"What are you doing? Switch on the light..." I muttered, fumbling along the wall for a switch, my nerves fraying in the dimness.
And then I noticed it.
He didn’t need the light. The edges of him seemed to shimmer faintly with a pale, icy glow, like the cold of a glacier distilled into human form. It wasn’t bright enough to illuminate the room, but enough for me to see the sharp angles of his face, the glint in his blue eyes, and the calm, unnervingly controlled aura he exuded.
I froze, clutching my arms around myself. "W-what... what is—"
Lucian’s head tilted slightly, his expression unreadable, but his ice-blue eyes held that same steady intensity. "What’s wrong?" His voice was soft, almost casual, but the chill in his presence made the room feel smaller, tighter.
I swallowed hard. "N-nothing... just... adjusting to the dark," I stammered, trying to keep my voice light, though my heart raced.
His thin, perfectly measured smile curved faintly, as if he could read the panic in me like an open book. "Hmm... you’re more tense than I expected."
I blinked, realizing my thoughts were betraying me. Of course I’m tense. He’s standing there, glowing like ice, and I feel like a candle about to melt.
Lucian’s gaze didn’t waver. "Relax... The cold doesn’t bite."
I shook my head, leaning back slightly as if creating some imaginary barrier. "That is totally wrong! Cold does bite!" I said, frowning. "And men... dragon or not... need to be put in line so they don’t cross it."
Lucian’s ice-blue eyes flickered just slightly, as if amused by my boldness, though his face remained calm, unreadable. "Is that so?" he asked, his tone smooth, measured, yet carrying that faint, commanding undertone that made it impossible to ignore.
"Yes," I said firmly, crossing my arms, "so don’t think you can intimidate me just because you’re... glowing or whatever this is."
He tilted his head, studying me with that unnerving patience of his. "Glowing... or whatever this is," he repeated softly, the corner of his mouth twitching into the faintest smirk. "Interesting. You’re brave... and... cute."
Before I could process that, he took a small step closer, leaning slightly forward, just enough that I could feel the chill radiating off him. My mind immediately went haywire. ’Is he... trying to make a move?!’
Panicking, I thrust my hand up between us. "Toilet! I need to go to the toilet... where is it?"
Lucian’s gaze remained calm, unwavering, as if my flustered reaction was utterly predictable. "Right over there," he said smoothly, tilting his head toward the small door in the corner of the chamber.
I blinked, my face heating up. "I—uh... thank you," I stammered, backing toward the tiny door, arms crossed dramatically in protest.
Lucian’s thin smile didn’t waver, though his eyes seemed to be quietly observing me, reading every inch of my panic. "Take your time," he said softly, his voice calm but laced with that subtle, unreadable authority.
I swallowed, trying to steady myself, and muttered, "I will... obviously..."
The moment I opened the door, my eyes nearly popped. "What the hell—" I spun back toward the tiny door in disbelief. "Why is the door so small, and the bathroom... almost the same size as my old apartment?!"
I stepped cautiously into the bathroom, still clad in my flowing silver gown, the jeweled pins in my hair catching the light from the chandeliers above. The space was enormous, marble floors, high ceilings, a soaking tub big enough to fit three, and a double sink that practically screamed luxury. Somehow, even in this palatial bathroom, I still looked like I’d just stepped out of a royal spread.
I walked slowly, before stopping in front of the massive mirror. My reflection stared back—gown immaculate, hair perfectly pinned, but my wide eyes betrayed the panic I’d been holding in all along. And then, right above my head, a faint flicker caught my attention... a holographic screen blinking into existence.
"Where have you been?!" I shouted, pointing at the flicker.
The hologram scrambled, the little yellow emoji face jittering nervously. "Shh! Keep your voice down! Don’t... don’t let him see!" Maya’s normally cheerful tone sounded strained, almost afraid.
I blinked, adjusting the folds of my gown as I tried to make sense of her panic. "What... What is it? Why are you freaking out?"
"Just... just keep quiet!" Maya hissed, her voice glitching with static as the hologram flickered again.
I froze, brows knitting. "Why? What’s going on?" Latest content publıshed on Novᴇl_Fire(.)net
Maya’s tiny projection twitched, the pixels of her face flickering unevenly. "He’s here," she whispered. "Not— not in the room, but close enough that I can barely stabilize. His aura interferes with my system."
"His aura?" I repeated, lowering my voice. "What, is he emitting Wi‑Fi made of ice now?"
"Not funny!" Maya squeaked, her hologram shrinking to half its size. "Let me tell you... magic signatures here affect system integrity. But his... his is different. I can’t function properly when he’s near."
I frowned, glancing toward the closed bathroom door. "You mean Lucian?"
"Yes!" she snapped, her voice breaking into static again. "If he gets any closer, I’ll—"
The hologram glitched violently, Maya’s form distorting like a scrambled signal. "...I’ll freeze—"
"Freeze? As in literally?"
"Keep your voice low!" Maya hissed again, dimming to a faint shimmer. "Just act normal. If I disappear, it’s temporary. I’ll reconnect once he’s far enough away."
I blinked at her, trying to process it all. "You make it sound like he’s some kind of system virus."
There was a pause, then a faint, almost guilty whisper. "Something like that..."
Before I could press her for more, the hologram flickered one last time, her voice turning faint. "Seraphina... don’t trust him too easily. If you knew what deal—"
"Maya?" I stepped closer to the mirror, heart pounding. "What deal?!"
But it was too late. The projection fizzled out completely, leaving only my reflection staring back at me, confused, glowing faintly from the icy light seeping through the door cracks.
Then came a knock on the door. My head snapped around, heart hammering.