The next morning, Kael left his dorm earlier than usual. The first rays of sunlight softly brushed the academy's marble roofs. As he walked toward the lecture hall, he let the golden light warm his face and the cool air fill his lungs. For a moment, everything seemed calm and simple.
When he reached the classroom door, he pushed it open and looked around. A few students were already there, seated in their usual groups and chatting quietly. I'm not the first, even though I came early, he mused with a small grin. Why is everyone in this academy so damn ambitious?
He found his seat, sat down, leaned back, and tried to stifle a yawn. Just as he was about to rest his head on his hand, he heard the scrape of a chair beside him. Someone sat down gracefully and deliberately, and the soft scent of lilacs brushed his senses.
Golden hair spilled over the desk like threads of sunlight. When she lifted her head, he met Cassandra's clear, intelligent eyes.
"Is this seat free?" she asked with a polite smile, her tone light but teasing.
"Cassandra?" Kael blinked, clearly caught off guard. "Why are you sitting next to me?"
She tilted her head slightly, her smile deepening. "Why not? Is this seat taken?"
"No, that's not it," he said quickly, scratching the back of his neck. "I'm just wondering why. Have you already found that particular flower?" His voice softened with curiosity.
Her expression softened, almost apologetically. "I could narrow down the number," she admitted quietly, "but I couldn't find it." She hesitated for a moment before meeting his gaze. "I wanted to sit with you because I liked our conversation yesterday." Her voice sounded gentler than usual, stripped of its usual grace and poise.
"That surprises me," Kael said, raising an eyebrow. "I thought a noble lady like you would have plenty of people to entertain you." He gestured lazily toward a group of students whispering nearby. "Like them, for example. They're currently glaring at me as if I've stolen their treasure."
Cassandra followed their gaze. The corners of her lips curved into a smile, but her tone was as sharp as frost. "They're just people who care about my face or my family name. They'd do anything to please me." She turned her gaze back to him. "But you're different. You don't care about any of that. That's new."
"Great," Kael replied, his voice dripping with irony. "So, I'm interesting just because I'm different?" He looked at her more directly now, his tone softening. "That's a first. But the truth is, I don't care about any of that because real worth doesn't come from others. It comes from who you are. From what you choose to be."
Cassandra blinked, momentarily caught off guard. Her usual composure wavered before a faint, genuine smile touched her lips. It was a smile unlike the polished mask she usually wore. "An interesting point of view," she said softly. "Though...a little naive."
Kael let out a short, humorless chuckle. "You're not the first to tell me that."
Her expression shifted, and a warm glow flickered in her eyes. "It must have been someone precious," she murmured, her voice carrying a note of quiet empathy.
"Yeah," he replied, his voice heavy with exhaustion. Or a memory. He looked at her, searching her expression. "But you still haven't told me the real reason you're sitting here. I don't buy that excuse about 'enjoying our conversation.'"
Cassandra chuckled softly, her voice low and melodic. "You're very cautious," she said, tilting her head with a teasing smile. "I like that."
She leaned forward, close enough that her breath brushed his ear. "I'm afraid I'm going to like you more and more," she whispered. "And I think you wouldn't like that."
Kael's eyes narrowed slightly, and his body tensed. "Is that a threat?"
Cassandra leaned back in her chair, her expression unreadable.
"No," she said, her smile returning, though it carried a strange weight this time. "I'm just saying I'll look forward to our next conversations. You intrigue me . . . and that's dangerous."
"Why is that dangerous?" Kael asked quietly, still guarded.
Cassandra didn't answer right away. Her gaze drifted from him to the other students chatting across the room. When she finally spoke, her tone had changed. It was softer, more distant, and almost philosophical.
"People think they're like birds," she began, her eyes following the sunlight filtering through the tall windows. "They're meant to fly, to be free. But every single one of them lives in a cage." She subtly pointed toward the groups of students. "Some cages are built by the students themselves, while others are built by the world around them. They all think they're free and that they choose their own paths, but they're bound. Shackled by duty, by fear, by what others expect of them."
Kael frowned, unsure if she was talking about others or herself. "You make it sound like no one is free," he said.
Cassandra's lips curved into a faint smile. "No one truly is. Even I have a cage I can't escape from. And maybe," her eyes flickered to his, sharp now, "maybe you do too, but you just haven't noticed it yet."
Kael leaned back, his tone firm but calm. "Maybe cages aren't always built by others," he said slowly. "Maybe we stay inside because we're afraid of the cost of flying."
For a brief moment, her smile faltered. But then her usual smile returned. "That's what makes you fascinating, Kael. You still believe that flight is possible."
"You make it sound like I'm some experiment for you to study," Kael replied, his tone cold and controlled. "Thank you for your help with the flowers, but I'd appreciate it if you found another seat."
Cassandra smiled again, this time in a sharper, more dangerous way. She leaned closer, just enough so that he could hear her whisper, "Don't worry," she murmured in a predatory tone. "If I wanted it that way, I would've done it long ago."
Then, with a wink, she straightened up and glided across the room to another seat.
I can't decide if she's dangerous or just broken, Kael thought, rubbing his temples. Kael thought, rubbing his temples. I guess she's not the noble lady I thought she was. He barely had time to finish the thought before the door opened.