Before the princess could take a single step, the soft, near-silent chime of a private lift echoed from the far side of the lobby.

A set of seamless, unmarked doors slid open, revealing a woman who commanded the entire space without saying a word.

One look at her and one would say that she was the very picture of corporate power and timeless elegance.

Her sharp, silver-streaked hair was cut in a severe, impeccable bob that framed a face of sharp cheekbones and intelligent, calculating eyes. She wore a sheath dress of deep charcoal gray.

The dress was a masterpiece of tailoring, pouring over a figure that was all confident, commanding curves. It traced the generous swell of her full chest and the dramatic narrowness of her waist before clinging to the powerful flare of her hips. It was a statement of wealth and authority, accentuating a figure that was not just attractive, but powerful and utterly in control. This was Cassia Stellan.

She wasn't a Warlady, nor a royal, but she possessed an aura of quiet, unshakeable authority that could rival either. She was flanked by two aides who moved with the silent efficiency of seasoned professionals.

The receptionist froze, her awe for the princess instantly replaced by a tangible fear of the woman who signed her checks. She dropped into an even deeper, more respectful bow.

"Lady Stellan! I-I wasn't aware you were in the building."

Cassia's gaze swept past her employee, her focus landing on the three visitors with a look of polite, analytical curiosity. Her eyes met Valerie's, and she offered a smile that was warm at the edges but all business at the center.

"Princess Valerie," Cassia's voice was smooth as polished chrome, carrying a warmth that felt meticulously engineered. "An unexpected, but welcome, surprise. To what do we owe the honor of a visit from the Imperial Council?"

Valerie disengaged her arm from the general and the captain, her own charming smile snapping into place like a shield. She was no longer a playful girl, but a princess meeting an equal. "Lady Stellan. The honor is all ours. I was hoping to borrow your brilliant daughter for a matter of state."

"Ah, yes. The Aegis Division," Cassia said, the words indicating she was not just aware of the initiative, but likely several steps ahead of it. Her gaze moved to General Rostova with a nod of respect. "General. A pleasure to see you off the battlefield."

Rostova gave a curt, noncommittal nod in return.

"Any matter of the state is a matter for Stellan Innovations," Cassia continued smoothly, taking control of the situation. She gestured toward the private lift she'd just exited. "But the lobby is so... public. I was just heading to my office for a meeting. Perhaps you would join me? We can discuss Sage's potential contributions in a more comfortable setting."

It was an invitation phrased as a command. She was moving them onto her home turf, where she held every advantage.

Valerie's eyes twinkled, recognizing the power play and enjoying it immensely. "Of course, Lady Stellan," she said, her voice dripping with sweet diplomacy. "I do love a private conversation."

With that, they moved into the elevator.

__

The lift slowed to a halt with a soft chime. The doors opened directly into a private reception area. The wall was decorated with a glowing silver plaque.

And standing there waiting for Zaeryn, leaning against the doorway to the main lab, was Sage.

She had her silver lab coat unzipped over a sleek, form-fitting black dress that hugged her curves in all the right ways. Her silvery-white hair was pulled into a messy but deliberate bun, with a few stray strands framing her face.

She held a data-slate in one hand, but her violet eyes were fixed on him, a slow, knowing smile spreading across her lips.

"Hey, babe."

"Hey, my favorite anomaly," Sage purred, her voice a low, intimate melody that vibrated through the sterile quiet. She pushed off the doorframe, and closed the distance. "I was starting to think you'd been devoured by your new classmates already."

"Not yet," he replied, his voice a casual rumble. "They're still deciding if I'm a threat or a snack."

He stepped forward, his hands finding her waist with familiar ease, pulling her flush against the solid lines of his new uniform. Her scent, that unique, intoxicating smell of sharp sweet lavender filled his senses, a welcome anchor.

Sage's laugh was a soft, throaty sound against his chest. Her arms snaked around his neck, fingers tangling in the hair at his nape. "I've been thinking about you all morning," she murmured, her violet eyes dark with a hunger that had nothing to do with science. "I spent last night working on something for you."

"Uh, really. What is it?" Zaeryn was curious.

"Well," her voice dropped, laced with a promise that made his pulse quicken. "Let's just say, I think you'll find it… stimulating."

"Stimulating? Should I be worried, or excited?" Zaeryn's eyes flicked to her lips, then back to her own. "I hope it doesn't involve more needles. I've had my fill of those for a lifetime."

"Depends on your definition of 'needles'," she teased, leaning in until her lips were a breath from his. He closed the distance, capturing her mouth in a kiss that was both a greeting and a claim. It was deep and hungry, a silent conversation that spoke of missed touches and pent-up energy.

Sage melted into him, her body a perfect fit against his, her response as fierce and intelligent as she was.

When they finally broke apart, both were breathless. Sage rested her forehead against his, a contented sigh escaping her.

"I called Ysmeine earlier, and she told me about your first day at the academy," she said, her fingers tracing the silver piping on his uniform. "Causing trouble already? Detention already? You don't do things by halves, do you?"

"Well, that's half of it." He said.

She claimed his lips again, tender but with hunger. She removed her hands from his shoulders and found his hands around her waist. Craving his touch, she slid them to her hips, moaning into his mouth.

Pulling back, she tilted her head, a teasing glint in her violet eyes. "So," she began, her voice a low purr. "How many hearts did you manage to break on your first day?"

Zaeryn blinked. "What?"

"Oh, don't look so innocent," she said, tapping a finger on his chest. "I know exactly how your little system works. More bonds, more power. It's a very efficient, if promiscuous, design." She leaned closer, her smile turning wicked. "So, spill. Did any of those Warladies-in-training... present as a viable candidate?"

His grin was unrepentant. "Not yet, but I have my eye on one."

"I'll bet you do," Sage murmured, her tone laced with amusement, but her hand at the back of his neck tightened in a soft, possessive grip. "I think you have several already, you just don't know it yet. Just remember who your main data point is."

She gave him one last, lingering kiss before pulling away, her professional demeanor snapping back into place like a switched-on terminal.

"Alright. Come see what I've been working on."

She led him into her main lab. It was a controlled chaos of holographic schematics, half-assembled prototypes, and data-slates stacked in precarious towers. In the center of it all sat a sleek, black chair, similar to the one in Daphne's lab but surrounded by a ring of glowing crystals that hummed with a low, resonant energy.

"This," she said, gesturing to the device, "is a Vitae Harmonizer. A little something I whipped up after Ysmeine told me about your overexertion problem. She said you passed out at the citadel."

"Oh, she told you about that?" Zaeryn was a little surprised. In all honesty he was surprised to hear that, because he didn't remember telling Ysmeine about himself specifically passing out, and not only that, why would Ysmeine tell Sage?

"Yes she did."

"So... you two talk?" The question came out more surprised than he'd intended. He'd always thought their relationship existed only because of him, cordial, but distant. Hearing that Ysmeine had called Sage about him shifted something in his understanding.

"We do talk." Sage glanced at him, a small smile playing at her lips. "In fact, she called me specifically and told me to work on something for you. Said you'd need it sooner rather than later."

Zaeryn stared at the machine, then back at her, a wave of genuine warmth spreading through his chest. "You built this for me?" He pulled her close by the waist.

"Who else?" Sage's smile was a mix of pride and affection. "It's designed to help nascent users regulate their core. It won't give you mastery, but it should help you channel your abilities without making you weak because of overexertion. Think of it as training wheels for your soul."

She moved from his arms and patted the chair. "You can sit here, and we'll get a baseline reading."

He sank into the chair, and the crystals around him pulsed with a gentle blue light. Sage moved to a console, her fingers flying across the interface.

"Alright, just relax baby," she instructed. "Now, try to summon that golden wisp you showed me the other morning. Just a little."

Zaeryn closed his eyes, focusing on the nascent energy within him. He reached out, and a small, flickering ball of golden light appeared between his hands. The moment it materialized, the crystals around him flared, their hum rising in pitch. On the main console, a wave of complex data streamed across the screen.

"Seems like I was right," Sage breathed, her eyes wide with scientific hunger. "Your Vitae signature is completely unique. It's not just a mimicry of your bond mates... It's a new composite. It's... yours."

Sage's violet eyes glittered with an intensity that was part scientist, part lover. She leaned closer, her fingers tracing the glowing lines of data on the holo-screen, her reflection shimmering next to the complex model of his Vitae core.

"A new operating system…" she murmured, more to herself than to him. "That's exactly what it is." She turned to face him, a slow, predatory smile spreading across her lips.

Zaeryn could sort of understand what she was saying. Since his Vitae core wasn't the same as every warlady it was adaptive, you could really compare it to an open source system.

"If we are going by that, you could say, Most Warladies in this world, are running on pre-loaded software, strong, stable, but ultimately limited by their initial programming. But I'm not just using the code. I'm rewriting it with every bond he made. That makes sense?"

Sage smiled pridefully. "Yes it does."

Zaeryn let the golden wisp fade, feeling the usual drain being soothed by the Harmonizer's energy field. "Well, this might just be a game changer. With this, I can master my abilities with no worries." He said.

"Do you think you can create a portable version of this?"

"Yes, I'm working on it." Sage nodded, not looking up from the console. Her focus was absolute, her violet eyes scanning the torrent of data with an intensity that was frankly terrifying. "Baseline's locked. Now for the fun part."

She didn't move to another machine. Instead, she swiped her hand through the air, and a dozen new holographic schematics bloomed around her workstation. With deft, precise movements, she began manipulating them, pulling components from one design, integrating them into another, her fingers dancing through the light. A fabrication unit on the far wall hummed to life, its internal lasers beginning to etch a new, complex device from a block of raw alloy.

Zaeryn watched in awe. This was Sage in her element, a whirlwind of brilliance and creation. "You're building it right now. "

"Of course," she said, her tone matter-of-fact as she resized a power conduit on the schematic. "Did you think I was going to let my boyfriend run around frying his own brain? You can't master your powers if you're knocking yourself out every time you use them."

She finally looked at him, her expression softening. "This won't give you mastery, babe. That takes practice. But it will significantly speed that up by getting rid of the problem of you passing out and other complications. It's a safety net, so you can train without overexertion. Think of it as my investment in you."

A few minutes later, the fabrication unit chimed softly. Sage retrieved a small, sleek device.a dark metal band, no bigger than a watch, with a single, smooth obsidian stone set in its center.

She walked over to him, the newly crafted Harmonizer warm in her palm. "Hold out your wrist."

He did, and she gently fastened the band around it. It was cool against his skin, and the device pulsed once with a faint blue light before settling into a soft, steady glow.

Meanwhile, in Cassia Stellan's office.

Cassia's office occupied the entire top floor, floor-to-ceiling windows offering a commanding view of the city below. Princess Valerie settled into the chair across from the obsidian desk without waiting to be offered one. General Rostova remained standing by the window, arms crossed. Nyx took a seat slightly behind the princess, quiet and observant.

"To business, then." Cassia folded her hands on the desk. "You mentioned a matter of state. I'm listening."

Valerie leaned forward slightly. "The Imperial Council needs new members for the Aegis Division. I'm sure you're aware of it—an initiative to counter the Vorthak threat. We're assembling the Queendom's most brilliant minds. Innovators, strategists, people who think beyond conventional warfare."

She held Cassia's gaze. "Your daughter is at the top of our list. Her work in bio-energetic resonance is groundbreaking. We believe she could be key to turning this war."

"Yes, Princess Athea mentioned it to me. If the Council requires Sage, she will serve."

Valerie's smile sharpened. "Excellent."

Cassia rose from behind her obsidian desk with the same effortless grace she'd carried into the lobby. "She's working in the lab next door. I'll bring her."

With that, Lady Stellan crossed the office and disappeared through a set of seamless doors, unaware of what awaited her on the other side.

Inside the office. Sage and Zaeryn were entangled.

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