The summons arrived on a sliver of pulsing magenta mana, a direct command from Lysandra Thorne, the woman who had effortlessly silenced the Refectory. Kael followed the instruction to the highest administrative wing, feeling the oppressive weight of her focus even before he reached her private sanctum—a vast office overlooking the Arcana Institute, shimmering with layered security runes.
Lysandra was waiting, seated behind a desk crafted from crystallized mana, her purple robes swirling like an isolated nebula. The moment Kael stepped inside, the door sealed with a dense, magical thump.
"Come closer, Kael Varis," she purred, the sound low, dangerous, and incredibly intimate. Her eyes, the color of raw amethyst, devoured him, tracing the fine lines of his new physique and the simmering energy that radiated from his core. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"
Kael felt the familiar, uncomfortable heat rising under his collar, an instinctive response to the raw, possessive desire that pulsed off her like a physical force. "My Core… it changed. That's all."
Lysandra laughed, a sharp, delightful sound that echoed in the high chamber. "No, little one. The Core is the result, not the cause. You didn't just change; you became an Apex. The moment your Core reformed, it didn't just channel power; it became a nexus of pure, chaotic, irresistible essence. Every female in this institute who is worth anything felt it. You are a hunger they cannot articulate and certainly cannot control."
She rose, moving with predatory grace until she stood directly in front of him. Kael swallowed, feeling trapped by the overwhelming proximity. Her scent—spicy, ozone, and ancient mana—was intoxicating.
"Look at me, Kael. Yesterday, I saw an insect. Today…" She trailed off, reaching out. Her fingers were long, cold, and electric as they brushed the mana-crackling surface of his chest. The contact sent a jolt of panicked heat through Kael.
"Today, you are mine to guide. Your existence is an inherent disruption. Elara will try to dominate you. Sienna will try to dissect you. But they are children playing with fire they cannot understand." Lysandra's voice dropped to a mesmerizing whisper. "You belong to the highest echelon, Kael. And I am that echelon."
She stepped back, her eyes never leaving his. "We need to stabilize this chaotic aura before the wrong people realize what you are. The key is the Affinity Amplifier Crystal, stored in the Institute's oldest vault. It can act as a regulator, though it will only amplify your inherent magnetism further."
"A crystal? Where is it?" Kael asked, his voice rough.
"It requires a high-level authorization code, currently assigned to the Head of Research… Sienna Thorne's office. She won't give it up easily. You will have to use that terrifying allure of yours. Convince her. Distract her. Subdue her." Lysandra smiled, a deep, satisfied, dangerous curve of her lips. "Go, Kael. Bring me the crystal. And remember who sent you."
The air thrummed with unspoken promises and outright threats as the sealed door hissed open, releasing Kael back into the halls, where the air felt strangely thin compared to the suffocating intensity of Lysandra's presence.