After about twenty minutes, the soft chatter in the academy’s dining hall died down almost instantly when the doors flung open. The sound of angry steps steps echoed sharply against the marble floor as a tall, broad-shouldered young man with golden-brown hair and a fine black robe strode in. His face was striking, handso in a proud and dangerous way, but his eyes carried the cold edge of arrogance.
Lucan.
Every student in the room seed to sense what was about to happen. Heads turned, whispers started, and the tension thickened. Ian didn’t even look up at first...he was still cutting through his roasted at with calm precision, as though the sudden silence had nothing to do with him. Eve’s posture, however, stiffened slightly, her eyes darting to the door.
Lucan’s gaze locked onto them instantly, his expression darkening when he saw Eve seated across from Ian, smiling faintly despite the situation. He marched straight toward their table, the crowd parting as though clearing the way for a storm.
"Ian Grey," Lucan’s voice rang loud and sharp, drawing everyone’s attention. "I hear you’ve been busy embarrassing yourself."
Ian didn’t lift his gaze until he finished chewing. He swallowed slowly, placed his fork down, then finally t Lucan’s furious stare with lazy amusent. "Funny," he said, leaning back slightly, "I was about to say the sa about you."
A few gasps rippled through the hall. Eve’s eyes widened...she knew Lucan’s reputation, and this was the kind of provocation most would never dare.
Lucan clenched his fists, his knuckles whitening. "You think you can talk to that way, boy? You’re nothing but a low-ranked initiate who got lucky in one duel."
Ian gave a faint shrug. "Maybe. But even that’s better than being a senior chasing after a beautiful lady who clearly doesn’t want you."
The hall erupted into murmurs. Eve’s cheeks flushed red...not from embarrassnt, but from shock that Ian had said it aloud. Lucan’s face turned crimson, a vein throbbing on his temple.
"What did you just say to ?" Lucan growled, stepping closer until he lood over the table.
Ian stood up slowly, matching his gaze without flinching. His tone was calm, but his words cut sharper than a blade. "You heard . You’re a weak man, Lucan. Not because you’re not strong ... I’m sure you are...but because you’re chasing sothing that doesn’t belong to you. You’re obsessed with soone who doesn’t give a damn about you, and that’s pitiful."
Eve’s breath caught in her throat. The entire room fell silent again. Even the clinking of cutlery had stopped.
Lucan’s jaw tightened, his aura flaring faintly with the heat of his elent...fire. The air shimred slightly, and a few nearby students took a cautious step back. "You’ll regret that, boy," he hissed.
Ian just smiled, a calm, dangerous smile that only made Lucan angrier. "Maybe. But not tonight."
Lucan’s eyes burned, but Eve suddenly stood, stepping between them. "Enough! Both of you." She glared at Lucan first. "You’re embarrassing yourself, Lucan. Go back before you make things worse."
Then she turned to Ian, her tone sharp but her eyes betraying a flicker of concern. "And you," she said, "try to stay calm."
Ian’s lips curved into a small smirk as he stepped back, gesturing slightly with his hand. "Fair enough."
Lucan, however, was seething. He pointed a finger at Ian. "Enjoy your dinner, Grey. It’ll be your last peaceful one in this academy."
Ian didn’t even look at him as he sat back down. "We’ll see."
Lucan turned sharply and stord out, his footsteps heavy with anger. The whispers returned instantly, louder than ever. So were terrified for Ian, others amused.
Eve sat back down slowly, shaking her head. "You just couldn’t let it go, could you?" she murmured.
Ian smiled faintly. "He started it. I just finished it."
She sighed and picked up her drink, muttering under her breath, "You’re going to get yourself killed one day."
Ian grinned, raising his cup toward her. "Maybe."
Eve couldn’t help it...she laughed softly, though she tried to hide it.
The buzz of conversation gradually returned to the dining hall after Lucan’s stormy exit, though everyone’s eyes still flickered toward Ian and Eve every few seconds. So were whispering about how insane he was to talk to Lucan like that. Others were whispering sothing different...admiration. No one had ever dared call Lucan out that way, not even the senior mages.
Eve tried to ignore the stares as she lifted her glass. Her hand was steady, but her mind wasn’t. "You really have no sense of self-preservation, do you?" she said finally, her voice cool but edged with disbelief.
Ian took another calm sip of his drink. "I just don’t like bullies. Especially ones who think the world owes them sothing."
Eve arched a brow. "You do realize he’s not just any senior, right? Lucan’s from House Rellmar...his uncle’s on the Council of Magi."
"Good for him," Ian said simply. "I don’t kneel for family nas."
Eve studied him for a long mont. There was no arrogance in his tone, just quiet certainty. It was unsettling in a way...he didn’t boast, he didn’t shout, and yet his words carried a confidence that felt unshakable.
"You talk like soone who’s seen more than you should," she said.
"Maybe I have," Ian replied with a faint, knowing smile.
Eve leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms. "You really think this little act of defiance will impress anyone? Because it won’t. It’s going to make your life miserable."
"Maybe," Ian said, looking her straight in the eyes. "But if I have to choose between living quietly or standing my ground, I’ll take the second option every ti."
She didn’t reply right away. Instead, she turned her gaze toward the window where the twilight bled into the horizon, casting the academy’s towers in a deep violet hue. "You’re reckless," she said at last. "And foolish."
"Probably," Ian said, his lips twitching in amusent. "But you’re here having dinner with , so maybe you’re a little foolish too."
Eve turned back to him sharply, caught off guard. "Excuse ?"
He chuckled softly. "You could’ve stayed in your dorm, ignored , pretended this never happened. But you ca. So, either you’re curious, or you just wanted to see what kind of idiot I really am."
Her expression faltered...just a flicker...before she hid it behind another sip of her drink. "You think too highly of yourself," she said.
"I think just enough," Ian replied.
For a few monts, neither of them spoke. The tension had shifted now...it wasn’t the hostility of the duel or the confrontation, but sothing quieter, charged in a different way. The candle between them flickered, casting golden light across her features. She looked softer now, thoughtful.
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