Chapter 2

Sulien

Three days had passed since Flora assigned her youngest daughter, Callie, to shadow me like an overbearing guardian angel. As far as I was aware, a PR representative was supposed to give press conferences and make sure I didn’t say anything stupid in public. Instead, she felt like my babysitter.

Of course, I didn’t mind seeing more of Callie, but the idea that I needed her help pissed me off. I’d earned my place at the most prestigious heroing college in the country in spite of my dad’s reputation. Not only that, but I was the top-ranked student in the hero program, and the only thing standing between me and a legendary center placement was the populace’s misguided ideas about my intentions. But I knew it was only a matter of time before people started to come around.

I didn’t need Callie’s help to clean up my image. Or at least, that’s what I kept telling myself.

I wanted to hate her, but the little brat was infuriatingly hard to be mad at. She wasn’t the spoiled, bratty daughter of Flora Voltaris I’d imagined her to be. Callie was quiet, almost mythical in the way she moved through the world. She never pried into my thoughts or asked about why I wanted to be a hero. She just existed in my space, and weirdly, I found myself wanting to exist in hers as well.

We usually ate lunch together, and our silence was more comfortable than awkward. Throughout our scattered conversations, I’d learned that Callie’s courses were split between general studies and the hero-tech program. Given her family’s background, it seemed odd that she had no interest in at least attempting to be a hero. Though I suppose it made a certain kind of sense, mind-reading and empathy were both fairly useless in combat.

Now and then, I’d catch her staring at me, her wide blue eyes unblinking, as if she was trying to figure me out. But she never pushed to get to know me. Instead, she seemed content just to be near me.

To my surprise, I was beginning to feel the same.

“So… what do you do in your spare time?” I asked, swiping a baby carrot from her.

She nudged her tray closer to me, giving me easier access to her food.

“I watch a lot of movies.”

“Oh yeah? What kind?”

“Horror,” she admitted.

I raised an eyebrow, biting into the stolen carrot.

“You like horror movies?”

I leaned in, catching a hint of her perfume. It was sweet and floral, like rose-flavored candy. Did girls always smell this good? Sure, I’d brought my fair share of one-night stands home when I wasn’t so busy with school, but I hadn’t dated much. I was just too busy for anything serious. My roommates filled in some of the gaps—company, advice, sex—but they were men. And, while some girls may have envied Jace’s head of gorgeous chestnut-colored hair, there was no replacement for the softness of a woman.

Her ponytail bobbed as she nodded at my question.

“I like the feeling of being scared.”

Her smile was sweet, but the way she said it made my skin crawl. There was something weird about this girl, something that didn’t quite fit with the rest of her demure persona .

“What’s your favorite movie?” I asked, still not quite believing that she was serious.

“Found footage! I like how real they feel.” Her excitement was palpable as she clenched her fists, digging her bubblegum-pink nails into her palms.

I couldn’t help but wonder what those nails would feel like on my back—but I quickly pushed the thought down. Callie probably wasn’t the type to sleep with someone she barely knew, and I wasn’t sure I had it in me to be serious with her… even if some insane part of me wanted to try.

“That’s... unexpected.” I shifted in my seat, hoping she didn’t notice that the crotch of my jeans was much tighter now than it’d been a few seconds ago. “Why do you want them to feel real?”

“Because it’s more authentic,” she replied, leaning forward. “Like I’m really in danger.”

There was that spark again, the subtle glint in her eye that made me want to see just how far she’d go for a thrill.

The temperature in the room seemed to spike as my powers threatened to slip out. Pyrokinesis was a dangerous ability, often linked with villains or vigilantes. One wrong move and you could seriously hurt those around you. Usually, I did my best to keep everything under control. But right now, I was dying to watch Callie play with fire.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked, tilting her head like a curious puppy.

“No reason.” I forced an easy smile as I fought to keep the flames at bay.

Another silence enveloped us, but this one was slightly uncomfortable as I worked up the courage to ask:

“So... What would you say to hanging out tonight?”

Her lips parted in surprise.

“Like a date?”

I choked, gripping the table to steady myself. The wood beneath my fingers began to smolder .

“Do you... want it to be a date?”

Her eyes widened, darting from my face to the steaming table.

“Do you need help, Sulien?”

I looked down at the orange glow in my fingertips, threatening to ignite.

“I’m fine,” I lied, flicking my wrists to cool them down. “You just got me a little... hot under the collar.”

She didn’t laugh at my lame joke. Instead, she reached across the table, placing a hand on my shoulder. Her touch was warm, grounding me as she stared into my eyes. It felt as if she was peeling back my layers, searching for something hidden deep inside. I had no idea what she was looking for, but for some reason, I desperately wanted to give it to her.

“You’re not the first person I’ve unnerved,” she teased. As she pulled away, my shoulder tingled with the memory of her touch. “Although you are the first to almost catch a table on fire.”

I barked out a laugh, finally managing to cool down. “I’m full of surprises.”

“Surprises?” she purred, leaning in again. “Like what?”

I leaned closer too, her breath brushing against my lips. Part of me wanted to tell her she’d have to sleep with me to find out, but that kind of comment wouldn’t befit an aspiring hero. Luckily, my phone’s alarm went off, saving me from myself.

“Shit, I need to go,” I groaned, glancing at the time. “Combat simulations.”

“Guess I’ll have to wait to know your secrets.” She gave me an exaggerated fake pout.

“I guess so. Hey... what are you doing in like two hours?” I asked, still trying to figure out if a date was on the table.

“I’m sitting in on a meeting with my family,” she said, sounding bored. “We’re trying to expand our center.”

I tried not to be offended. Flora recognized my talent, and Aegis was looking to expand, so why wouldn’t they offer me a placement? Part of me wanted to be angry at Callie for that, but deep down, I knew she had no control over her father’s decisions.

“What about after?” I asked.

She gave me a wide smile. “I’ll be free after eight…Does that work for you?”

“Eight sounds perfect.” I feigned nonchalance, hoping she wouldn’t notice how excited I was.

***

The worn soles of my sneakers squeaked against the metal tiles as I sprinted from the locker room to the middle of the gym. At the beginning of the semester, I’d set the alarm for this class specifically to give myself enough time to reach the third floor, change into my training uniform, and still arrive fifteen minutes early. But that plan didn’t account for a detour across campus to a building I hadn’t even known existed just to drop Callie off at her class.

Academics had always come first for me. I couldn’t afford to give anyone another reason to look down on me. But as I crashed into the crowd of my peers, half-dressed in my training uniform, I realized I had pushed my luck too far. I was late. And worse, Professor Lumanara’s golden gaze zeroed in on me like a hawk spotting its prey, which was fitting considering her bird-like features.

“Mr. Seo,” she said, her voice cutting through the room. The curl of her lip was unmistakable. “Nice of you to join us.”

“Sorry,” I panted, trying to catch my breath. I was in excellent shape—years of training had ensured that—but no amount of combat drills could prepare me for the exhaustion of sprinting across campus as if my life depended on it.

“Don’t let it happen again.” she replied, her tone dismissive as she turned back to the whiteboard.

I straightened up, my lungs burning as I fought to blend in with the other students—an impossible task, given that I was six-foot-five. Lumanara’s marker squeaked as she wrote “Yearly Showcase” in perfectly neat cursive.

“Who here is familiar with the showcase?” she asked, turning to the class.

A girl in front of me raised her hand, and Lumanara pointed to her.

“It’s a yearly event held by the school to attract investors for the university and placement opportunities for the students.” the girl recited.

Lumanara nodded, crossing her arms with a satisfied expression. “And what makes it special?”

Jack’s hand shot up, and I glared at him. Nothing personal, of course; I just couldn’t stand the guy.

“Mr. Voltaris?” Lumanara prompted.

Jack smirked, standing tall under her gaze as if he owned the room.

“You have to be invited to participate. Only the best and brightest get in. That’s why I’ve been the star every year.”

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. Jack was probably the kind of guy who jerked off to his own reflection.

“Exactly,” Lumanara said, her gaze sliding over to me. “The best and the brightest—except for Sulien, who’s always been too important to accept his invitation.”

Every head in the room turned toward me, and I felt my stomach tighten. This wasn’t fair. These people couldn’t possibly understand what it was like to have a parent in the hospital, or the feeling of struggling to cover both my own expenses and my father’s medical bills.

“This year,” Lumanara continued, “All seniors have the right to participate, regardless of status, academic performance, or criminal affiliations.”

A cold sweat formed at the back of my neck as I balled my fists, willing myself to stay calm. The thought of my powers slipping out of control in front of everyone made my heart race even faster.

“This is your final chance to secure a center placement,” she said, her voice firm. “Failure to do so means failure from the program—and without that, you’ll never meet the legal requirements to be a practicing hero.”

If that happened, I’d never escape my father’s shadow.

Lumanara moved on, explaining that each senior would be paired with a classmate specifically chosen to bring out the other’s strengths. Our official partners would be announced next week, and I was dreading the results. I couldn’t afford to be saddled with some indifferent rich kid who might drag me down.

My thoughts were so loud that they drowned out Lumanara’s voice as she continued her lecture. I was so lost in my head that I didn’t notice Jack creeping toward me until he spoke:

“Rumor has it you’ve been hanging out with my sister,” he said, his voice dripping with contempt.

I swallowed hard, shoving my hands into my pockets as I met his glare.

“Yeah, we’ve just been having lunch together.” I resisted the urge to tell him I’d fucked her. It wasn’t true, but it would’ve been worth it to see the look on his face.

His eyes narrowed, his voice descending to a low growl. “I don’t care what it is. If I see you around Callie again, I’ll freeze you solid.”

“Try me,” I shot back, the words escaping before I could think better of them.

Jack’s blue eyes flashed with anger, his brows knitting together. “You think I’m joking? You’re a fucking charity case, Seo. Everyone’s throwing you a pity party: the school, my mom, and especially Callie.”

His words hit me like a punch to the gut. I wanted to argue, to tell him he was wrong, but I knew there was a sliver of truth in his words. Even if I wanted more, I knew Callie and I were just friends, and of course I would respect that boundary.

But that didn’t make his words sting any less.