The day after Aurel's touch, Riven woke with a fever and a whisper in his mind. He followed it blindly, heart pounding, until he reached the forbidden archives beneath the school.
There, hidden beneath rotten floorboards and protective sigils, he found it: a spellbook bound in silver-threaded leather, warm to the touch. It bore no title, only a sigil—two interlocked hearts with wings.
As he opened it, a breath of old magic spilled into the air. The pages shifted, revealing spells Riven had never imagined. Spells to heal, to protect, to love—and to remember.
But the book came with a warning: "Only those who embrace their truth may wield this power. To lie is to lose it."
He didn't hesitate. "I am Riven Thorne. I am a witch. I am queer. I am not broken."
The book glowed.