CHAPTER 122: SECOND OPTION

{Serilla}

Serilla walked into the dining hall with her usual entourage trailing behind her like she was royalty.

Marcus, a tall noble with brown hair and a sharp jawline, threw an arm around her shoulders. She let him, leaning into the warmth.

"There’s our queen," he said, grinning down at her.

"Obviously." Serilla kissed his cheek, tasting the faint hint of cologne. "Did you finish the essay for Valemont’s class?"

"With your notes? Easiest assignment all year."

They reached her usual table near the center of the hall where everyone could see her.

Serilla sat down, spreading her legs slightly as she got comfortable, and immediately two girls flanked her. Beatrice, a blonde with big tits, and Celine, a redhead with freckles dotting her nose and cheeks.

Both leaned in for kisses. Serilla obliged, pressing her lips to Beatrice’s first, then Celine’s, letting her tongue slip just enough to make Celine’s breath hitch.

"Missed you yesterday," Beatrice said, her hand sliding onto Serilla’s thigh under the table.

"I was busy."

"With that commoner?" Celine’s nose wrinkled as she pulled back slightly.

Serilla’s hand shot out, holding Celine’s chin. She tilted Celine’s face up, forcing eye contact.

"Watch your tone."

"Sorry." Celine’s eyes went wide, pupils dilating. "I just meant—"

"I know what you meant." Serilla released her, watching as Celine rubbed her jaw. "And yes. I was with Aegis Starcaller."

Marcus whistled low, leaning back in his chair with a lazy grin.

"The scholarship girl? Heard she’s got game."

"She does." Serilla grabbed her fork, stabbing at the eggs on her plate with more force than necessary. "Unfortunately."

Beatrice giggled, her fingers squeezing Serilla’s thigh.

"You like her."

"I don’t like anyone."

"You’re blushing."

"I’m not—" Serilla stopped herself, jaw clenching. "Shut up."

Her eyes drifted across the dining hall, scanning the crowd until they landed on silver hair.

There. Aegis sat with Liora at a corner table, both of them laughing about something. Aegis had one arm slung over the back of Liora’s chair, her body angled toward the blonde in that casual, confident way that made Serilla’s stomach twist.

Then Aegis said something. Liora’s face went red, spreading from her cheeks down to her neck. Aegis grinned, all smug, and pulled Liora onto her lap in one smooth motion.

Liora squeaked, hands flying to Aegis’s shoulders for balance. Her skirt rode up slightly, exposing the soft skin of her thighs.

Aegis leaned in, whispering something in her ear. Whatever she said made Liora hide her face in Aegis’s neck, shoulders shaking with embarrassed laughter.

Serilla’s grip on her fork tightened until her knuckles went white.

[She has to be doing that on purpose. She knows I’m watching.]

The worst part was...

[Gods. I’m not jealous of Starcaller, I’m jealous of Liora.]

The realization hit her like a punch to the gut, stealing her breath.

She wanted to be the one on Aegis’s lap, feeling those soft thighs beneath her. Wanted that cocky grin directed at her.

And no one else.

[Fuck.]

"Serilla?" Marcus waved a hand in front of her face, snapping his fingers. "You okay?"

"Fine." She stabbed her food again, the fork scraping against the plate. "Just thinking."

"About?"

"Nothing important."

Liar.

She kept watching. Aegis kissed Liora’s neck, slow and deliberate, her lips dragging across pale skin. Liora giggled, tilting her head to give her more access.

Serilla looked away, jaw so tight it hurt.

Her mind drifted back to a few years ago, standing by her bedroom window at home, watching the garden below while rain pattered against the glass.

Talia and Liora had been there, under the old oak tree’s shadow. As teenagers, they’d laughed and flirted the days away carelessly, playing a game Serilla had never been invited to join. Serilla had watched from above as Talia tucked a flower behind Liora’s ear, watched as Liora blushed and looked away with that soft smile she only ever gave Talia.

Even back then, Serilla had known deep in her bones: Liora’s heart might never belong to her.

She’d been the distraction. The good dick between classes. The second option when Talia wasn’t around.

And now, with just a year or two apart, when Talia came back into Liora’s life at the academy, Serilla had been dropped without hesitation. Liora had barely looked at her for weeks.

[Never again.]

She’d sworn it to herself back then, lying in bed alone while Liora was probably thinking about Talia. She would never be second place, never be the backup plan someone settled for. If she wanted someone, she would have them completely—no competition, no sharing, no looking at anyone else.

And yet...

And yet Aegis made it clear she didn’t work like that.

And she still wanted Aegis anyway, wanted her so badly it made Serilla’s chest ache.

[Ridiculous.]

"Serilla." Beatrice touched her arm, fingers gentle against her sleeve. "You’re glaring."

"Am I?"

"Yeah. At Starcaller."

Serilla forced herself to relax, unclenching her jaw and loosening her grip on the fork before she bent it.

"Just thinking about the Winter Trials."

"Sure." Beatrice didn’t sound convinced, her tone dripping with skepticism.

Serilla stabbed her food one more time, then stood abruptly. The chair scraped against the floor.

"I’m going to the library. I’ll see you later."

She left before they could respond, walking fast enough that her skirt swung around her thighs.

---

{Aegis}

Aegis adjusted her grip on her training sword as Commander Korvo paced in front of the class.

"Today we’re doing group exercises. Dungeon crawling basics. You’ll be going into the tunnels beneath the academy. Teams of three. Clear a designated section and return with proof."

Korvo started calling out names.

"Scarlett Lionheart, Kanna Greaves, Thomas Wren."

Scarlett’s face went red. Kanna’s expression didn’t change, but Aegis swore she saw the corner of her mouth twitch.

[Oh, this is going to be good.]

"Kai’Lin Summerfang, Tomas Black, Helena Cross."

Kai’Lin’s ears flattened as she glanced at her sister.

"Mei’Lin Summerfang, Darius Goldspire, Aegis Starcaller."

Aegis blinked.

[Wait, what?]

Mei’Lin’s tail puffed up, her eyes going wide.

"Commander!" Kai’Lin’s hand shot up. "Can we switch?"

"No. The point is to work with people outside your comfort zone." Korvo crossed his arms. "You’re mercenaries. You don’t always get to choose your team."

Aegis tried not to grin as the twins had a silent conversation across the yard, ears twitching.

[Divide and conquer. Perfect.]

Darius walked over with his usual confidence, nodding at Aegis.

"Starcaller. Looks like we’re working together."

"Looks like it."

Mei’Lin approached slowly, tail low, avoiding eye contact.

"Don’t slow us down," Darius said to her.

Mei’Lin’s ears flattened.

"I won’t, nya."

Korvo handed each team a map and a pouch.

"Your designated section is marked. Collect three monster cores and return. You have two hours. Go."

---

They descended into the tunnels. Torches lined the walls, and the air smelled pretty awful. Mei’Lin walked behind them quietly, her ears swiveling to track every sound.

They reached a fork. "Left," Darius said, checking the map.

A skittering sound echoed ahead.

"Spiders," Mei’Lin whispered. "Three. Maybe four, nya."

"Can you fight?" Darius asked.

Her tail lashed. "Yes."

"Good. Aegis, you take the left. I’ll take center. Mei’Lin, cover the right."

[Already giving orders. Typical.]

They moved into a chamber where four Prison Spiders clung to the walls, eyes glowing green.

Darius charged first, his sword cutting through the nearest spider. Green blood sprayed.

Aegis used Aether Step, appearing behind another spider. Her daggers sank into its abdomen. It thrashed. She twisted the blades and yanked them free.

Mei’Lin moved fast, her claws slicing through a spider’s legs. It collapsed, and she finished it with a thrust to its head.

The last spider tried to flee. Darius threw a dagger that hit it in the back.

Silence.

Aegis knelt by a corpse, cutting out its core. The thing pulsed warm in her hand.

[Time to make a move.]

"Nice work," Aegis said casually.

Mei’Lin’s ears twitched.

"... Thanks, nya."

"You’re fast. Faster than I expected."

"We train a lot. Back home."

"In the Red Canyon?"

Mei’Lin looked at her, yellow eyes wary.

"Yes."

"Must be tough, training in that heat."

"It builds endurance, nya."

Darius interrupted.

"Can you two chat later? We still need one more core."

Aegis pocketed her core.

"Lead the way, boss."

They moved deeper. Aegis stayed close to Mei’Lin.

"You and your sister are close," Aegis said quietly.

Mei’Lin’s tail swished.

"We’re twins. Of course we’re close, nya."

"Must be hard, being separated for this assignment."

"It is."

"But you’re handling it well."

Mei’Lin glanced at her, surprised.

"I am?"

"Yeah. You’re keeping up with Darius, and he’s not exactly going easy."

Mei’Lin’s ears perked up slightly.

"He’s... intense."

"That’s one word for it."

Mei’Lin almost smiled.

Ahead, Darius stopped.

"Slime," he said, pointing at the blue blob in the tunnel.

"Easy. Aegis, you take it. Show me what you’ve got."

[He’s testing me. Fine.]

The slime lunged. Aegis sidestepped and slashed. Her blade cut through its membrane, and the slime split into two smaller blobs.

She used Aether Whip, wrapping both blobs and slamming them into the wall. They splattered.

A small core dropped. Aegis picked it up.

"Four cores. We’re done."

Darius looked impressed.

"Not bad."

They emerged from the tunnels where other teams were already returning.

Korvo collected their cores.

"Good work. Dismissed."

Aegis caught Mei’Lin’s eye.

"Hey. Good job today."

Mei’Lin blinked.

"You too, nya."

Then she hurried off to find her sister.

Across the training yard, she spotted Serilla leaning against a wall, watching her.

Their eyes met.

Serilla didn’t look away. Neither did Aegis.

Finally, Serilla pushed off the wall and left, hips swaying. She glanced back once.

Aegis’s grin widened.

[Whatever you’re planning, Frost, I’m ready.]

Three days until the Winter Trials.

And everything was falling into place.