Chapter 55: Chapter 55

When Lucian expected a storm, everything inside the dome had gone still.

The chaos from earlier had vanished as if it had never happened. The mist that had once churned violently now drifted like morning fog, soft and harmless. Flowers that had been twisting in distress stood tall again, their petals opening to the light.

It looked exactly as it was supposed to... serene, beautiful and ethereal.

Seraphina’s brows furrowed as her gaze landed on the man lying motionless near the entrance. His uniform was stained with pale frost and streaks of gold dust, his breathing shallow.

"What happened to him?" she asked, stepping closer.

Sebastian knelt beside the man, fingers brushing his wrist. "He was one of the gardeners caught in the first wave of mana release," he explained, his voice tight. "The mist burned through his life force faster than anything I’ve seen. He’s barely holding on."

Seraphina looked between the man and the now-peaceful garden, confusion flickering in her eyes. "But it’s calm now. Why isn’t he recovering?"

Lucian’s voice came low, steady but edged with unease. "Because whatever caused this... took more than mana."

Sebastian shook his head, frustrated. "I’ve tried restoring spells. They’re not working."

Seraphina hesitated, then knelt beside the fallen man. "Lucian..." She looked up at him, hesitant but determined. "I think maybe... I should try using my flame?"

Lucian’s frown deepened, his voice sharp. "You know someone’s life isn’t something to try on, right?"

But then, from the corner of his eye, he caught Sebastian’s look... subtle, but clear. A silent reminder. A hint he couldn’t ignore. Thᴇ link to the origɪn of this information rᴇsts ɪn NoveIＦire.net

Lucian’s eyes flickered, understanding the meaning behind it almost instantly. He knew what Sebastian was suggesting. It was what he himself had been waiting for.

He exhaled slowly, his gaze softening as he looked back at Seraphina. "Go ahead," he said finally, his tone quieter now.

Her eyes widened, surprise flashing across her face. "You mean it?"

He nodded once, his voice deceptively calm. "Do it. Just..." His head tilted slightly, a faint edge creeping into his words. "Do you even know how?"

Seraphina froze for a second, blinking at him. "I—I think so?" she said, though her tone betrayed her uncertainty.

Lucian didn’t answer. He simply stepped back and folded his arms, watching her closely.

She moved closer to the guard and placed her hand above his chest. For a moment, nothing happened. She frowned, closing her eyes and concentrating harder. "Come on... please," she muttered under her breath.

A weak flicker of light appeared beneath her palm, faint and obviously unstable before sputtering out completely.

Lucian sighed quietly. "You’re forcing it."

Her head snapped up, irritation flashing in her eyes. "Well, sorry for not having a manual on how to heal with fire," she huffed. Then, under her breath, she muttered, "Ah... I wish Maya could tell me how..."

Lucian frowned. "Maya?"

"No—no, I mean..." She scrambled for words, her brain short-circuiting. "I wish I may-a get it right this time."

Sebastian coughed softly, clearly suppressing a laugh. "My lady," he said, tone polite but amused, "perhaps try not to command it. Phoenix flame isn’t meant to obey words. It follows will... and heart."

Seraphina blinked at him. "Heart?"

Lucian’s voice came low, smooth, and steady. "Don’t think about healing him. Just... feel it. Like you want it."

She frowned. "How can I? I am trying to heal him."

"You’re talking too much," Lucian cut in flatly. "Focus. He’s dying."

Her lips parted in protest, but all that came out was a small pout. Still, she nodded and drew a slow breath.

This time, she didn’t close her eyes. She just looked at the man before her as his chest barely rising, his face pale and still. Her voice came out as a whisper. "Please don’t die."

The words left her mouth like a prayer, and with them came a gentle warmth blooming in her chest. It spread to her hand, soft but sure, the glow beneath her palm brightening.

The faint gold light returned, stronger this time. It pulsed once, twice, then spread over the fallen guard in smooth, rippling waves that shimmered like heat on water. The air around them grew warmer and gentle.

The man’s chest rose with a sudden, sharp inhale. Color returned to his cheeks, and the frost that had clung to his skin melted away into harmless dew.

Seraphina gasped softly. "It seems like... it worked."

Lucian stood still for a long moment. His gaze lingered on her fingertips, where the last traces of golden light flickered and faded like dying embers.

When he finally spoke, his tone was calm but something unreadable shadowed his eyes. "It always does," he murmured. "Once you stop fighting it."

Then, as if a switch flipped, Lucian’s expression hardened again. He exchanged a brief look with Sebastian before scanning the area, his voice dropping low. "Sebastian... make sure no one saw what happened. And if anyone did... anyone saw her flame, silence them."

Seraphina blinked, confusion flashing in her eyes. "Why? I didn’t do anything wrong."

Lucian’s gaze softened slightly, though his voice stayed low and steady. "Because you’re not just anyone," he said. "You’re my wife and not all flames are meant to be seen. People talk, they twist things, and I don’t want anyone turning this into something it’s not."

He paused, his eyes locking with hers. "Your flame isn’t different from the others, but because you’re with me, they’ll assume it is. They’ll come after you, wanting something from you, or worse trying to use you." He crouched down beside her then, his cold hand closing around hers. "So... it’s better if no one knows you’ve awakened your flame. Alright?"

She frowned, her lips pressing together in quiet protest. "I almost thought I could use it to help others... like Dr. Dari—"

"No," Lucian cut her off sharply, his tone leaving no room for argument. "You can’t." His hand tightened slightly around hers. "You don’t need to. Just stay with me."

He exhaled, his voice softening again, almost coaxing. "If you really want to work, you can come to my office. Be my assistant, like I’ve offered before. But outside of that... I don’t want you anywhere near danger again."