Zaeryn stepped out of the Director's office, the heavy oak door clicking shut behind him with a solid thud. He glanced back.

"She's into pre-Scotch Fall stuff," he murmured to himself, a hint of amusement in his voice. There was a rustic charm to it—the wooden doors, the old chairs—echoes of a pre-apocalyptic past that felt oddly comforting.

He let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding, a genuine grin spreading across his lips as he started down the hallway. 'Okay,' he thought, 'the Director's not a man-hater. That's a massive weight off.'

Hopefully, he wouldn't run into any more of those types around here—though he'd already had his share when he arrived, those girls throwing names at him. Still, he crossed his fingers that most would be different.

Zaeryn turned, expecting the corridor to be empty, but was surprised to find Annalise waiting for him by the sunlit window. Her head was tilted back, resting against the cool wall. The relaxed posture made the fabric of her shirt ride up, revealing her flat belly. It was an unguarded moment.

She acknowledged him with a lazy expression. "Hey you."

"Oh, hey," Zaeryn replied, running a hand through his hair. "I thought you'd left."

Annalise's genuine warmth lit up her features. "I'm still your escort," she said, her voice soft. "I'm supposed to get you settled in."

"Right," Zaeryn responded. He couldn't help but wonder—wasn't she a council member? Why would she burden herself with escorting him when that job could be given to absolutely anyone at the citadel? "I thought you were a council member."

"Yeah, I know. Because I'm a council member, my job should be somewhere else, not escorting someone around campus like a babysitter."

"That's what I mean. I'm surprised," Zaeryn noted.

"Well, I wouldn't say I volunteered to do it, although I did want to get to know you better. I might be an influential member of the council, but even I can't refuse the high commander's wishes. She wanted me to escort you here."

"That makes sense. But she could have had anyone do it."

Annalise put on a fake disappointed look. "What's the matter? Am I not fun enough to escort the prince around?" Her lips curved upward.

'Man, her expression is something else,' Zaeryn thought, finding himself even more captivated. She always seemed so carefree.

"No, that's not what I mean," he replied. "You really didn't have to wait and trouble yourself. I could have... wandered around until I found someone." Though he was glad she was there. After the mix of hostile sneers and scandalized whispers he'd received on the way in, he didn't think asking a stranger for directions would end well.

"It's no trouble. And I think we've gotten along well so far, haven't we?" she asked, beaming at him.

"Yes, we have."

Annalise fell into step beside him as he began to walk. "How did it go? With Director Sorina?"

"Better than I expected," Zaeryn admitted, looking at her. "She's actually really nice."

Annalise laughed softly. "She's one of the good ones. She cares more about potential than protocol." Her hazel eyes held a warm, reassuring light. "She probably told you to get familiar with the campus?"

"Something like that," Zaeryn confirmed. Then he realized something, she didn't tell him which class was his. "Wait, she hasn't told me what class I'll be in."

"I think that's because she thought you already knew your class. Your class already got decided by Lysara, maybe with you mother and Ysmeine, in their meeting yesterday."

"What class am I in?"

Annalise brightened. "You're in Vitae Attunement and Control."

"Vitae attunement and control?" A grin spread across his face. "It sounds like fun."

They walked down the hallway, passing a few students who stared openly at Zaeryn, whispering to each other. He didn't pay attention because he was busy waiting for Annalise to give him an answer about what the class actually was.

'Vitae attunement.' He repeated the name. He could already get an understanding of it, that it had to do with him controlling his energy, which was precisely what he needed.

Annalise giggled softly, noticing his impatient look. "You're right, it's fun," she finally explained. "It's the foundational course for all new Warladies. It teaches you how to... well, control your core so you don't overexert yourself." She gave him a knowing look, clearly referencing the incident that had caused him to pass out. "Given what Daphne told us, it's the perfect place for you to start."

"Daphne told you? How much does she share about her research?" He was curious. Although he didn't think Daphne might share the details of her having sex with him, still he might be wrong.

Annalise's cheeks flushed red. The memory of Zia's words, about Zaeryn and Daphne having sex, and then mixed up with her own imagination that she just couldn't help from having unintentionally, made her blush. "Don't worry, she didn't tell us about... well, anything personal."

Zaeryn nodded. But honestly, he wouldn't mind if Daphne did tell them about them having sex. Hell, he would welcome it if Zia was listening. Maybe that would finally wipe that smug, condescending look off Zia's face.

He caught the distinct flush on Annalise's cheeks and his grin turned roguish. "Personal?" he echoed, his voice dropping a little. "Why are you blushing, Annalise? What kind of 'personal' details were you imagining?"

"I-I wasn't!" she stammered, her cheeks darkening to an even deeper shade of crimson. Her gaze darted away, flustered. "It's just... what Councilwoman Zia said in the hospital room... it was very... direct."

Zaeryn let out a low, easy laugh. "Relax. I'm just teasing," he said, his tone softening. He genuinely liked her, and he could see she was uncomfortable. "It's fine. It's actually a nice change of pace to see someone get flustered around here."

Annalise seemed to regain her composure, offering him a grateful, if still slightly shy, look. "Right. Well," she cleared her throat, gesturing down the gleaming corridor, "the attunement classroom is just up here. You start your lessons today."

Not long after, they arrived outside the classroom.

Annalise gave him a final, encouraging nod as they stopped outside a polished door, identical to the others but humming with a faint, palpable energy. "This is it. Class is already in session, so just... try not to cause too much of a stir."

"Me? Cause a stir?" Zaeryn responded, flashing his most innocent grin.

She giggled softly and gave his arm a light squeeze. "Good luck, Zaeryn."

Annalise pivoted and walked back down the corridor, her gentle presence leaving him.

Zaeryn faced the door, rolled his shoulders, and let his grin settle into one of practiced, easy confidence. He was ready.

The doors to the lecture hall—a vast, tiered amphitheater of polished gray stone and glowing data-ports, hissed open. Zaeryn stepped inside.

The low, academic murmur of two hundred female trainees cut off as if a switch had been thrown. A sharp, collective intake of breath was followed by a heavy silence, then an immediate explosion of whispers.

"Is that him?"

"By the Goddess, they actually let a male in here."

"He's in the school uniform.. so that's him .. the only male at this academy."

"I didn't think it was true when they made that announcement yesterday. But it really is the case. They really let a male into the Lyceum."

"Not just any male. They said he survived a fade, and he now apparently wields vitae."

"Interesting. He is the special one then."

"I don't know about that, but I don't want him near me."

"Speak for yourself, I want him close to me, he seems like a lot of fun."

"What? You're serious? He's a male. They're disgusting."

"Maybe, but I bet he's good in bed. Just look at him, he's the perfect male I have ever seen."

"Oh yeah. I wouldn't mind doing it with him."

"Eww! Is that the only thing you thought about when you saw him? You're so gross!"

"I wish I could unhear your words right now."

Zaeryn felt the weight of their stares and their conversations, a mix of shock, open curiosity, and pure, undiluted disdain. He kept his expression neutral, hands shoved in the pockets of his new, perfectly fitted uniform, and scanned the room.

At the front of the hall, a tall woman with her hair pulled into a severe bun slammed a glowing data-slate onto the lectern.

The sharp thwack echoed with digital finality.

"Quiet down!" she snapped, her voice cutting through the noise like a blade. Her eyes scanned the tiers of students, sharp and intolerant. "I know you're curious about the male, but I will not tolerate any noise in my lecture."

Her glare, cold and appraising, landed on Zaeryn. "You must be Zaeryn Noctis. You're late, but since it's your first day here, you're forgiven. Sit somewhere."

She didn't wait for a reply, returning to her console.

Zaeryn moved down the central aisle, the whispers and various eyes following him like a physical wake. He spotted an empty seat in the middle section. He slid into the smart-foam chair, which hummed slightly as it adjusted to his weight.

Zaeryn sat down next to a girl. She was focused intently on the device in front of her, seemingly oblivious to his arrival, or more like she was ignoring the filthy male he was.

She had long, black hair, accented with intricate braids, framed a face of pale, cool beauty. Her luminous green eyes could hold anyone's gaze.

A black, sleeveless halter top was stretched taut across the heavy, full swell of her bust, tucking neatly into a high-waisted, pleated mini-skirt.

The skirt was sinfully short, just enough to showcase the lush curve of her wide hips and thick, powerful thighs. Sheer black stockings clung to her legs, held up by the delicate straps of a garter belt that disappeared into the shadows beneath the hem.

With a black utility jacket shrugged carelessly off her bare shoulders and a single glove on her hand, she looked like a gothic priestess of forbidden knowledge.

As he settled in, the desk console flickered to life, recognizing his new credentials. Zaeryn peered sideways at his new seatmate.

The moment he observed her, she felt his gaze and her head snapped toward him. Her eyes, a startlingly cold, green locked on him, not with curiosity or disgust, but with immediate disinterest.

Zaeryn let out a quiet, internal sigh. 'Great. I just had to sit next to someone who doesn't like me already.'

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