CHAPTER 116: AFTERGLOW

The dining hall smelled like burnt toast and overcooked eggs, which was about standard for academy breakfast.

Aegis shoveled scrambled eggs into her mouth while Sophie and Lune bickered across from her.

"I’m just saying," Sophie insisted, leaning forward with her elbows on the table, "you could have at least knocked before walking in."

"It’s my room," Lune replied, tone flat as always. She cut her toast into perfect squares. "You’re the one who decided to fornicate there."

"Fornicate?" Sophie snorted. "Who even talks like that?"

"People with vocabulary."

Aegis tuned them out, focusing on her eggs. Scarlett sat beside her, demolishing a plate stacked high enough to feed three people. The redhead had the metabolism of a furnace.

Liora picked at her fruit salad, eyes drifting across the hall.

Aegis followed her gaze.

Serilla Frost sat with a cluster of nobles, laughing at something one of them said. Her pink hair caught the morning light streaming through the windows. She wore her uniform like it was custom-tailored, which it probably was.

[She cleans up nice for someone who was begging for more dick at four in the morning.]

Serilla glanced toward their table.

Liora sat up straighter.

But Serilla’s blue eyes locked on Aegis, not Liora. Her lips curved into a smirk before she turned back to her conversation.

Liora blinked, confusion flashing across her face.

"Huh," Aegis muttered, scooping up more eggs.

"What?" Scarlett asked through a mouthful of sausage.

"Nothing."

Sophie grabbed a piece of bacon off Aegis’s plate.

"Lune, I’m telling you, the polite thing to do would’ve been to just turn around and leave."

"The polite thing would’ve been to use your own room."

"Vera’s roommate was there!"

"Not my problem."

Aegis snorted into her orange juice. Across from her, Liora still stared at Serilla’s table like she was trying to solve a puzzle with missing pieces.

The double doors at the front of the hall swung open.

Conversations died as Headmistress Valdris strode in, silver hair pinned back, robes flowing. She moved with the kind of authority that made even the cockiest nobles shut up.

She reached the center of the hall and stopped.

"Good morning, students."

Her voice carried without her needing to shout. Magic, probably.

"As you’re all aware, the Winter Trials are in one week. I’m here to provide additional details regarding what you can expect."

Aegis leaned back in her chair.

[Here we go. Time to figure out exactly how I’m going to game this thing.]

"The Winter Trials," Valdris continued, "are an opportunity for all students—noble and commoner alike—to distinguish themselves. The format will consist of three challenges: Combat, Strategy, and Cooperation."

She paused, letting that sink in.

"Combat will be individual duels. You’ll face opponents based on your current ranking. Strategy will involve tactical problem-solving under pressure. Cooperation will require you to work in assigned teams to complete an objective."

Aegis’s mind raced.

[Okay, Combat I can handle now that my Power’s up. Strategy is my bread and butter. Cooperation though...]

That one could be tricky. If she got stuck with dead weight, it wouldn’t matter how good she was.

"The top performers," Valdris said, "will receive recognition from the Crown. This includes potential sponsorships, titles, and other opportunities."

Aegis sat up straighter.

[Titles. That’s what I need. Noble status starts here.]

Sophie leaned over, whispering.

"You’re gonna crush it, big sis."

"Damn right I am."

"That is all. Prepare yourselves accordingly."

Valdris turned and left as quickly as she’d arrived.

The hall erupted into chatter.

"Combat duels?" Sophie grinned, practically bouncing in her seat. "That sounds fun!"

"Only if you don’t lose," Lune said.

"... True."

Scarlett cracked her knuckles.

"Finally, a chance to throw down without Korvo breathing down my neck."

Aegis pushed her empty plate away.

"We should start planning. Figure out who we’re likely to face."

Liora nodded, but her eyes drifted back to Serilla’s table.

[She’s still hung up on her. Can’t blame her, I guess. First love and all that.]

Around them, students stood, gathering bags and heading for their first classes. The noise level rose as everyone processed what they’d just heard.

Aegis caught snippets of conversation.

"—if I face Talia in Combat, I’m screwed—"

"—Cooperation means we might get paired with commoners—"

"—heard the Crown’s actually sending observers this year—"

Students started filing out, heading to their first classes. Aegis stood, stretching. Her back popped.

"Come on," Scarlett said, slinging an arm around Aegis’s shoulders. "Nazraya’s gonna murder us if we’re late again."

Sophie kissed Aegis’s cheek.

"See you at lunch, big sis!"

"Try not to traumatize Lune again," Aegis called back.

"No promises!"

They headed toward the doors.

Serilla appeared in their path.

Liora tensed beside Aegis.

[Oh boy. Here we go.]

Serilla walked right up to them, hips swaying. She stopped in front of Aegis, ignoring everyone else.

Then she leaned in and kissed her.

Not a peck. A full, tongue-involved, possessive kiss that tasted like strawberries and wine from last night.

Aegis’s eyes widened. Her hand instinctively went to Serilla’s waist.

Serilla pulled back, leaving Aegis’s lips tingling.

"Don’t be late for class, sweetheart," Serilla said, voice dripping with satisfaction.

She turned and walked away, pink hair swishing behind her.

Aegis stood there, friends staring.

Sophie’s jaw hung open.

Lune raised an eyebrow.

Liora looked like someone had just told her the sky was actually green.

Students around them whispered, heads turning.

Scarlett broke the silence.

"What the hell happened last night?"

Aegis wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, grinning.

"A bit."

"A bit?" Scarlett repeated, eyes wide. "Starcaller, that woman was trying to steal Liora like a week ago and now she’s tongue-fucking you in the dining hall?"

"Yeah, well." Aegis shrugged. "Things change."

Liora stared at her. "Did you... with Serilla?"

"Yep."

"When?"

"Last night. At the Masquerade."

"But she was with me most of the evening!"

Aegis grinned wider. "Not most of it."

Liora’s mouth opened and closed like a fish.

Sophie burst out laughing.

"Holy shit, big sis! You really just fucked the crazy right out of her!"

"Sophie!" Liora hissed, face bright red.

"What? It’s true!"

A few nearby students snickered. Others hurried past, clearly trying not to get involved.

Lune adjusted her bag.

"We’re going to be late."

"Right, right." Aegis started walking again, Scarlett still staring at her like she’d grown a second head.

They made their way through the halls. Students rushed past them, chattering about the Winter Trials.

"So," Scarlett said slowly, "you and Serilla are... what, together now?"

"Fuck no," Aegis said. "We just had sex."

"That’s it?"

"That’s it."

"Does Talia know?"

"Probably not. Why would I tell her?"

Scarlett snorted. "You’re insane."

"I prefer ’ambitious.’"

Liora walked quietly beside them, brow furrowed. She looked like she was trying to solve a complicated math problem in her head.

[Poor girl. First her hot ex shows up, then said ex starts obsessing over me instead. That’s gotta be confusing as hell.]

They turned a corner, heading toward Nazraya’s classroom.

"I mean," Scarlett continued, "don’t get me wrong. Serilla’s hot. But she’s also batshit."

"That’s what makes it fun."

"You have weird definitions of fun."

Aegis elbowed her. "Says the girl who gets off on sparring until someone bleeds."

"That’s different!"

"How?"

"It just is!"

Lune spoke up from behind them.

"Statistically, Aegis has now had sexual relations with five separate individuals in the span of three months. That’s approximately 1.67 partners per month."

Aegis glanced back. "You keeping track?"

"It’s hard not to when you’re so loud."

Scarlett cackled.

Liora’s face went even redder.

They reached Nazraya’s classroom. The door was still open. A few students filed in, taking their seats.

Aegis stepped inside.

[Alright. Time to focus. Winter Trials in a week. That means I need to max out my training time.]

She headed for her usual seat near the middle.

[Combat, Strategy, Cooperation. Three challenges. Three chances to prove I’m worthy of a title.]

Her HUD flickered.

New Objective: Prepare for Winter Trials

Complete "Hearts and Minds" Event

[Right. Still need to deal with Darius and the twins.]

She sat down, pulling out her notebook.

Lune took the seat beside her. Scarlett dropped into the one on her other side.

"Five gold says Talia corners you after class," Scarlett whispered.

"No bet. That’s guaranteed."

More students trickled in. The classroom filled with the sound of shuffling papers and quiet conversations.

Aegis tapped her pencil against her notebook.

[One week. I can do a lot in one week.]

The door slammed shut.

Professor Nazraya swept in, black hair perfect, red eyes sharp. She set her bag on the desk and turned to face the class.

"Good morning, darlings," she purred. "I trust you all had a delightful evening at the Masquerade?"

A few students murmured affirmatives.

Nazraya’s eyes found Aegis. Her lips curved.

[Oh great. She knows too. Does everyone know?]

"Wonderful," Nazraya said. "Now then. Let’s begin."