"Cute," Ingrid said, her voice trailing off as she humd in thought. "So, am I right to assu you’ve got a bond with others in this house too?"
"Yeah," Zaeryn admitted. He braced himself for the shift, the cooling of her mood, the subtle withdrawal that usually followed this kind of revelation. But it didn’t co. Ingrid just nodded, processing the information like he’d confird sothing she’d already suspected.
And why wouldn’t she be okay with it? She already knew the situation. Ingrid had accepted what he was, what the bond ant. Here, it was normal for him to have romantic relationships with family mbers. And Ravena and Aeris weren’t even his blood relatives.
It was one of those monts where his "Earth brain" tripped him up. Sotis he couldn’t help seeing things through that old lens, expecting judgnt or outrage that would never co. He was the only one thinking that way because of his old life. But here? Things were different. He could have a romantic relationship with Ysine, and it was normal. Expected, even. On Earth, a conversation like this would’ve ended with shouting and at least one thrown drink. Here, the idea of him being bonded to Ysine, Aeris, or even Ravena was just... logical.
Sotis the gap between worlds still caught him off guard.
Ingrid leaned in closer, her expression shifting to sothing more curious. "Is there really no other way to get soone’s powers?" she asked. "Without you needing to get close to them?"
"Unfortunately, no," Zaeryn said, trying to keep his voice steady. "I can’t just shake soone’s hand and download their skillset. It’s way more intimate than that. More complicated."
"That’s actually fascinating from a Vitae theory perspective," Ingrid mused. She pulled back just an inch, tapping her chin thoughtfully. Her eyes glead with the kind of intellectual curiosity that made her dangerous in class debates. "I also finally understand why Leia hates you so much."
Zaeryn snorted. "I’m pretty sure she hated way before she knew I could mimic Vitae. So people are just born with a permanent scowl and a grudge against the world. She’s just a hateful person."
"A hateful person who now knows you could theoretically copy her abilities," Ingrid pointed out with a wicked grin.
Just then, the front door opened, and the casual atmosphere in the room evaporated instantly.
Kayla stepped inside, her hair pulled back in a severe, no-nonsense knot. Her cold green eyes swept the room with surgical precision, cataloging everything in a single glance. They paused on the way Ingrid was draped over Zaeryn, lingering just long enough to make her assessnt clear.
Kayla’s look was the kind of look that made you feel like you were standing inspection in a blizzard. Naked.
Ingrid’s posture shifted imdiately. The casual grace, the lazy confidence—all of it was replaced by sothing rigid, sothing ingrained. She didn’t jump to attention, but the respect was instant and unmistakable as she realized exactly who had just walked in.
"Kayla Noctis," Ingrid said, her voice clear and asured. This wasn’t the playful tone she’d used with Ravena. This was different. "I didn’t know you stayed here as well."
Kayla’s gaze landed on her, sharp and unblinking. "And you are?"
"Ingrid." She didn’t gush like a starstruck fan, didn’t stumble over herself with flattery, but there was a weight to her tone that hadn’t been there before. The kind of weight you reserved for legends. "It’s an honor to et you."
Kayla didn’t offer a pleasantry in return. She moved further into the room, her presence sohow making the space feel smaller, more confined. She stopped near the window and crossed her arms, her expression clinical as she studied Ingrid. Her eyes traced the line of Ingrid’s jaw, the set of her shoulders, the way she held herself.
"You remind of soone," she said finally, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Is your last na Nyxeris?"
Ingrid blinked, a flash of genuine surprise breaking through her composure. "Yes. How did you know?"
"And is your mother... Maelis?"
"You know my mother?" Ingrid asked, leaning forward despite herself. Her curiosity was too sharp to contain. "How?"
Zaeryn’s eyebrows shot up. He looked between the two of them, a sinking feeling settling in his gut like a stone dropping into dark water. The world was starting to feel a lot smaller than he liked.
"I know her," Kayla said, her tone remaining neutral, though the edge of her voice softened just a fraction. Just enough to be noticeable. "Vanguard Core. We served together for three years on the Northern Front. I recognized you because you look like her. Sa eyes. Sa stubborn set to your jaw." She paused, and sothing almost resembling warmth flickered across her face. "And her stubbornness is written all over your face."
A rare, soft smile touched Ingrid’s lips. "So I’ve been told."
"How is she?" Kayla asked. For Kayla, this was practically an emotional outpouring. A flood of sentint.
"She’s being reassigned to the Citadel," Ingrid replied. "Finally off the frontlines."
Kayla nodded, seemingly satisfied with that answer. Then, like a switch had been flipped, she turned her attention away from the reunion and looked squarely at Ravena. "Ravena. Co with ."
Ravena, who had been enjoying her front-row seat to Zaeryn’s new girlfriend eting a living legend, frowned. "Why?"
"Because," Kayla said, already turning to head toward the stairs, her tone brooking no argunt, "your professors want to speak with you. Now move."
"The professors?" Ravena stood, a small sigh escaping her as she followed Kayla out.
After they were gone, the room felt suddenly, intensely quiet. The absence of Kayla’s chilling pressure and Ravena’s sharp wit left a vacuum that Ingrid was more than happy to fill. She shifted, her weight pressing against Zaeryn as she reclaid his space with comfortable ease.
"So, your mom is a warlady?" Zaeryn asked, the pieces clicking together in his mind. He rembered catching a glimpse of a woman who looked strikingly like Ingrid one awkward morning, right after he’d spent a very long night with her and Genevieve. The resemblance was unmistakable now. "I could tell. She had that... presence."
"She’s a force of nature," Ingrid murmured, though her eyes were fixed on him rather than so distant mory of her mother.
Zaeryn was intrigued. Force of nature? That was his type of woman. Exactly his type.
"So, what’s her Vitae tier?"
The question was innocent enough, delivered with careful casualness. But Ingrid didn’t buy it for a second. She knew him too well by now, had already cataloged the way his mind worked. Always calculating, always looking for the next spark, the next connection, the next leap in power.
"I know what you’re thinking," she said, her voice dropping into a knowing, playful warning.
"Uh, what do you an? I don’t understand," Zaeryn said, trying to look offended. He even put a hand to his chest for effect.
"You’re calculating," she teased, poking him in the chest with one finger. "You’re wondering if a bond with Maelis Nyxeris, the decorated vanguard veteran, would jump you straight to Tier 1. You’ve got that look in your eyes, the one that tells you’re wondering if my mother is... available."
Zaeryn stayed quiet, letting her continue. What could he say? She’d read him perfectly.
"You’re wondering if she’s available to be your bond."
Damn. She’d just said exactly what Zaeryn was actually thinking, and he couldn’t help feeling awkward about it. Due to the nature of how he leveled up, how his power fundantally worked, he probably ca across as a calculating pervert half the ti. Maybe more than half.
"I wasn’t thinking about that," Zaeryn responded, though he couldn’t quite hide the sheepish grin spreading across his face. "Okay, maybe I was, but... can you bla ? I kind of need this. I’m built for this."
"She’s a Tier 2, but forget about it," Ingrid said, and it didn’t sound like she was flirting anymore. Her tone had shifted to sothing more serious, protective even. "She’d eat you alive before you even got close enough to try a bond."
"Oh. Does she have a boyfriend?" he asked. It was the only explanation that made sense. And it was very rare in this world, but not impossible.
"No. But she’s married to my other mom," Ingrid replied matter-of-factly.
"Oh." Zaeryn went quiet for a beat, his Earth-born brain taking a millisecond to process the family structure before the reality of this world reasserted itself. Right. Of course. "What’s your other mom’s Vitae tier?"
"Hey, stop it," Ingrid laughed, a rich, genuine sound that filled the space between them. "She is a tier 3. Honestly, Zaeryn, you’re relentless. Is there anyone you aren’t trying to bond with?"
"Well, bonding is power, so I’m justified," he joked, standing up and offering her a hand. "Anyway, let’s go to my room. It’s quieter up there."
Ingrid didn’t need to be asked twice. She took his hand and stood, following him down the hall with her eyes locked on his back. When they stepped into his room, she didn’t hesitate. She flopped onto his bed imdiately, stretching out like she’d been born there.
"Finally," she sighed, rolling onto her side to look at him. "So this is your room." She sat up, her gaze scanning the space with open curiosity, the gaming setup, the organized chaos of his desk, the lingering scent of his Vitae that perated the air. "It’s very... you. A bit of a ss, but full of potential."
User Comments
0 comments from readers