The acrid smell of burnt stone and ash still clung to the air, an unwanted reminder of the courtyard's destruction.
Jae's eyes opened to the pale glow of mana-crystals lining the infirmary walls. For a moment, the world blurred, ceiling arches shifting above him. His body felt heavy, sore in places he couldn't name.
"Jae!" Elise's voice cracked with relief as she leaned over him. Her hands hovered uncertainly, as if torn between hugging him and checking for wounds.
Her dark hair brushed forward, and she quickly tucked it behind her ear. "You're awake… thank the heavens."
Before he could answer, Tirel pushed in beside her, red eyes gleaming with mischief. "About time," she said, lips curling into a grin. "You had the whole academy buzzing. One moment you're fighting like a madman, the next you collapse like a sack of flour. You scared Elise half to death."
