Ashenwell breathed in the silence after the storm—but it didn't last.
Sparks was alive. And that meant peace was not on the menu.
At least not for Grim.
Location: Academy Training Grounds, Morning
Sparks stood at the center of the open pit, her new body aglow with humming red and gold runes. The third years watching from the stands murmured in awe—and slight fear—as a thunderbird made of pure lightning slammed into a wall and exploded.
Sparks blinked.
Then giggled.
"Oops! Was that not a training dummy? Eh, wall deserved it."
One of the instructors slowly backed away.
Grim stood beside Zariya, hands on his head. "She's going to get us expelled…"
Zariya didn't respond immediately. Her eyes were fixed on Sparks—on how her aura crackled now, elegant but untamed. On how Grim was still marked by her. And on the way his eyes softened when Sparks smiled, even in chaos.
"You built her well," she said.
Grim frowned. "I didn't build her."
"No," she replied, "but you shaped her. Same thing."
Grim opened his mouth to argue—and stopped. Because Sparks had just summoned a lion made entirely of stormlight and sent it chasing after Hadi.
"Aaaaaaah she's trying to kill me again!" Hadi shrieked, bounding over a barrier with glowing pink energy at her heels.
"It's just affection!" Sparks called out, hands cupped around her mouth. "In lion form!"
A moment later, Ayesha was doubled over in laughter, Max sighed like this was routine, and Tristan simply muttered, "Kinda hot," before Zariya elbowed him.
Later: Solace Tower Common Room
Sparks sprawled across Grim's couch, hair glowing like lava beneath moonlight. She was wearing a jacket she clearly stole from him, sleeves far too long.
Lys stood in the doorway, arms crossed, cold air hanging around her like a second skin. She stared at Sparks.
Then at Grim.
Then back at Sparks.
"I leave for ten minutes, and suddenly you're cuddling with a goddess you created?" she snapped.
Grim blinked. "She's not—she's just—"
"I saw the way you caught her when she tripped! Your hand was definitely on her waist for more than 3 seconds!"
Sparks didn't help. At all.
She sat up, stretched her long, runemarked arms, and smirked.
"Would you believe me if I said it was threepointtwo?"
Lys' face flushed an icy red.
"You—"
Zariya entered just in time, sipping tea.
"Oh, she's cute. I like her. Has that dangerous charm. So, Grim…" she smiled, eyes glinting with challenge, "...which one of us gives you more headaches?"
Grim turned and walked straight into a wall.
Face first.
Max whistled from the hallway. "This is the best show I've seen all year."
Later: Outside, Atop Solace Tower
Grim finally got a moment alone.
He sat on the rooftop, wind brushing against his coat, storm and fire mingling in his chest. Sparks joined him—not as a glitch, not as a voice—but beside him.
Real.
She didn't say anything right away.
Then, softly:
"You okay?"
"I think so."
"You're the core of this madness, you know," she said. "Everyone's orbiting you. Zariya, Lys, even me."
Grim shook his head. "It's not like that."
"It is. And maybe that's not a bad thing." She smiled faintly. "But you'll have to choose eventually. Otherwise? You'll burn all of us."
The words hung between them.
Not angry.
Not sad.
Just real.
Then Sparks chuckled, eyes flashing redgold. "But no pressure, right?"