The dining hall roared with voices. Laughter, whispers, silver clinks against porcelain. House banners fluttered from the ceiling—each stitched with sigils older than any student alive.
Seraphina sat at the edge of House Vale's long table, pushing her food around as the others ate like they'd earned it.
Across from her, Lucien leaned back in his seat—calm, unreadable. His olive-toned skin caught the golden candlelight, casting faint shadows over the sharp line of his cheekbone. His dark hair curled slightly at the ends, like it had once been slicked back but gave up fighting him. Those storm-gray eyes flicked to hers without warning.
She looked away too quickly.
> "You didn't even try to decode the second glyph," Cam said beside her, voice low.
> "I did," Seraphina replied, not looking up.
> "You froze," Cam pressed, gentler now. "Was it your cuff again?"
Seraphina didn't answer.
A sharp clang interrupted them. Someone from House Ember had slammed a tray down—some kind of flex. Probably aimed at Lucien.
Seraphina watched as a tall boy with fire-red hair and a ring of piercings in one ear walked past, tossing a smirk in Lucien's direction.
Lucien didn't flinch. Just leaned forward, fingers curled loosely around a goblet.
> "Ronan," Cam muttered. "Third-rank. Thinks his fire magic makes him untouchable."
> "It's not the fire," Seraphina said. "It's the pride."
Lucien's voice cut in—smooth and low.
> "Pride burns faster than power. He'll learn."
Seraphina blinked. She hadn't realized he was listening. Or worse—responding.
> "You speak like you've already watched him fail," she said quietly.
Lucien turned his eyes fully on her now.
> "Haven't needed to. He carries the smoke already."
There it was—that strange tension. Like he knew something about her. Like he could see too far beneath her skin.
And she… couldn't read him at all.
> "You two should really kiss or duel," Cam mumbled under her breath.
Seraphina kicked her under the table.
---