An unexpected encounter stirs curiosity and tension

Lucian's POV:

Dinner at the mess hall was a blur. Celeste, as usual, was chattering away, her voice grating against the edges of my distracted thoughts. I didn't even know what she was talking about half the time. My mind kept drifting to her—the girl I'd seen earlier, the one who had caught my attention like no one ever had before.

Celeste noticed, of course. She always did. Her eyes narrowed as she placed her hand on her hip, a small frown playing on her lips. "Lucian, where's your mind? Are you even listening to me?" she asked, irritation creeping into her voice.

I barely spared her a glance, my mind still fixated on that girl—the new student who seemed so different from the rest. What was it about her? Why couldn't I stop thinking about her?

"Sorry," I muttered, though I wasn't truly apologizing. My thoughts were elsewhere, still tangled around the mystery of her presence.

Celeste sighed, clearly annoyed, but continued talking about whatever it was that had caught her attention. I didn't care. All I could think about was her—the girl who had taken me by surprise with nothing more than a glance. Why was she affecting me so much?

After dinner, I excused myself quickly and made my way back to my room. But I couldn't escape it—her face, her eyes, the way she carried herself. It was like my mind had latched onto her, and nothing I did could pull it away. It didn't matter how much I tried to focus on something else. She was always there, lingering at the back of my mind, demanding answers I didn't have.

Sleep came slowly, and every time I closed my eyes, her image flashed before me, her expression so vivid, so real. I gave up on sleep, frustration building in my chest. I couldn't lie still. I needed some air, some space to think.

I slipped quietly out of my room and stepped onto the balcony. Unlike the other rooms in the academy, my balcony offered a view of the deep forest that stretched endlessly in the distance. The sight of the trees swaying in the breeze always brought a sense of peace, but tonight, even the soothing scene didn't calm me.

I leaned against the railing, staring into the vast expanse of the darkened forest, my thoughts spinning out of control.

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw her. She was sitting near the nature statue, staring up at the sky as though she were lost in thought. For a moment, I simply watched her, captivated by her presence. What was she doing out there at this time? And why did I care so much?

Without really thinking about it, I stepped away from the railing, my feet carrying me toward the courtyard. Something in me, some force I couldn't explain, pushed me forward. I needed answers. She needed answers. I wasn't sure why, but I felt like there was something between us—something unspoken, but very real.

I stepped into the courtyard, my mind still buzzing with thoughts of her. The cold night air did little to cool the fire of curiosity that had ignited inside me. I walked through the garden, my eyes scanning the dark shadows and tall trees. And then, there she was.

She stood near the statue of nature, her back to me, gazing toward the deep forest, as though searching for something—or someone—hidden in the night. Her posture was graceful, yet there was an undeniable air of solitude surrounding her. The way she stood there, almost like she was in tune with the world around her, made something stir inside me. I wasn't sure what it was, but it tugged at me, pulling me closer.

She didn't notice me at first, and for a moment, I stood there, just watching her. The moonlight bathed her in a soft glow, her silhouette delicate yet strong, her hair gently moving with the breeze. She didn't belong here, not like the others. There was something... different about her, something that called to me, that drew me in.

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I took a step forward, my voice low, cutting through the silence. "What are you doing here?"

She jumped in shock, turning quickly to face me. For a split second, her expression was one of pure surprise. The shock on her face almost made me laugh, but I resisted. I couldn't let myself seem weak.

But then I saw it—the soft glow of moonlight on her face, the way her eyes widened when she saw me, and I felt something stir in my chest.

She was breathtakingly beautiful. There was no other way to describe it. Not in the conventional way that I was used to seeing. It wasn't just her appearance—it was the way she carried herself, the way she seemed untouchable, like something otherworldly. Even her silence, the way she had remained so composed, added to her allure.

Her skin glowed under the moonlight, and for a moment, I felt a strange compulsion to reach out and touch it—just to see if she was real, if she was truly here. But I quickly pushed that thought away. I couldn't afford to let my guard down.

"I... I was just getting some fresh air," she said, her voice soft but filled with a kind of magic that seemed to wrap around me, pulling me in closer.

Fresh air?

I raised an eyebrow, not believing it for a second. But as I heard the way my voice sounded, I realized something—my words were having an effect on her, just like she had an effect on me.

There was something about her that made me lose my usual composure, something that made me want to speak with more intensity, more force.

"Fresh air?" I echoed, the words leaving my mouth with more weight than I intended. It felt like I was pressing her for something—something I didn't even understand myself.

She nodded slowly, her eyes never leaving mine. I felt a rush of heat at the back of my neck as I continued to look at her, trying to figure out why everything felt different when she was near me.

I couldn't ignore the reality of the situation. Here, at Vortex Academy, students were not friendly toward air elementals, especially not this late at night. It wasn't safe for her to be outside. I didn't know why I cared, but I felt responsible somehow—compelled to look out for her.

I took a step closer, lowering my voice, my tone becoming more serious. "It's not safe for you to be outside of your room at this hour." Then I realized I don't even know her name. I felt like its very important for me to know her name

I watched her expression shift slightly, irritation flickering across her face. "This isn't Aetheria Academy," I continued, my words deliberate. "This is Vortex Academy, and things are different here."

Her expression hardened. "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, thank you very much," she snapped, her voice cutting through the air like a sharp blade.

For a moment, I was taken aback. No one ever spoke to me like that—no one dared. And yet, here she was, standing her ground, not intimidated by me. It should've fueled my anger, but for some reason, it didn't. Instead, I felt something stir inside me, something unfamiliar, but not unwelcome.

Before I could respond, she turned away and started walking back toward her dorm room. I watched her, my feet moving before my mind could process what I was doing. Without thinking, I walked behind her, staying just a few steps behind, until we reached her room.

She stopped at the door, her hand on the handle, but before she went inside, she paused for a moment longer. She looked back at me over her shoulder, her eyes intense, and something unspoken passed between us—a quiet understanding, a challenge, maybe.

Without another word, she stepped inside, closing the door behind her with a soft click.

I stood there for a few seconds, staring at the door. There was an odd feeling in my chest, a kind of restlessness I couldn't quite explain. I had wanted to make sure she was safe—no, it was more than that. I had wanted to make sure SHE was safe.

And for some reason, I couldn't shake the feeling that I needed to protect her, even though I didn't know her. It was as though she had slipped under my skin in a way I wasn't prepared for.

I turned and walked back to my own room, my mind still swirling with thoughts of her, trying to make sense of it all. But the answers didn't come. All I had was the feeling that she was important—important to me, somehow—and that this was just the beginning of something I didn't understand.

I barely slept that night, and when I woke in the morning, the world felt different. It felt like something had shifted, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Something inside me told me that I wasn't done with her. I didn't know what was pulling me toward her, but I knew I couldn't ignore it.

I would find out what this was, whether I was ready for it or not.