Amōs was no stranger to surprises. Because of this, he didn’t bother looking up when he heard footsteps approaching his study. His mothers, he assumed.

Although his spell didn’t allow him to see directly through walls, it did notify him the moment anyone entered the left wing of the Palace. It was a spell he’d spent weeks designing, and even longer to draw out. His mothers had insisted on such precautions. He never saw the need to be so careful, considering that they had already confined him to the Palace, but it was one of many rules they insisted upon.

With no way to procure supplies on his own, he had to rely on servants who, more often than not, brought back the wrong ingredients. It was maddening. His irritation grew with each passing minute. The soft sound of footsteps continued, until they paused just outside his door. He didn’t need to turn around to know his parents were here. He whispered the incantation to unlock the door, another of his mother's restrictions—only he could open it.