. He’d have to stuff them in his pockets, or toss them down to Yeonjun—which was less than ideal.

Instead, he unclipped his cloak and folded it up, forming a makeshift pouch. He dropped the berries into it and balanced it on his knees as he reached for more. He wouldn’t take too many, considering the creatures that might pass by after they left, but he could reach a decent number of berries from where he was perched.

Once he’d stripped the nearby stems, he tied the cloak up. “Yeonjun-hyung!” he called. “Catch!”

He dropped the berry-filled cloak into Yeonjun’s waiting arms. “Good job,” Yeonjun marvelled. “Damn, you’re braver than me.”

Kai rolled his eyes. “I don’t know. I don’t think we have enough.”

“Can you just take a whole branch?” Yeonjun asked. “Just a small one. Don’t tell Beomgyu I said that.”

There was a thin branch a little further above Kai’s head, laden with frostberries. He grabbed it with both hands and pulled, a satisfying crack echoing as it began to part from the main branch.

“Perfect,” Yeonjun said. “That’s enough, I think—”

Kai gave the branch one last tug, and it pulled away so abruptly that his heart plummeted. But his heart wasn’t the only thing that was falling. His balance slipped, the tension in his body broke for just a second—a second too late for him to grab the branch again.

But he couldn’t grab it if he wanted to. The frostberries were what he came for, and even as he began to fall from the tree, all he could think was don’t let them fall don’t let them break you have to hold on—

“KAI!”

For one sickening moment, Kai was free-falling, bracing himself to meet solid ground. In the next, the blow was softened, strong arms wrapping around him.

They crumbled together. Yeonjun’s body braced Kai’s own, keeping him inches above the ground. “Shit,” he gasped. “Shit, are you okay? I’ve got you.”

Kai’s blood was rushing so loudly in his ears that he could barely make out Yeonjun’s words. He sucked air into his lungs, struggling to refocus on his surroundings.

“I’m okay. I think,” Kai said. At the very least, the berries were intact—he was clutching the branch so tightly that his hands were numb. Luckily, they hadn’t squashed any in their fall. His cloak was neatly placed on a rock nearby, guarded by Saenggang. “I’m sorry—are you—?”

“I told you, I’ve got you,” Yeonjun said. His arms tightened around Kai, as secure as stone. “I’m just fine. And you’ve got the berries.”

Kai’s limbs were liquid. He could have laid down to catch his breath right there on the forest floor. But he didn’t get a chance to slide out of Yeonjun’s arms—Yeonjun began to stand up, pulling Kai with him.

Kai couldn’t seem to form words. He squeaked as Yeonjun stood to his full height, effortlessly holding Kai against his chest.

“Time to go,” Yeonjun said. “Saenggang-ah, could you grab those berries? Grab them, don’t eat them.”

“Where are we going?” Kai asked. His body was on fire, not just bumped and bruised. He covered his face with a hand, hoping to hide his inevitable blush. “H-Hyung, what’re you….”

“Giving you a lift. I think you deserve to let your legs rest after that, yeah?” Yeonjun said.

He was carrying Kai bridal style. Kai’s hand automatically bunched in Yeonjun’s shirt. The humiliation was overpowering, but he couldn’t squirm out of Yeonjun’s grasp.

“I have to get my bags,” he choked out.

Yeonjun exhaled melodramatically. “Oh, alright. I’ll make myself useful in some other way.” He gently lowered Kai to the ground, and Kai hurried to brush himself off. His face was still hot, like he was sitting in front of a fire, and he scurried back to his bag.

“T-Thank you for the help,” he told Saenggang, who released the cloak. The big cat gave a purr that reminded Kai too much of Yeonjun.

Of course Yeonjun’s muscles weren’t just for show, but Kai hadn’t expected them to be used on him. Yeonjun was proud of his abilities for a reason. He was talented, and reliable, and steady…..

Kai shoved the branch into his pack and turned to face Yeonjun again. “We should still be on-course, but I want to check the map so we can—”

A flash of lavender light cut him off. A folded letter fluttered downwards, flames fizzling out around it like it was breaking free of a cocoon.

Kai snatched it out of the air and checked the seal. “It’s from Taehyun.”

“I know what that’s going to be,” Yeonjun announced. “Taehyun telling us that Seoltang wandered home, Soobin didn’t notice, and the wedding’s going to proceed as planned. After we hiked all the way up this mountain and risked our necks just for the berries—”

Kai tore the note open. Taehyun’s handwriting was as messy as ever.

“Was I right?” Yeonjun asked. “I wonder how long it took to get here. We could be looking at old news.”

“I don’t think it’s old news,” Kai said. He handed the letter to Yeonjun, who smoothed the paper out and squinted at it. His eyes darted back and forth as he read, his expression falling as he made his way down the page.

“Damn,” he said at last, folding up the paper. “I got my hopes up.”

“At least we didn’t do all this work for nothing,” Kai said. He could think of plenty of uses for frostberries, but he didn’t want Yeonjun to worry that that part of their quest had been a waste. “We’ll keep searching the mountain. If we continue at this rate, we can still find Seoltang before Soobin has to worry.”

Yeonjun gave him a rueful smile. He placed a hand on Kai’s shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Alright, Huening. I trust you to lead our way.”

Chapter Text

After another long day of traveling, Kai was ready to collapse into bed.

But Yeonjun had other ideas. He dropped their bags on the floor—this room was an upgrade to their last—and stretched, his joints cracking. “I saw a tavern on the way in. I’m sure at least one person there has seen a wolpertinger before.”

“They’ll probably be too drunk to remember what a wolpertinger is,” Kai protested. Even Saewoo and Saenggang were dog-tired—the two familiars had claimed his bed, curling together in a sleepy pile. It was fascinating to see how quickly they had gone from awkward acquaintances to good friends.

“You’re probably right,” Yeonjun admitted. “But I could use a drink. Are you coming with me?”

Maybe Kai’s exhaustion has turned to delirium, because he found himself padding along after Yeonjun. He hadn’t been to these mountains for a long time, and he had never visited this particular village. He was eager to immerse himself in the local culture, and hopefully find an interesting creature or two along the way.

The tavern was rustic and warm, illuminated by a flickering fireplace. It was alive with noise: glasses clinking together, the hum of music, overlapping conversations. Another patron walked past with a fiery lizard at her heels. Finally, they were among other mages again.

Yeonjun made a beeline for the bar, where there were plenty of open seats. Even on a “busy” night, it was obvious that this establishment wasn’t getting much business.

“The strongest drink you offer. Then something tasty,” Yeonjun told the bartender. “He’ll have the same.”

“My mother taught me not to accept free drinks at bars. They’re probably contaminated,” Kai teased as he slid into the stool beside Yeonjun.

“Not even from your traveling companions?”

“Especially not. What if you’re a traitor? Did you kidnap Seoltang?”

Yeonjun burst into laughter. “You have quite the imagination, Huening-ah.”

“Someone needs to keep you entertained,” Kai said. “When you’re just sitting outside a noble’s room, standing guard, how do you stay awake?”

“Practice. And Saenggang,” Yeonjun said. “Also, short shifts. I’m never working alone.”

“You’re a real entrepreneur, aren’t you?”

The bartender returned with a set of toxic-smelling drinks. They probably weren’t made from anything particularly exciting—only the big city taverns sold magic-touched drinks, and the use of magical ingredients was heavily restricted.

Imagine a frostberry cocktail. That’s what we should treat ourselves with when we find that wolpertinger.

“I just got lucky that the right people heard my name,” Yeonjun continued. “I’m not working all the time—like right now, if I had another client, I wouldn’t have been able to help Taehyun.”

“I can’t believe he’s making us work without compensation,” Kai said lightly. Yeonjun smiled. “Did you know that this isn’t the first time someone has had to go looking for Seoltang?”

“No, but I’m not surprised at all.”

“Usually Soobin doesn’t mind when it goes off for a long time, but a couple years ago…. He really needed support to pull off a spell, and Seoltang wasn’t around to give some magic. He and Beomgyu found Seoltang at the dens, though.”

“Figures. How’d the spell go?”

“It didn’t. Soobin had to cancel on that client, who was super pissed. But Seoltang was hurt, so Soobin didn’t want to ask for any magic.”

“Poor thing. What happened?”

“We’re not sure. It looked like an animal,” Kai said. Soobin had brought Seoltang over to treat the bite, but Seoltang had been quiet when Kai tried to ask questions. Usually, he was able to get a general idea of what familiars were thinking.

“Ah. Your specialty.” Yeonjun took another sip of his drink. He looked like he was trying not to gag. Why order something like that to begin with?

“It was a weird day. Wolpertingers don’t really have natural predators.”

“Why would anyone want to eat them? You don’t know if you’re going to taste chicken or rabbit,” Yeonjun said. “Not worth all the effort.”

“That’s one way to put it….”

Yeonjun tapped his fingers on the table. “Would you cook it like a chicken or a rabbit? Or a deer?”

“Are you already drunk?”

“No way! I haven’t even finished this!”

“Try writing a letter to Soobin. Tell him you’re imagining how to cook his familiar.”

“I’d definitely be uninvited from the wedding, even if we find the damn thing,” Yeonjun said. “I’d have to plant a whole frostberry forest to make it up to him.”

“Next you’ll be asking me whether Saewoo should be boiled or roasted,” Kai said. “Or if tawakis taste more like chickens or ducks.”

“I would never,” Yeonjun said. He downed the rest of his radioactive drink and set it down on the counter. Kai hesitantly stirred his own drink with his straw. “What’s the itinerary for tomorrow?”

“I think we should spend some time here. See the sights, get some information from the locals. I hope they have a library,” Kai said. “Or, if there are no leads, we can set out before it gets dark.”

“It’s nice to be back in civilization, at least,” Yeonjun said.

“I wouldn’t mind spending more than one night in a real bed,” Kai said, massaging his aching shoulder.

“That we can agree on,” Yeonjun said. “Are you gonna drink that?”

Kai swatted him away. “Of course! But we can’t be too drunk, or we’d miss a wolpertinger if it ran in front of our noses!”

“A wolpertinger?”

The voice came from a few seats down. Kai turned to find another man, wearing a heavy black cloak, hunched over the bar. His face was partially shadowed, and despite the sharp lines of his expression, he didn’t seem much older than Yeonjun and Kai. He was obviously a mage—he wore his magic like a second skin, a thin but indestructible second layer. The hum of his shielding spell was just strong enough for Kai to feel.

“Yes, a wolpertinger. Have you heard of them?” Yeonjun said.

“Of course. These mountains are the only place you can find them, and even then….” The mage shook his head. “You’d have to be very lucky. I can’t think of a magician who wouldn’t want their hands on a wolpertinger.”

“Why? Because of their magic?” Yeonjun asked.

“You don’t know? The right wolpertinger can give you basically unlimited power. The best healing magic, the best sight, the best reflexes… the ability to pull off the most complicated spells you can dream of. They’re pure magic,” the mage said.

“What does that mean?” Kai asked. “What would you do with one?”

It took only a second for his temper to flare. He spent his life trying to reverse the damage that irresponsible, selfish mages were doing to magical creatures—mages who thought they were entitled to their power and didn’t care who they hurt in the process. His faith in humanity had dwindled over the years, after he’d seen many creatures drained of their power and exploited for all they were worth.

But he had to keep his wits about him. Wolpertingers were revered for their magical abilities, but there were also clans who believed that they were mutant monsters, a creature more unholy than any wyrm. He couldn’t reveal too many of his own cards before he could read this mage’s intentions.

“Why does it matter to you?” the mage asked.

Yeonjun spoke up, barreling ahead before Kai could intervene. “We’re looking for one. That’s why we came to the mountains. It’s mostly rabbit, goat… it’s a familiar. Impossible to miss.”

“Yours?”

“No, but equally important.”

Kai wanted to kick Yeonjun under the table, but his heart had begun to pound. He was worried about the glint in that mage’s eye.

The stranger rested his chin on his hand, watching Yeonjun like a piece of meat. “A rabbit and a goat, you said?”

“Actually, I think it’s a hare. Cream-colored. It has a really long tail, kind of fluffy like a wolf. And it has two little fangs, but I don’t think it actually uses them to bite anything,” Yeonjun said. “Have you seen anything like it?”

“I may have,” the mage said. “Actually, I overheard the two of you talking. You’re a city guard?”

“Sometimes. Sometimes not.”

“You look familiar. Where have I seen you before?”

“Probably an advertisement,” Yeonjun said. “But I mostly do private work these days, so—”

“Choi Yeonjun. That’s who you are.”

A tense silence fell between the three of them. Yeonjun offered a terse smile. “That’s my name.”

Was Yeonjun recognized in public very often? Kai knew he had a reputation, but Kai had either underestimated his fame, or this mysterious mage was Yeonjun’s biggest fan.

That possibility was both concerning and intriguing. At least it was impossible for them to have been tracked here. Kai’s defensive magic was unmatched, and the only person who knew their whereabouts was Taehyun. This man may have been suspicious, but their secrets were safe.

Probably.

“You’ve made quite a name for yourself,” the magician said, “serving kings and magic-less courtiers.”

“I’d rather be judged on my own magic than who I serve. That’s the same no matter who my clients are,” Yeonjun said. “I’ve met stronger magicians than the ones I work with, and plenty who relied on intimidation but couldn’t prove themselves—”

“Do you think that’s the best use of your time? Lending such power to people who don’t have it in their blood?”

Yeonjun narrowed his eyes. “That doesn’t have anything to do with my job.”

“You might think that doing it for a job doesn’t say anything about you, but it does. Where do you think magic belongs?”

Kai cleared his throat. “What does this have to do with the wolpertinger?”

For the first time, the magician looked him in the eyes. Kai met his gaze evenly, as much as it filled him with discomfort. “You’ve seen one, haven’t you?” he pressed.

“The one you’re describing,” the magician said, grinning with too-sharp teeth. “But a wolpertinger’s a rare treasure. I wouldn’t pass one on to just anybody.”

“Pass it on? You mean you’ve caught one?” Yeonjun asked. “Can you sense familiar magic? Was it—”

“Yes, of course. Do you think I manifested yesterday?” Irritation dripped into the mage’s voice. “Yes, the rabbit-goat familiar. It’s in my possession.”

Kai’s heart plummeted. Captured? How is that possible?

Seoltang never would have shown itself to an unfamiliar mage. How far had it wandered before another human found it?

Yeonjun gave Kai a helpless look, but Kai didn’t know what direction to point him in. Hardly anyone can capture a wolpertinger that wants to be caught. Not to mention, Seoltang has plenty of battle experience…..

“We need proof,” Kai said, forcing his voice to remain steady. If Soobin’s familiar had been taken hostage, the wedding was the least of their concerns.

“That’s what I’m offering you, under one condition.” The mage pointed at Yeonjun. “You prove your worth to me, one-on-one, in a spar. I’ll give you an address, and we meet there at dawn. If you can show me that you pretentious city mages are actually worth something, I’ll release the wolpertinger.”

“I don’t need to prove anything to you,” Yeonjun said. His voice was loud enough to attract attention from the bartender, who shot a concerned glance at the three of them. “Why should I believe you have the wolpertinger I’m looking for? Because right now, I don’t, and I’m not going to waste my time with your challenges unless you can offer more than that.”

The magician shrugged. “So you’d rather give up your only chance to find the creature you’re looking for? This deal won’t last forever. When you come crawling back to me, do you want the weight of failure on your consciousness?”

Kai couldn’t breathe. Yeonjun wasn’t so prideful that he would give up a chance to gather information, but he was just as wary of this stranger as Kai.

“Who the hell are you?” Yeonjun demanded. Frustration radiated from him like heat, sparks of uncontained magic between them.

The magician snapped his fingers, procuring a scrap of paper with an address written on it. “Call me Banya. I’m sure you won’t have trouble remembering it.”

Kai barely slept. He spent his night listening to Saenggang’s soft snores and watching Yeonjun’s chest rise and fall, drifting off for a few minutes only to jolt awake again as soon as his body relaxed. He contemplated giving up on sleep altogether—his time would be better spent searching the forest than rolling around in his blankets—but he didn’t want to disturb Yeonjun’s rest. He needed to sober up before his upcoming fight.

Maybe that suspicious mage, Banya, was lying. Maybe he’d overheard them talking about wolpertingers and crafted a story to get closer to Yeonjun. In that case, Seoltang was still out there, at the mercy of countless human and non-human threats. They were racing against time to find the familiar before anything bad could happen.

If Banya wasn’t lying…. Kai couldn’t handle thinking about that option.

Banya had requested that they meet before sunrise, so Kai shook Yeonjun awake as soon as the birds began to chirp. “Hyung,” he said, grabbing Yeonjun by the shoulder. “Wakey-wakey. You need to warm up and kick this guy’s ass. I don’t know how to patch up war wounds, so you need to be in good shape.”

Yeonjun groaned, pressing his face deep into his pillow. Kai pulled him up. “C’mon. The sun will be rising soon, and we have to walk to this… creepy old building or whatever.”

“I don’t wanna,” Yeonjun mumbled. “Nooo. No creepy old building.”

Kai had never been more concerned that Yeonjun wasn’t a morning person. He looked somewhat pathetic when he was so tired, frankly speaking—not at all resembling the fearsome warrior-mage that had been summoned for a challenge.

Duels between magicians weren’t uncommon, but in most cases, they were more of a friendly way to test one’s skills than a high-stakes challenge. Yeonjun had probably received his fair share of invitations, but Kai never had an interest in fighting.

Besides, nobody except another Ornith was so bold as to challenge one.

“Yeonjun-hyung, it’s for Soobin. Remember?” Kai asked, and that got Yeonjun to move. He stretched, his muscles rippling—of course, he hadn’t worn a shirt to sleep—and yawned. “Okay, okay, I’m up. D’you think they have coffee downstairs?”

“Probably not this early, but I can check,” Kai said. He should have thought of this earlier, but he was delirious from lack of sleep and anxiety combined. “What can I help with?”

“Polish my sword? Make sure Saenggang is ready to go?” Yeonjun suggested. “Just kidding. I’m not gonna sic my cat on this guy.”

“Maybe you should,” Kai said, with a pang of unease. He wondered how this Banya fought—with weapons, or magic, or a combination of both.

Come to think of it, he’d never seen Yeonjun fight, either. He’d only heard stories about his technique from Soobin and Taehyun.

“You don’t need to do anything for me. Give me ten minutes, I’ll be ready.” Yeonjun rubbed his eyes. “You haven’t been awake all night, have you? You look….”

“Like shit?” Kai filled in.

“Just tired,” Yeonjun said.

“I slept a little bit. It’s fine.”

“I hope you weren’t worried about me, because I never lose challenges like this. If this man actually has information about Seoltang, or any other wolpertinger, we’ll know in the next hour,” Yeonjun said. “I doubt I’ll have a problem getting information from him, if that’s what it comes to.”

Interrogation?

“How would I know? Maybe Taehyun was exaggerating when he told me about your magic,” Kai teased. He left Yeonjun to check on Saewoo, whose honey-brown eyes shone in the darkness, and Saenggang, who looked no more eager to be awake than his companion. “You have to prove to me that you’re willing to beat people up for Soobin.”

“Well, if it’s for you….” Yeonjun yawned again. “Alright, let’s get this over with.”

As promised, he was ready in ten minutes. He dressed in thicker, protective gear, and strapped his sword to his waist. When he wore such a serious expression, even Kai was intimidated by his presence. He followed Yeonjun out of their room, clutching the slip of paper that held the address.

There hadn’t been time to visit the location beforehand and check for any traps, so Kai hoped that they would be early enough to gain their bearings. At least the village was easy to navigate, especially with Saewoo’s aerial assistance.

The location was at the very edge of town, at the end of a dirt road and shrouded by trees. Calling it a building would have been generous—it was more of a skeleton, broken wooden beams and shattered window frames marking what must have been a former resident’s dwelling. A worn stone marker told them that they had found the right place, but that was all that remained.

The space was mostly wide open. “What do you think?” Yeonjun asked.

“I don’t sense anything weird, but I’ll check it out,” Kai said. “Just stay alert.”

“You’ve got it, boss,” Yeonjun said. Kai wasn’t sure how he felt about his older acquaintance-turned-coworker-turned-friend calling him boss, but he didn’t have time to question it. With Saewoo safely overhead, he surveyed the perimeter, reaching out with his magic in the hopes of uncovering any traps Banya may have set.

He trusted Yeonjun to be left alone, so he did a lap around the perimeter, both pleasantly surprised and suspicious when he found nothing unusual—no traps, no tripwire, nothing that could theoretically provide an advantage in a fight.

It’s going to be sunrise soon. This is totally a scam, Kai thought, but when he returned to the dirt road, he caught sight of another figure approaching.

“Hm. I wasn’t sure you’d actually show up,” Banya said.

“I thought the same about you.” Yeonjun was doing an impressive job at looking bored. “Got anything for me now that I’m here?”

“You have to beat me if you want the wolpertinger.” Banya pulled the hood of his cloak down. For a second, his eyes flared bright orange. A fire-wielder, not unlike Soobin. “But here’s an incentive.”

He reached into his pocket and held out a small, curved shape. A goat’s horn. The color was difficult to make out in the dim light, but it could have been a familiar muted brown.

“What the hell did you do?” Yeonjun hissed.

“Nothing that wasn’t going to happen anyway.” Banya tossed the horn onto the ground, then pinned Kai with an intense stare. “You. Don’t interfere, or I’m not letting you anywhere near that wolpertinger.”

“Fine.” Kai couldn’t bring himself to look at the horn, even though one touch would confirm his suspicions. Instead, he walked to the edge of the road, safely out of the way. Saewoo perched on his shoulder, snuggling in close.

“Any other terms?” Yeonjun asked. He unsheathed his sword, holding it as though it weighed nothing. It shimmered sapphire-blue beneath his hands. “Or can we get this over with?”

Banya held two short blades rather than one. He wasn’t trying to hide his magic anymore—sparks zipped along the edges, dangerously close to the rotting walls. “It’s over when one of us surrenders. I think you can figure out the rest.”

And by that, you mean that you’re allowed to use magic to your heart’s content.

One moment, everything was dark and quiet, and the next, the sky was alight. Kai sheltered beneath the creaking wooden beams, shielding himself with a protective spell, as the two mages fired off bursts of magic.

They were eerily silent as they sparred, the echo of their blades clanging together providing a backdrop instead of words. Yeonjun’s range was much wider, but Banya was faster, matching Yeonjun blow-for-blow and sneaking in quick jabs. Yeonjun didn’t flinch even when flames licked at his hands, so close to his face that Kai’s stomach turned.

Still, neither of them could get close enough to each other to land a hit. They were expending much more energy dodging both sword and magic than they were on their attacks—but if Kai couldn’t sense his magic waning, he wouldn’t have known that Yeonjun was struggling in any way. It came naturally to him, the product of years of training. His antlers, the physical manifestation of his power, seemed more imposing as he brandished his sword.

Was that why Yeonjun hadn’t used his magic in front of Kai before? Warriors didn’t have a reputation for being particularly emotionally sensitive or attuned to their environment, so the ones Kai had met were reserved, never too flashy with their magic. Magic was meant to be beautiful, and anything that could result in bloodshed was the antithesis of that.

But as Kai watched Yeonjun move, his sword so fluid it seemed to be a part of him, as graceful as a dancer, he wondered why he’d never thought of that magic as beautiful before.

Saenggang wasn’t participating in the fight, but it lingered closely enough to lend its power to Yeonjun. The hair on its spine was raised, all five tails bushy, ears pinned flat against its head. Kai was certain that Saenggang wouldn’t think twice about leaping to Yeonjun’s aid, if it came to that.

The two magicians’ blades caught on each other once again. Splatters of ruby-red blood flew into the air, illuminated by firelight, but Kai couldn’t tell who it was from.

Yeonjun had complained that his defensive magic was weak, but it was enough to protect him at close range. He and Banya circled each other like dogs, until finally, Yeonjun lunged for him. The flames surrounded him, but he pushed onward.

There was a flash of blue-purple magic. The struggle lasted a second, and Kai could hardly see any of it.

One of Banya’s swords clattered to the ground, and Yeonjun yanked the other away from him. “Yield,” he spat. “This was over before it started.”

“Fuck off.”

Yeonjun had the tip of his blade pressed right up against Banya’s neck, and didn’t hesitate to hold it down hard enough to draw blood. “I did what you asked me to. Where’s the wolpertinger?”

“All this for a dumb rabbit?” Banya squirmed, but it wasn’t enough. Now that Yeonjun had him cornered, nothing could make him let go.

“Yes. It’s a lot more than a dumb rabbit.” Yeonjun closed his eyes, and the blue-purple light melted from his sword. Kai stared, fascinated, as it molded itself into chains. They wrapped securely around Banya’s wrists, weaving around his body, until the man was entirely immobile. “You’re coming along, obviously.”

Banya glared back. Yeonjun sheathed his sword and brushed his hands off.

Finally, Kai gathered the courage to approach. “You’re hurt,” he murmured. A knot formed in his throat at the sight of blood dripping down Yeonjun’s forearm, oozing from a long gash. There were scrapes on his hands, too, they didn’t seem too deep.

“Don’t be too generous. It’ll go to that one’s head,” Yeonjun said, waving a dismissive hand in Banya’s direction. “You can patch me up later, if you want.”

Banya rolled his eyes.

“What do you want with Yeonjun, anyway?” Kai asked, turning his attention on the hooded mage. “What were you planning on doing to him if he lost?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Banya snapped. “I wanted to test him, that’s all.”

“I’m flattered. I didn’t know I was so famous,” Yeonjun said. He was icy-calm, and Kai wondered how often he fell into situations like this. “But you’re not getting my secrets out of me that easily.”

“The wolpertinger,” Kai said. “Tell us.”

“There’s no wolpertinger,” Banya hissed. “You’re an Ornith, aren’t you? And you couldn’t tell from the horn? I can’t believe that worked on you. You really don’t live up to the hype.”

Kai’s heart sank, a prick of disappointment following a tsunami of relief. We shouldn’t have wasted time grasping at an obvious fake lead. This isn’t bringing us any closer to Seoltang!

The magic chains tightened around Banya, pulling a grunt from him. He was taller than Yeonjun, but Yeonjun seemed to loom over him as he stepped closer. “If not from a wolpertinger, where’d you get the horn? I can sense magic.”

“J-Jackalope,” Banya gasped. “Next closest thing. It was already dead.”

A jackalope. Poor baby. It deserved so much better than this.

“Did you catch it yourself?” Yeonjun asked.

“No. It’s easy to get in touch with poachers, though. Even up here.”

“Did they have any wolpertingers?”

“Why bother asking when you’re not going to believe my answer? It doesn’t matter.”

“Not to you. You’re lucky I’m letting you out of here in one piece. In fact, I still might change my mind.” Yeonjun’s hand rested on one of the daggers strapped to his waist. “Get out of here. I don’t want to see you again.”

“What, do you think you own the place?” Banya sneered.

“Nope. But we know who’ll come out on top if it resorts to violence, and I don’t feel like repeating myself,” Yeonjun said. For emphasis, the chains seemed to dig into Banya’s skin, accompanied by an unpleasant sizzling sound. “I’ll leave you here for a bit. Maybe you’ll learn your lesson.”

“Fucking great.”

“Are you sure that’s safe, hyung?” Kai asked. “Maybe we should leave.”

“Hell, no. We’ve earned this,” Yeonjun said. “We’ll take all the time we need. Maybe catch some poachers while we’re at it.”

“Such a sense of justice. You really think you can change anything just because you play bodyguard?” Banya scoffed.

“I hope someone would try,” Yeonjun said. He pulled his cloak off and wrapped it around his wounded arm. “That person certainly won’t be you, so it may as well be me.”

“How could you not feel anything?” Kai asked. “I think you need stitches, hyung. This is….”

The laceration on Yeonjun’s arm was relatively shallow, but it extended halfway down his forearm. The bleeding had slowed, but Kai wasn’t eager to see it reopened when Yeonjun inevitably refused to rest as much as he should.

“Adrenaline,” Yeonjun said. “Also, my magic. If I can enhance my senses, I can also take them away. I have plenty of time to be in pain after the battle’s over.”

“Sounds dangerous.”

“It is. But it helps me stay calm sometimes, too. If I could feel everything breaking in my body, I’d be too busy panicking to get anything done,” Yeonjun said bluntly.

Kai only shook his head. How much longer would that fight have lasted if Yeonjun couldn’t shrug off attacks like they were nothing?

“It’s okay, Kai-yah. This was an easy day,” Yeonjun said. He walked to the sink in their room and ran the water over his bruised hands. “Too bad Beomgyu’s not here. He’s a fun person to go on quests with.”

“Is he supporting you, or enabling you?” Kai asked. Beomgyu’s healing capabilities were unmatched. Yeonjun shrugged. “I brought first-aid stuff. Mostly it’s for the familiars, but….”

“Are you a veterinarian-in-training or something?”

“Not officially. I’ve just picked up a few things while trying to help out different creatures.”

“Ever had a human patient?”

Kai paused halfway to his bag of medicines, anxiety creeping in. “Erm, maybe we should just get you to a real medic. There has to be one here.”

“But I don’t want to,” Yeonjun complained. “They’re always so mean to me! I’ve had my magic for years. I know my limits. I don’t need a lecture every time I come in with some scratches.”

“Those are more than scratches,” Kai pointed out.

“It could be a lot worse than this. I would know,” Yeonjun said. “I’ve still got ten fingers, and only a little nerve damage.”

Kai grimaced. “Fine. I’ll do it. But we’re going to visit one this afternoon, so we can pick up medicine. I’m not risking an infection.”

“Okay, alright. Fair trade, I guess.”

“Sit down, then,” Kai said. Yeonjun immediately sat on the bed. “No, not there, you’ll get the sheets bloody—”

“I’ll change them. Just worry about patching me up, jagiya,” Yeonjun said. His voice was sweet, the pet name lingering in Kai’s mind, but the affection faded when Yeonjun held out his bloody arm. That wasn’t a pleasant sight.

Stitching up a human was a lot more stressful than stitching a magical creature that knew how to take care of itself. Yeonjun had cleaned the wound, so Kai sanitized the surrounding area the best he could and laid out his supplies.

Kai’s hands trembled as he threaded the needle, his confidence waning. “You should use your magic if you need it. I’ll try not to hurt you, but….”

“Don’t worry. This isn’t my first time.”

“You’re ridiculous,” Kai complained.

Yeonjun beamed at him. “What? Why?”

“You’re just…. Stay still, or I’ll tranquilize you.”

Yeonjun gasped exaggeratedly. “Tranquilize me?”

“That’s what I do to the animals when they won’t stop squirming. Beomgyu gave me a special potion for it.”

“Rude. I’m not squirming.”

“As a precaution,” Kai said. “You look squirmy.”

“Yah! If I was squirmy, I wouldn’t have come back from that fight in one piece to begin with.”

Kai shrugged. At least Yeonjun’s indignation gave him something to focus on other than jabbing him with the needle.

If the laceration had been any deeper, Kai wouldn’t have tried stitching it himself. But Yeonjun was statue-still, as promised, and didn’t move a single centimeter as Kai pulled on the thread.

“Sorry,” he whispered when he tugged too roughly, but Yeonjun didn’t react. Kai worked even more slowly than usual, hyper-aware of Yeonjun’s eyes on him.

Spending so much time looking at the gash was nauseating, but he forced his brain into work mode and finished the job. “There. Done,” he said, letting go of Yeonjun’s arm. “Let me wrap it up. Don’t let it get wet for a day or two.”

“Whatever you say, doc.” That one was worse than “boss.” Definitely not as nice as “jagiya.”

“Let me take a look at your hands, too. Did you wash them well enough?”

“Yes, of course. Like I said, I’m lucky to still have all my fingers,” Yeonjun said. “I have practice with this part.”

Kai retrieved his bandages from his bag. Gauze, tape, antiseptic—he’d have to restock before they left town, since he hadn’t anticipated human patients. “I’m gonna wrap your hands, too. Promise you’ll be careful?”

“You’re so fussy,” Yeonjun said lightly. “I promise. I’m not worried about getting a couple more scars, though.”

“I can tell. You’re covered,” Kai said absently.

Yeonjun choked on a laugh. “Most people don’t point that out.”

“Sorry. I’m sorry.” Kai’s face was instantly on fire. He’d gotten too comfortable around Yeonjun too quickly, and now he was spouting nonsense. “I think they’re cool. I think you’re cool. Honestly, um, you’re so pretty.”

A grin spread across Yeonjun’s features. He ducked his head, laughed, hid behind his uninjured hand. “Pretty. Even when I’m all roughed up?”

“Especially when you’re all roughed up,” Kai said. He felt ridiculous, but Yeonjun wasn’t offended. He was flustered, and it was adorable. “Has nobody ever told you that before?”

“People tell me I’m pretty, but never for that reason,” Yeonjun said. “You’re a really interesting guy, Huening-ah.”

Kai held back a smile as he dressed Yeonjun’s wounds. He felt better now that the laceration on his arm was safely covered, and wrapping Yeonjun’s hand was a breeze in comparison. “Let me know if it’s too tight,” he said, sure that Yeonjun would have a lot to say if Kai hindered his movements.

“It’s fine,” Yeonjun hummed. His hand was warm, like the fire was still crackling around his skin—but Kai couldn’t sense any residual magic, so he must have been the type to run warm.

“All set,” Kai said, releasing Yeonjun’s hand. The warmth lingered, the tingling ghost of Yeonjun’s skin against his own. “I can wrap it again whenever the dressing needs to be changed. I don’t mind.”

Yeonjun held out his hand and stretched his fingers experimentally. Kai felt a flicker of his magic as Yeonjun released his pain-blocking spell. “Thank you, Kai-yah. I wouldn’t have gotten this far without you.”

“You’re brilliant. Taehyun sent us together so that I wouldn’t get into trouble,” Kai said.

“Then I wouldn’t have wanted to do this alone,” Yeonjun said. He leaned in, and did the last thing Kai was expecting: pulled him in for a hug. He leaned his head on Kai’s shoulder, squeezing him tight, and Kai’s heart kickstarted into a hummingbird rhythm.

“N-Neither would I,” he said. Yeonjun’s body was softer than he had expected, solid and secure but still smaller than Kai’s in several ways. Relaxing into his arms took no effort. This was the man that Kai had spent the past week learning to rely on, who would unflinchingly throw himself into battle for him.

But it wasn’t just about Yeonjun’s character, which Kai had heard many stories about. The problem was that he was exactly Kai’s type.

Stop that, he scolded himself. You have a job to do. I can worry about that after we find Seoltang.

After two fruitless days of searching around the village, Yeonjun and Kai continued their hike.

Kai was hoarse from talking to so many people—village elders, traveling mages, and even children, whose parents didn’t seem to notice when they snuck out to the forest. Each of them had tales of wolpertingers, but none of them had seen Soobin’s. Kai used one of Taehyun’s illusion spells to conjure a picture of Seoltang, but it wasn’t any help.

Kai set up another round of tripwire around the village, accompanied by frostberries, but there was no sign of movement. The final nail in the coffin was when the frostberries began disappearing, snatched by another wild, magical creature. The mountains were full of competitors.

“As long as you’ve set the tripwire, we don’t need to stick around,” Yeonjun said. “I didn’t injure my leg, so I can still walk! Let’s get going.”

It took him less than a day to bounce back after the fight, which meant that Kai had to keep an extra close eye on his stitches. There were no signs of infection so far, but Kai wasn’t eager to send him back into the wilderness.

Another day of fruitless hiking, of setting frostberry bait adorned by magic tripwire, of sending Saewoo out scouting, and Kai was growing anxious. There was no word from Taehyun, either. He was almost desperate enough to use his own wings.

Everything changed on their ninth day of travel.

They had just settled down for an afternoon snack—Kai insisted on it, since Yeonjun looked rather pale. They sheltered in a copse, Yeonjun stretching out on the soft moss while Kai dug dried fruit from their packs.

“Isn’t it so pretty?” Yeonjun said. “I can’t complain that Taehyun sent us here. It’s definitely the best sightseeing I’ve done in a while.”

Kai hummed in agreement. The strings on his bag were knotted up, and he’d already spent an embarrassing amount of time re-arranging his belongings today, but he needed to figure this out before they set out again—

Snap!

Kai dropped the bag. Where did that noise come from? He was about to turn to Yeonjun and ask if he’d heard anything when the aftershocks of a spell washed over him.

His eyes fell shut as images overwhelmed him. He was in a different forest, much closer to the detritus, leaves curling around his face and crunching beneath his—

Not his. The image faded away, and Kai’s heart jolted.

“Saewoo!” he called, but the bird was already an inch from his shoulder.

“What is it?” Yeonjun asked. He lifted his head, his expression concerned. “Are you okay?”

“The den at Onyx Falls,” Kai said. Yeonjun’s eyes widened in understanding. “I felt something.”

“Wait, really? The tripwire worked?” Yeonjun scrambled to his feet. “How do you know where to go? Should we head out now?”

Kai rubbed his forehead, reaching out beyond his own mind, but the tripwire spell had nothing more to offer him. “We have to check it, and then we can fly back to keep looking here.”

“We won’t need to! We’re going to find Seoltang!” Yeonjun said. He began grabbing at their supplies, tossing them into bags with much less precision than Kai. “Let’s go! Now!”

Saewoo let out an impressive caw. In a flash of light, it transformed into its full size, towering over Yeonjun and Kai. Yeonjun’s legs were wobbly as Kai ushered him onto the bird’s back, but Kai securely wrapped his arms around him.

Even at top speed, with magic to assist where air currents failed, it would still take an hour or two to reach the den. Kai would never ask his familiar to push itself to its limits while also carrying two passengers, but Saewoo understood the urgency of the situation. The mountains retreated, replaced by a new swath of forest, split by a rushing river.

Saewoo landed on the riverbank, talons sinking into the mud. Kai let go of Yeonjun and slid onto the ground. His limbs ached, his joints protesting as he stretched.

“Thank you,” he told his familiar, who made a pleased rumbling sound. In another flash, it shrunk once more, flapping up to perch on Kai’s head.

Yeonjun, who had still been on its back, tumbled into the damp earth with a yelp. “Ow, ow, ow.”

Kai grabbed his wrist to pull him to his feet. “Do you remember where the den is? Should we split up?”

Yeonjun massaged his hipbone. “Definitely no splitting up. Next thing you know, I’ll be rescuing you from an alligator.”

“I think it would be the other way around,” Kai said. He couldn’t sense any traces of Seoltang’s magic, but that was expected. He probably wouldn’t notice anything until they reached the burrow, if at all.

They set out side-by-side. Birds twittered overhead, and the distant rush of the waterfall guided their way. The old burrow was between the roots of an old, sturdy tree, right along the water. It was the last den they had visited before their trip to the mountains, as it was the furthest from Soobin’s home.

Aside from a set of much too-large pawprints on the riverbank, and a bird that almost landed in Yeonjun’s hair, neither of them spotted anything resembling a sign of Seoltang. Kai’s hopes were entirely shattered when they reached the burrow.

Empty.

Kai crouched down to the entrance, looking for tufts of fur or feathers or anything useful, but it looked exactly the same as the first visit. The entrance was overgrown with grasses, and the soil was compact, not freshly turned by a wolpertinger’s digging.

“Nothing?” Yeonjun asked, innocently hopeful. He peered over Kai’s shoulder. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure,” Kai said. “I… I don’t know. All the tripwire means is that a wolpertinger passed through. It doesn’t mean that it came here, exactly.”

“Then we keep looking. This is still a good start,” Yeonjun said. “Let’s set out some berries and keep going.”

Kai shook his head, reluctantly pulling the pouch of frostberries from his pack. He wondered how long they would last away from the colder mountain temperatures. “I was sure that this would be the first place it went.”

Yeonjun placed a hand on Kai’s shoulder and squeezed. His touch calmed Kai’s racing thoughts, and a lump grew in his throat. He wished he could hide in Yeonjun’s arms instead of facing an increasingly-likely reality: his tripwire spell was faulty, and it picked up a squirrel or a bird rather than Seoltang.

“Don’t worry. We still have time,” Yeonjun said. “If we didn’t have that spell, we wouldn’t have the slightest idea where to search. Think of it like that.”

But we’ve just gone back to where we started.

Just as Kai was about to turn back to Yeonjun and ask for input on where to look next, the branches overhead snapped with a crack that echoed like thunder. Kai’s whole body went stiff, his senses overwhelmed by a flood of mismatched magic. There were hardly any creatures with a magic signature like that.

“Do you feel that?” Kai whispered. Yeonjun nodded frantically.

Don’t move. Kai couldn’t risk saying it aloud. Yeonjun’s hand rested on the hilt of his sword, but he didn’t draw it.

“Nori! Don’t!”

A piercing screech sounded overhead. A large, feathered shape stumbled from the branches and crashed on the riverbank ahead of them. From head to talon, it was roughly Kai’s height, with an angry, lashing lion’s tail. It clacked its beak menacingly, eyes pinning on Kai—and then the creature’s body relaxed.

It was a beautiful tawny gryphon. Not just any gryphon—the one Kai had known for most of his life.

“Nori? Hiyyih?” Kai held out his hands, and the gryphon trotted closer, butting its giant head against his hands. “I can’t believe it. What are you doing here?”

“Sorry, Sorry!” Hiyyih called, her voice growing closer. “She won’t hurt you, she’s just—”

As she stumbled out of the bushes, her eyes locked with Kai’s. “Oh! Kai!”

“I can’t believe it,” Kai said. He reached for his sister, and they met in a crushing hug. “What are you doing here?"

“That’s what I should be saying!” Hiyyih said, glaring playfully. “Seriously, you look like a mess! And you’re….”

She looked over Kai’s shoulder, to where Yeonjun and Saenggang were suspiciously eyeing the gryphon. “You’re… Choi Yeonjun, right? Beomgyu’s friend?”

Yeonjun beamed at her. “That’s right! I’ve seen you around Taehyun’s.”

“But what are you doing here, traipsing through the woods? It doesn’t have to do with the wedding, does it?” she asked. “I didn’t know you two were friends.”

“It’s… it’s technically a wedding thing,” Kai said. His excitement fizzled, his stomach rolling as he realized what this meant. Taehyun still hadn’t told anyone else about the wedding quest, which meant that Soobin wasn’t freaking out yet. “Have you, um. Have you seen Seoltang?”

Hiyyih’s brow furrowed. “Huh?”

“Soobin’s familiar. His wolpertinger,” Kai said. “Have you seen any wolpertinger around here lately?”

“No. Soobin hasn’t been around.”

“It, uh. It wouldn’t be with Soobin.”

Hiyyih looked between the two of them. Kai could only imagine how they must have looked, exhausted and filthy and defeated. “Let’s go home. I want to hear the full story.”

Nori the gryphon was the one who had set off Kai’s tripwire spell. The spell wasn’t perfect—after all,, Kai hadn’t been able to target a specific wolpertinger. But what he hadn’t expected was that the spell could fire for another half-bird, half-mammal familiar. Nori’s magic was much like Seoltang’s: chaotic but beautiful, complex but natural, an amalgamation of different colors all coming together to form something brand-new. 

Plus, Nori was one of the familiars that Kai knew best, just like Seoltang. Kai was embarrassed that the spell had gone awry, but Yeonjun was delighted to meet Nori, and opening up to someone about their secret quest felt even better than he could have imagined.

Kai filled Hiyyih in as they walked back to her cottage, which was much closer to the burrow than Kai realized. She lived there with Lea, their older sister, where they practiced summoning magic that was much like Kai’s. Admittedly, it had been a while since Kai had visited them, and he had never been so grateful to see their home at the top of a hill.

“Where’s noona today?” he asked. “We didn’t interrupt your work, did we?”

Hiyyih shook her head. “She’s the one out doing actual work. I was just taking Nori on a walk.”

Kai wasn’t sure a treacherous hike in magical creature-infested woods counted as a leisurely walk,, but he wouldn’t question it.

“I don’t know what Taehyun-oppa was thinking! Obviously Soobin’s the best person to look for his own familiar,” she said. “Doesn’t Seoltang always end up wandering home anyway?”

“Yes, but he didn’t want to worry Soobin and Beomgyu before the wedding,” Kai said. Hiyyih pushed the door to the cottage open, and the two of them followed her inside. “It was supposed to be a quick trip to the dens. Seoltang doesn’t usually go that far.”

“You should know better, oppa. Wolpertingers don’t like to be found,” Hiyyih sing-songed. “I can’t believe how much you’ve been up to these last few days. You guys should crash here for a night or two, if you think Seoltang could’ve come here.”

Yeonjun rubbed his hands together. “A real bed and running water? This is a dream come true.”

“We were going to go back to the mountains if we didn’t find anything here,” Kai admitted. “We don’t have time to waste. The wedding is right around the corner.”

“And? Lea and I can help you search, or at least come up with a plan for what to do next,” she said.

“Yeonjun-hyung and I have it handled. It’s our quest,” he complained.

“Is your pride on the line, or did Taehyun say nobody else is allowed to help?” Hiyyih asked. “Kai! Sit down for a while. You have to tell me more about the mountains.”

“Please, can we rest?” Yeonjun asked, giving Kai his best puppy-dog eyes. “I know that wolpertingers prefer the mountains, but it’s been almost two weeks. Seoltang will want to come home soon.”

In two weeks, it could have traveled a lot further than the mountains, Kai thought. His warm, fluttery feelings for Yeonjun were warring with his logic. It was hard to disappoint him, but disappointing Soobin on his wedding day would be a thousand times worse.

“I want to hear all about how you two became friends,” Hiyyih said. “I had no idea that was a… thing.”

Kai didn’t like the direction this conversation was going in. Not one bit.

“Just for one night,” he said. “We should make sure that Lea hasn’t seen anything.”

Yeonjun grinned from ear to ear. “Oh, this is going to be so much fun. It’s been so quiet with just the two of us, not being able to tell anyone about Seoltang.”

You weren’t having fun before? What was I, then?

“We’ve totally got this. I’m so glad you stumbled along,” Hiyyih said. “I’m jealous! Taehyun never sends me on quests.”

“I’ll remind him to invite you next time, too,” Yeonjun chirped.

“Let’s hope there isn’t a next time,” Kai muttered. He couldn’t shake a sense of foreboding. Were they only running in circles, further away from Soobin’s familiar than ever—or was the wolpertinger right around the corner?

The rest of the day was spent sharing stories with Hiyyih and searching the nearby forest. Once the sun set, they returned to the cottage empty-handed to settle down for the night. Lea was there waiting for them, and she was just as delighted to see Yeonjun and Kai as Hiyyih had been.

“Don’t look so glum. Can’t you feel how much magic is in the air around here?” she said. “I know it’s not the mountains, but wolpertingers pass through these woods, too. It’d be a waste not to check them out.”

“If you don’t find Seoltang, you can go back to the mountains after that. But I have a good feeling about this,” Hiyyih added.

His sisters may have been fresh-faced and ready to jump into the search, but all of Kai’s good, hopeful feelings about the quest were fizzling out. He and Yeonjun squeezed into the cottage’s spare room that night, into the single extra bed, and Yeonjun was out like a light. Kai alternated between staring at him—his face was even more delicate in sleep, finally relaxed, soft and warm—and the ceiling, the hours ticking by.

When he woke, the other side of the bed was empty, the golden morning sun creeping through the windows.

He could hear voices from the kitchen, and he reluctantly pulled himself up. Yeonjun was laughing, and the smell of something delicious wafted in the air. Kai rubbed his eyes and pushed the door open.

“There you are!” Yeonjun said. “You were so tired last night. I didn’t want to wake you.”

“You should’ve. We have to get going,” Kai said. His stomach twinged, but he was too restless to sit down—not a home-cooked meal could lure him over.

“Kai-yah, what are you talking about? We’re still working on a plan,” Lea said. “Come sit and eat. There’s a lot we have to go over.”

Kai hesitated, then finally took the spot beside Yeonjun. Yeonjun was right at home, like he was a part of the family. Normally, that would have made Kai swoon—all he wanted was for his family to accept his closest friends.

“Going back to the mountains should be a last resort,” Hiyyih commented. “Seoltang’s not just any wolpertinger. It’s a familiar, so it won’t act the same way.”

“Remember what Taehyun said in his last letter?” Yeonjun said. Kai snuck a guilty glance at Yeonjun’s still-bandaged arm. “I’m not supposed to let you get into trouble. If there’s a chance Seoltang could be here, it’s worth another look.”

Kai folded his arms. “There’s a chance it could be anywhere. We can’t hide from places that are dangerous, or we’ll never find Seoltang.”

Hiyyih raised her eyebrows. “Where did Negative Kai come from?”

“I’m not being negative, I’m being realistic—”

A blue light burst overhead, and from it, a letter drifted to the floor. Kai snatched it up, his heart leaping to his throat when he caught sight of the seal. Dread washed over him as he tore the envelope. “It’s Taehyun.”

“What is it?” Yeonjun asked. “You look awful.”

Kai held the paper out to Yeonjun, nearly crumpling it in the process.

“Oh,” Yeonjun said. His eyes darted to the end of the page. “Oh.”

“We can’t waste more time,” Kai said urgently. “We can’t let Soobin come here.” That was the thing they had tried so hard to prevent. Would their efforts be wasted?

“Let me see?” Lea said. Yeonjun tilted the letter so that she could read it, and she sucked in a breath. “That’s not good. We still have a few days, though.”

“I’ll start a letter to Soobin, and then we can head out,” Yeonjun said. “Maybe if he hears it from me, he’ll be less worried.”

“Worried about you, or Seoltang?” Hiyyih asked.

“I—I’m going to check on Saewoo and the others. I’ll be back in a minute,” Kai blurted. His chair scraped on the floor as he pushed it back. He hurried to the door without giving the others a chance to respond.

The familiars had slept in the orchard outside, but it was just an excuse to get air. Nausea swirled in Kai’s stomach, probably the result of his hunger, but he couldn’t face his cheerful sisters right now.

The morning air was crisp, only a hint of shimmering heat to indicate that it would be a hot day. Kai sat on the front steps, dropping his head to his hands. He squeezed his eyes shut, taking deep breath after deep breath.

Taehyun was so confident when he called on us, and now…. I know he wouldn’t be disappointed in me, but he’ll be so upset. I can’t let him down. I can’t let Soobin down. I’m not the right person for the job, am I? I never was, and everyone knows it. I take care of the creatures that come to me. I don’t go hunting for them.

I don’t know what to do anymore. Doesn’t Yeonjun get that? I should have told Taehyun no. Either Soobin will be able to call Seoltang back to him, or he’ll just have to be content with only Bichwi at the wedding….

“Jagiya?”

At the sound of Yeonjun’s voice, Kai froze. He lifted his head and made eye contact with Yeonjun, who raised his hands submissively. “I know you came here to clear your head. I just wanted to check up on you. Or ask if there’s anything I can do.”

He approached Kai the same way Kai would an injured animal, his voice low and steps light. I’m not just failing Soobin and Taehyun… I’m failing Yeonjun, too.

“I’m fine. Just make sure you’re ready to go. It’s my job to figure out where to go next.”

“Don’t you think we’ve spent enough time together for us to be able to share jobs?” Yeonjun asked. He sat beside Kai and released a sigh. “I know I’m not the familiar expert, but this isn’t a problem for you to solve alone.”

“It doesn’t matter who solves it. We barely have any time left,” Kai said.

Yeonjun was quiet for a long moment. He didn’t jump straight into reassuring Kai like he’d expected, and somehow, the silence was more disquieting.

“Kai-yah, you said it yourself. If Seoltang doesn’t want to be found, it’d be almost impossible for any human to find it. That’s not our fault. Soobin’s the one who needs to have a chat with his familiar.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I just—” Yeonjun shook his head, growing flustered. “If we can’t find it soon, it might be better to admit defeat. Our familiars never leave our sides, but if Seoltang has somewhere else to be, we can’t—”

Kai leapt to his feet. “So you don’t believe I can do this, either?”

“No, I—It doesn’t have anything to do with you, Seoltang just—”

“Do you want to go home and tell Soobin that we failed?”

“No! But I think he’d understand.”

He shouldn’t have to understand. It’s his wedding!

It didn’t matter if Yeonjun believed in him. It didn’t matter if any of their friends believed in him. Kai would prove them all wrong, and he would spend every second until the wedding poring over spellbooks if it meant he might find the right one to track Seoltang down. He had to prove to himself that he could do it.

“You said it yourself. You’re not the expert, and I’ve never failed before. I’m not going home until we have that wolpertinger,” Kai said eventually. “If you’re done, then fine. But I’m not leaving.”

“Okay, okay. But what if you get hurt? You can’t risk your life for this—”

“I’m not going to get hurt. I’m fine.” Kai managed to stop himself before the rest of his words came tumbling out: I don’t need you. It would have been harsh, but it was true. How many times had he gone adventuring on his own and come home without a scratch?

Because you’re never alone. Your magic gives you everything you need.

Yeonjun’s eyes lowered. Kai held his ground, even though his legs felt like they might collapse under him. “...Alright, Kai-yah. If you know best, I won’t stand in your way.”

If. He didn’t have to voice his concerns for Kai to understand, and the last thing he needed was to be preoccupied by whether his coworker was having doubts about their partnership.

Chapter Text

Kai knew what he needed to do.

He spent one more day searching with Hiyyih, Lea, and Yeonjun, but as expected, they were unsuccessful. Kai stayed quiet, letting his sisters guide the way while Yeonjun handled the correspondence with Taehyun. One last chance for them to prove that their teamwork would succeed—and it didn’t.

It wasn’t fair for Kai to blame them. After all, wolpertingers were one of the most notorious magical creatures that an ambiguous magician might attempt to track down. But he had more than just the wedding at stake. He had his friendships and his reputation to worry about,

Yeonjun was his guard. No offense would be taken if Kai needed to finish this part of their mission—the part that involved talking to animals—on his own, right?

He set out early in the morning, before the others woke. He’d stuffed his supply pack last night, so he didn’t need to risk waking Yeonjun by making noise around the house. He slipped outside with Saewoo on his shoulder, the bird ready to navigate.

“There’s a grove of ancient trees out west,” Lea said when they’d just begun planning together. “If I had to look for a rabbit-type creature, I’d be out there. There are burrows under the roots that all sorts of animals nest in. But Seoltang is a wolpertinger, and wolpertingers hate living in low altitudes.”

That may have been true of most wolpertingers, but Seoltang was the most bizarre creature Kai had ever met. If any familiar would brazenly defy the nature of its species, it would be Seoltang. A low-altitude forest was exactly where Kai needed to search.

On Saewoo’s back, the forest was a short flight away. Then, the ancient grove was about a day’s walk away. The trees were too thick to soar through beyond that point, which meant that Saewoo’s help would be limited.

It sounded like a dreadful place—low light, swampy, and full of creatures that even Kai wasn’t excited to meet. But what other choice did he have?

“You’ll give the signal if you hear anything weird, right?” Kai asked, scratching Saewoo’s head. “But not too loud. It’s so awkward when I have to ask Beomgyu-hyung to fix my hearing.”

Saewoo clacked its beak. Kai wasn’t confident that meant yes.

At least the forest seemed promising. As they walked into the trees, leaving the morning light behind, Kai felt the thrum of magic under his feet. It oozed from the soil, dripped from the leaves like dew, and rushed in the rivers. The grove wasn’t very far from the Onyx Falls—Kai couldn’t believe he hadn’t thought of checking here sooner.

His progress was achingly slow. The established path withered in the first half hour, which meant that Kai had to chart his own—and do his best to mark it with magic, in case he needed to turn back. The roots underfoot were thick and easy to trip over, and vines from the trees were waiting to snare Saewoo.

Why would Seoltang come here?

Saewoo didn’t screech in Kai’s ear at all, only ruffled its feathers when the branches creaked overhead or another bird call sounded from deeper in the forest. Although Kai heard the occasional rustling, the woods were suspiciously silent.

At what Kai estimated to be noon, he paused for a brief rest, ate lunch, and continued. His progress wasn’t quite what he’d expected it to be, but he hadn’t encountered any major obstacles yet. Hopefully any creature that thought of him as a snack had sensed his magic and pivoted to easier prey.

There was so much low-level magic around that Kai couldn’t pick out any one creature. Usually, when he wandered through the forests around his cottage, he could easily locate magical creatures by following the traces of their magic. It wasn’t imbued into the soil like it was here. Kai could tune some of it out, but when the baseline level of magic was high, it was difficult to judge the magnitude of any disturbances.

And that was why he didn’t notice the stranger until it was practically on top of him.

By that point, they had been walking for hours, and Kai was tired. He kept having to dodge low-hanging branches and climb over debris, and his legs were beginning to protest every step. The forest was shaded, but the air was damp, and Kai longed for a cool spring to take a dip in. His brow was damp with sweat, and Saewoo—much more closely related to a penguin than a tropical parrot—was equally sluggish.

When the magic began to build, Kai wasn’t surprised. They had been following the river, and although it sometimes dipped out of sight, he had a feeling that they were approaching a lake—a reservoir of mysterious magic. It never wavered, the way the magic signature from a familiar usually would—but Kai didn’t feel the need to investigate further.

When the magic tripled in intensity, thrumming beneath him like the vibrations from an instrument, approaching with shocking speed, he had no clue what it might be. “Saewoo-yah,” he said urgently, backing behind a thick tree trunk. Saewoo’s eyes pinned, head swivelling around as it attempted to gain its bearings.

When Kai focused on it, closing his eyes and extending his senses, the magic was… confusing. It was a patchwork of colors and energy, impossible to pin down.

Wait, it’s not—

Kai had a second to brace himself before a bone-rattling roar echoed through the forest. Saewoo leapt from his shoulder, trees snapping as it expanded to full size in the small space.

It was a beast that not only rivaled Saewoo in size, but was undeniably more ferocious. All three heads were glaring at Kai: the lion snarling, the snake flicking its tongue, the goat’s horns ready to spear him.

A chimera. Not unlike a wolpertinger in its chaotic magic, but a thousand times more deadly.

“Saewoo-yah!” Kai cried. “Wait!”

Saewoo was bristling, ready to launch itself into battle, but the last thing Kai wanted was to worsen the situation. Like wolpertingers, chimeras could be born from a variety of creatures, and had a variety of magic abilities as a result. How Kai approached it—or how Saewoo fought it—needed to depend on what abilities it had.

I sure hope this one doesn’t breathe fire.

But the chimera wasn’t looking to negotiate, not even when Kai reached out with his magic, hoping to convey that he meant no harm. Its claws slid out, as sharp as Yeonjun’s knives, and the lion’s paw took a swipe at Saewoo’s wing.

Saewoo jerked away, releasing a shrill, defiant scream that sent shooting pain through Kai’s skull. Thunder rumbled in the distance. The two creatures began to circle each other, taking jabs whenever there was an opening. At least one of the chimera’s heads was pinned on Kai at all times—right now, the snake was sizing him up with unblinking, piercing yellow eyes.

I can’t let Saewoo do this alone, he thought. Three heads—three monsters—was too much for one bird. Who should I summon? The forest is too dense to properly fight! We can’t retreat after we’ve come so far, but that chimera won’t let us leave.

His hand shook as he gripped his dagger. He always carried some kind of blade, but when was the last time he’d had to use it in combat? As his skill with defensive magic had increased, his familiarity with offensive magic had waned.

Chimeras were notoriously temperamental, and Kai knew that creatures always had a reason to attack, whether they were hungry or territorial or otherwise felt threatened. He hadn’t meant to step onto its territory, but it was too late to correct his mistake.

Could Seoltang have been attacked by a monster like this?

Saewoo landed a scratch on the goat’s face, only for the lion’s teeth to snap a hair’s width from its talons. The pain only seemed to antagonize the creature more, and this time the snake lunged for Saewoo, ripping out a few sky-blue feathers.

Kai was dizzy. He didn’t have room to spread his own wings, and the chimera was undoubtedly faster than him, so attacking would create more work for Saewoo instead. Saewoo could match its speed, but any bird was at a disadvantage while grounded.

Maybe a cockatrice or a basilisk could help slow it down? But we’d have to trick that chimera into looking at it!

Kai didn’t have any more time to debate. The chimera’s claws snagged Saewoo’s feathers, dragging the tawaki to the ground. Saewoo screeched, whether in pain or fury Kai wasn’t sure.

But the chimera didn’t care about one grounded tawaki. All six eyes narrowed on Kai, and the lion’s head snarled, muscles bunching as it prepared to pounce. Its massive paws were stained with blood—Saewoo’s blood.

Kai’s vision went red. I can’t let this monster lay another claw on Saewoo!

He had lost the element of surprise, but he needed to prove to this chimera that he wouldn’t be going down easily. As soon as it came within striking distance, he lashed out with the dagger, leaving a line of dripping red down the creature’s foreleg.

The chimera didn’t seem to notice. It slapped Kai with another massive paw, knocking the breath from his lungs and sending him flying to the ground.

It was only by sheer luck that Kai managed to hang onto the dagger—which was nothing more than a needle to the chimera. He braced himself, concentrating all of his magic in his core, summoning the image of a barrier—no, a shield. If he couldn’t fight this beast, he needed to survive long enough to retreat.

Above him, Saewoo collided with the chimera, the two of them wrapped into a furious bundle of teeth and claws. Instead of drawing from his familiar’s power, Kai pushed his magic into Saewoo, praying that his familiar hadn’t been too badly injured on his behalf.

He managed to pull himself to his feet, gasping. Saewoo’s wing was bloodied, but there was a deep gash on the goat’s head—Kai couldn’t tell if it was above the eye, or if there was no eye left. Saewoo tore at the creature with its beak, throwing caution to the wind.

We have to go. We have to go now, Kai thought, hoping that Saewoo could feel his intentions through their connection. But Saewoo couldn’t turn around, or they’d both be attacked—

The monster bellowed, and Kai caught a metallic flash out of the corner of his eye as the snake’s head flew into the air, severed from the base. It whirled around, releasing Saewoo, who hurried to Kai’s side.

“Let go, you bastard!” a familiar voice yelled. “Come and try me instead!”

Kai gasped. A giant leopard pounced on the chimera, sinking its claws into its shoulders and hissing. Beside it, Yeonjun held a gleaming sword, his antlers more fearsome than ever.

He met Kai’s eyes and grinned. “Sorry I’m so late.”

The two cats snarled at each other, fur standing on end—but Yeonjun didn’t hesitate. He swung his sword, and the chimera screamed, recoiling. It staggered away, but Saenggang gave chase, slashing at it until it relented.

The chimera limped away as fast as it could on its injured legs. The ferns were stained crimson, and Yeonjun’s sword dripped as he sheathed it. Kai grabbed a nearby tree trunk for support, unsure that his wobbly legs would support him.

Yeonjun let out a heavy sigh. “I think it’s gone. I can take care of it if it comes back, though. What an ugly brute….”

Kai’s ribs felt like they were on fire, and he clutched a hand to his chest. “Is it—is it okay?”

Yeonjun’s jaw dropped. “The monster? Kai-yah, it was trying to eat you!”

Kai shook his head weakly. Beside him, Saewoo let out a mournful chirp and shrunk to its regular size. It perched on Kai’s shoulders, feathers fluffed up three times as much as usual.

“Let me see,” Yeonjun said. He reached for Kai, pulling his cloak aside and inspecting him. “...Damn. We should find somewhere safe. I need to check you out. Can I take this off?”

“I’m—I’m—” Kai couldn’t say he was fine. Something warm and wet was dripping down his side, only registering now that his adrenaline was fading. “What are you doing here?”

“I’ve been tracking you for hours,” Yeonjun said. “Lea knew where you’d go, so Hiyyih lent me Nori, and then I picked up on your magic by the river. You weren’t hiding it as well as usual, were you? Anyway, I could tell I was getting close, but I wasn’t sure until I heard Saewoo.”

“Why are you here?” Kai’s voice trembled. After all of the hard days they’d had together… after all of their tedious, unsuccessful trials… why would Yeonjun go out of his way to find him?

Yeonjun raised his eyebrows. “Of course I came! Did you think I wouldn’t notice you’d left? Even if you didn’t want to search with me, I had to check in with you so I could look around these woods by myself. I want to find Seoltang as badly as you do.”

Kai lowered his eyes. “Taehyun… he didn’t need to….”

“Send a guard? Yeah, I know. Your magic is stronger than mine. I’ve been trailing after you because I want to.” Yeonjun grabbed Kai firmly by the shoulders, holding him close. “I know I’m probably not the partner you were hoping for, but I’ll do everything I can for you.”

The knot in Kai’s throat had only grown larger. “Hyung, why do you say that?”

“My magic isn’t a perfect match for yours. If you were working with another Ornith, or someone like Soobin, things might be different,” Yeonjun said. “I still think we work well together, but—”

“You can’t say that after today. You just saved my life,” Kai interrupted. He held Yeonjun’s face in his hands, encouraging him to meet his eyes, even though it made his heart flip. “You saved me, hyung.”

All of the contradictory emotions from the last hours had worn him down. It was easy to melt into Yeonjun’s warm embrace, now that he had no reason to shield himself.

Yeonjun’s nose brushed Kai’s as he leaned in. “Kai-yah, I….”

Kai didn’t know what to say, or what else he could do that would properly convey what he needed to tell Yeonjun—so instead, he kissed him.

Yeonjun kissed him right back, his hands falling into place on the back of Kai’s neck, gentle but firm. The kiss was urgent, not the easy culmination of the passion that had built across their travels, but the desperate need to prove it. Now that Kai had his hands on Yeonjun, pulling himself away was unthinkable. He brushed his thumbs against Yeonjun’s face, tilted his head for a smoother angle, and nipped his plush bottom lip.

It was as perfect as he had expected—not that he had allowed himself much time to fantasize about what it would be like. Yeonjun pulled back, took a breath, and dove back in again before Kai had time to miss him. He wrapped his arms more securely around Kai, bringing their bodies flush.

Kai’s stomach swooped. He stroked a hand through Yeonjun’s overgrown hair, his fingertips bumping against the smooth antlers. His legs wobbled, and even as he clung to Yeonjun, he couldn’t keep himself up straight.

“Sorry, sorry,” Yeonjun muttered. His lips brushed against Kai’s as he spoke. “Let me take care of you, okay? We have to make sure you’re not hurt before we get carried away.”

“I’m not. Not even a scratch,” Kai lied. Yeonjun’s smile reached his eyes, shining with relief and affection.

“Will you let me see?” Yeonjun asked. He took Kai’s hand in his own, and Kai relented when he brought it to his lips. As long as Yeonjun was here, he didn’t have to worry.

They walked until they found higher ground, with a view slightly deeper into the forest. Yeonjun continued to apologize, but Kai knew better than anyone why they couldn’t stop until they were certain they weren’t being followed.

Still armed to the teeth, Yeonjun sat Kai down on a stump and asked him to undress—at least, enough so that Yeonjun could see his wounds. His cloak and undershirt were torn, and his ribs were rapidly darkening to a deep purple, but the chimera’s claws had only pricked him.

“Looks like I got there just in time,” Yeonjun said. “Where’s the medical kit?”

Kai poked his bag with his shoe. “There. But let’s take care of the babies first.”

“You’re the only person brave enough to call Saenggang a baby,” Yeonjun said. He opened Kai’s bag and laid out the neatly-organized medical supplies. “He’s fine, by the way. But Saewoo?”

The bird in question had found a nearby tree to perch in and was hiding just outside of Kai’s reach. Its feathers were still fluffed up, but it had given itself a thorough preening, which was a good sign. Kai spent most of his days working with familiars of all shapes and sizes, many of whom were injured, but the sight of his own familiar in pain made his composure shatter.

“Saewoo,” he called, and Saewoo hardly twitched. “Come here, aegi.”

“Maybe it doesn’t like doctors?” Yeonjun suggested. “Don’t worry, we don’t have any needles.”

He held up his hand, reaching out to Saewoo. Saewoo cracked one brown eye open, observing him for a long, long moment. Kai doubted that the bird actually cared about needles, but Yeonjun’s promise seemed to work. It took one step, and another, and finally it perched on Yeonjun’s hand.

Yeonjun’s jaw dropped. Kai had forgotten how disinterested Saewoo was in him for the rest of their trip, not necessarily avoiding him but never eager to acknowledge him. That fight must have formed a deeper connection between them.

Yeonjun gently lowered Saewoo, his excitement barely contained. “Here. Let Kai take care of you.”

Saewoo may have accepted Yeonjun’s help, but it was less than eager to allow Kai to prod its fresh wounds. There were a handful of scratches and missing feathers from its wings and face, but luckily, they weren’t as deep as Kai had feared. Kai passed his familiar back to Yeonjun to wash the wounds and apply ointment. Finally, he split one of the frostberries between the two familiars, too drained to care that their precious stockpile was running low.

“Now it’s your turn,” Yeonjun said. Kai winced.

He took a seat on the stump again and gingerly pulled his shirt over his head. “It barely got me. I can take care of it,” he said, Yeonjun ignored him. He poured water over the scrapes, then applied antiseptics and a bandage with surprising ease. Kai closed his eyes, willing his heart to stop pounding, and succumbed to Yeonjun’s gentle care.

“It feels nice to be the one getting to do this to you for once,” Yeonjun said, then added, “Not that I want you to be hurting. I’m just happy to be returning the favor.”

“I’m sorry,” Kai murmured. “I shouldn’t have left, You wouldn’t have to take care of me if I’d been more careful.” What had he been doing, wandering the forest without hiding the signature of his magic?

“I really, really don’t mind,” Yeonjun said. He packed away the medical kit, leaving it exactly how he’d taken it. “Also, I don’t think it’s your fault. It’s more of an occupational hazard, right? These aren’t your first scars.”

Kai shook his head. He wasn’t as decorated as Yeonjun, but he had a fair number of old wounds from familiars gone rogue. Even if he could calm every aggressive creature, there were plenty who lashed out from pain.

“I understand why you left. I should have seen how much pressure you were under and done something about it,” Yeonjun said. “Or I should have asked someone else for help. This isn’t a task for two people.”

“It’s my fault for handling the pressure in the worst way possible.” Kai rubbed his eyes, his body heavy with humiliation. “I lashed out because I was impatient. That was silly.”

“You, impatient? I was the one who suggested we give up. Fuck, what did I think you were going to do when I said that? I don’t want that.” Yeonjun flopped on the grass beside Kai, his body sagging with exhaustion. “Let’s just put it behind us.”

“What are we going to do now?” Kai asked. He didn’t want to make decisions anymore. They were trapped in the middle of this dense, murky forest, and even if there was space for Saewoo to take off, Kai wouldn’t have asked it to carry humans in this condition.

“I want to keep looking for Seoltang’s nest. Even I can feel all of the magic in this place.” Yeonjun gestured around them. “We probably won’t find anything more deadly than a chimera, and I took care of that one, so….”

“Probably,” Kai echoed. He could imagine a dozen other forest-dwelling creatures that might want to take a bite out of them, but he had to trust Yeonjun. He’d learned his lesson, after all. “Okay. We can keep going as long as it’s safe.”

“I’ll take care of us,” Yeonjun promised, and this time, not a single atom in Kai’s body had any doubts. “But if I end up leading us in the wrong direction, tell me right away. I won’t be offended.”

“Are you kidding? I’m the one who needs to listen to you more,” Kai said. Yeonjun reached over and gave his hand another squeeze.

“When Taehyun introduced us, I wanted to impress you so much. You’re unlike anyone I’ve ever met,” he said. He ducked his head, the tips of his ears had turned red. “But then it became more than that. To be honest, I thought I’d totally blown my shot when I realized you’d left.”

“But you still came,” Kai said, giddy. All this time he’d been sneaking glances at Yeonjun, unwilling to let himself have that crush, only to find out that Yeonjun had been considering it, too.

“But I came. And I wish I’d walked faster, so I could’ve gotten there before the chimera.”

“I’m sorry. I really shouldn’t have left.”

Yeonjun shook his head. “Don’t be. We’re all okay, and that’s what matters. We can figure out the rest once we’re home with Seoltang.”

“It’s a deal,” Kai said. Yeonjun leaned up to give him one more kiss, a gentle brush of lips. He could handle waiting until then—it was one more reason to fight for a happy ending.

Even if we came all this way only to fail, I’m glad we got to see this, Kai thought.

The grove was the most incredible sight he could imagine. Kai couldn’t believe he hadn’t realized that it would be part of a magic island sooner—that was why there was so much magic energy concentrated in the surrounding forest. They had only been walking for an hour that morning when they passed through the barrier, their surroundings shifting suddenly and all of Kai’s senses turning upside-down.

Nobody knew how many magic islands existed in the world. They were constantly changing, sometimes even relocating, and sometimes they rejected travelers entirely. Whatever base amount of magic existed in the world was multiplied as soon as a person stepped foot into a magic island. They were where the rarest living creatures were found, plant and animal, and where humanity had uncovered some of the most complex spells in history.

Learning how to survive in—or avoid—magic islands was an essential part of any magician’s training. As an adventurer, Kai had visited his fair share, and many of the creatures he had summoned over the years were species that hailed from magic islands.

With four days remaining, Kai wasn’t eager to take the risk of journeying into a magic island. But if there was anywhere in the world Seoltang might be, a magic island was his first bet.

“Stay close to me,” Yeonjun said as they approached the treeline. The hair on the back of Kai’s neck stood on end, anxious anticipation washing over him—but the greenery stretching before him was beautiful.

There was a bubbling river, flowers he’d never seen before, moss-covered branches, and the sky peeking between the trees was a wondrously clear blue. The leaves seemed to shimmer, iridescent like the wings of a butterfly. Kai wanted nothing more than to lay in the grass and absorb the sun like a lizard.

“Do you think this could be it?” Yeonjun asked, awed. “If I were a wolpertinger, I think this would be the perfect place to hide.”

“It’s the only thing that could hide here for weeks,” Kai said. “We should try to be out by nightfall. Otherwise, we’ll have to stay on guard. I don’t know what else is living here.”

Yeonjun nodded. “Let’s follow the river and look for burrows there. It wouldn’t go too far from the river.”

They walked among the tangled reeds, and Kai made note of each animal they passed by. There were songbirds that flocked together as a rainbow, and a winged cat nesting in the trees. Once, Yeonjun’s shoes slipped in the mud, but he managed to catch himself before he joined the toothy fish that were waiting for a meal down below.

“I’m not sure how I feel about this place anymore,” Yeonjun said with a shiver. Saenggang pawed at the water, then hissed as a wave splashed its face.

Although the creatures they passed by were suspicious, none of them approached. There weren’t any signs of humans, neither other travelers nor established settlements. There were a handful of magic islands that were safe enough to reside in long-term, which was where many magicians chose to train, but this particular location was far off the beaten path.

Of the several burrows along the riverbank, all were dug by creatures much smaller than Seoltang, and the nests were high up in the trees. They didn’t see anything larger than a rabbit until sundown.

“We should find somewhere to camp for the night. Unless you want to see what comes out after dark?” Yeonjun said, and Kai shook his head. “I’m gonna fill up this bottle. I want to have more water boiled before sunset.”

“Alright. I’ll come with you,” Kai said. He slid his bags from his aching shoulders and checked his water bottles. He had enough for the night, but—

“Kai!”

Kai whirled around. He’d watched Yeonjun disappear into the ferns out of the corner of his eye, but that voice came from the opposite direction.

That was Yeonjun, right? It sounded like his voice, but it was muffled, not the sound of someone who couldn’t have been more than fifteen meters away.

Kai’s heart raced. There were a dozen magical creatures that could mimic the cries of humans, and at least half of them would enjoy a tasty human snack. He and Yeonjun had discussed a strategy for dealing with them before going to the mountains, where travelers were constantly getting lost.

“Kai?”

It sounded like Yeonjun, but it was a murmur on the breeze, shimmery and shallow, closer to a memory. Like someone whispered the word directly into his brain rather than calling out to him.

Just as Kai was about to turn around and follow Yeonjun’s footprints to the water, he spotted something: a pair of glittering eyes, watching him from the undergrowth.

As soon as they appeared, they were gone, and the grass rustled around them. Kai turned to Saewoo, who was perched in the branches above him. The bird was on alert, feathers fluffed out and head swiveling back and forth.

“Bring Yeonjun-hyung here,” Kai said urgently, and Saewoo took off, hardly making a sound.

He could feel it now—a nearly-invisible thread of magic weaving around him, guiding him even when there were no physical markers of his path. It pulled him to the tallest, oldest trees, and through a patch of shrubbery that was almost too dense to wade through. The creature scurried ahead of him, never in his line of vision, sometimes completely silent, but he knew where to go.

Finally, he reached a low point in the valley. He paused to take in the sights—the growth was so dense that he wondered whether any magicians had set foot here before. The enormous, thorny plants weren’t intimidating, though—they created a safe haven, bringing the earth into their embrace.

When he looked over his shoulder, a familiar face was waiting for him.

For a creature that had spent the past several weeks wandering the wilderness rather than enjoying the company of a loving magician, it was surprisingly well-kept. Its fur was damp, and its wings weren’t as glossy as usual, but its eyes were bright. There were bits of twigs trapped in its horns, which was oddly charming.

Kai collapsed to his knees, and the relief that washed over him was so powerful he nearly burst into tears. It was easier to believe that the familiar in front of him was a trick of his exhausted mind than that they had been successful.

“Seoltang-ah,” Kai whispered. The wolpertinger approached without fear, curling into his arms like they had last seen each other only yesterday. “We’ve been looking everywhere for you!”

Seoltang chittered, unperturbed. It rubbed its head into Kai’s hands, demanding pats.

“Where have you been?” Kai asked. Under the guise of giving the wolpertinger a good, long scratch, he felt all over its body, searching for wounds. But as far as he could tell, Seoltang was unscathed. In fact, it seemed more plump than when it had left.

Kai pressed his face to Seoltang’s soft head, willing his tears away. All the pain and worry of the last few weeks had instantly dissolved. “What’s gotten into you? We have to get home. Do you know how worried Soobin-hyung is?”

Seoltang chirped in what Kai imagined to be protest. Kai took a deep breath, finally releasing his death grip on the wolpertinger.

“Holy shit,” said the real Yeonjun. Kai looked over his shoulder and found that his traveling companions had indeed caught up with him, Saewoo at the lead. “That’s—that’s really—“

Kai beamed at him. “We found it.”

“And it’s not hurt?” Yeonjun crouched to Seoltang’s level so that he could inspect the familiar himself. “Wait, how did you—?”

“I think it felt my magic and called out to me,” Kai said. Seoltang sniffed all over Yeonjun as he leaned over to rub its ears. Its thick, fluffy tail thumped against the ground.

Yeonjun shook his head. “I’m not even gonna pretend I know how that works.”

“I don’t know, either,” Kai said. Saenggang wove around the four of them, purring, and Saewoo landed beside Seoltang, peering at its friend. “And I’m not sure why it’s here. I don’t even see a den. But we have to write to Soobin-hyung.”

“I know. Fuck, I really can’t believe we’re here.” Yeonjun pulled Kai into a bone-crushing hug. Kai squeaked, but threw his arms around him and squeezed back. “I knew you could do it.”

“Only because I had you to stop me from being eaten,” Kai said. Yeonjun kissed his forehead, then his nose, then his lips, all in rapid succession, and he laughed.

Without further ado, Seoltang turned and hopped back into the bushes. “W-Wait!” Kai said. He scrambled to his feet and hurried after the wolpertinger, not letting it out of his sight. “Where are we going?”

“Don’t let it run away again!” Yeonjun said. His voice rose with panic.

If Seoltang really wanted to run, it could have taken to the skies, or better yet, hid itself with magic. Instead, it loped along at a relaxed pace, ears twitching back to listen to Yeonjun and Kai.

They didn’t walk for long. Seoltang led them through a path that was so narrow Kai could barely squeeze through, to the entrance of a den that was practically invisible from the outside. Seoltang paused, looked back to make sure they were following, and crawled inside.

Yeonjun and Kai exchanged a glance. Holding his breath, Kai peered into the den.

It was a hole in the ground that must have been dug out by Seoltang, with distinctive clawmarks at the entrance. The dirt was lined with moss and leaves, spongy plants that formed a pillowy floor. In the center of the den were three bundles of creamy fur, which Seoltang immediately surrounded. The wolpertinger stretched out on the moss, blinking up at Kai with tired brown eyes.

Beside Kai, Yeonjun gasped. “What are those?”

They were the size of Kai’s hand and covered in fuzz, with wings still covered in pin feathers and tiny nubs on their heads that would one day become horns. They wriggled against Seoltang’s side, squeaking.

“I think they’re called kits,” Kai said. Through his stupor, his voice sounded like it was coming from far away.

“But are they—are they Seoltang’s? Is that possible?”

“I think so.” The kits were miniature copies of Seoltang, unmistakable even without all their fur and feathers.

Kai had never seen a newborn wolpertinger. He wasn’t sure anyone had. Wolpertingers were notoriously elusive, but their natural secrecy quadrupled when it was time to raise their young. Some people thought magical creatures emerged from other worlds only when they were fully-grown, after they had been raised far away from humans.

Seoltang hadn’t run away from the wedding on purpose. It had needed time alone to bring its offspring into the world.

Yeonjun’s eyebrows scrunched up. “Does that mean Seoltang’s a girl? I thought familiars were… like, asexual.”

“They are. They don’t usually reproduce on their own,” Kai said. Except Seoltang’s kittens were the living, breathing contradiction to that. “Unless….”

“It ran off to find a boyfriend?” Yeonjun suggested.

Kai did his very best to keep a straight face. “It didn’t need one. If a familiar has babies, it’s more like… they take their magic and reshape it into something new. And since they’re bonded to us, that can only happen when there’s a big shift in their partner’s magic, too.”

“I’m so confused,” Yeonjun said. “Are you trying to tell me Soobin’s pregnant?”

Seoltang’s ears flattened back with displeasure as Kai burst into laughter. “No, definitely not. But there’s something else going on in his life that might be inspiring his magic. Another important event.”

Yeonjun’s eyes widened. “The wedding? Seriously?”

“I’ve heard of it happening, but it’s really not common,” Kai said. His mother had told him stories when he was a child, saying that it might happen to him if he found the right person. “If a familiar’s magician is in love, the strength of that connection gives them the power to bring new life. Normally, reproducing is too taxing for them on their own.”

“They’re here because of Soobin and Beomgyu,” Yeonjun said softly. “I… I can’t believe it.”

Kai crouched down to Seoltang’s level. Returned to the comfort of their parent’s side, the fuzzy bundles had fallen asleep stacked on top of each other. Kai’s heart ached as he watched them, three perfect babies, three more reasons their journey had been worth it.

“We have to figure out how we’re going to move them, unless Soobin wants to come here himself and pick them up,” Kai said,

Yeonjun’s eyes were fixed on the wolpertingers. “Does this mean that Bichwi’s the other parent? Like, are their familiars involved with each other—?”

“Not necessarily. These are babies born from magic,” Kai said. “Although it’s possible that Seoltang drew from Beomgyu’s or Bichwi’s magic to create them, through the bond they have with Soobin.”

“Well, I didn’t think it was possible, but I saw the two of them doing something unspeakable when I—ow! Why’d you step on me?”

“We have to get them back to Soobin, together,” Kai said. “I don’t know if Saewoo can fly us all out, but if Seoltang’s been hiding here, it must be safe. It’ll take a while to chart a path out of the forest so we can get back to the wedding….”

Anxiety flashed through him. The wedding. The chances of Seoltang wanting to participate now were slim, but they were nonexistent if Kai couldn’t figure out how to get the babies back to their mage.

“I’ll protect you, jagiya. Just worry about getting the babies ready to travel while I send a message to Soobin,” Yeonjun said. “If Seoltang wants to come—?”

Kai had been so focused that he’d forgotten that Seoltang refusing was also a possibility. But to his immense relief, Seoltang’s ears twitched at the word Soobin. It curled its bushy tail around the babies and sat up straight, staring into Kai’s eyes. On the ground, Saewoo looked between Seoltang and Kai and back again. That was their answer.

If Kai crouched down, he could fit into the burrow—just barely. “Seoltang-ah, is it alright if I come in? Will you introduce me to your babies?”

Seoltang nudged one of the kits with its nose, and it squeaked. Kai smiled. “They’re so beautiful. I’m so happy you’re all safe and healthy. You’ve been taking such great care of them, haven’t you?”

Seoltang gave a squeak of its own, lowering its head so that Kai could scratch behind its ears. Perfect. As long as Seoltang trusted him, Kai could get this done.

He pulled his cloak from his shoulders and bunched it in his hands. “Can I carry them? We can bring them back to Soobin-hyung together?”

Seoltang grabbed a kitten by the scruff, and without further ado, dropped it into Kai’s lap. “Oh!” Kai gasped. He stroked the kit’s downy fur, and it nuzzled against him without fear. It must have been able to smell Seoltang on his clothing.

Together, he and Seoltang carried the babies out of the den. Kai bundled them together in his cloak, grateful that—at least for now—they weren’t too squirmy.

A little extra support wouldn’t hurt. He closed his eyes, concentrating his energy. Though hidden by his cloak, he’d modified his clothing to fit the wings he kept tucked away, hidden by his magic. Pure white weathers, soft as an owl’s, emerged from his back to wrap around the bundle of kits.

“Kai?” Yeonjun had been holding a slip of paper against a tree, using it as a hard surface to write on, but it fell from his limp hand. He was staring at Kai’s wings, his jaw on the ground. “Your—your—”

Kai crouched so that the three familiars could see the babies. Seoltang’s tail was wagging, and his own heart soared, overcome by relief and the purest joy. “We’re really going home.”

Traveling with a trio of newborn wolpertingers was easily the most interesting quest of Kai’s life. It was rare that he had the opportunity to care for any baby animal, never mind a magic one.

More than once, he checked his protection spells and found that curious little teeth had chewed through them. Even as a fully fledged mage, Kai didn’t know how to sever high-caliber protection spells, but somehow, the kits had managed it. Just another mystery to add to his list of wolpertinger questions.

They spent one night in the magic island—they were unable to travel far before nightfall, much to Kai’s disappointment, although Seoltang knew the safest places to rest. They set out again as soon as the sun rose, and found their way out of the forest before sunset.

“Is Saewoo clear to fly? Or do you think we shouldn’t risk it?” Yeonjun asked, and Kai shook his head. “It’s alright. We can make good progress on foot, and if it looks like we’re not going to make it to the wedding on time, I bet one of your sisters will find us.”

Kai had summoned another bird familiar from the otherworlds to carry his messages to Taehyun, Soobin, and Lea. His method wasn’t as effective as Taehyun’s fiery instant letters, but he hoped the birds would fly as fast as their wings could carry them.

“If we were going to miss the wedding, I’d summon another creature to take us home,” Kai said.

“Wouldn’t it have to be enormous and super powerful? I don’t doubt that you could do it, but you shouldn’t exhaust yourself,” Yeonjun pointed out. “We might need your magic later.”

“I thought you would be the one to defend us if anything went wrong,” Kai said. He adjusted his cape, which was wrapped around his chest to hold the baby wolpertingers. In place “You said, ‘I’ll protect you, jagiyaaaa—“

“I didn’t say it like that! I’m a lot tougher.”

“And you’re still soft on the inside.”

“You know, I can’t say you’re wrong about that,” Yeonjun said. He slung an arm around Kai, snuggling up to his side. Combined with the wriggling wolpertingers, Kai couldn’t walk, so he paused and turned to Yeonjun.

“You’re clingy today,” he observed. Yeonjun rested his head against Kai’s shoulder, “What’s gotten into you?”

“Nothing. I’m happy, Kai-yah. We’ve been through so much together, and somehow we found Seoltang,” Yeonjun mumbled. “But I wouldn’t mind walking the whole way home. Does that sound crazy?”

Days of traipsing around in the heat, the wind, the rain… living without a proper roof over their heads until the wedding… fighting off other magical creatures or even mages…. Yes, it was crazy.

But did Kai want the same thing? Unquestionably.

“You’re just sentimental, and I think that’s cute,” Kai said. Yeonjun’s eyes seemed to sparkle.. “Besides, doesn’t it feel more legitimate if we walk back…?”

“I don’t want to miss going on an adventure with you,” Yeonjun said. He leaned in for a brief kiss, which made Kai smile.

“We can go on adventures any time. Um, not any time. We should both probably get back to our day jobs. But after that, I’m there as soon as you call me,” Kai said. “Plus… there’s a lot we should talk about, first.”

“What do you mean?” Yeonjun asked. “It’s simple. Kai-yah, I don’t want to just be your questing buddy. I want to be your boyfriend, properly. I don’t just want to take you on adventures, I want to take you on real dates. Just the two of us.”

“As opposed to fake dates while we babysit wolpertingers?” Kai suggested.

“I’m serious,” Yeonjun complained. Their noses bumped together. “I like you a lot. I really, really want you to know.”

“I do know. And I want the same thing, hyung,” Kai said. His heart was fluttering faster than a hummingbird. “We seriously owe Taehyun for sticking us together.”

“I have a lot of questions for him when we get back.” Yeonjun said. “He’s such a meddler.”

“Or it was a really good coincidence,” Kai said.

“Either way, I’m not giving him credit. This is all ours,” Yeonjun said. He gave Kai another little kiss, looping his arms around his shoulders. “I want us to take our time getting sorted out, once the wedding is dealt with.”

“It’s too bad you’re already part of the wedding party. I could’ve asked you to be my plus-one,” Kai said.

“I’m still honored,” Yeonjun said. “The next time we—”

His words were interrupted by an abrupt BANG! of magic. Yeonjun and Kai leapt away from each other, Yeonjun reaching for his weapons and Kai shielding the wolpertinger kits in his wings.

But the person who emerged from the smoke was a familiar one—in fact, the exact face Kai had been hoping for.

“My baby!” Soobin cried. Seoltang squealed, leaping into Soobin’s arms just as Soobin bent to scoop the familiar up. “Oh, gods! I thought you were—!” He squeezed his familiar tight, burying his face in the wolpertinger’s fur.

“Hyung!” Kai said. “How did you—what’re you—?”

“What did you think he was going to do when he got that letter?” another familiar voice. Beomgyu! And—

“They came and got me right away,” Taehyun said. His face was flushed, magic drained as the result of pulling three people with him through his portal. Out of the three mages who had made a sudden appearance, he looked rather worse for wear. “I told him that you two had it covered, but….”

“He’s been so mean!” Soobin wailed. “Wouldn’t let me look for you—used one of Beomgyu’s binding spells—”

“You were about to get yourself hurt, hyung,” Taehyun said patiently. “They didn’t need our help yet.”

Beomgyu turned to Kai. “The babies—?”

“Right here.” Kai pulled the outer layer of his cloak aside. Three tiny heads poked out, and Beomgyu gasped.

“I know you said… but I just….” Beomgyu was at a complete loss for words. “They’re really just like Seoltang.”

He reached a hand out to stroke the top of a kit’s head, his face melting. The kits squealed, doing their best to crawl out of Kai’s arms and into Beomgyu’s.

Soobin had done an impressive job hiding his tears when he had picked up Seoltang, but as he looked at the babies, he completely fell apart. Kai could only imagine how he felt. “They’re beautiful. They’re so precious. And they… they were born because of us?”

“They’re the connection between your magic,” Kai said.

Soobin sniffled, and Beomgyu placed a hand on his back, giving it a soothing rub. Once his eyes were dry, he pulled Yeonjun and Kai into a bone-crushing hug.

“Thank you,” he whispered fiercely. “We’re so lucky to have you.”

“Anything for you,” Kai said. Yeonjun nodded in agreement.

It was Beomgyu’s turn to hug them after that, then Taehyun. By the end of it, Kai was feeling rather teary-eyed himself.

“We’ve got to get everyone home. Especially those babies,” Taehyun said. “I have enough magic left. I can bring us all home.”

Teleportation. No more wandering the woods. Kai exchanged a look with Yeonjun, who offered a sweet smile.

This journey may have come to an end, but Kai knew they had a bright future ahead of them.

In the end, Taehyun’s teleportation magic saved the day. Seoltang and Bichwi were happy to be a part of the wedding, but only if they were reunited with the babies as quickly as possible. Kai had been surprised that they were willing to separate from the kits for even those few minutes, but as it turned out, Soobin’s familiar had missed him as much as he had missed it.

With or without familiars, the ceremony would have been beautiful. Kai’s heart was full enough to burst as he watched his two friends. He helped Soobin get ready, gave his speech, and spent the rest of the evening taking pictures and documenting as much as he could. He slipped off to his family’s table—which was now empty, thanks to his sisters choosing to socialize with Soobin’s family instead—with a cocktail in hand, and made himself comfortable. He was seated close to Soobin and Beomgyu, which meant that he had a view of the whole wedding—and that the whole wedding could see him.

Kai wasn’t used to being a hero. Soobin had insisted that he and Yeonjun were given a round of applause. That was embarrassing, but he couldn’t say he didn’t appreciate it.

Once he returned to his cottage, the wolpertinger kits safely in Soobin and Beomgyu’s care, he’d collapsed into bed and slept until he needed to get ready for the wedding. He still wasn’t quite recovered from the quest, but he was more than ready to return to his normal routine, especially since—

“Hey, stranger.”

Kai lifted his head. “Hyung! There you are!”

Dressed to the nines, Yeonjun was the picture of elegance. Like Kai, he wore deep sapphire that made him look even more enchanting than usual. His makeup was smudged, but his antlers were adorned with glittering chains. He carried his sword with him, but he wouldn’t be using it tonight—that gemstone-coated scabbard had clearly never seen a fight before.

If Kai hadn’t fallen for him already, he wouldn’t have stood a chance after seeing him tonight.

“I wanted to make my way over sooner, but you know how it is. Even though I helped with the guest list, I wasn’t expecting there to be such a crowd,” Yeonjun said.

“Oh, so you don’t think your dongsaengs are popular?” Kai teased.

Yeonjun rolled his eyes. “Believe me, I’m aware. And aren’t you a popular one yourself? Every time I tried to find you, someone was already talking your ear off.”

Kai put his head in his hands. He’d also spent the evening sneaking his own glances at Yeonjun—it was impossible to keep his eyes away from his stunning hyung. “I’m gonna need another week of quiet before I’m ready to socialize again.”

“I’ll be looking forward to when you come out of hibernation, then,” Yeonjun said. He sat in the chair beside Kai, the one that used to belong to Hiyyih. Beside him, Saenggang—who was wearing a bedazzled bowtie for the occasion—purred as it spotted Saewoo, who had decided to roost on the table. “I owe you a date, if I recall.”

Kai’s face flushed. “If it’s you, I could… emerge from my hiding place sooner.”

“Really? In that case, I’ll have to think of something really special for us,” Yeonjun said. “It has to be worth your time.”

Kai took another sip of his cocktail, but the wedding menu had quickly become the least interesting piece of this conversation. “So, what did you think about the ceremony? Did you get dust in your eye?”

Yeonjun snorted. “It was very beautiful, yes. I’m glad it all went as planned.”

Everyone knew that he had sobbed his way through the vows, and had remained teary until dinner was served—though, of course, the alcohol had gotten him all worked up again. His face was still a bit splotchy. Even though Kai had only spent an hour or so with him this morning, preparing for the ceremony, it would have been very hard to miss Yeonjun’s reaction.

Kai couldn’t blame him. He could see Soobin and Beomgyu out of the corner of his eye—Beomgyu was completely covered in plants, unable to control how they bloomed from his very skin, and Soobin wasn’t much better off, flowering vines wrapped around him alongside Beomgyu’s arms. His long, pointed ears were adorned with diamonds, making him look just as much like a prince as he did a groom.

“I think we did a good job holding everything together,” Kai said.

“I should get a drink. We need to make a toast,” Yeonjun said.

“And who would you toast to?”

“That damn wolpertinger. May Soobin and Beomgyu never need a babysitter again,” Yeonjun declared. “And if they do, they better ask for both of us, because I know I couldn’t do it alone.”

“Imagine if Beomgyu had told us he was working on growing frostberries indoors. That would’ve saved us some trouble,” Kai said. He handed his drink to Yeonjun, who gratefully took a sip. “Aren’t they cute together?”

Soobin and Beomgyu had slipped away as soon as the opportunity had presented itself. Kai didn’t dare to interrupt them as they danced, and whispered between each other. Kai was glad that they had some time with each other despite the chaos of their wedding day.

“Adorable. And today’s the only day I’ll admit it to them,” Yeonjun said. “I feel like a proud dad.”

“A dad? Wow, hyung.”

“It’s Beomgyu’s fault. He’s always calling me old,” Yeonjun huffed. “‘Yeonjun-hyung, you can’t be alone forever. When’s it going to be your turn?’ That’s what he says every time we talk about the wedding. He’s worse than my eomma, except it’s kind of cute, so I can’t be mad at him.”

“Does that mean we have his approval?” Kai asked.

“I’d certainly hope so!” Yeonjun said, reaching for Kai’s hand. He was the picture of happiness, and Kai badly wanted to see where the evening would take them. “I have a favor to ask of you. A request, if you will.”

“Yeah? What is it?” Kai asked, leaning in.

“Would you like to dance with me?” Yeonjun asked. “I’ve been dying to ask you all night.”

Kai pulled Yeonjun to his feet, grinning from ear to ear. That was exactly the question he had been waiting for, from the moment Yeonjun found him in the magic island. “A dance is definitely in order.”