CHAPTER 263: CALEB DUSKWOOD [1]

"Dismissed," Professor Thornwick announced, his tone brooking no argument. "Next session, we’ll be working on defensive positioning. Don’t be late."

The students began filing out, conversations erupting about the matches they’d witnessed. Some were animated, others subdued after their own defeats.

Livia was the first out the door.

She moved quickly, not quite running, but close. Her arms wrapped around herself, weaving through the dispersing crowd with practiced efficiency. Her fingers found that tear-shaped pendant again, worrying at it as she walked.

Caleb watched her go from his position by the pillar.

Then he pushed off and followed.

Without any hesitation or second thought.

He didn’t call out. Didn’t rush. Just maintained a steady pace that kept her in sight as she navigated the corridors, heading away from the main campus paths toward the less-traveled areas near the outer buildings.

She turned a corner into a narrow walkway between two structures.

Caleb quickened his pace slightly.

When she emerged on the other side, he was there.

Blocking her path.

Livia stopped short, her breath catching. Her eyes widened, then immediately dropped. "Caleb. I was just—"

"Where were you going?" His voice was flat.

"Back to the dorm. I need to—"

"No." He stepped closer, closing the distance. "You were heading away from the dorms."

Livia’s hands clenched at her sides. "I just need some air. Some space."

"Livia."

Something in the way he said her name made her flinch.

She tried to step around him. "I’ll be back before curfew, I promise—"

His hand shot out, catching her wrist.

Not hard. But firm. His blue eyes bored into hers with an intensity that made her breath hitch.

"Were you going to sneak out?" His voice dropped lower, hissing through clenched teeth. "To see him?"

Livia’s face went pale. "No. I wasn’t—"

"Don’t lie to me." His grip tightened fractionally.

"I saw you yesterday. At the gardens. Sitting on that bench, peeking around the corner while he was chatting with his girl by the fountain."

Livia’s breath caught. Her eyes widened, then immediately looked away. "I don’t know what you’re talking about."

"Really?" Caleb’s voice was flat, disbelieving. "You just happened to be sitting there? In that specific spot? For half an hour?"

"I was reading—"

"Without a book."

Livia’s jaw clenched. "Maybe I was just... taking a break. Thinking. It’s not a crime to sit in the gardens."

"It is when you’re staring at him the entire time." Caleb leaned closer, his voice dropping. "When you flinch every time one of those girls touches his arm. When you leave the moment he stands up."

"You were watching me?" Livia’s voice rose defensively. "You were spying on me?"

"I was making sure you were safe." His tone didn’t change. "Which apparently I need to do constantly because you keep—"

"I’m not doing anything wrong!" Livia tried to pull her wrist free, but his grip held firm. "I’m allowed to go wherever I want!"

"Not to stalk someone who’s engaged."

"I’m not stalking—" Her face flushed red. "I just... I was just..."

"Just what? Hoping he’d notice you? Hoping he’d choose you over his fiancée?" Caleb’s expression was unreadable. "He doesn’t even know you exist, Livia."

The words hit like a physical blow. Livia’s eyes filled with tears. "That’s not... you don’t understand—"

"I understand perfectly." His voice was quiet, cold. "You have a crush on someone completely unavailable. Someone who was there that night and didn’t—"

"Don’t." Livia’s voice broke. "Please don’t bring that up."

"Why not? It’s the truth." Caleb’s jaw clenched. "He was at that place. He could have done something. Could have stopped it. But he didn’t even notice."

"It wasn’t his responsibility—"

"And it wasn’t yours to end up—"

"Hey!"

A loud shout cut through their back and forth.

Both of them turned.

A young man approached quickly, tall, well-built, with blond hair and a confident stride. He wore an Iron Talon badge, though not from their class. His expression was a mix of concern and barely concealed eagerness.

He’d clearly seen Caleb gripping Livia’s wrist and decided this was his moment to be heroic.

"Is there a problem here?" the young man asked, directing the question at Livia while shooting Caleb a challenging look.

Livia’s face went even paler. "No, there’s no—"

"Because it looks like this guy’s bothering you." He stepped closer, puffing up slightly. "I’m Haren Verne, second-year. If he’s giving you trouble, I can handle it."

"I’m fine," Livia said quickly, her voice strained. "This is just—"

"Just what?" Haren glanced at Caleb skeptically. "Looks like harassment to me."

Caleb’s expression didn’t change. His grip on Livia’s wrist didn’t loosen. He just turned those half-lidded eyes toward Marcus with the same lazy disinterest he’d shown everyone else.

Livia’s eyes widened further, she just opened her mouth to speak, when...

"Walk away," Caleb said quietly.

Haren bristled. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me." Caleb’s tone remained flat. "This doesn’t concern you."

"I’m making it my concern." Haren took another step forward, squaring his shoulders. "Let her go. Now."

Livia’s eyes darted between them, panic rising in her expression. "Please, just... this isn’t necessary—"

"Listen, friend—" Haren started.

"I’m not your friend," Caleb interrupted. "And you need to leave. Now."

"Or what?" Haren’s confidence was building, likely bolstered by his year advantage and size difference. "You going to start something? Right here in front of everyone?"

A few other students had stopped to watch, drawn by the confrontation.

Caleb’s grip on Livia’s wrist finally released.

She immediately stepped back, wrapping her arms around herself, her eyes fixed on the ground.

Caleb turned fully to face Haren. His posture remained relaxed, hands sliding into his pockets, weight shifted to one leg.

But his eyes...

"This is your last chance," Caleb said quietly. "Walk away."

Haren laughed, though it sounded forced. "You’re a first-year, right? You really think you can—"

Caleb moved.

His hand came out of his pocket, grabbed Haren’s extended wrist, and twisted.

he yelped, suddenly off-balance. Caleb used the momentum to guide him, until he found himself face-first against the wall, arm locked painfully behind his back.

The entire movement took less than two seconds.

"I told you to walk away," Caleb said, his voice still quiet. Still flat. "You didn’t listen."

"Let go—" Haren struggled, but the angle of his arm made resistance painful.

"You don’t know anything about what’s happening here." Caleb leaned closer, his voice dropping even lower. "You don’t know her. You don’t know me. And you don’t get to play hero when you have no idea what you’re interfering with."

He released Haren, who stumbled forward, catching himself against the wall.

"Next time someone tells you to walk away," Caleb said, stepping back, "take the advice."

Haren turned, his face red with humiliation and anger. "You’re going to regret—"

"Are we done?" Caleb’s expression remained unchanged. "Or do we need to continue this conversation?"

Haren looked at the gathered students watching, at Livia standing frozen with tears streaming down her face, at Caleb’s utterly calm demeanor.

He made the smart choice.

"This isn’t over," he muttered, then stalked away, pushing through the watching crowd.

The other students slowly dispersed, sensing the show was over.

Caleb turned back to Livia.

She was staring at him, her expression a mix of horror, gratitude, and something else, resentment, maybe. For being protected. For being seen as weak. For having her brother fight her battles.

"I didn’t need you to do that," she said quietly.

"I know."

"I could have handled it myself."

"I know."

"Then why—"

"Because he was touching something that’s mine to protect." Caleb’s voice was flat. Final. "That’s not going to change. No matter how much you hate it."

Livia wrapped her arms tighter around herself. "I don’t hate it. I just... I wish things were different."

"So do I. But they’re not. So we deal with what is."

He gestured toward the dorms. "Come on. I’ll walk you back."

"You don’t have to—"

"Livia."

She sighed, defeated. "Fine."

They walked in silence.

And high above, from a shadowed alcove between buildings, Nyra watched them go.

Her violet eyes tracked their movement with quiet interest.

Then she melted back into the shadows.