Page 5 of Origins

But I wasfinedoing this alone. I just needed to work harder, and people would start to see what I was capable of.

“With all due respect, Headmistress Voltaris... I’veneverneeded help.”

“I know, Sulien. I have no intention of undermining the incredible work you’ve done so far. But you must also face the reality that you’re the only senior who has yet to secure an internship placement.”

Flora’s eyes drifted to the clock on the wall before glancing at the watch on her wrist as if the two would say something vastly different. But, after a moment, she seemed to accept the fact that her very limited time had run dry. So, instead of giving me another chance to plead my case against needing Callie’s help, she stood. Her greeneyes bore into mine as she cleared her throat.

“Mr. Seo, if you truly intend to become a hero, you and Callie will need to work together.” Her tone was stern, and as much as I hated to admit it, I knew she was right.

Ididneed the help… even if I only accepted it begrudgingly.

Chapter 2

Sulien

Three days had passed since Flora assigned her youngest daughter, Callie, to shadow me like an overbearing guardian angel. As far as I was aware, a PR representative was supposed to give press conferences and make sure I didn’t say anything stupid in public. Instead, she felt like my babysitter.

Of course, I didn’t mind seeing more of Callie, but the idea that I needed her help pissed me off. I’d earned my place at the most prestigious heroing college in the country in spite of my dad’s reputation. Not only that, but I was the top-ranked student in the hero program, and the only thing standing between me and a legendary center placement was the populace’s misguided ideas about my intentions. But I knew it was only a matter of time before people started to come around.

I didn’t need Callie’s help to clean up my image. Or at least, that’s what I kept telling myself.

I wanted to hate her, but the little brat was infuriatingly hard to be mad at. She wasn’t the spoiled, bratty daughter of Flora Voltaris I’d imagined her to be. Callie was quiet, almost mythical in the way she moved through the world. She never pried into my thoughts or asked about why I wanted to be a hero. She just existed in my space, and weirdly, I found myself wanting to exist in hers as well.

We usually ate lunch together, and our silence was more comfortable than awkward. Throughout ourscattered conversations, I’d learned that Callie’s courses were split between general studies and the hero-tech program. Given her family’s background, it seemed odd that she had no interest in at least attempting to be a hero. Though I suppose it made a certain kind of sense, mind-reading and empathy were both fairly useless in combat.

Now and then, I’d catch her staring at me, her wide blue eyes unblinking, as if she was trying to figure me out. But she never pushed to get to know me. Instead, she seemed content just to be near me.

To my surprise, I was beginning to feel the same.

“So… what do you do in your spare time?” I asked, swiping a baby carrot from her.

She nudged her tray closer to me, giving me easier access to her food.

“I watch a lot of movies.”

“Oh yeah? What kind?”

“Horror,” she admitted.

I raised an eyebrow, biting into the stolen carrot.

“You like horror movies?”

I leaned in, catching a hint of her perfume. It was sweet and floral, like rose-flavored candy. Did girls always smell this good? Sure, I’d brought my fair share of one-night stands home when I wasn’t so busy with school, but I hadn’t dated much. I was just too busy for anything serious. My roommates filled in some of the gaps—company, advice, sex—but they were men. And, while some girls may have envied Jace’s head of gorgeous chestnut-colored hair, there was no replacement for the softness of a woman.

Her ponytail bobbed as she nodded at my question.

“I like the feeling of being scared.”

Her smile was sweet, but the way she said it made my skin crawl. There was something weird about this girl, something that didn’t quite fit with the rest of her demure persona.

“What’s your favorite movie?” I asked, still not quite believing that she was serious.

“Found footage! I like how real they feel.” Her excitement was palpable as she clenched her fists, digging her bubblegum-pink nails into her palms.

I couldn’t help but wonder what those nails would feel like on my back—but I quickly pushed the thought down. Callie probably wasn’t the type to sleep with someone she barely knew, and I wasn’t sure I had it in me to be serious with her… even if some insane part of me wanted to try.

“That’s... unexpected.” I shifted in my seat, hoping she didn’t notice that the crotch of my jeans was much tighter now than it’d been a few seconds ago. “Why do you want them to feel real?”

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