Zaeryn grinned, feeling better about himself now. He straightened his shoulders and added just the tiniest bit more swagger to his walk.

'Great,' he thought, casting an appreciative glance around, 'the welcoming committee. At least the view was spectacular.'

He would never get bored of looking at such stunningly beautiful women, even if half of them seemed to consider his very existence a personal affront to the natural order. Sure, they hated him, but that was just a minor obstacle.

Not everyone could be won over, and made to like him, obviously. He wasn't completely delusional. But the challenge? Oh, he was absolutely ready for it.

After all, he was devastatingly attractive and had the confidence to match. What could possibly go wrong?

He pointedly returned the hostile glares he got with a lazy, appreciative once-over of their outfits, which seemed to infuriate them even more.

"Don't mind them," Annalise murmured, guiding him toward the largest central tower. "They're just… adjusting."

"Right. 'Adjusting'."

They entered the main tower, the lobby a vast, echoing space of white marble and gold inlay.

The hallway stretched out with smooth, glowing walls lined with holo-screens displaying class schedules and other stuff.

From the inside, with its long hallways and neat rows of classrooms, Zaeryn didn't see much difference from his old school. The familiar vibe settled over him like déjà vu.

'I hope the lessons here involve more than sitting at desks for hours listening to teachers yap,' he sighed inwardly. 'Still, on the bright side, it wasn't so bad, I was surrounded by hotties. Hard to get bored with that kind of view.'

The air carried a faint hum of tech and the scent of Vitae-infused materials, but it felt… normal, like any school corridor, just fancier.

Students milled about, some clutching data pads, others chatting in small groups, their uniforms shimmering faintly with academy colors.

Just like outside, here he got stares too—countless eyes following his every move.

Annalise glanced back at him, "Stick close, okay? First days can be… overwhelming." Her voice was gentle, and she gave him that warm expression that made the whole zoo-animal vibe a bit easier to swallow.

"Yeah, no kidding," Zaeryn muttered, shoving his hands in his pockets

___

Annalise led him to a set of polished oak doors at the end of a quiet, sunlit corridor, a stark contrast to the sterile metal and glowing blue panels of the Citadel proper. She pressed her clearance, and the doors opened not with an abrasive hiss, but with a quiet, expensive-sounding click.

Zaeryn's eyebrows shot up. The room was... warm. Sunlight streamed through a massive, floor-to-ceiling window that overlooked a hidden, lush garden.

The walls were lined with towering shelves crammed with actual ancient books—their leather spines worn and cracked—mixed with glowing artifacts and strange, exotic plants he'd never seen before.

The air didn't smell of antiseptic and ozone; it smelled of old paper, jasmine, and an expensive perfume that was deep and intoxicating.

Inside the room, a woman was standing near a desk, her hand leaning on it. Her auburn hair, the color of rich autumn leaves, was piled in a loose, elegant twist that softened the sharp line of her jaw.

She was dressed in an emerald-green silk dress that draped exquisitely over her curves, hinting at the athletic build beneath. The neckline plunged, a daring V that left little to the imagination and perfectly framed the enticing swell of her breasts.

She was breathtaking. The kind of woman who could derail a man's ambition with a single glance. For a fleeting moment, Zaeryn considered whether she might be worth adding to his future bond mates/harem.

A beauty in her prime like her would make any man greedy, but he reminded himself he couldn't afford to be reckless. Power first, pleasure second. If he wanted both, he'd have to be very careful.

"Sorina?" Annalise announced casually, "I've brought him, Zaeryn Noctis."

The woman beamed. Her eyes, a sharp, intelligent, and incredibly warm amber, landed on Zaeryn.

It was the opposite of the cold, clinical analysis he'd gotten from Daphne when they first met or the open contempt from Zia.

This... this was different. Her gaze was a tangible thing. It wasn't the sterile assessment of a scientist; it was a long, slow, appreciative scan.

Zaeryn felt it travel from his hair, down his shoulders, lingering for a very noticeable beat on his chest and waist, before leisurely dropping all the way to his boots. Then, just as slowly, it traveled all the way back up, finally meeting his eyes.

It was pure interest, that bypassed 'subject' entirely and landed squarely on 'man'.

A slow, genuinely warm expression spread across her face. She didn't address Zaeryn immediately, instead turning to Annalise. "Hello there."

"Hi, I'm sure the high commander told you everything you need to know about him. So here he is," Annalise explained.

Sorina nodded. "Well, well. You are the male?" she said, her voice rich and smooth, like aged whiskey. "The reports didn't do you justice, Zaeryn. Not nearly."

She appeared like she might ruffle his hair and laugh, she was so warm. He thought Annalise was the more friendlier person in the Citadel, however, he hadn't even met the Director for a second and he was already thinking maybe there was another one.

'Oh, she's nice. That's such a relief.' he thought. The last thing he feared was the Director being someone like Zia or Commander Thorne, or just anyone who hated men, because that would be a life of hell here.

"Uh, thank you," he replied, running a hand through his hair. "'The male' sounded so... official." He paused. "I was half-expecting a cage and a water bottle."

Sorina snorted, unable to resist the urge any longer. She ruffled his hair with a mischievous grin before wrapping her arms around him for a hug, laughing, "Silly, what do you think this is, a zoo? Though I'll admit, some of my colleagues would disagree." She let him go, and her amber eyes held a sharp glint of amusement. "We prefer subtler methods of containment."

Zaeryn was taken off guard by that, although he recovered quickly, smoothing his hair back.

Sorina glanced toward Annalise, who was still hovering by the door. "Thanks, Anna. I've got this."

"Of course, Sorina," Annalise said, shoulders dropping with visible relief. She shot Zaeryn a meaningful expression. "Try not to charm the Director."

"Can't promise that," Zaeryn said, which earned him a grin before the oak door clicked shut.

Sorina didn't bother with the massive desk. Instead, she wandered over to a cluttered side table and started fiddling with what appeared to be an ancient coffee setup.

"So. Zaeryn Noctis." She didn't face him as she spoke, busy grinding beans. "You're Kayla's relative, correct?"

Zaeryn's easy demeanor tightened. 'Of course. Kayla.' He couldn't go a day without someone bringing her up. "She's my aunt, yes."

"She was a handful a decade ago," Sorina murmured, a reminiscent expression touching her lips. "All fire and no control. But that's not what I wanted to discuss." She turned, holding two mismatched mugs. "Lysara's report says you can wield Vitae. Explain."

He shrugged. "Beats me. Maybe it's a gift from the goddesses or something."

Sorina studied him with a thoughtful expression. "That might be the case, although it's highly doubtful." She said, "And the part about absorbing abilities?" she pressed, her amber eyes sharp again. "How does that work?"

Zaeryn let out a short laugh. "If High Commander Lysara didn't include that in her message to you, it's probably because I don't know. I told her everything I could."

Sorina watched him for a moment, then her warmth returned. "I bet." She offered him one of the mugs. "Listen, Zaeryn. You're here to master your Vitae. We don't do the clinical observation thing in this wing."

She gestured to the organized chaos. "Here, we just figure out what you can do and try to keep you from accidentally leveling the campus."

He took the mug, surprised by the casual gesture. "So I'm not a test subject?"

"You're a headache," she said bluntly, settling into a plush armchair across from him. "But the kind we're equipped to handle. Mostly." She took a sip and made a face. "Gods, this is terrible. Why do I keep making it?"

Zaeryn tried his own and winced. "It really is." He placed the mug down, "Remind me never to try your coffee again."

"Right?" She curled up in the chair, one leg tucked under her. "Anyway, you are something unprecedented at this academy, so I apologize if you run into some trouble with the ladies here. But we'll try to create a welcoming environment for you, just as the High Commander has commanded us to."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." She beamed at him. "Did you have a teacher teaching you how to use your Vitae before?"

"Uh, not really. I was planning to start training with Mireille who had offered to help, but we haven't started yet."

Sorina hummed quietly. "Ah, yes. Mireille is your guardian."

"You know her? I guess she must have been a student here."

"Yes. All talent, no finesse. She thinks 'control' means 'point it at the wall and hope it doesn't collapse'." She raised her mug in a small toast. "Don't worry. We'll find you someone... more suitable. But for now, welcome to the Lyceum, Zaeryn."

A slow, wicked grin touched her lips. "You can leave now, and familiarize yourself with the academy. Your classes will start tomorrow." She said, and then just as he was about to turn around, she stopped him, "Try not to be too charming."

Zaeryn chuckled faintly before leaving.

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