The training yard was empty, the evening sky streaked with violet and amber Riftlight. Shadows stretched long over the polished stone, curling unnaturally near the edges of the Academy grounds. Ren stood in the center, hands flexing at his sides, pulse thrumming faintly beneath his royal blue eyes.
"You're tense," Lucien said softly, stepping from the shadows at the perimeter. His very light brown eyes were calm, focused—but there was something flickering beneath the surface, a hint of unrest, almost hunger. Shadows twisted around him like dark smoke, responding to the pull of his energy.
"I'm fine," Ren said, trying to sound casual. His fingers itched, the pulse beneath his skin whispering, eager to move, to extend, to act.
"You're not," Lucien corrected, voice low. "And you shouldn't be. Tension isn't a flaw—it's fuel. But if you can't channel it… it'll control you instead."
Ren exhaled and let his pulse thread outward. He felt the heat of his energy coil, responding to him like a living thing. Lucien stepped closer, shadows rising slightly, brushing around Ren without touching.
"Focus on intent," Lucien instructed. "Not just the motion of energy. Let your pulse reflect your decision, your will. Offensive, precise. Not reckless."
Ren nodded, letting the warmth flow outward. He flicked his wrist, a tendril of energy extending just a few feet, striking a distant training dummy. The pulse hit cleanly, knocking it off balance. Shadows rippled behind Lucien, acknowledging the strike.
"Better," Lucien murmured, eyes narrowing slightly. A shadow stretched, brushing the ground almost like a warning. "Now push further. Extend your control—but don't overreach."
Ren inhaled, heart thundering, pushing his pulse further. The air vibrated faintly around him, threads of blue energy brushing against the edges of Lucien's shadows. A thrill ran through him—the exhilaration of raw control, the tether to Lucien's presence, the intimacy of guidance.
Suddenly, a voice cut through the dusk.
"Well, well…" Selene's sharp tone carried across the courtyard. She leaned casually against the edge of the arena, arms crossed, amber eyes flicking to Ren and Lucien. "Training late, I see. Must be… important."
Ren's pulse jumped, heat threading low in his chest. He froze.
Kael stepped up beside her, dark green eyes sharp. "Or maybe someone's getting special attention." His smirk was deliberate, eyes on Lucien more than Ren.
Ren's hands tightened, pulse surging faintly in irritation and… something else. He clenched his fists subtly, energy coiling beneath his skin. "We're… training," he said flatly, trying to sound casual.
Selene's smile widened, sharp as a blade. "Sure looks like it. You two are… very close, aren't you?"
Lucien's light brown eyes flicked briefly toward the intruders, but the shadows around him didn't flinch. "Focus on your own training," he said quietly. His calm tone carried authority, but something darker lingered in his gaze. The shadows stretched faintly, brushing the ground like a predator testing its prey.
Ren felt it—heat, pulse, a quiet warning. He forced his pulse to steady, threading it outward in tandem with Lucien's shadowed presence. "You should… go," Ren said, voice low, tinged with warning.
Selene and Kael exchanged a glance but didn't press further. They knew better than to push against Lucien—at least openly. For now.
Once they left, the tension in the yard relaxed slightly. Ren exhaled, chest tight, pulse racing in a different way. Lucien stepped closer, very light brown eyes softening. "You handled that well," he murmured. "Your control… even under distraction. Impressive."
Ren allowed himself a small, teasing smirk. "I'm full of surprises."
Lucien's lips twitched faintly. Shadows curled around them, protective, intimate. "And I like discovering them," he said softly, voice almost a whisper. "Every… small layer."
Ren's chest throbbed, pulse quickening. He let his teasing edge slip into something quieter, almost intimate. "Every layer, huh? Sounds like you're dangerously curious."
Lucien's gaze flicked down for a heartbeat, very light brown eyes darkening faintly. "Curiosity… can be dangerous," he said. "But sometimes worth the risk."
Ren's pulse surged at the words, warmth threading low through him. He stepped closer, letting his energy thread outward, mingling with Lucien's shadows. "I like… dangerous," he murmured softly. "Sometimes."
Lucien's lips curved slightly, shadows pulsing faintly with Ren's heartbeat. "Good," he whispered. "Then we'll explore it… together."