CHAPTER FOUR: More Chaos
The Headmistress's office was the kind of place designed to make students confess things they hadn't even done yet.
The ceiling arched high overhead, carved from black stone veined with silver threads that pulsed faintly, like the walls themselves were alive—and watching. Tall shelves groaned with ancient tomes, each bound shut by its own glowing sigil. At the center, a polished obsidian desk gleamed, angled so moonlight from the massive window fell directly on whoever sat before it.
Seraphine dropped into one of the chairs, yawning, stretching her legs out like she owned the place. Alaric stayed standing, arms folded, looking every inch the celestial soldier… if you ignored the faint scorch mark still marring his collar from their sparring match.
Headmistress Eirenna regarded them from behind the desk, her ageless face unreadable. Her hair gleamed silver not from age, but because silver itself seemed to favor her. Her eyes, sharp green, were the color of poisoned forests. Her aura screamed danger.
She glared at Seraphine, who sighed and pulled her boots off the edge of the desk. Alaric stifled a laugh.
"First day," Eirenna said, her voice calm as a tide hiding a riptide beneath. "First public incident. You're both fast learners."
Seraphine tilted her head. "If you wanted me to let the fire roast half my House, you could've said so in orientation. I don't mind, really."
The corner of Eirenna's mouth twitched. "You showed control, Ms. Azariel. More than some expected."
Alaric's gaze slid toward her. "She also showed magic I've only seen on the other side of the veil."
"Mr. Vale," Eirenna said sharply, "this academy is neutral ground. Your… Council sent you here to train, not to hunt."
His jaw tightened, but he nodded.
Eirenna leaned back, steepling her fingers. "Still, the two of you seem… connected. Which makes what I'm about to say more important: Astraeum is not as safe as its walls suggest. There are forces moving—old forces—that will try to use you both as weapons."
Seraphine frowned. "That sounds like a threat wrapped in a bedtime story."
"Consider it a warning wrapped in truth," the Headmistress replied. "Now, go. Classes resume in the morning. And Ms. Azariel?"
Seraphine paused in the doorway.
Eirenna's eyes glinted. "Do keep your shadows on a leash."
Seraphine rolled her eyes and slammed the door behind her.
---
They walked back toward the dorms in silence, the corridors nearly empty save for the hum of enchanted torches.
"You're really going to pretend you don't know what she meant?" Alaric asked finally.
"I'm really going to pretend I don't care. It'd be helpful if you could shut up," she shot back, quickening her pace.
"You saved the entire Umbra table without blinking. That wasn't just self-preservation."
"Maybe I like my dinner companions not being on fire."
"Or maybe," he said, lowering his voice, "you can't help yourself."
She stopped and faced him. "If you're trying to get a confession, you're going to have to be a lot more charming."
He smirked. "Careful. That almost sounded like a challenge."
---
Back in their room, Alaric headed straight for the shower. Seraphine sat on her bed, staring out the window, replaying the Headmistress's words until a knock broke her thoughts.
"Get lost," she called, still sprawled on the bed.
"It's Leona."
Seraphine sighed, dragged herself up, and opened the door.
"Let's do this tomorrow," she muttered. "A lot happened today. I don't have the mental—or physical—capacity to deal with more."
Leona studied her for a beat, then nodded and left. Seraphine shut the door, collapsed onto her bed, and stared at the ceiling.
---
The next morning's schedule threw her and Alaric into the same theory class: Factional Magic Dynamics. The name alone was boring enough to make her want to set her notes on fire.
She sat in the back, doodling little shadow beasts in the margins of her parchment, while the professor droned on about how light and dark energies were "designed to balance, not destroy."
Naturally, Alaric sat front and center like a perfect honor-roll poster boy. But every few minutes, his eyes flicked back to her, like he was waiting for her to prove the professor wrong. He wasn't the only one watching. Leona and even some random boy kept stealing glances too. Isla's gaze, however, felt more like a dagger.
When class ended, Seraphine made it exactly five steps into the hallway before someone blocked her path.
Isla.
Up close, she was almost painfully perfect—sunlit blonde hair, skin that probably sparkled under moonlight, and the Lux crest embroidered in silver thread over her robes.
"You're Seraphine, right?" Isla asked sweetly—Lux-girl code for I've already judged you.
"That's what it says on my file." Seraphine rolled her eyes and tried to keep walking.
Isla's smile didn't reach her eyes. "I hear you're rooming with Alaric. Funny how the system 'glitched' like that."
"Yeah," Seraphine said, brushing past her. "Super hilarious."
Isla's voice sharpened. "Stay out of his way. He doesn't need… distractions."
Seraphine stopped, turned slowly. "I don't know what makes you think I'm interested in your angel boy, but trust me—I've got bigger problems."
She walked off before Isla could reply, though she could feel the girl's glare burning into her back.
---
That afternoon, the Houses gathered in the open arena for the first official faction competition. Tradition at Astraeum, apparently: throw magic at each other for bragging rights and shiny trophies.
Professor Halden explained the rules (minimal injuries, maximum creativity) and split them into pairs. Seraphine was matched with Caleb, another Umbra—a shadowcaster who spent most of the match hiding under his own invisibility cloak.
She carried the fight, weaving illusions to disorient their Ignis opponents while shadows tripped them into Caleb's half-hearted strikes.
Across the arena, Alaric's duel burned brighter than most. His light magic blazed so strong the barriers shimmered. And even while battling, she could feel his attention pull toward her.
Umbra won their round. Lux did too. Which meant: final match. Umbra vs. Lux.
And of course, she and Alaric were the ones stepping forward.
The crowd roared.
"Don't go easy on me," he murmured.
"Wasn't planning to."
Halden dropped his arm. Magic collided instantly—his blade of light against her whirling shadows. They moved in a tight circle, each strike countered, each feint matched. Sparks flew—literal sparks—from the collision of their powers.
Then, mid-clash, it happened.
Their magic surged together… and merged. Light and shadow twisted into a single arc of pure, blinding energy that hummed in the air between them.
Both froze.
The crowd gasped. Halden shouted for them to stop. The energy shattered, flaring harmlessly outward.
They stepped back, breathing hard, eyes locked.
Something had just happened.
Something neither of them could explain.
Maybe this was what the Headmistress meant, Seraphine thought.
Or maybe something worse, Vex whispered.
---
Later, back in their dorm, silence thickened the air.
"That's twice now," Alaric said quietly. "Twice our magic reacted like that."
Leaning against her desk, arms folded, Seraphine shrugged. "Maybe the universe just likes a good show."
"That wasn't a show. That was resonance."
She didn't answer. Couldn't. Because deep down, she'd felt it too—the pull between them, the way their magic had recognized each other.
Vex stirred against her skin. Careful, little flame. You're playing with more than an angel's pride.
Seraphine stared at Alaric, his golden magic still faintly glowing around him.
And for the first time since arriving at Astraeum, she wasn't sure which of them was more dangerous.
A knock rattled the door.
Seraphine opened it.
"Hope we can start today?" Leona asked—then froze, eyes wide.
Alaric, shirtless, turned slightly, his back golden and cut like something sculpted. Even from behind, it looked delicious.
He caught Leona's stunned stare, smirked, winked, then tugged his shirt on. "Don't let me interrupt."
Leona blushed, looking down as he brushed past her and left.
Seraphine rolled her eyes, shut the door, and leaned against it, arms folded, staring at Leona.