The first time Caelum noticed her, she wasn't doing anything interesting.
Which was unusual.
Most people tried too hard.
Especially at the Institute.
Some students wanted to be impressive.
Some wanted to be feared.
Some wanted everyone around them to know exactly how powerful they were.
This girl sat alone in the library and read a book.
That was it.
Caelum noticed her three separate times before he realized she was the same person.
The first time she sat near the archives.
The second time she occupied a table near the eastern windows.
The third time she was already seated when he arrived.
She always seemed to be reading.
Or thinking.
Or observing.
Never performing.
That alone made her stand out.
The library remained Caelum's favorite place in the Institute.
Students rarely came here unless they needed something.
The noise stayed low.
The air stayed cool.
The world felt slower between the shelves.
Caelum settled into his usual corner table and opened his research notes.
Most of them consisted of questions.
Very few answers.
The chair across from him scraped softly.
He looked up.
The girl from the library stood there holding two books.
"Is this seat taken?"
"No."
She nodded and sat down.
For several minutes, neither of them spoke.
Surprisingly...
It wasn't awkward.
The silence felt comfortable.
Eventually she glanced toward the papers scattered across Caelum's table.
"Anomalies?"
Caelum blinked.
"Sorry," she said. "I wasn't trying to read your notes."
"You kind of did."
"Fair."
To his surprise, she smiled.
Not a big smile.
Just enough to acknowledge the point.
"My bad."
Caelum found himself smiling slightly in return.
That almost never happened.
"I'm Ilya."
"Caelum."
"I know."
Caelum frowned.
"You answered a question in Ashcroft's class last week."
"Oh."
That made sense.
Mostly.
"You remembered?"
Ilya shrugged.
"You said something interesting."
That confused him even more.
No one had ever described anything he said in class as interesting.
"What did I say?"
"'People treat understanding and control like they're the same thing.'"
Caelum stared.
He barely remembered saying that.
Ilya returned to her book.
"That's why I remembered."
Something about that answer stayed with him.
For the rest of the afternoon, they studied in relative silence.
Occasionally exchanging comments.
Occasionally asking questions.
Never forcing conversation.
When the library finally closed, they left at nearly the same time.
The evening air felt cool.
Students drifted toward transit lines and waiting vehicles.
For a few moments, they walked in the same direction.
Then Ilya glanced upward.
The sunset reflected across distant towers.
Gold and orange.
"It's weird."
"What is?"
"The city."
Caelum looked around.
Luminex looked the same as always.
"What about it?"
Ilya considered the question.
"It feels temporary."
Caelum raised an eyebrow.
"Everything is temporary."
"Most people don't think about it."
She sounded amused by that.
Then she looked back toward the skyline.
"As if buildings are somehow different."
Caelum didn't have a response.
Somehow, that didn't seem to bother her.
Eventually they reached an intersection.
She stopped.
"This is me."
Caelum nodded.
"See you around."
"Probably."
Another small smile.
Then she disappeared into the crowd.
Caelum continued walking.
For some reason, the city felt quieter.
Not physically quieter.
Just...
Less crowded inside his head.
That realization bothered him.
A little.
The next morning, Tavian immediately noticed.
Of course he did.
They hadn't even reached homeroom yet.
"You met somebody."
Caelum nearly tripped.
"What?"
"You met somebody."
"No."
"That's not a denial."
"Yes it is."
"No, that was panic."
Tavian pointed accusingly.
"Panic means I'm right."
Caelum regretted having friends.
Deeply.
"Who is she?"
"There isn't a she."
"There is absolutely a she."
Tavian looked delighted.
"How long has there been a she?"
"There isn't."
"Oh, this is fantastic."
Caelum walked faster.
Tavian followed.
Laughing the entire way.
Later that afternoon, the three of them ended up sharing a lunch table.
Entirely by accident.
At least according to Ilya.
Tavian clearly disagreed.
"So," Tavian said, leaning forward.
"No."
"I haven't even asked anything yet."
"You were going to."
"Correct."
Ilya looked between them.
Amused.
"You two always like this?"
"Unfortunately."
"See?" Tavian said. "He likes me."
"I tolerate you."
"Practically brothers."
Ilya laughed.
An actual laugh.
Warm.
Natural.
For a moment, Caelum forgot what he was about to say.
Tavian noticed.
Tavian noticed everything.
The grin he gave Caelum promised future suffering.
Meanwhile, somewhere else in the Institute, two unfamiliar adults walked quietly through administrative corridors.
Neither wore faculty identification.
Neither carried student records.
Yet doors opened for them.
Staff moved aside without question.
One stopped outside Dr. Ashcroft's office.
The other checked a tablet.
"Any changes?"
Ashcroft sat behind his desk.
"No confirmed anomalies."
The Bureau agent nodded.
"Continue observation."
"Observation of what?"
The agent met his gaze.
Neither of them pretended not to know the answer.
After a moment, the agent left.
Ashcroft remained seated.
His eyes drifted toward a student file displayed on his monitor.
CAELUM VEY
The file remained open for a long time.
Across campus, completely unaware, Caelum listened to Tavian explain why he was apparently incapable of hiding a crush.
And for the first time in weeks...
He found himself laughing.
Even if Tavian was absolutely insufferable.
End of Chapter 4