Milly

The dimly lit tavern buzzed with low chatter and the occasional clink of tankards, the perfect place to blend in while I worked. My mission was simple—extract information about a particular mage known to frequent this establishment. I kept my hood low, nursing a drink to avoid drawing attention, when the thorn in my side—my so-called familiar—decided to remind me of her existence.

"So, basically, Master, you should be thankful to have me helping you. Not every day do you get to sit across from a girl as pretty as I am—"

"Silencio."

With a flick of my fingers, the spell took effect, cutting off Milly mid-sentence. Her mouth still moved, likely spewing more of her usual self-aggrandizing nonsense, but blissfully, no sound came out. I was probably the best mage alive at casting Silencio, and I owed it all to her.

My target, a hooded figure nursing a drink in the corner, finally stirred. He was moving toward his client—a potential lead. I turned to Milly, who was still huffing in silent protest, her arms crossed in exaggerated offense.

"Tail him. Get me something useful," I ordered.

She shot me a glare, her lips forming what I could only assume was a stream of curses, but she did as told. With a smooth flicker, her form vanished completely. Even among vampires, true invisibility was a rare talent, and it was the only thing she excelled at. That, and eavesdropping. With Silencio still in effect, I knew she'd be undetectable.

I leaned back and waited. Minutes passed. Then, a faint touch on my shoulder signaled her return. Without a word, I stood, leaving a few coins on the table before stepping outside into the cool night air. The moment I did, Milly materialized beside me, dropping her invisibility.

"So?" I asked.

She opened her mouth but was still under Silencio. I sighed and released the spell.

"How cold of you, Master, to silence this majestic vampire again and again," she huffed, crossing her arms with a dramatic pout.

"Yes, yes, so?" I pressed impatiently.

She tossed her hair with exaggerated grace before answering. "He's a sneaky one, speaking in codes, but I caught something interesting. He’s searching for a missing mage, what's the name... Riola—one with ties to a legendary artifact called the Ring of Contractor. The mage supposed to be in this town."

My stomach tensed. That was dangerous. If it was true, we had a serious problem.

The Ring of Contractor was no ordinary relic. If activated, it could bind any target—human, demon, hero, even a god—to eternal servitude. No one was safe from its power.

I exhaled slowly. "That’s bad news."

Milly tilted her head, curious. "So, what’s the plan, Master? Or should I just continue being your adorable, indispensable right hand?"

I was this close to casting Silencio again.