Elara wiped the sweat from her brow, offering Lorian a small smile as they wrapped up their practice session. "Well, that's enough for now. I've got to head to the library—need to catch up on some reading for my Specialized Arcane Constructs class."

Lorian packed up his things, tucking the rune practice sheet and etcher into his bag. "Mind if I tag along? I can work on my runes there. It's quiet, and I need to focus."

Elara nodded, her smile faint but genuine. "Sure. The library's perfect for that."

Together, they walked across the academy grounds toward the grand library. The towering structure was known for housing countless tomes on magic, history, and more. Though the path was familiar to Lorian, there was a comforting sense of routine to it, walking beside Elara after their practice.

Once inside, they found a secluded corner, away from the busier sections where students gathered in groups. Lorian set up his rune practice materials while Elara pulled out her hefty textbook on arcane constructs. She didn't say much, but Lorian could see the quiet determination in her expression as she began reading.

For a while, they worked in companionable silence. Lorian etched rune after rune, each stroke becoming more controlled and precise, though the occasional surge of mana still made his hand tremble. Elara, meanwhile, was engrossed in her textbook, her golden eyes scanning the pages.

The calm focus was interrupted when a soft, familiar voice broke the quiet.

"Lorian?"

Lorian looked up, his hand pausing mid-etch, to see Princess Selene standing at the end of the table. Her pale silver hair shimmered under the light, and she carried the same graceful air she always did. Though this wasn't the first time he'd seen her like this, her presence always had a way of catching him slightly off-guard.

"Selene," Lorian greeted her with a nod. "Didn't expect to see you here."

Selene's gaze flicked briefly to Elara before settling on Lorian again. "I'm not interrupting, am I?"

Elara glanced up from her book, her posture reserved but polite. She hadn't spoken much to Selene since the night their family dynamics shifted—the night Elara was named heir instead of Lorian. Offering a soft nod, Elara kept her distance emotionally, as was her way.

"No, you're not," Elara said quietly. "I'm just studying, and Lorian's working on his runes."

Lorian smiled slightly, appreciating her light attempt at humor. "Yeah, just trying not to mess these up."

Selene stepped closer, her eyes lingering on the rune etcher in Lorian's hand. "I was actually here for some study material myself, but I saw you both and thought I'd say hello."

Her voice was even, but Lorian sensed something more behind her words, as if there was an unspoken thought hanging in the air. Selene's eyes flickered toward Lorian's rune sheet again before she cleared her throat softly, breaking the slight tension that had settled.

"I haven't seen you in over a week, Lorian," Selene said, her voice light but with a tinge of something else. "I was starting to wonder if you were avoiding me."

Lorian blinked, caught off guard. "Avoiding you? Why would I do that?"

Selene shrugged, the smile on her lips not quite reaching her eyes. "I don't know… You disappeared after that night with the second years, then you went off on your expedition. I thought maybe I'd said something."

Elara, who had been quiet until now, raised an eyebrow, glancing between her brother and Selene. It was clear she hadn't been aware that Lorian and Selene had spent that much time together before. Her golden eyes flicked with curiosity, but she said nothing.

Lorian, catching the shift in Elara's demeanor, quickly shook his head. "No, you didn't say anything wrong, Selene. It's just been a hectic couple of weeks with the expedition. The ruins were…" He trailed off, searching for the right words. "Complicated."

Selene nodded slowly, the unease in her posture easing slightly. "I figured. It's just that, before all of this, we used to study strategy together in the library. It's been kind of lonely without our sessions." She smiled a little more genuinely this time, her eyes meeting his in a way that made Lorian feel just a bit of awkwardness linger between them.

Elara's eyebrow arched higher, her attention fully on the conversation now. "You two studied together?" Her tone was casual, but Lorian could sense the curiosity behind her question.

Selene chuckled softly. "Oh, yes. Lorian's pretty sharp with strategy, in case you didn't know. It was nice having someone to bounce ideas off of." She glanced at Lorian again, a hint of something playful in her smile. "Even if he didn't always agree with my plans."

Lorian couldn't help but grin. "To be fair, some of your plans were pretty… bold."

"Bold gets results," Selene shot back, her tone teasing now, the tension from before fully dissolving.

Elara, sensing the shift in mood, allowed herself a small smile as well. "Bold sounds like Selene. I'm sure it kept things interesting."

Lorian chuckled, the awkwardness between him and Selene finally lifting. "It did, but I wasn't avoiding you, Selene. I've just been busy with everything going on. We'll pick up where we left off, I promise."

Selene nodded, her smile softening into something more genuine. “I’ll hold you to that.”

Before Lorian could respond, Elara smirked, a playful glint in her eye. “Well, well, big brother. I didn’t realize you were such a library regular, studying strategy with royalty no less.”

Lorian gave his sister a side glance, his brow furrowed slightly. “Don’t start.”

Selene chuckled softly, clearly enjoying the exchange. “It’s true. I’ve been holding down the library without him. Felt a bit lonely, honestly.” Her tone was light, but there was a hint of sincerity beneath the joke.

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

Elara’s eyebrows shot up slightly as she turned her gaze from Selene back to her brother. “Lonely, huh? I didn’t know you two were that close.”

Lorian rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly feeling the weight of both their gazes. “It’s not like that. We’ve just been studying strategy together.”

Elara leaned forward, grinning. “Oh, I’m sure that’s all it was. Just books and war tactics. Right?”

“Exactly.” Lorian shot her a look, but Elara just raised her hands in mock surrender, her smirk never fading.

Selene giggled, the tension easing between them. “To be fair, I think Lorian’s more dedicated to his studies than I am.”

“Well, you’ve got his attention,” Elara teased, standing up from the table. “That’s more than most can say.”

Lorian groaned, burying his face in his hands. “You’re impossible.”

Elara’s grin widened as she stood from the table. “Alright, alright, I’ll stop. For now. I’m going to grab a few more books, so don’t have too much fun without me. I’ll be right back.”

Lorian rolled his eyes as his sister walked away, her light teasing still lingering in the air. He watched her disappear into the rows of shelves before turning back to Selene, who had been watching Elara’s retreat with a soft smile.

When they were finally alone, Selene’s expression shifted slightly, her usual playfulness replaced by something more serious. “Lorian,” she started, leaning in just a little, her voice quieter now, “I was actually looking for you for another reason.”

Lorian’s brow furrowed at her tone. “What’s going on?”

Selene glanced around to make sure no one was within earshot before continuing. “It’s about the second-years you fought. They’re part of the Nimbus House faction, led by Zephyr Nimbus—a third-year and the real power behind that group.”

Lorian crossed his arms, his expression hardening. “The ones I fought were just flunkies?”

“Pretty much,” Selene confirmed. “Zephyr isn’t the type to get his hands dirty directly, but he doesn’t let things go, especially when it comes to his faction’s reputation. He’s been keeping a low profile, but his group has been looking for you ever since the fight. It was probably a good thing you were gone for a week—they’ve been trying to figure out how to get even without causing too much trouble.”

“So, I’m their new target?” Lorian asked, though he already knew the answer.

Selene nodded. “From what I’ve heard, they want to make an example of you. Three of their second-years getting taken down by a first-year? It made them look weak, and in a place like this, reputation means everything. Especially for someone like Zephyr, who thrives on intimidation and control.”

Lorian sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Great. I wasn’t exactly looking for more enemies.”

Selene’s lips quirked into a small, sympathetic smile. “Welcome to the academy. Politics and power plays are part of the game, even when you’re not trying to get involved. But hey, at least now you know to be on your guard.”

“Thanks for the heads-up,” Lorian said, genuinely appreciating the warning.

Selene nodded, her smile softening again. “You’re welcome. Besides, it’s been… lonely in the library without you. No one else to help me with my strategy studies.”

Lorian’s eyes flickered with recognition, remembering the many hours they had spent together, poring over tactical diagrams and discussing different military strategies. It was easy to lose track of time in the quiet of the library, but that sense of companionship had always been something he appreciated with Selene.

“Sorry about that,” he muttered, feeling a little awkward. “Didn’t mean to disappear on you.”

Selene raised an eyebrow, a playful glint returning to her eyes. “Disappear on me? I thought maybe you were avoiding me after that fight. I know I can be a little intense when it comes to strategy.”

Lorian smirked, shaking his head. “Hardly. I just got caught up with everything after the expedition. I wouldn’t avoid you.”

Selene nodded, her smile softening into something more genuine. “I’ll hold you to that.”

For a moment, the air between them shifted as a soft silence fell over the conversation. Selene hesitated, her gaze lowering briefly before she reached across the table, her hand brushing against Lorian’s. “You know,” she began, her voice quieter than before, “I was wondering… maybe we could try going out again sometime? Without all the trouble this time.”

Lorian blinked, surprised by the sudden contact, but before he could respond, Elara’s voice broke through the quiet tension.

“Looks like I missed something interesting,” Elara called as she approached, arms full of books.

Selene yanked her hand back quickly, her cheeks flushing slightly as she offered a quick smile, turning her attention back to her own books. “Nothing too exciting,” she said, a bit too quickly.

Lorian gave a small, awkward chuckle as Elara returned to her seat, clearly missing the subtle exchange but arching an eyebrow at her brother. “You sure?” Elara teased. “Because it definitely looks like I interrupted something.”

Lorian shook his head, shooting a glance at Selene, who was pretending to be engrossed in her text. “Just catching up.”

Elara grinned, giving him a playful nudge. “I bet she was.”

The teasing hung in the air for a moment, light and familiar, before Elara returned to her seat and began thumbing through one of her books. Selene, meanwhile, kept her head low, her earlier boldness tempered by the sudden interruption, but the faint blush on her cheeks hadn’t quite faded.

Lorian focused on his rune practice, the hum of magical energy vibrating faintly through the etcher as he traced the complex patterns on the sheet of enchanted metal. Elara, sitting nearby, had immersed herself in her own textbooks, occasionally glancing over at Lorian as if to ensure he was still working. Meanwhile, Selene was engrossed in her strategy manual, her brows furrowed in concentration.

The hours passed with a vague sense of calm. The sun outside began to dip lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the library's polished stone walls. The shelves, intricately carved with delicate designs, lined the room, their towering forms housing countless tomes of magical knowledge. The polished wooden floors creaked faintly as the students moved about, the rich smell of old books filling the air. The weight of the day began to settle in, and after a while, the three exchanged quiet nods, silently agreeing it was time to call it a night.

After packing up their materials, they made their way out of the library and toward their dormitories. The air outside had cooled, and a gentle breeze whispered through the academy grounds. Their conversations, though light and filled with the usual teasing between siblings, were punctuated by the occasional comfortable silence as they walked.

When they reached the point where their paths diverged, Selene gave a small wave, her smile lingering a bit longer on Lorian before she turned to head toward the Magister Wing with Elara. As the two girls walked together, Lorian couldn't help but overhear the soft sound of whispering, followed by a burst of giggling from his sister and Selene. He raised an eyebrow, shaking his head slightly. He had a pretty good idea what they were whispering about, but decided not to think too hard on it.

“See you tomorrow,” Elara called back with a grin, her teasing eyes catching Lorian’s for just a moment before she disappeared into the mist with Selene at her side.

Lorian shook his head again, watching them go before turning to make his way toward his dorm in the Bronze Hall. The walk was quiet now, the soft shuffle of his footsteps echoing through the empty corridors as he neared his room. His mind drifted back to the day's events—the practice with Elara, the unexpected moment with Selene, and the news about Zephyr Nimbus and his faction.

As he reached the door to his dorm, the air seemed to grow still. His hand hovered over the doorknob when a voice, smooth and dripping with mockery, cut through the silence.

“Well, well... Look who finally decided to show up.”

Lorian’s body tensed. He didn’t need to turn to know who it was. Slowly, he glanced over his shoulder and saw Zephyr Nimbus stepping out from the shadows, arms crossed, his eyes gleaming with something dangerous.

“You’ve caused quite a stir,” Zephyr continued, his voice low and almost too casual. “It’s not every day a first-year takes down three of my second-years.”

Zephyr, the third-year leader of Nimbus House, stood relaxed, but the tension in his stance was clear—like a predator watching its prey. His lips curled into a thin smile.

“I’ve been looking forward to this,” Zephyr added, his voice a dangerous purr.

Lorian met his gaze, his muscles tightening as he braced for whatever was coming next.

“Let’s see if you can live up to the reputation you’re building, shall we?”

The hallway fell into a heavy silence as the confrontation loomed.