CHAPTER 96: JAE’S BURN

Tirel blinked and when next she opened her eyes again, the world seemed to snap into sharper focus. The sounds of sparring in the background faded into a low hum as her gaze locked on Jae, who was standing directly in front of her.

His Dragonfire blade was angled downward, steady and unshaking, the shimmering tip hanging just inches from her chest.

There was no wasted movement in his stance, his posture was loose, almost casual, but the quiet certainty in it told her everything. He could end this spar in the next heartbeat if he wanted to.

A faint smirk tugged at her lips despite the thrum of exertion in her limbs. "I surrender," she said, lifting her hands in a gesture halfway between mock defeat and grudging respect.

Jae’s mouth curved in amusement. The tension that had been coiled in the air between them dissolved with a flicker of light as he released the dragonfire blade.

It scattered into harmless sparks, fading into the space between them like fireflies drifting away. He stepped back just far enough to give her room to breathe again, the confident energy around him never really fading.

"You’re a lot to handle," Tirel said, brushing a stray strand of fiery red hair back behind her ear. She was still catching her breath, her chest rising and falling, but her voice carried its usual edge of teasing.

Beneath that, though, there was a trace of something else, reluctant admiration she wasn’t about to voice outright.

"Comes with practice," Jae replied easily. He was already half-turned to step away when her eyes narrowed slightly, catching on something out of place.

"Wait." She leaned in just a little, her gaze sharpening as it landed on the exposed skin at the base of his neck. Her brows drew together. "You’ve got a burn."

Jae instinctively reached up, fingertips brushing the tender patch. The faint sting confirmed it.

He hadn’t noticed in the heat of the spar, but the mark must have come from one of her earlier fireball volleys when he’d moved in too close.

Tirel’s smirk slipped away in an instant, replaced by a look of genuine guilt. "Oh, spirits..." she started quickly, her tone uncharacteristically flustered. "I didn’t realize I.."

"It’s fine," he cut in, waving it off as if it were nothing. "Really. Elise can patch it up in no time."

She still looked uneasy, trailing after him as he made his way toward the resting area.

Her eyes flicked between his neck and the ground, as though she was replaying the moment in her head and wishing she’d been more careful.

Elise had been lounging on a bench nearby, eyes half-shut in that post-spar haze, until she caught sight of Jae. Her gaze sharpened instantly, and in the space of a second she was on her feet.

The moment her eyes landed on the burn, her expression shifted, concern first, then something much sharper.

"What happened?" she asked, already closing the distance. When she turned her glare on Tirel, her voice dropped into something cold and cutting. "What did you do?"

Tirel froze under the force of the look, caught somewhere between surprise and irritation. "It wasn’t.. I didn’t mean.."

"You were careless," Elise snapped before she could finish. "Throwing fireballs like that in close range? Were you even thinking?"

"I.." Tirel began again, but the words faltered under Elise’s unyielding stare.

"Hey," Jae interrupted, stepping forward just enough to break their locked gazes. "It’s nothing serious. Elise, can you just heal it?"

Her attention shifted back to him, and almost instantly the fire in her tone cooled to something softer. "Of course." She motioned for him to sit, her movements brisk but careful.

Jae dropped onto the bench without protest, leaning back as Elise knelt in front of him.

The glow from her palm bloomed in a soft green hue, and the faint hum of magic filled the space between them.

Cool, tingling relief spread over the burn as the energy sank into his skin, replacing the raw sting with soothing warmth.

"Mmm," Jae murmured, a teasing note curling into his voice. "I love the way you touch me."

Elise’s fingers hesitated for just the smallest fraction of a second. Color rose swiftly in her cheeks, and her mind betrayed her with a flicker of memory, nights when his voice had been quieter but heavier, when her hands had been busy with anything but healing magic. She pushed the image away with practiced effort, focusing on steadying the flow of mana.

Off to the side, Tirel crossed her arms, a slow smirk forming as she observed the sudden shift in Elise’s demeanor. She didn’t comment, but there was a knowing glint in her eyes.

Jae, either oblivious or deliberately playing dumb, stayed still until Elise’s hand withdrew. The skin where the burn had been was now smooth and unmarked.

"Better?" she asked quietly.

"Perfect," he replied, rising with a small grin. "Thanks, doc."

She rolled her eyes, but a ghost of a smile tugged at her lips. Tirel muttered something indistinct under her breath and wandered off, clearly done with the day’s drama.

xxx

That night, silver-blue moonlight draped itself over the academy grounds. The air was cooler now, carrying with it the faint scent of the garden beds lining the stone walkways.

Outside the dorms, Jae leaned against the railing, one arm resting loosely on the wood as his eyes followed Yuna.

Her long hair caught the pale light, each strand shifting gently in the breeze. "You know," he said, voice dropping to something low but clear, "your eyes sparkle under the moonlight."

Yuna stopped mid-step, blinking at him. "What?"

"They do," he repeated with a faint smile. "Like little pieces of glass catching the light."

Her lips curved into a shy grin, and a faint blush warmed her cheeks. "You’ve been saying strange things all night," she murmured, though her tone was more amused than critical.

"Strange?" Jae tilted his head slightly. "I’d call it a compliment.

"It is," she admitted after a pause, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I’ve missed this, being with you outside of training and academy business. Just... talking."

His grin shifted toward something more mischievous. "Did you miss me... or my body?"

The blush deepened in an instant, and she swatted at his shoulder with a small laugh. "You’re impossible."