The curtains diffused the morning light, creating a warm ambiance in the cosy living room of the Welton household. The house was quieter than usual—no bustling activity from the apothecary or the usual scent of herbal potions drifting from the brewing room. The brewing room was locked tight. Their mother hadn’t returned yet, not since she left with Catherine and their father early that morning. The usual hum of the apothecary was absent, leaving only the two of the siblings in the house for the moment.

Torrie, full of restless energy, had set up camp in the living room, her school textbooks spread across the coffee table. The diagrams of elemental states and transmutation arrays lay open before her, an ambitious look in her eyes. Though distracted, Eddie agreed to help her practice while lounging on the couch.

Gripping her wand tight, Torrie focused on the textbook, her brow furrowed in thought. Eddie, however, couldn’t quite focus on her. He glanced out the window, glimpsing the harbour in the distance, then looked back at his younger sister, his gaze softening despite himself.

“Okay,” Torrie said, brushing her brunette hair out of her face. “So I set up the transmutation circle, and then I just focus on turning the copper into vapor, right?”

Eddie nodded. “Right, but you have to maintain stability. If you lose control for a second, the copper will either explode into shards or escape as gas, and we’ll both get yelled at for making the living room smell like burnt metal.”

Torrie wrinkled her nose. “Noted. No instability.”

She gripped her school-issued wand, but Eddie reached out, stopping her. “Hold on.”

“What?”

“I suggest you use the ring instead, remember? The one i gave you a few years back?” He gestured to her necklace, where a silver ring with intricate jade inlays hung from a delicate chain.

With a blink, Torrie’s hand flew to the ring hanging from her necklace. “Your ring?”

“Yeah,” Eddie said, leaning forward. “Trust me, that wand they gave you at Aella is garbage for anything precise. They’ve been using the same model even back when i was still there. That ring”—he pointed at the ring—“Is far stronger. You’ll have better control.”

Torrie hesitated, her fingers brushing the cool metal of the ring. “But—”

“No buts,” Eddie interrupted, his expression neutral, though his tone softened. “I gave it to you for a reason. It’s yours now. Besides, it’s not doing you any good hanging around your neck, is it?”

Torrie studied him for a moment, then slipped the ring off the chain and onto her finger. It felt heavier than her wand, its surface smooth and comforting against her skin. “Okay,” she said, giving him a small smile. “If you’re sure.”

“I’m sure,” Eddie said, leaning back and gesturing to the array she had drawn. “Now, let’s start.”

As she focused on the transmutation circle, the ring glowed faintly in Torrie’s adjusting grip. She muttered the incantation under her breath, her free hand hovering over the copper sample in the centre of the array. The surrounding air grew warmer, a faint hum filling the room.

The copper block gleamed under the glass container, its edges sharp and flawless. Torrie’s jade ring, on her finger, cast a green glow on the transmutation circle, its runes pulsing with her magic.

Eddie leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, watching every detail. Torrie’s face was a mask of deep concentration, her brows furrowed, and her breathing steady as she guided the spell. Slowly, the edges of the copper began to lose their definition, softening as it started to disintegrate into a delicate vapor.

“Steady,” Eddie warned, leaning forward, his sharp eyes watching every movement.

The copper began to shift, its solid surface shimmering as it broke apart. Silver vapor rose, curling in the air.

Torrie was focused, her brow furrowed, lips pressed into a thin line. The copper began to lose its sharp edges, softening as it transitioned into a shimmering gas. The mist rose, spiralling upward and collecting inside the glass container above.

Eddie could feel the tension in the room like a storm cloud ready to burst. The process was delicate. Too fast, and the transformation would destabilise; too slow, and the reaction would fail. Torrie’s grip on the jade ring tightened, her magic flowing, but Eddie knew her too well.

He saw it before it happened: the slight twitch in her fingers, the way her shoulders tensed.

Impatience.

The first pop echoed like a firecracker. A small section of the copper disintegrated too fast, releasing a sharp burst of gas. Eddie tensed but said nothing. He knew better than to break her concentration outright. Unconsciously, he moved his hand towards her wand, which lay beside him on the table, his fingers brushing against the wood.

Another pop. This one louder. The green glow of the transmutation circle flickered as Torrie’s focus wavered.

Eddie tensed, but he said nothing. Giving her a warning now risks breaking her concentration. Instead, his hand gripped the wand tight, fingers brushing against the familiar school-issued wand lying on the table.

Just in case.

The green glow of the ring began to waver, the runes on the transmutation circle flickering. Torrie’s breathing hitched, and Eddie saw the strain in her shoulders.

“Torrie,” Eddie said quietly, his voice low and steady. “Slow down. Just breathe.”

Her jaw tightened, her lips pressing into a thin line. Eddie recognised the signs—she was trying, but his words had only added to the mounting pressure.

The process grew more chaotic. The copper’s edges popped and cracked, the disintegration now uneven and unpredictable.

“Torrie—” Eddie started, but it was too late.

The copper block exploded with a sharp crack, its fragments, and a cloud of shimmering, toxic metal gas swirling inside the glass container. The glow of the transmutation circle sputtered out, and Torrie stumbled back, her concentration shattered.

Eddie didn’t hesitate. His hand darted for the wand, and in one fluid motion, he had it gripped. His body moved on instinct, years of suppressed training kicking in.

The gas swirled, threatening to spread into the room. Eddie’s mind focused like a razor’s edge, his free hand tracing a smaller transmutation circle in the air. He directed the spell through the wand, his magic surging forward with an intensity he hadn’t felt in years.

The swirling vapor responded to his command, the green glow of Torrie’s ring now mingling with a faint blue light emanating from the wand. The gas coalesced, drawn upward and forced into the glass container. Eddie’s focus didn’t waver, even as sweat beaded on his brow.

“Almost… there…” he muttered through gritted teeth.

With a sharp flick of his wrist, the bottom of the container glowed red-hot, the glass softening and sealing shut. The toxic gas was now trapped, swirling inside the newly-formed ampoule.

Eddie exhaled, his hand trembling as he set the wand down.

Torrie collapsed onto the couch, her face pale, and her breathing ragged. Eddie slumped into the armchair across from her, his chest heaving. The room was heavy with the acrid scent of metal and the tension of what had just happened.

“That…” Torrie gasped, clutching the ring on her finger. “That was insane.”

Eddie gave a weak laugh, rubbing his face with both hands. “You’re telling me.” He leaned his head back, staring at the ceiling. “We’re not doing that again in the living room. Ever.”

“But we did it!” Torrie said, beaming.

Eddie laughed as he panted for breath. “Not bad though, for someone who almost turned the house into a chemical hazard.”

Torrie laughed, carefully sealing the flask. “Admit it—you were impressed.”

“Sure,” Eddie said, leaning back with a faint smile. “Just don’t tell Mom and Dad we were doing a transmutation in the living room, or we’ll both be in trouble.”