Chapter 266
Chapter 267 A Hint of Jealousy
“Awake p>
Hadrien’s features softened at once, his gaze fixed intently on his newly-woken Guide.
Lyra gave a quiet nod and drifted toward the kitchen, drawn by the rich aroma.
She wanted to see all the delicious food he had labored over late the night before.
Hadrien watched her retreat with a fond glint in his eyes.
Lush
Somehow in her sleep, the short hair at the back of her head had gotten tousled and stuck straight up.
She must have tried wetting it down to smooth it, yet the strands popped right back up once dry, sticking out behind her.
The sight made him smile.
Stepping behind her while Lyra inspected the breakfast spread, he lifted a hand and gently tucked those unruly strands into place.
Warm steam curled from the seafood congee in front of her, and behind her lingered his body heat.
Lyra stiffened. She turned her head and met his star-bright eyes.
“Go sit down. I’ll handle everything p>
At those words, she spun around and scurried off without a second thought.
Hadrien watched her hasty retreat and chuckled softly, brimming with affection.
Over breakfast, Hadrien stayed close beside her, quiet, his chin propped in one hand, never taking his eyes off her.
Lyra held up her palm to shield half her face.
A low laugh brushed her ear, light and tickling like soft feathers.
“Is it good?” he asked.
Lyra nodded.
Hadrien smiled, satisfied.
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Once she finished eating. Hadrien brought up two pieces of news he had just learned.
“Did you see the messages? You’re meeting your instructor and starting your studies this afternoon p>
Lyra nodded, a flicker of nervousness stirring inside.
She wondered what kind of Guide would be teaching her.
Hadrien handed the dishes off to the cleaning robots.
“I also heard some off-the-record gossip p>
Curiosity lit across Lyra’s face as she waited earnestly for him to continue.
Hadrien’s gaze darkened, his Adam’s apple rolling slowly.
“…Captain Garen told me that Oversight Bureau agents took Yannis into custody last night. Rumor says he’s suspected of taking bribes p>
Lyra’s eyes went wide with shock. Seriously p>
Hadrien’s gaze drifted slowly over her watery almond eyes, then down to her soft, parted lips, red and inviting.
His voice dropped to a rough murmur. “No one knows for sure yet. It hasn’t spread publicly p>
Lyra’s mind was fully occupied by this bombshell news, completely oblivious to the heated way he looked at her.
Yannis… bribery?
Thinking of how he usually carried himself, he must have been unbelievably bold to pull something like this right here on Core Prime, if the charges held up.
Beside her, Hadrien watched her sink into thought.
Her long, curled eyelashes fell like tiny brushes against her skin, her cheeks smooth, even the tip of her nose looked utterly charming.
Shadows pooled deep in Hadrien’s eyes.
Wordlessly, he reached up again and smoothed the flyaway hair at the nape of her neck.
That faint, tickling sensation traveled across her scalp.
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Lyra turned her head. When she locked onto his deep, smoldering stare, her heart skipped a beat.
She shifted uncomfortably to the side.
She ducked her head and typed to avoid his gaze.
“So… what do I need to prepare for meeting my instructor this afternoon p>
Hadrien did not press the moment. He casually rested one arm along the back of her chair.
“Did the GPA’s president tell you who your instructor will be p>
Lyra nodded. “Her name is Elowen Sorrel p>
Hadrien sifted through his memories of this Guide.
Seeing Lyra’s mix of anxiety and anticipation, he spoke to calm her nerves.
“Don’t be nervous. She’s extremely respected here on Core Prime. Most current Guides have trained under her. Sentinels she has purified all say she’s really easy-going p>
His reassurance helped Lyra relax a little. Still, anxiety lingered about meeting a complete stranger.
As if reading her mood, Hadrien suggested. “Since class doesn’t start until this afternoon, want to go out for a walk p>
Lyra bit the corner of her lip, thinking it over.
Somehow Hadrien’s hand had found its way to the back of her head again, his knuckles idly twining around those stray strands of hair.
In the end, Lyra decided to stay indoors.
She did not feel like taking a casual stroll trailed by a whole squad of guards.
Hadrien stayed to chat with her instead.
They traded stories of what each had gone through these past few days.
Hadrien thought there was nothing remarkable to tell about his time at Black Spire, but Lyra was intensely curious.
She wanted to know if Core Prime’s Black Spire housed even more Tier-3S Sentinels than other facilities.
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Hadrien nodded. “There are more than in other Black Spires, but feral transformations are also far worse. Quite a few Tier-28 Sentinels have gone feral p>
Surprise flickered across Lyra’s face.
Hadrien’s easy demeanor faded, his tone turning sharp and serious.
“Are you absolutely set on purifying Sentinels from Black Spire p>
Lyra nodded without hesitation.
Of course she was. It would help them, her friends at the fifth Black Spire, and it would help her
too.
If someone had told her most Sentinels in Core Prime’s Black Spire had slipped into feral states before, she might have hesitated. But Hadrien was back now. He was her greatest source of confidence.
Seeing her mind was firmly made up, Hadrien parted his lips yet held back whatever he had almost said.
Lyra asked next, “When you were there, did you hear why Zev got thrown into solitary confinement p>
Hadrien shook his head. Still, just thinking about Zev locked away gave him a quiet sense of satisfaction.
That man had given his Guide so much grief back on the Grade-two planet.
Speaking of that distant Grade-two planet…
“Are you still in touch with Rhys?” Hadrien asked.
Lyra replied, “Yeah! We message each other all the time p>
Hadrien lifted an eyebrow, feigning casualness. “Oh really? What do you two talk about p>
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Feral Sentinels Obey Only Hair
Lucia Morh
Lucia Morh is a passionate storyteller who brings emotions to life through her words. When she’s not writing, she finds peace nurturing her garden.