Kaelin hurried through the sun-dappled corridors of Lumen Hollow, adjusting the strap of her satchel as she made her way toward the academy’s common hall. The lingering scent of herbs still clung to her clothes, a reminder of the morning’s work in the apothecary wing. She had spent too long preparing tinctures, and now, she was running te for the midday meal.

  The academy bustled with activity, students moving in clusters, voices rising and falling in excited murmurs. Snippets of conversation floated past her as she weaved through the crowd, her mind preoccupied with the supplies she needed to gather before the week’s end.

  But then, as she turned a corner, she collided with something—someone.

  Kaelin stumbled back, barely catching herself before she fell. Her satchel slipped from her shoulder and hit the ground with an undignified thud. A startled shriek escaped her lips as strong hands steadied her, pulling her flush against a solid chest. One hand pressed against the small of her back, holding her steady.

  “I—” Her breath caught as she looked up. Her hands rested on his chest.

  The man before her was unfamiliar—tall, broad-shouldered, with windswept dark hair that fell just past his colr. His skin was bronzed from the sun, and his sharp features were accentuated by a faint scar along his jawline. His clothing was travel-worn, not the finely pressed uniforms of the academy’s elite.

  A scent lingered on him—wild, like open skies and crisp mountain air, tinged with something faintly windborne. It made her pause, a strange feeling prickling at the back of her mind.

  “Are you alright?” His voice was deep, steady. His grey gaze studied her with quiet intensity, as if assessing whether she would crumble from the impact.

  Kaelin quickly stepped back, composing herself. “I—yes, I’m fine.” She shook her head, trying to ignore the warmth that had bloomed in her cheeks. “I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

  The man nodded once, his expression neutral. He bent down, picking up her satchel, and handed it to her. There was a flicker of humor in his storm-gray eyes as he said, "You might want to watch where you're going next time. My reflexes might be fast, but next time, you might not get so lucky." His voice carried a trace of chagrin, as if amused by the situation. Then, without another word, he stepped past her, heading on a path toward the Skythari enclosures.

  Kaelin turned to watch him go, still caught off guard. This isnt the new student Liora mentioned, is it?

  But she didn’t have time to dwell on it. Shaking off the odd encounter, she continued toward the common hall, her stomach reminding her that she had more pressing concerns.

  As she entered, the usual midday commotion filled the vast chamber. Students sat in small groups at wooden tables, eating, talking, exchanging gossip about the test academy happenings. The scent of roasted meats, baked bread, and spiced vegetables and ripe, sweet fruits filled the air, a welcome contrast to the sharp tang of all the ingredients she had been working with all morning. She lined up and hastily shoveled bread fruits and vegetables onto her pte forgoing the pastries that were always too sweet for her liking.

  She spotted Liora seated near one of the arched windows, already halfway through her meal. Kaelin slid into the seat across from her, exhaling.

  “You’re te,” Liora teased, spearing a piece of roasted root vegetable with her fork. “Let me guess—you got lost in another assignment from Professor Aldrin?”

  “Something like that,” Kaelin muttered, reaching for a piece of bread. Her mind still lingered on the man she had run into.

  Liora smirked and wagged her eyebrows. “Or were you too busy daydreaming about the new arrival? Tall, dark, handsome, and mysterious—I can practically see your heart fluttering.”

  Kaelin rolled her eyes. “Not this again. You have the imagination of a lovesick poet, Liora. Or perhaps you've been reading too many of those romance novels hidden beneath your textbooks.”

  “Oh, it’s not just me.” Liora gestured subtly with her chin toward a nearby table. Several students sat there, whispering in hushed voices, occasionally gncing toward the far end of the hall.

  Kaelin followed their gaze.

  Across the room, he entered the hall, retrieved his food, and then made his way to the far side. Instead of taking a seat immediately, he strode toward one of the arched windows and pushed it open. A low, resonant rumble echoed through the hall, causing more than a few heads to turn in curiosity and apprehension.

  The same man she had collided with earlier. How did he get here so fast?

  He was alone, his posture rexed but his attention sharp as he scanned the room with the practiced ease of someone who had spent too much time fending for himself, rather than enjoying the luxuries of fine dining. Why did that strike her as odd?

  Through the open window, a massive head poked inside, nudging Varek’s shoulder with an affectionate rumble. The creature let out a low growl, pyful and deep, as if expecting acknowledgment from its rider.

  Gold.

  The creature’s fur shimmered even in the dim light of the hall, its silver-tipped ears flicking, Its piercing gaze scanned the room much like its rider’s, wary, aware. Wait! What? Riders don’t have Fres—especially not for combat. It was unheard of. Fres weren’t rge or aggressive enough to carry riders into battle, and certainly not as mounts in open training. This one must be enormous. And bonded? That was supposed to be impossible. She barely had time to process the thought before he casually tossed a piece of roasted vegetable and a chunk of bread toward the creature. With jaws wide, the Skythari snapped them up midair with ease, chewing leisurely while still scanning the hall with piercing intelligence.

  Liora leaned forward conspiratorially. “Told you. That’s Varek. Tall, dark, mysterious, and obviously intriguing enough to make even you blush. And that—” she nodded toward the Skythari, “—is the reason he’s here. That golden Fre.”

  Kaelin tore off a piece of bread, considering. “And everyone is losing their minds because he didn’t have to take the entrance exam?”

  Liora gave her a look. “Nope, it was skipped for him. Just like you. You know how this academy is. Everyone here worked their entire lives for a pce at Lumen Hollow. Then someone like him walks in, no formal training, no family name, and they just let him in? Because of a Skythari?”

  Kaelin took a slow bite, chewing over the words more than the food. “Maybe he’s worth the exception.” Kaelin smirked teasingly, "Besides, aren’t you usually the one lecturing me about keeping an open mind?"

  Liora shrugged. “Maybe. But it won’t stop people from hating him for it.”

  Kaelin understood that sentiment far too well. She leaned closer, dropping her voice conspiratorially. “Careful, Liora, or someone might mistake your curiosity for genuine interest.”

  Liora grinned broadly. “And miss out on a chance to live vicariously through your romantic misadventures? Never.”

  Just as she was about to respond, a sneering voice carried over from a nearby table.

  “Of course you wouldn’t mind special treatment, Nerys.”

  Kaelin didn’t even have to turn to know who it was. Jorvan. One of the more vocal students who resented her very existence at the academy. Her muscles tensed instinctively, her patience already worn thin from their countless encounters.

  She exhaled slowly, forcing calm into her voice, though irritation crackled beneath the surface. "Do you really have nothing better to do than repeat yourself, Jorvan?" She finally gnced over at him, her eyes hard. "Or is taunting me the only way you feel relevant here?"

  His smirk widened dangerously. “Careful, Kaelin. You wouldn’t want everyone knowing just how fragile that carefully crafted confidence of yours is.” His voice dripped venom, eyes gleaming with barely suppressed contempt.

  She picked up her fork and gave him an even stare. “You’re right, Jorvan,” she said ftly, her voice cold as steel. “You’ve made this same point so many times, I almost believed you had nothing else to say. Imagine my surprise.”

  His smirk faltered slightly. “What?”

  She took a slow bite of her food, slightly raising her voice, not caring who heard what she said.. “I didn’t have to take the entrance exam. That is old news.” She gestured towards him dismissively. “Same as you.”

  Jorvan’s jaw tensed, but before he could retort, another voice spoke from the far side of the room.

  “Maybe she’s here because she earned it.”

  The entire hall turned.