The next few days were a careful dance. Alex attended his classes, always sitting in the back, always quiet. He answered when called on, giving just enough correct information to seem competent but never brilliant. He was building the character of Kaelen: a shy, slightly overwhelmed noble from the mountains.
His white hair and height still drew looks, but now they were just part of the background. He was just "that tall, white-haired kid from the north."
It was during a lecture on the Law of Elemental Transmutation that Lyra slid into the empty seat beside him.
"You're holding back," she whispered, not looking at him, her eyes on the Proctor.
Alex kept his face neutral. "I don't know what you mean."
"In class. You give the simple, textbook answer. But I see the way you look at the spell-weaves. You see more than you're saying." She finally glanced at him, her dark eyes sharp. "Just like you did with the thermal barrier."
Alex felt a prickle of alarm. She was too observant. "I just have good concentration."
Lyra smiled, a small, knowing thing. "Sure. Look, a few of us study together in the evening. The West Library, top floor. It's quieter there. We help each other with the harder concepts." She paused. "You should come. I think you could keep up."
This was a risk. Being around other students, especially clever ones, increased his chances of making a mistake. But saying no might make him seem more suspicious. And he needed to learn. He needed allies, or at least, sources of information.
"Okay," he said, keeping his voice soft. "I'll try."
That evening, he found the West Library. The top floor was a small, circular room with a domed glass ceiling showing the night sky. A few students were there, scattered at tables. Lyra waved him over to a corner where she sat with two others.
"Kaelen, this is Finn," she said, pointing to a lanky boy with messy brown hair and a friendly grin. "And this is Maya." A serious-looking girl with braided black hair gave him a curt nod.
Finn leaned forward. "So, you're the mysterious mountain noble. We don't get many from the Silverwood line here."
"It's... remote," Alex said, using his shy act.
"We're practicing the Law of Kinetic Redirection," Maya said, getting straight to business. She pointed to a small, heavy ball on the table. "The task is to make it roll in a circle without touching it."
Finn went first. He concentrated, and the ball wobbled, rolling in a lopsided arc before stopping. Maya was next. Her ball moved more smoothly, completing a rough circle.
Lyra's turn was impressive. Her ball rolled in a near-perfect, smooth circle. She made it look easy.
Then, all eyes turned to Alex.
His heart beat faster. He couldn't use nullification. He had to use their magic. He focused on the ball, feeling the spell-weave he needed to create. He imagined the path, the energy required. He pushed his will forward, careful, so careful, not to let his true power leak out.
The ball shuddered, then began to roll. It was slow, unsteady, but it moved in a shaky circle before stopping halfway.
"Not bad for a first try," Finn said, clapping him on the shoulder. "A bit wobbly, but you've got the idea!"
Maya just nodded, her expression unchanging.
But Lyra was watching him again, that same curious look in her eyes. "Your control is... interesting. It's like you're fighting yourself. Holding back."
Alex looked down at the table. "I just don't want to mess up."
The study session continued, but Alex could feel Lyra's gaze on him. She was a puzzle, and she was trying to solve him. He was surrounded by potential enemies, and the one person showing him kindness might be the most dangerous of all.
As he walked back to his dorm room, he knew one thing for sure. He had to be more careful than ever. The walls had ears, and the girl with the clever eyes was always watching.