Chapter - 4 AFTERGLOW AND ARGUMENTS

If Ivy thought nearly blowing up a street would earn her a quiet day at work, she was wrong.

The morning after their magical meltdown, the lab was buzzing literally. The containment tubes hummed louder than usual, enchanted lights flickered like disco strobes, and the half the staff looked like they'd been awake all night.

"It is just me, or is the Institute one bad sneeze away from a meltdown?" Ivy asked.

Lani appeared behind her, tossing a packet of popping candy into her mouth. "The city's magic grid is acting up everywhere. They think it's connected to the anomaly you two triggered."

"Oh good, I'm part of a city-wide crisis," Ivy deadpanned.

"Welcome to Velmora," Lani chirped, patting her shoulder

Before Ivy could respond, the lab door whooshed open, and Kiera strode in . Her eyes were sharper than usual; the gold flecks in her irises practically glowed.

"Ivy. Ronan. My office. Now."

They exchanged a look - equal parts dread and annoyance then trudged after her.

Kiera's office smelled like coffee, ozone, and faintly of danger. Papers floated in near stacks, rearranging themselves in the air. A tiny storm cloud hovered in one corner, rumbling whenever someone sighed too loudly.

Kiera tapped the table. "You two are going to the old Weaver's Quarter. We're picking up residual magic spikes that match the energy signature from your incident."

Ronan frowned, "The Weaver's Quarter was abandoned decades ago. It's structurally unstable."

Ivy raised her hand, "I'm sorry - residual magic spikes?"

Kiera rubbed her temples, "Think of it as echoes of unstable magic, wild and unpredictable. And possibly violent."

"Oh good, so we're ghost hunting but with extra steps." Ivy muttered.

"You'll take a stabilizer kit, two tracking sigils, and a pulse meter," Kiera said, sliding a satchel across the table. "Your job locate the source of the anomaly, contain it if possible, and don't destroy anything."

She fixed them with a look, "Especially each other."

The Weaver's Quarter felt like the place where fairy tales went to die.

Crumbling stone archways, faded banners fluttering in the breeze glowing fungi sprouting from cracked cobblestones. The air shimmered faintly like the ghost of a spell long forgotten.

"Stay close," Ronan said, eyes scanning the shadows.

Ivy rolled her eyes, " Oh, now you care about my safety?"

"I care about completing the mission." he said.

"Sure. That's totally why you keep glancing over your shoulder to check if I'm still her," she said.

His jaw tightened,"You're impossible."

"And you are infuriating."

A pulse of light flared deep in the alley ahead green and sickly, flickering like a dying heartbeat.

They both fell silent.

They crept closer, the air growing colder with each step. The pulse meter in Ivy's hand beeped faster until it let out a long, shrill wail.

"There,"Ronan whispered, pointing to a twisted fountain at the center of the square. Magic oozed from its cracks like a living fog.

Ivy pulled out a stabilizer crystal, fingers trembling , "Tell me what to do."

He hesitated. Then, softer than she'd ever heard him, "Align the crystal with the flux line. I'll counterbalance the surge."

She nodded, positioning the crystal as green lightning arced overhead.

Suddenly the magic lashed out like it sensed them. A whip of raw energy snapped towards Ivy.

She gasped as Ronan threw himself in front of her, the blast slamming into his shoulder. He hits the ground hard.

"RONAN!" she screamed, diving to his side.

He was conscious, but pale, eyes squeezed shut. Sparks danced over his coat, the magic trying to anchor itself to him.

Ivy's pulse roared in her eyes. She grabbed the crystal with both hands, channeling every shred of focus she had.

"You don't get to leave me like this, I just got here," Ivy whispered fiercely, tears pricking her eyes.

The Crystal pulsed in her hands, resonating with something inside her like it recognized her magic. A low hum spread through the square as green light bled into soft white, then winked out.

The fog lifted. The magic quieted. The air was still.

Ivy dropped the crystal and threw her arms around Ronan, pulling him upright.

He groaned, "I told you... don't move without instructions."

She barked a watery laugh, "Shut up. You're welcome."

They sat slumped against the fountain, breathing hard, city sounds drifting in from far away.

Ronan's head fell back against the stone, "You did well."

"Was that... a compliment?" she asked, voice small.

"Don't push it." he said.

She smirked, "It sounded like a compliment."

He turned his head, meeting her eyes. In the dim light, his usual scowl softened. "Maybe it was."

A silence fell heavy, electric. Ivy's heart thudded.

For a brief, terrifying second, she thought he might kiss her.