The morning after Rael's little training session, Elias woke up feeling... different.
Not just physically (though his body still buzzed from last night's thoroughly sinful activities), but magically.
It was like a second heartbeat thrummed beneath his skin — powerful, molten, demanding.
At breakfast, he tried testing it out.
Simple things.
Hover the spoon. Levitate a cup.
Result: the spoon wobbled violently before shooting across the room and nailing Wyll square in the forehead.
"OW!"
Wyll glared at him, rubbing his forehead.
"Seriously, Wynn?! What's your problem?"
"Sorry!" Elias squeaked, yanking the spoon back with a sudden flick of energy that — mercifully — didn't explode the table.
Across the room, at a corner table, someone chuckled quietly.
Rael — hidden behind a shimmering glamour charm — lounged like he belonged there, a picture of casual arrogance.
To the casual observer, he just looked like any other handsome upper-year student, with brown hair and ordinary gray eyes.
Only Elias, who could sense his magic now, knew better.
Rael winked at him, his illusion flickering briefly to reveal a flash of golden hair and mischievous blue eyes — a private secret between them.
"You're improving," Rael called lazily, using the neutral voice of a 'student observer.'
"That's not encouraging!" Elias hissed under his breath, cheeks flaming.
Still, Rael was right.
The magic was more... manageable.
It curled under his skin like a restless beast, but one that recognized its master now.
Later, during Elemental Focus Class, Professor Salverin tasked the students with conjuring personal elemental shields — a tricky spell, even for upper-years.
Most students produced thin, flickering barriers.
Elias, meanwhile, raised his hand — and a brilliant, swirling shield of gold and black mist materialized around him.
It shimmered, crackled, and held solid.
The entire class stared.
Professor Salverin's mustache gave a dangerous twitch.
"Hmm," he said finally, scratching something vigorously into his notes. "Unexpected… but promising."
From behind, Wyll muttered, "Show-off."
Elias barely heard him.
I did it! I'm not blowing things up anymore!
After class, Rael caught him outside, sweeping him into the shadow of a stone archway.
Here, out of sight, the glamour shimmered off — golden hair, piercing blue eyes, those deliciously broad demon shoulders.
"You're adapting faster than I thought," Rael said, voice low and approving. He brushed his thumb along Elias's jaw, making his heart skip.
"Maybe I'm just a natural genius," Elias said, grinning, still a little breathless from everything.
Rael leaned down, mouth brushing just near Elias's ear — hot, thrilling.
"Or maybe..." Rael murmured, "you're mine now."
Elias shivered from head to toe.
Rael didn't kiss him — not yet — but the promise in his touch burned hotter than fire.
As Rael slipped back into his glamour and vanished into the crowd, Elias pressed a hand to his chest, feeling the strange magic still pulsing inside him.
Control?
He was getting there.
But when it came to Rael?
He didn't want any control at all.