Chapter 1

Sulien

Why is it that the world’s most talented people always end up babysitting a bunch of teenagers under the guise of education?

My history teacher, Professor Vitalis, used to be the world’s greatest fixer of mistakes. My dad used to call him an eraser . His ability to rewind time allowed him to go back to any point in history and write entire tragedies out of existence. Wars, famines, natural disasters, and more were all recorded for posterity and then promptly eradicated before they could even begin. He could also rewind time for individuals, making him an incredibly effective healer. Although I suppose it wasn’t technically healing—more like biologically resetting them to a point in time before their injuries occurred.

Regardless, his days of fame and glory were behind him now. Vitalis had grown old, losing most of his hair and gaining a pot belly that he attempted to hide under an endless collection of argyle vests. I had a theory that he’d collected the ugliest ones he could find throughout all of history just to wear them in class. Despite his questionable fashion sense, though, I enjoyed having him as a teacher. His firsthand experience with every major historical event made him the perfect candidate to teach The Anthropology of Heroes .

I twirled the metal barrel of my pen between my fingers, watching my portly professor prepare his teaching materials. The dry-erase marker squeaked on the whiteboard as he scrawled an outline of today's lesson across the surface in emerald green ink.

“Now, class, this should mostly be a review. From this point on, your goals should shift away from academics and toward preparing to transition into the hero workforce via your placement site… You all have found a hero center willing to take you on as interns, I hope?”

My shoulders stiffened as the class erupted into a chorus of Yes, professor . The pen slipped through my fingers, smacking loudly on the table in front of me. Vitalis’s silver eyes pinned on me. I felt myself shrink under the weight of his gaze, almost as if my body was folding in on itself just to prevent the embarrassment about to ensue.

“Mr. Seo, is everything alright?” His tone was even, and some might have even interpreted it as kind. But I knew it was a charade. No matter how high I scored in my classes or how well I did in combat training, the staff and students at Vanguard University would always see me as the son of a villain.

The bane of my existence called out from a few rows behind me: “Sulien doesn't have an internship! Nobody wants Necro's kid at their center. He’s a liability.”

My jaw tensed as I turned toward the sound of the voice: Jack Voltaris. His eyes met mine, and his face twisted into a self-satisfied smirk. I rolled my eyes as I considered how to respond. Honestly, there was a lot of low-hanging fruit when it came to insulting Jack. The Voltaris family may have called themselves the world’s most powerful heroes, but my dad had beaten his dad within an inch of his life more times than I could count. Bringing that up wouldn’t exactly make me look like a good guy, though .

Maybe I could call him out for his poor grades? Nepotism was the only thing preventing him from being expelled; his mom was our headmistress, and she’d never admit that her precious son was a complete failure. Jack probably wouldn’t understand the word imbecile , though, and if he wanted to look it up in the dictionary, he’d have to learn to read first. Honestly, his only redeeming quality was his stereotypical attractiveness. Bright blonde hair, dazzling green eyes, and a sharp jawline made him the poster child for masculinity.

Dammit, I let myself get distracted by his infuriatingly pretty face again.

My eyes flicked from his face to his hands. On his left index finger was a ring that bore the symbols of Aegis, the top hero center in the country—the one his daddy dearest built from the ground up. The gold band sparkled under the fluorescent lighting as if mocking me for my lineage. But bloodlines be damned, I’d be the best hero this world had ever seen, or I’d die trying.

“Not everyone has the luxury of crawling back to Daddy when they realize no one else wants them.” I smirked at his slack-jawed expression before returning to facing forward.

With Jack dealt with, I picked up my pen and opened my notebook. But before I could officially settle in for class, a ball of ice smacked me in the back of the neck. A surge of anger coursed through me, igniting in my chest and quickly traveling down my arm. The tips of my fingers glowed just long enough to ignite the corner of my notebook paper.

“Mr. Seo!” Professor Vitalis snapped. “Pyrokinesis is a powerful and dangerous ability. If you are to have any hope of succeeding as a hero, you must learn to control yourself. ”

Laughter rippled through the room as I fought off a surge of embarrassment. It wasn’t that I couldn’t control my power… but it was harder to keep in check when someone pissed me off. With a deep breath, I waved my fingers over the smoldering paper. The embers flickered, and I knew one wrong breath would fan them into an inferno. But, as I held my breath, the orange glow slowly dissipated, leaving a single ribbon of gray smoke to float up from the singed page.

I waved it off and lifted my head, preparing the proper words to explain myself to Vitalis. I’d probably tell him something along the lines of: ‘ Apologies, professor, my passion for hero work momentarily overwhelmed me. Won’t happen again. ’ But, as I cleared my throat to speak, a knock came from the door.

Vitalis cast a lazy glance in the direction of the sound, using two fingers to beckon whoever was on the other side to come in. The door creaked, and a girl dressed like a secretary timidly entered the room. The pencil skirt and white button-down made her appear older until I noticed the soft, rounded features of her face.

She was pretty, that was for sure. Her honey-blonde hair was held back in one of those claw clips, revealing a set of gold earrings emblazoned with the Aegis logo.

Great, another Voltaris brat. Must be my lucky day.

“Hello, Callie. Always a pleasure… What can I do for you?” Vitalis asked.

“I…” Callie hugged her arms to her chest as she looked around the room. The way she was acting, I had to wonder if she’d ever been around another human being before. “Mom—Sorry, Headmistress Flora asked me to grab a student for her.”

Jack cackled from behind me, and I folded my hands in my lap to prevent myself from igniting anything else.

“Who’s in trouble now?” Jack snorted like the pig he was.

A spark of irritation danced in Callie’s ocean-blue eyes as she glared at her brother. I stifled a chuckle. Maybe this Voltaris wasn’t so bad.

“No one is in trouble.” A dusting of pink danced across Callie’s cheeks. “Flora wanted me to get someone named... Sulien Seo?”

The room fell silent, and it might have been my imagination, but I swore I felt every set of eyes in that room pin on me.

“Look at that. The villain in training is getting some special attention.” Jack scoffed.

“Mr. Voltaris, that is quite enough,” Professor Vitalis warned.

The fact that Jack was also being scolded did very little to alleviate my temper. But at least I was about to be away from here. Maybe after I finished talking with Flora, I’d be able to go outside and take a breath before returning to class.

With that in mind, I gathered my things in one arm and made my way toward Callie. She held the door open and allowed me to pass through, following closely behind me as I exited the classroom. It was a little irritating that Flora sent someone to babysit me, especially because she called me to her office at least once a week to “check on me.”

Flora understood the fact that my dad’s reputation preceded mine, and she was well aware of the hurdles I’d have to face to become the hero I wanted to be. No one cared that I had earned a full-ride merit scholarship, and they never would.

“You can stop thinking like that.” Callie chirped .

I froze in my spot. What the fuck did she just say to me?

“Thinking? Like what?”

“The whole ‘ my dad’s a villain, everyone should feel bad for me ’ schtick.”

Callie’s kitten heels clicked against the white tiles as she closed the gap between us, filling the space beside me. My skin tingled at her presence, but I tried to ignore it.

“If no one cared about you, my mom wouldn’t make time for you,” she continued.

My brow furrowed as I studied every inch of her face. She looked remarkably like her older sister, the hero Chrona. But she had the same lips as her brother: full, heart-shaped, and pink. The difference was, instead of that ugly smirk Jack always wore, her expression seemed to hold genuine kindness.

I knew all about Callie’s mom, her dad, and both her siblings, but until today, I’d been blissfully unaware of her existence. The other two brats had always been in and out of the media, helping their family rid the world of evil villains without a second thought—without wondering why the villains were like that. But I’d never heard anything about Callie. Maybe... she could be different?

“You’re a mind reader?” I asked.

She shrugged. “Something like that.”

I pressed my fingers to the back of my neck, rubbing soft circles at the seam between my spine and skull.

“... Care to explain?”

She glanced at me, her lips parting and shutting as if she wasn’t too sure herself.

Was she embarrassed?

Surely not. Her whole family was blessed with extraordinary abilities; it was hard to picture a Voltaris without an absolutely mind-blowing power.

“I—” Her tongue darted across her lips. She crossed her arms close to her chest, almost as if she were hugging herself for support, and I did my best not to notice how the buttons of her shirt gaped when pressed to her breasts.

“Um, well... My power never fully came in.”

She shifted nervously from one foot to the other.

“Isn’t that supposed to happen when you’re, like, five at the latest?”

That’s what our biology texts said, anyway. My powers manifested before I was even born. Apparently, my mom was constantly running a fever during her pregnancy. Her doctors were baffled. They ran all sorts of tests, trying desperately to figure out what could possibly be making her sick until they realized I was heating her up from the inside. That’s what my dad told me, anyway. Unfortunately, I never got the chance to hear the story straight from my mother, so I wasn’t sure if my dad changed any details.

“Uh, well, yes.” She looked at the ground. “When I was a kid, I could do more, but as I’ve gotten older, it’s tapered off. On a good day, I can read a mind or two, but it’s mostly just empathy…. Which is exhausting, by the way.”

A laugh stole the end of her words, hitting me with enough force to cause an inexplicable warm and fuzzy feeling in the pit of my stomach. Callie may have been a Voltaris brat, but... I wanted to hear her laugh again.

I resumed walking, hoping to clear my mind

“I can imagine.”

I resumed walking, hoping the movement would help quell the unwanted feelings that were threatening to rise into my chest. The sounds of our footsteps bounced off the vaulted ceilings and echoed off the award-lined walls. A silence fell between us, and even if it was a comfortable one, I didn’t like it.

“So… If your empathy tires you out that much, I’m assuming you don’t have many friends?” A strange question, I’ll admit, but I was hoping I might learn something that would make me like her less.

“Nope. I’m not allowed to have friends.” Her tone was dry, not even a hint of humor in her words.

But... How could that be? It seemed almost barbaric to not let your kid have a social life. Maybe Callie was some kind of adorable sociopath—why else would they keep her hidden from the world like this?

“...Why? Jack has friends.” Somehow .

Callie tensed at my question, and part of me thought she wouldn’t answer. Her ocean eyes met mine with a fleeting glance.

“Jack is... different.” She whispered, hugging her arms even tighter against her chest.

“Yeah—He’s a dickhead.” I snorted.

My comment caused a tentative smile to quiver on her lips, one she had the audacity to hide by turning her face away from me.

“He takes after my dad,” she joked. “Dad says I’m a liability. Big family name, and no way to protect myself, so they’re hoping to train me to take over their public relations. That way, they can keep me locked away in a gilded cage to keep me safe.”

“Wait, how are you supposed to handle public relations if you’re not allowed to have friends?”

She shrugged. “PR is different, I guess.”

I had a feeling she was leaving out some details, but I had no desire to press her on the issue.

“Well, if you’re ever allowed to spread your wings, I can keep you safe.”

Her eyes widened. I wasn’t sure if she was reacting to my words or the sincerity behind them. If she truly was an empath, she had to know that I wasn’t the type to sit around and watch people get hurt. Especially ones who couldn’t defend themselves.

“I’d like that.”

She turned away again, but I was sure I saw another smile creeping onto her face. My heart did a strange somersault as she accepted my offer, and I quickly stifled my reaction. At that moment, I realized I’d have to try really damn hard to hide how much I wanted to hang out with this girl. She was practically a stranger, but some irrational part of me was dying for a chance to get to know her better.

The headmistress’s door came into view, alerting me that our conversation would soon come to an end. The very thought made my steps slow, but that’s when I realized that if Callie and I were to officially become friends, I should probably formally introduce myself.

So, I stopped on my heels and extended my hand.

Her eyes flickered between my hand and my face as her brows knit together in confusion. Oh, right—if she wasn’t allowed to have friends, she probably wasn’t familiar with handshakes. So, I gently took her by the wrist, guiding her palm to meet mine before wrapping my fingers around her hand. She followed my lead.

“Sulien Seo.” I said as I shook her hand. “Hopefully, one day, I’ll be known as the hero SmokeShow.”

“Callie Voltaris. That’s my full name.”

“I don’t believe you… What’s Callie short for?”

“Calculator.” Her smile was dazzling as she shrugged, and I choked on a laugh.

“I’m serious. If we’re going to be friends, I should know your name.”

Once again, she shrugged. “If we’re friends , you’ll have plenty more time to ask that question. Maybe the answer will change.”

The mischief in her expression caused an unexpected rush of blood to the wrong head. I knew Flora had a soft spot for me—she’d told me as much. Still, I’d rather not walk into her office sporting a chub, especially not one caused by her daughter.

“Now, come on in. My mom is expecting you.”

I released her hand and tried to shake off the awkwardness I was dangerously close to causing. It was her turn to lead the way as we walked directly into Flora’s office. Callie didn’t knock, which momentarily threw me for a loop. I had to remind myself that Flora wasn’t just the headmistress to her.

Flora’s office was tastefully decorated with various flowers. The pastel petals and vibrant green leaves were beautiful, but the heavy combination of scents was strong enough to give me a headache each time I walked in.

She looked up from her desk, green eyes bouncing between Callie and me as I took my usual seat across from her.

“Sulien.” Flora’s face morphed into the same warm smile her daughter had tried to hide from me earlier.

“Thank you for coming. I’m not disrupting anything, am I?”

I shook my head. “The theory classes are all kind of boring, honestly.”

Her expression softened with pity. “I know, and thank you for always giving them your full attention.”

I shifted against the plastic chair. I really didn’t pay attention—it’s just that the classes were so easy a dog could pass them, which made it even more infuriating to watch Jack fail.

“Mom, if you don’t need anything else, I’m going to head to the center and organize the filing cabinet,” Callie stated.

I glanced back at her, realizing that while I had entered the room, she’d stayed huddled in the doorframe.

“No, Callie. I’d like you to come sit with us. This involves you, as well.”

Flora gestured toward the spare seat beside me. A vine slithered out from under the desk, pulling the chair out to make room for her daughter. Callie hesitated for a moment. I sat a little straighter as she began slowly closing the gap between us. As she folded herself into the empty chair, she clutched her skirt closer to herself and nervously tucked her hair behind her ear. The confidence I’d seen from her in the hall had all but vanished, replaced with a sort of anxious energy that didn’t feel quite right.

My knee knocked against hers as I shifted in my seat, trying to attain some level of comfort under the intense scrutiny of Flora’s gaze. She leaned back in her leather desk chair and folded her hands in her lap.

“Sulien. In my many years here at Vanguard University, I’ve never seen a student with potential quite like yours.”

A smile threatened to grow on my lips, but I stifled it, reminding myself that she wouldn’t bring me all the way here just to sing my praises. Still, all of Vanguard had seen what I was capable of during physical training. At the risk of sounding cocky, I was fucking impressive.

“Why haven’t you found a placement?” Flora’s brow pinched as she tipped her head to the side. A few red curls escaped her bun, bouncing lightly beside her face as she watched me .

“I’ve been trying,” I promised, suddenly feeling a little less confident.

Flora regarded me with a softness only a mother could have, but there was a strange weight behind her gaze.

“I know,” she reassured. “You have your father’s legacy to contend with. I’m sure you already understand, but overcoming that stigma is going to be like swimming with a lead weight on your chest.”

Impossible.

“I know. I’m just hoping if I work harder, people will start to see that I’m more than just his son.”

I would never say this out loud, but honestly, my dad wasn’t a bad guy. He was a terrific father, and he genuinely cared about people. Unfortunately, he found himself in a situation where villainy was his only option to provide for us.

“You shouldn’t have to work harder just because the world thinks you’ll be bad at being good,” Flora continued. “In a few weeks, we have our yearly showcase.”

My heart skipped at the idea. I’d been too busy with my home life to participate in previous years, but I was scheduled to be one of the first students to run through the emergency simulation this year. And, while I knew it was a long shot, I’d been hoping that my performance would be enough to get me recruited.

I raced through my response: “Should I train harder? If I just had access to—”

Flora shook her head. “I have no doubt you’ll perform well. On paper, you’re the perfect candidate for an internship: stellar grades, excellent times in all of your safety drills. You don’t need more training, Sulian. You need someone to boost your reputation.”

Her words felt like an accusation. She said I needed someone , implying that I had no hope of fixing my problems on my own. It was almost as if she knew my public image was the one thing I’d never have control of.

“So... maybe I should start doing charity work? Get my name out there by helping people?”

But Flora shook her head. “No, my dear. Callie is going to assist you with your reputation.”

My jaw tightened as my attention turned to her. Callie seemed to shrink into the chair as if she was willing the earth to swallow her whole. I wondered if she knew this conversation was coming.

“Our family is well-known and highly regarded. If you’re seen with my daughter, the public may begin to see you in a more positive light. We’re... also hoping that this arrangement will help hone her public relations skills.”

“Callie?” I echoed, still trying to process her plan.

Flora nodded.

“With her by your side, you won’t have to face these hardships alone.”

But I was fine doing this alone. I just needed to work harder, and people would start to see what I was capable of.

“With all due respect, Headmistress Voltaris... I’ve never needed help.”

“I know, Sulien. I have no intention of undermining the incredible work you’ve done so far. But you must also face the reality that you’re the only senior who has yet to secure an internship placement.”

Flora’s eyes drifted to the clock on the wall before glancing at the watch on her wrist as if the two would say something vastly different. But, after a moment, she seemed to accept the fact that her very limited time had run dry. So, instead of giving me another chance to plead my case against needing Callie’s help, she stood. Her green eyes bore into mine as she cleared her throat.

“Mr. Seo, if you truly intend to become a hero, you and Callie will need to work together.” Her tone was stern, and as much as I hated to admit it, I knew she was right.

I did need the help… even if I only accepted it begrudgingly.