Alys looked up, startled, his golden eyes heavy with exhaustion. Alys was four years younger than Ariel, yet seemed so much older. His hair was a dark orange, and his skin was darker than Ariel’s pale complexion. Freckles dotted along his nose and cheeks, which Ariel found endearing.

“Ariel…” A relieved smile crossed Alys’s lips, and Ariel wrapped him tightly in a hug, pulling him close before releasing him.

“I didn’t see you this morning,” Ariel said sadly.

“Just got back…” Alys mumbled.

A grim silence fell between them at Alys’s words.

“Ariel,” Julia spoke up, waving to him from where she sat. Ariel turned away from Alys and made his way over to the brunette. He didn’t know why Julia was acting friendly towards him; perhaps she liked the sense of danger being near a Catalyst undoubtedly gave humans.

As Ariel approached, her smile faded and her voice took on a tone of seriousness.

“Who’s that?” She nodded towards Alys. “I’ve never seen him before.”

“That’s Alys,” Ariel explained. “He’s a Catalyst, like me, though you could probably already tell.” Ariel glanced solemnly at the tattoo around Alys’s neck, the symbols matching the one on his own. “He’s the Master’s personal Catalyst, much like how I’m Ja- the Young Master’s.”

“You two seem close,” she remarked.

“I guess we are, I mean we were cellmates back in prison.”

Julia’s face contorted in shock. “P-prison?”

A laugh echoed through Ariel’s chest, but he decided not to elaborate, even though Julia looked like she desperately wanted him to.

What does she think happens to free mages who get caught?

A low rumble caught Ariel’s attention, and he looked down at his stomach with a sigh.

“I’m going to go get some food, see ya, Julia,” he waved as he turned towards the small door in the room which lead to the back of the kitchen. The aroma of food wafting through the air enticed him as he entered his favourite room in the manor. The cooks scrambled about, frying, baking, and plating all different kinds of food. The nicer products would be brought out to Jasper and his father while the servants would get a simpler meal.

Food is food. I shouldn’t complain.

One of the cooks, an older, burly women with kind eyes looked over at him and a gentle smile crossed her face.

“Ah, right on time as usual,” she laughed, walking over to him.

“Skipping breakfast would kill me, you know that, Martha,” Ariel half joked.

Martha sighed and shook her head. “That appetite of yours sure is a handful.”

Sheepishly, Ariel rubbed the back of neck. “I can’t help it. With magic like mine, you burn a lot of calories.”

Martha, surprisingly didn’t blink at the mention of his magic. Unlike most humans, she seemed not to show any fear of him.

“Well,” she lowered her voice to a whisper. “I managed to sneak you a few extra slices of bread, I hope it’s enough to hold you over until your next meal.” She walked over to a counter and pulled over a covered plate. Glancing around to make sure she wasn’t being watched, she uncovered the plate and handed it to Ariel.

“Thanks, Martha,” he said earnestly, a smile of gratitude on his face.

“Now shoo,” she waved him off. “I have work to do.”

Ariel turned away from the kitchen and walked back to where Alys was sitting. Julia was rising from her seat, and begun carrying her plate into the bustling kitchen.

“So, Alys, how was the mission?” Ariel pressed in between bites. A gentle sigh passed through Alys’s lips.

“It was just as bad as it always is…” Alys’s eyes were empty and his voice held very faint traces of sadness. “But it’s the Master’s duty… so I must obey his commands.” Ariel frowned.

Poor Alys… I couldn’t imagine doing what he does…

As the Master’s Catalyst, it was Alys’s job to serve him in his daily duties, which unfortunately consisted of hunting rogue mages.

Ariel had been a rogue once; a mage free from a life of enslavement. He recalled the days of being a child, and the fear pounding through him whenever the police were around. Once you were caught, you had two options: accept your fate, or become the monster humans marked you as. Killing a human was almost always a death warrant for his people. Though, there were exceptions.

Despite his young age, Alys was unfortunate enough to be a mage killer’s Catalyst.

The rest of their meals were eaten in silence; Ariel didn’t want to pry into the grisly details of Alys’s last mission. Yet, there was one thing he needed to know.

“The mage… did they… accept your offer?” Ariel asked quietly.

“No,” Alys breathed. “They never do.”

Most mages preferred death over the life of a Catalyst.

Once all the food was gone, the two Catalysts walked together to add their plates to the stack of dirty dishes on the counter. They then made their way to the doorway of the dining room where their human masters were finishing up their meals. They waited quietly, heads down, until they were approached by their respective master.

The Master came first, his face gruff and unmoving from what seemed like a permanent frown. Barely offering Alys a glance, he walked passed. Like a dog, Alys followed behind him, awaiting his next order. Ariel’s eyes followed him until he vanished from sight, leaving him to wait for Jasper.

“Ariel,” Jasper spoke softly as he approached the Catalyst. “We need to talk.”

“Of course, but we should head back to your room, I’m sure your tutor will be heading up here shortly.”

There was something about Jasper’s face that made Ariel feel sick with worry. Something about him seemed… sad.

“Ariel… my father and I had a talk…” Jasper began quietly.

“And?” Ariel pressed, his stomach in ropes.

“I’ll be taking over the family business in a few years. You’re to begin your training in a few days.”

“T-training?”

Jasper’s eyes were heavy with pity as they met Ariel’s.

“To become a mage hunter.”