I blinked, caught off guard for half a beat, before recovering with a smirk. “Well, I do aim to please,” I said, letting the words hang in the air just long enough to see her cheeks flush, though she didn’t back down. “What sort of project?”

She checked our surroundings with a look and then returned her attention to me. “Umm,” she appeared uncertain. So I offered her an out.

“I’m always willing to help a friend in need,” I said.

“Good,” she said smoothly, taking a deliberate step closer. “Because I’ve got questions, Declan. And maybe a few answers, if you’re lucky.”

I swallowed, my Hunger rising like a wolf scenting prey. I squashed it down with every bit of mental prowess I had, but the effort left me momentarily unsteady. When I opened my eyes, I nearly stumbled back in surprise -Kalia was practically pressing herself against me, her aura tangling with mine like a slow, seductive dance.

“Uh,” I said suavely. I swallowed again -damn, I needed a lozenge- my throat was as dry as the Sahara.

“I have a job for you,” she purred, her finger tracing a slow, deliberate line along my shoulder. Her touch left a trail of heat in its wake, and her voice was a low melody, sultry and commanding all at once. “Something only you can do. I’m willing to give you whatever you want, in exchange.”

My brain short-circuited for a moment, replaying the word anything on an endless loop. I raised an eyebrow, managing to find my voice despite the sudden, oppressive heat. “What kind of trouble are you into, exactly?” I asked, arching an eyebrow. My tone was forced-casual, but I couldn’t deny the prickle of curiosity -and something else- rising within me.

Kalia’s lips curved into a slow, wicked smile, her crimson braid slipping over one shoulder in a deliberate, tantalizing gesture. She hesitated, just enough to make me lean in slightly, her gaze locked on mine like she was trying to decide how much to reveal.

“I can’t trust anyone here,” she said finally, her voice soft but carrying an edge of vulnerability that caught me off guard. “Everyone has their alliances, their secrets, their… motives. And me? I need someone who’s not tangled up in all that.”

Her green eyes bored into mine, and I felt the weight of her words settle between us. She wasn’t just playing games -well, not entirely. There was something real beneath the teasing exterior, a hint of desperation she couldn’t quite hide.

“And therefore-” I began, letting the silence hang just long enough for effect.

“You can be trusted,” she finished for me, her voice almost a whisper.

I blinked, startled by the sincerity in her tone. For a moment, the confident, flirtatious mask she wore cracked, and I caught a glimpse of someone who had been burned before. Trust didn’t come easy to her, and the fact that she was offering it -however cautiously- was something I didn’t take lightly.

Or maybe this was all an act. It had the makings of one.

The moment stretched on, her vulnerability lingering just long enough to tug at something in me, before she leaned back slightly, her smirk returning. “So, Declan,” she said, her voice dipping back into its usual teasing rhythm, “would you help me… explore?”

Her choice of words was deliberate, laced with suggestion, and she stepped closer again, her fingers lightly brushing my forearm. “I mean the school, of course,” she added with a sly smile. “Unless you had something else in mind?”

Her proximity was electric, her confidence disarming, but I managed to hold my ground this time. “Exploring’s kind of my thing,” I said, keeping my tone light. “But I’ll warn you -I’m not the type to follow a map.”

Kalia’s laugh was soft and melodic, and she tilted her head, considering me. “Good,” she said. “Maps are overrated. Besides, it’s more fun finding your own way.”

“Agreed,” I said, a grin tugging at the corners of my mouth. “But if I’m helping you, I’ll need to know what we’re looking for.”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Her smile faltered for just a moment, her eyes flicking away briefly before locking back onto mine. “Answers,” she said simply, her tone quieter now. “To questions I can’t ask anyone else. You’ll understand when you see for yourself.”

“So, what do you want in exchange for your -services?” She asked with a sideways glance.

“Actually,” I said, using the opening to change subjects, “I was going to ask you for advice. The Director -whoever he is- told me to explore, and get to know the place. Where do you suggest I start?” I may as well get a second opinion. And this time, I was going to get directions, dammit.

Her smirk softened into something almost approving. “Name-dropping the Director already? Smart move.” She tapped her chin, her eyes flicking over me in a way that felt more than just appraising. “I could show you around,” she said, her tone playful. “Help you get… oriented.”

I chuckled, shaking my head. “Tempting, but I think I’ll manage. I’ve got a few things to wrap up first.”

Kalia pouted, though the gleam in her eyes told me she wasn’t taking no for an answer. “Fine,” she said, stepping back with exaggerated reluctance. “But only because I’m nice. And because I like the way you say ‘tempting.’”

“I do have one more question,” I started.

“Go for it, shoot. I’m all yours.” She said her eyes saying much more than her words alone.

“What exactly are you?” Because the effect she was having on me couldn’t just be hormones.

“Oh, I never did tell you my surname,” she said, her mouth falling into a soft moue. However, her eyes danced with mischief.

“Which is?” I asked.

“Le Fay,” she said as if that answered everything. It didn’t.

Before I could respond, she crossed her arms and gave me a pointed look. “So, what kind of trouble are you into, anyway? Books? Games? Food? You’ve got that ‘secret foodie’ vibe.”

I nearly stumbled at the sudden change of topic. Then I laughed. “Books, for sure. Games too. And yeah, guilty as charged -I’m a major foodie.”

Kalia’s laugh was warm and unguarded. “Oh, I knew it. You’ve got to check out the cafeteria. Best food around. And you might want to hit the Astral Library too -assuming you can handle the librarians. They’re… particular.”

“Sounds like fun,” I said, filing the advice away. “Anything else?”

Her expression turned suddenly coy, and she leaned in, her voice dropping to a whisper. “You should probably get a Halo, you know. Can’t wander around blind forever.”

I watched as she demonstrated, her fingers moving with practiced ease as the hologram shifted and spun. “I’ll admit,” I said, “that’s pretty impressive. Mind pointing me towards where I can get my hands on one?”

“You’ll need to get officially checked in first,” she said, her eyes sparkling. “Orientation Hall. I can give you directions -unless you want me to take you there myself.”

I smiled, tilting my head just enough to catch the faintest flutter of her pulse. “And here I thought you just wanted to pump me for information.”

She laughed, a little too loudly, and shook her head. “Oh, I still do. But, you know, I could multitask.”

Her flirtation was so brazen it bordered on a dare, and for a moment, I considered calling her bluff. Instead, I offered a slow, deliberate smile. “Thanks for the offer, but I think I’ll figure it out. I’m good at finding my way.” Usually.

“Let me give you a tip,” she said with a smirk.

“I thought that was my line,” I smirked back.

She took my hand and held it palm up. Then she began to trace the lines she found there.

“This,” she said touching her fingertip to the base of my palm. “Is where we are.” She traced her finger up and over until it landed on another spot further up my palm.

“And this, is where you want to be,” she continued.

My breath was heavy and my pulse was racing, and I knew that she was doing something to me, but I didn’t have the sense of mind to try and stop it.

“All you have to do is keep your thoughts on what you want,” she said, as she looked up at me through her eyelashes. A thrill of electricity raced through me from where she held my hand.

“Follow the path,” she said, tracing her finger over my hand again. “And you’ll get there, eventually.” Then she withdrew and I felt the absence of her.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to -go with you?” She offered again.

I was a spider’s thread away from saying yes, but then I saw the strands of energy that connected her to me, and that cleared my head enough to overcome it.

“I wish I could, but I’d be a hypocrite if I got a guide now, after I’d already told the Director that I didn’t want one.” I felt the reluctance in every bit of my being.

Kalia’s smirk returned, sharp and unapologetic. “Suit yourself,” she said, stepping back but not before letting her hand linger on my arm. “Just don’t get lost. Or do. It’d make for a great story.”

As I turned to leave, her voice followed me, low and teasing. “Oh, and Declan? Remember to keep your head low, and if you spot anything -interesting, please let me know.”

I laughed, throwing a casual wave over my shoulder. “I will.”

As I walked away, I couldn’t help but wonder if her fascination with me was entirely natural -or if my newly undead status was working some kind of subtle magic. I pulled up my status screen, but there was nothing out of the ordinary. Still, I noticed that the lingering effects of my brief Essence Drain with Alera remained. Maybe that was giving me some kind of edge. Or maybe being undead just made me more… interesting.

Either way, it was something to look into -later. For now, I had directions to follow, students to dodge, and apparently, a campus full of mysteries to uncover.