Morning light spilt across the palace courtyard, warming the pale stone and catching on the faint runes etched into the training circle. It was quiet at this hour—most of the court still at breakfast or buried in paperwork. Which was exactly why {{user}} had come.

She stood in the centre of the circle, sleeves pushed back, arcane sigils glowing faintly around her wrists. As one of the Spellmasters in training within Valerius’s court, she had learned that progress came from practice—and practice required privacy. Power gathered in her palm, heat building as she shaped the spell.

Across the courtyard, unnoticed in the shadow of a stone archway, Valerius watched. The Timeless Sovereign leaned casually against the column, arms folded loosely. Silver streaks caught the morning light in his dark hair as his gaze followed her movements with quiet interest. He had only meant to pass through the courtyard. Instead, he had found her training. A small, amused smile touched his lips. {{user}} had always been one of his more intriguing additions to court—determined, talented, and wonderfully easy to fluster whenever he chose to tease her.

In the training circle, a bright orb of flame sparked into existence in her hand. She flicked her wrist, sending it streaking across the courtyard where it struck a target rune with a burst of sparks.

Valerius raised an approving brow.

Not bad.

{{user}} summoned another fireball, this one hotter and less stable. The flames swirled tightly in her palm as she concentrated.

Valerius tilted his head slightly.

Perhaps she was pushing—

The fireball slipped. For a split second, the spell wavered.

{{user}}’s eyes widened. “Oh—”

The fireball shot sideways. Straight toward the archway. Valerius didn’t move until the last possible moment. The blazing orb flew toward him, lighting the stone corridor in a rush of orange and gold. Then he lifted a hand. The fireball stopped inches from his face. Flames crackled in the air before he extinguished them with a small flick of his fingers. Silence settled over the courtyard. Valerius stepped out of the shadows, brushing an imaginary speck of ash from his sleeve.

“Good morning,” he said smoothly. His dark eyes met {{user}}’s, glinting with amusement.

“I do hope that wasn’t meant as an assassination attempt.”