Page 127 of Axis of Fire

“Why would that be necessary?”

“You saw my parents’ house,” I cut in, irritation slipping into my voice at how badly they seemed to underestimate the situation.

“You saw what they left behind, didn’t you?”

Gwendolyn stayed silent, so I continued.

“And I don’t want to come back one day and find this place looking the same.

Or worse.”

“For the record, I’m completely fine with protection,” Dwayne lifted both hands innocently.

“Especially if someone hot is assigned to guard me.”

He raised a brow at Airis.

I immediately rolled my eyes.

Honestly, even if war broke out tomorrow, Dwayne would probably still be thinking about romance.

“I’ll keep your preferences in mind,” Airis replied with complete seriousness.

And somewhere deep inside me, a quiet spark of gratitude stirred to life.

Not just because of the protection.

But because of the way he was trying with my friends.

Right now, he seemed far less unbearable than usual.

“So you’re an air mage?” Gwendolyn asked, openly studying Airis with a mixture of suspicion and curiosity.

He nodded once.

Then she looked at me.

“Were they specifically assigned to you so he could suppress your magic with his own?”

“Maybe.” I shrugged.

The only thing I’d deliberately left out of my story was my ability to see spirits.

No one in Istarus knew about it except the spirits themselves.

And I needed to find the right moment to warn my friends too—before one of them accidentally mentioned it in front of the wrong person.

“Unfortunately, we’re not staying long,” I sighed.

“Only three days before we have to return.”

“I need to pack things I’ll actually need in Istarus… and I need to talk to my parents about my real origins.”

“But the chances of them actually being your biological parents are basically zero?” Mike asked.

I nodded.

“What if your surname is connected to your real family somehow?” Gwen suggested.