...
By evening, the academy had changed.
Lucien felt it in the way conversations stopped when he passed, in the way eyes lingered too long, calculating and afraid. Word of the shattered Binding Crystal spread faster than wildfire.
"Stellar magic," someone whispered behind him.
"That's a myth," another hissed. "He broke the crystal—what if he breaks the wards next?"
Lucien kept his head down, fingers clenched inside his sleeves. The stars inside him pulsed uneasily, responding to every flicker of fear.
He was afraid of what this means.
At the end of the corridor, Caelum waited.
He stood alone beneath a floating lantern, golden hair tied loosely at the nape of his neck. When he saw Lucien, his expression softened instantly, as though the rest of the world blurred away.
"You shouldn't walk alone," Caelum said, falling into step beside him.
Lucien let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "I thought princes had guards."
"I sent them away." Caelum smiled faintly. "They make it hard to think."
Lucien glanced at him. "About what?"
"About you."
That single word sent heat flooding Lucien's face. He looked away quickly.
Is he?!He thought passed away as quickly as it came to his mind.
"People are scared."
"They should be careful instead," Caelum replied. "The stars don't choose lightly."
Lucien stopped walking. "You keep saying things like that—as if I matter."
Caelum turned fully toward him, eyes serious. "You do."
The hallway seemed to dim, lanterns flickering in response to the tension between them. Lucien's chest tightened painfully.
"Come," Caelum said gently. "There's something you need to see."
.....
Caelum led Lucien past locked doors and unused staircases until the academy felt unfamiliar. Finally, they reached a narrow passage hidden behind a tapestry depicting ancient constellations.
Caelum pressed his palm against the stone wall.
Light flared.
The wall dissolved.
Beyond it lay a circular chamber bathed in starlight—despite being deep within the academy. The ceiling was a living sky, constellations slowly rotating, their glow reflecting in pools of silver water on the floor.
Lucien's breath caught.
"This room…" he whispered.
"Is forbidden," Caelum finished. "The Astral Sanctum. It reacts only to celestial bloodlines."
Lucien took one step forward—and the stars surged brighter.
The room recognized him.
Caelum stared. "I thought so."
Lucien turned sharply. "You knew?"
"I suspected." Caelum's voice was quiet. "When I touched you during the ceremony, I felt it. A pull. A resonance."
Lucien's heart pounded. "That wasn't just me?"
"No." Caelum stepped closer. "It was us."
The air between them vibrated, invisible threads tightening. Lucien felt warmth spread through his chest, a sense of rightness he had never known.
Before either could speak again—
The chamber darkened.
A shadow detached itself from the far wall.
Chapter Six: The Professor of Ashes
"Your Highness," said a cold voice, "how disappointing."
Professor Malrec stepped forward, robes of deep crimson whispering against the floor. His eyes gleamed with sharp intelligence—and hunger.
"Professor," Caelum said evenly, positioning himself slightly in front of Lucien.
Malrec smiled thinly. "So the rumors are true. The last starborn awakens… and bonds himself to the Light Prince."
Lucien stiffened. "Bond?"
Malrec's gaze snapped to him. "You feel it, don't you? The ache. The pull. Two souls resonating."
Caelum's jaw tightened. "There is no bond."
Malrec laughed softly. "Denial doesn't undo fate."
He raised his hand, and the shadows writhed. The stars above flickered wildly, responding to Lucien's fear.
"Careful," Malrec warned. "If you lose control, the academy will burn."
Lucien's breath shook. "What do you want?"
Malrec's smile widened. "To watch history repeat itself."
With a sweep of his cloak, he vanished—leaving behind a chill that seeped into Lucien's bones.
The silence afterward was deafening....
Lucien collapsed onto the edge of the silver pool, trembling.
Caelum knelt beside him instantly. "Hey—look at me."
Lucien met his gaze, eyes shining. "They're afraid of me. You heard him."
"I don't care," Caelum said fiercely.
Lucien's breath hitched. "You should."
Caelum reached out, hesitated—then gently took Lucien's hand. The moment their skin touched, starlight and gold intertwined, illuminating the chamber.
"I was raised to serve the realm," Caelum said softly. "But for the first time, my light feels… mine."
Lucien swallowed. "What if this destroys you?"
Caelum squeezed his hand. "Then we face it together."
The stars above them rearranged, forming a new constellation—two figures bound by a single thread.
Neither of them looked away.
Outside the sanctum, ancient magic stirred.
And destiny, long asleep, opened its eyes.