It had been three days since Eve had st trained with Levi.

  The next morning came with a silver wash of dawn spilling through the city’s curved skynes and over the luminous rooftops of Caelux. In the interim, Eve had been reassigned to independent study—csses focused on Terra’s energy core systems, fluxlines, and the intricate bance between elemental forces and containment stability.

  Eve stepped out of her apartment dressed in uniform, hair tied back in a loose twist, the memory of the night before still lingering. She wasn’t sure how she felt about it. She hadn’t told anyone yet. Maybe she wouldn’t.

  She was due to meet Nyra at the Arc Division for her first resonance calibration session—something to help her reconnect with her energy, this time with tools that didn’t rely on raw projection.

  Her boots clicked lightly along the courtyard path leading from the residential tier to the tech complex. Morning light cast soft shadows beneath the sculpted trees and crystalline flux towers. The city was always buzzing at this hour, but here in the central courtyards, it was quieter. Gentle.

  "Eve!"

  She turned to see Arel walking toward her with two drinks in hand and her signature pink-streaked ponytail bouncing with every step.

  "I was hoping I’d catch you!"

  Eve offered a small smile. "Morning."

  Arel grinned and handed her one of the drinks—some kind of sweet, chilled tea with citrus foam. "You’re heading to the Arc bs, right? Nyra texted me. She said she wants to recalibrate your gloves, something about your elemental field being "intermittent and erratic." You know, her usual warm-and-fuzzy nguage."

  Eve huffed a soft ugh, but nodded. "Yeah. I'm meeting her now."

  Arel tilted her head slightly. "Sooo... how was your night?"

  Eve blinked. "What do you mean?"

  Arel raised a brow. "Dinner. Rowan. Don’t py innocent. You texted me about the outfit before you left! I saw that dress you wore."

  Eve rolled her eyes but smiled. "It was... nice. He was sweet. Took me to a nice rooftop spot. We walked around the city afterward."

  Arel took a long sip from her drink, studying Eve with a mischievous glint. "And?"

  Eve looked away briefly. "And I called it a night early."

  Arel didn’t push. She just smiled warmly and bumped her shoulder gently against Eve's. "You’re allowed to take your time."

  Eve nodded, grateful. She was still figuring out what she wanted.

  And what she didn’t.

  They continued walking together until the towering Arc Division complex came into view. The outer shell was sleek and angur, pulsing faintly with embedded flux-circuitry that responded to resonance levels in the air. The main entrance shimmered with yered gss and arcane metal, warded against energy surges and unauthorized interference.

  Nyra was already waiting just inside, standing beside a table outfitted with diagnostic tech, resonance pads, and several pieces of gear that looked freshly pulled from the vaults.

  She gnced up as they approached, her usual expression unreadable. "You’re te."

  Arel grinned. "By two minutes. That barely counts."

  Nyra didn’t reply, already tapping commands into a control pad.

  Eve stepped forward and gave a polite nod. "Morning."

  "Let’s see what you’ve got today," Nyra said without looking up. "And hope it doesn’t blow a hole in the floor this time."

  Eve was quickly guided over to one of the resonance rigs and strapped into the calibration equipment. A familiar colr was secured around her neck—a safety precaution in case of energy overload or spontaneous projection. It was snug, a little colder than she remembered, and a subtle chill trickled down her spine as it clicked into pce.

  Nyra moved efficiently, running a few standard diagnostics. The machines hummed. Light flickered along the edges of the console. Data began to scroll.

  And then... nothing.

  No surge. No reaction. Not even a flicker of the low-level pulses they usually picked up.

  Nyra frowned and tapped a few more commands. "Still ft."

  She gnced toward Arel. "Try boosting her output. See if it stabilizes with a resonance assist."

  Arel stepped forward, pcing her palms gently over Eve’s shoulders. Her energy shimmered around them—a calm, soft field of amplification designed to lift Eve’s natural flow without forcing it.

  Still, nothing happened.

  Eve sat quietly beneath the equipment, her heart sinking with each second of silence.

  Arel finally stepped back, concern knitting her brow. "I think... she might need something more powerful."

  Nyra raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

  Arel hesitated, then looked to Eve. "Maybe a trip to Thaloréa."

  Eve blinked, her interest piqued. "What’s in Thaloréa?"

  Arel crossed her arms, speaking carefully now. "There are locations across Terra that house core nexus points—pces where the pnet’s energy channels directly into the environment. They're like spiritual zones. Power there flows freely and without resistance. Sometimes, proximity to that energy can unlock or stabilize dormant resonance."

  "Thaloréa is one of the strongest. People go there to connect, to awaken deeper gifts. It’s not just a pce—it’s a pulse."

  Eve sat with that for a moment, intrigued but unsure.

  What Arel didn’t say—what she carefully kept from her voice—was that pressure had begun mounting from above. Commander Revan and the High Council were watching Eve’s progress more closely than anyone let on.

  And they were growing impatient.

  For the good of Terra, they needed her powers to surface.

  Soon.

  Nyra ran a few more scans with tight focus settings, but the results didn’t change. After a moment of silent consideration, she powered down the equipment and began detaching the colr. "That’s all for today. We’ll reassess ter this week."

  Arel helped Eve to her feet, giving her a reassuring smile. Together, they turned to leave the Arc Division.

  As they reached the lobby, the gss doors slid open with a smooth hiss.

  Unit One was entering.

  Rowan was the first Eve saw. His face lit up with immediate warmth, and he strode toward her with his usual effortless charm. "Hey! Didn’t expect to see you here," he said, offering Arel a quick nod before turning his full attention to Eve.

  Eve returned a small, shy smile. "Just finished up with Nyra."

  Before she could say more, another figure stepped forward from the group—a tall, striking woman with short blonde hair and storm-grey eyes. Her presence was graceful, but commanding. Eve recognized her instantly.

  She’d seen her at the party.

  Selene.

  "You must be Eve," Selene said, her voice smooth as silk. "I’ve heard a lot about you."

  Her smile was polite. Warm, even.

  But something about her eyes felt... searching.

  Eve straightened slightly, offering a polite smile. "Nice to meet you."

  Selene’s gaze flicked briefly toward Rowan, then back to Eve. "Likewise. I’ve been curious to meet the one causing such a stir in the Division."

  Rowan chuckled, clearly trying to keep things light. "You make it sound dramatic."

  Selene tilted her head. "Maybe it is. I’ve seen the energy readings you left across the arena during early training sessions. Impressive, from what I’ve heard."

  Then, with a slight smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes, she added, "Though I also hear you might be out of juice... happens to the best of us."

  Eve blinked, unsure how to respond. She didn’t know what bothered her more—the fact that her current issues with her energy output were being discussed so openly, or the casual sharpness in Selene’s tone, hidden beneath a fwless exterior.

  Before she could speak, another voice interjected, calm but commanding.

  "Selene," Owen said as he approached, his tone calm and almost amused, "py nice. We’re all on the same side here."

  He offered Eve a short nod, his gaze cool but not unkind. Broad-shouldered and impeccably put together, Owen stood with the easy confidence of someone raised in the upper echelons of Terra’s elite. His auburn hair was cut short and precise, his eyes a sharp amber that seemed to observe more than he let on.

  Then he extended a hand with a mild smile. "I’m Owen. Leader of Unit One. I realize I should’ve introduced myself sooner—welcome to the Academy and Vanguard Division."

  He gnced back toward his squad and gestured casually. "That’s Selene, our storm tactician—you’ve met—and Rowan, who I’m sure you already know. And the one hanging back pretending not to listen is Callen. Wind specialist. Don’t let the quiet fool you—he catches everything."

  Eve offered a small wave and a polite nod toward the group, suddenly aware of how strange it felt to meet the whole of Unit One in one pce. They were powerful, polished, confident. It felt like standing on the edge of a current she wasn’t sure how to swim in yet.

  Owen gnced toward the inner hallway. "We’ve got weapons to test, so I best be going," he said with a courteous nod. Then, with a brief gnce toward Eve, he added with a wry smile, "Hope to see you in the arena sometime soon. From what I hear, you’re quite the force to be reckoned with. I think our team could use a new challenge."

  With that, he turned toward the Arc Division interior. Callen followed close behind, silent as ever, but as he passed Eve, he shot her a narrow-eyed gnce—not overtly hostile, but sharp and assessing. She felt the weight of his gaze like a silent judgment, cold and unreadable.

  Then he was gone.

  Arel nudged Eve gently and nodded toward the exit. "We should also get going," she said lightly to Rowan and Selene. "We’ve got some more exploring to do."

  Arel gave a small wave to Rowan and offered a light smile to Selene. "Catch you ter—pleasure, as always," she said with a touch of pyful sarcasm on her way out.

  Rowan smiled, but his eyes lingered on Eve. "I’ll message you."

  Selene offered one st look, her smile lingering just a little too long before she turned and walked off with Rowan.

  As the doors hissed closed behind them, Eve let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

  "What was that about?" she muttered.

  Arel gave her a sideways look. "That was Selene. You’ll get used to her... or not."

  That evening, true to his word, Rowan messaged Eve. The tone was light—something about how seeing her at the Arc Division had made his day—and followed by a simple question: Want to grab a drink tomorrow? Just us. No Unit One entourage.

  Before replying, Eve paused. Then, with a thoughtful frown, she texted Arel first: Hey, you and Kael thinking of grabbing a drink maybe tomorrow evening?

  She was nervous about going out with Rowan again. She liked him, sure—but she didn’t fully trust herself around him alone. She needed to take her time with this. If her friends were nearby—if the night could stay casual—maybe that would help.

  Arel texted back a few minutes ter: Sorry Eve! I have to leave tomorrow and won’t be back to the Academy until the following day. Kael's accompanying me too. Just got the orders this afternoon. But why don’t you ask that fine man you’ve been talking to? ;)

  Eve stared at the message for a moment, thumb hovering over her screen. So much for casual backup.

  She threw her head back with a sigh and covered her face with her hands. What should she do? She liked Rowan. She liked having fun. But was this too much too soon? Her stomach fluttered uneasily.

  And then—Levi.

  His name passed through her mind like a shadow. She frowned, pulling her hands down slowly. Why did he pop into her head?

  "Ughhh," she groaned, dragging her palms down her face.

  In a burst of mini-rage, she grabbed her phone, mustered every ounce of courage she had left, and texted Rowan back: Drinks tomorrow sounds good.