The next few days passed in a blur of tension and uncertainty. Caelen had barely had time to process the enormity of what had happened, let alone understand the complexities of the choices laid before him. Lucian's faction, Velric's warnings, and the ember—it was all too much to wrap his head around.
Yet, amidst the chaos, Seraphine lingered. Her presence was a constant, like a shadow that refused to be shaken off. At times, she seemed like the only person who truly understood the danger they were in. But there was something unsettling about her, something Caelen couldn't quite place.
Her words were honeyed, comforting even, but her eyes—those eyes—always seemed to hold something back, as though she knew more than she was letting on. More than she should. And the way she seemed to appear out of nowhere when he needed her… it was almost too convenient.
Caelen tried to push those thoughts aside. He was used to relying on his instincts, and right now, they were telling him something was off. But he couldn't afford to ignore her—at least not yet. Not with Lucian's faction growing more dangerous by the day.
The day began like any other. Caelen had just left the training hall, his muscles sore from the rigorous combat drills they'd been running in preparation for whatever was coming. He needed a moment to breathe, to gather his thoughts.
As he rounded the corner near the Academy's main courtyard, he spotted her. Seraphine.
Her fiery red hair caught the afternoon sun, giving her an almost ethereal glow. She was leaning against a stone pillar, her arms folded across her chest, her usual confident smirk playing on her lips. When she saw him, her smile widened, and for a moment, Caelen forgot everything else.
"Caelen," she greeted him, her voice low and inviting. "You've been avoiding me."
He raised an eyebrow, his exhaustion from the training still weighing heavily on him. "I've been busy."
Seraphine pushed off from the pillar and walked toward him, her gaze never leaving his. "I know. But you should take a break. You've been running yourself ragged."
Caelen smirked, though there was a hint of wariness behind it. "I can't afford to take a break. The situation is getting worse by the day."
She stepped closer, her presence overwhelming. "And yet, here you are, standing in front of me, letting the world pass by. Why don't you stop, Caelen? Let me help you. We could be a team, you know. We've already got a good thing going."
There was something about her words, something too smooth, too rehearsed. It made Caelen's gut tighten in unease. She was laying it on thick—too thick. He wasn't a fool. Her intentions weren't as pure as she was making them seem.
"Why are you really here, Seraphine?" Caelen asked, his voice sharp, cutting through the heavy tension between them. "What do you want from me?"
Her smile faltered for a moment, just long enough for Caelen to catch a glimpse of something fleeting in her eyes—something colder, more calculating. It vanished almost as quickly as it appeared, replaced by the warm, sultry look she always wore.
"Caelen…" She reached out, brushing a stray lock of hair from his face, her touch lingering longer than it should have. "I told you. I'm here to help. You don't have to do this alone."
Her fingers traced his jawline, and for a moment, Caelen found himself unable to look away. He hated how easily she could pull him in. There was a magnetism to her, an allure that made him want to believe her, to trust her. But the doubt gnawed at him. He knew better than to get lost in her charms.
"I don't need help from you," he said, his voice tinged with frustration. "I don't need anyone."
Seraphine's smile didn't falter. In fact, it grew, but this time, it didn't reach her eyes. There was something predatory in the way she studied him, as if she were savoring his discomfort.
"You're lying," she whispered, her lips brushing his ear as she leaned in. "You need me more than you know, Caelen."
Her breath was hot against his skin, sending a shiver down his spine, but Caelen steeled himself, pushing her back, away from him. He wasn't going to fall for her game—not this time.
"Stop," he said, his tone more forceful now. "I'm not some pawn in your little game."
Seraphine's eyes narrowed, her expression shifting ever so slightly. The softness, the sweetness that she had been projecting, disappeared in an instant, replaced by a coldness that sent a ripple of unease through him.
"You have no idea what you're dealing with, Caelen," she said, her voice a low hiss. "The world is not as simple as you think. You think you're playing a hero's game, but there's a lot more at stake here than your precious ember."
She took a step back, the tension between them palpable. "You think Lucian is the only enemy you have to worry about? You've barely scratched the surface, and you're already in too deep. But if you want to play the hero, I'll let you. Just don't say I didn't warn you."
Before Caelen could respond, Seraphine turned and walked away, her boots clicking against the cobblestone path with an ominous finality.
Caelen watched her go, his heart pounding in his chest. Her words echoed in his mind, twisting and warping into something darker, something more sinister. He had never been one to trust easily, but Seraphine's actions—her contradictions, her charm, her coldness—made him doubt everything.
Was she truly on his side? Or was she playing a dangerous game, one that he might not be able to escape from?
As the afternoon sun dipped lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the Academy's courtyard, Caelen couldn't shake the feeling that he was being pulled into a storm. And Seraphine—beautiful, enigmatic Seraphine—was the storm's eye.
And the worst part? He wasn't sure if he wanted to leave it.
⸻
The next day, Caelen was thrust into another trial—a mission that Velric had set up to test his abilities. But this time, it was different. This wasn't about combat or training; it was about the ember. Caelen would have to venture into the heart of the Academy's darkest corners, where the most dangerous factions resided.
The stakes were higher than ever. As Velric outlined the details of the mission, Caelen could sense the weight of the decision pressing on him. The ember, which had once seemed like a mere artifact of power, was now a symbol of a war that was being waged behind closed doors.
And Seraphine? She was nowhere to be found.
But Caelen couldn't afford to let his guard down. Not anymore.
He was about to face something much darker than the enemy he'd imagined. And he had a feeling that Seraphine's true intentions would be revealed soon enough.