Victor stirred with a groan, his head pounding like someone had used it for drum practice. The world was fuzzy, spinning slightly as he forced his eyes open.
His first clear sensation wasn't pain—it was hunger. His stomach let out a deep, growling complaint that echoed louder than it should have.
"Ugh... what now?" he muttered, pushing himself up slowly.
Once his vision steadied, he realized they were in a new space. A wide, hall-like chamber.
It resembled a cafeteria. Long stone tables stretched across the room, with benches filled with other boys. Everyone was seated, bowls in front of them. The food inside looked like some kind of thin soup—grayish, with flecks of green and brown—and it was quickly going cold.
Victor looked down and saw that he had a bowl, too.
His stomach growled again.
He hesitated, sniffed the bowl cautiously, then glanced to his right.
The brown-haired boy from earlier—the one with the burning eyes—was sitting beside him, quietly eating the soup. He didn't seem to enjoy it, but he was methodical, efficient.
Another angry growl erupted from Victor's gut.
"Fine," he muttered, pickingup the spoon.
The first sip wasn't good. But it wasn't awful either. Just bland and lukewarm.
But the moment it touched his stomach, something clicked. Like a switch flipped.
Victor suddenly began scarfing it down. Bite after bite, his body overriding his brain with pure need.
That's when the boy beside him spoke.
"Caelum. Caelum Virell."
Victor paused mid-bite, spoon halfway to his mouth.
He lowered the spoon slowly and turned his head. "Excuse me?"
The boy didn't repeat himself. He just looked at him, unblinking.
Victor blinked back. "Oh... your name."
The boy nodded once. "Caelum Virell."
Victor gave a small, respectful nod. "Nice to meet you."
Caelum frowned deeply.
Victor, spoon still hovering over his bowl, noticed the shift. He could feel the boy's confusion—genuine, not defensive. It was like he didn't know what to make of Victor's reaction.
"What?" Victor asked, matching the frown. "Did I say something weird?"
Caelum studied him for a long moment, then asked, "You really don't know who I am?"
Victor scratched his head, feeling slightly awkward. "Judging from your reaction... I'm probably supposed to recognize the surname or something, huh?"
Caelum didn't answer, just sighed and went back to his soup.
Victor followed suit but glanced at him again. "Sorry, man. I'm not exactly from around here."
There was a pause.
"Should I?" Victor asked again, more curious than before.
Caelum didn't get to answer.
The heavy wooden door at the
far end suddenly opened with a bang, and Jeffrey stepped through. He looked more
tired than before, but still carried that edge of command in his step.
"You've got five minutes," he called out, voice sharp. "Finish eating. Then it's lights out. Training starts tomorrow."
Some boys groaned. Others shoveled food faster.
Victor took another spoonful, then paused.
Something was missing.
He scanned the room. Dozens of boys. But no girls.
His eyes widened slightly.
"All the girls from earlier... they're gone."
He hadn't noticed at first. Maybe because of the headache, maybe because of the food. But now that his senses were back, it was obvious. Every single person in the room was male.
They must have separated us when we were unconscious, he thought grimly.
He tried to remember—there had been a girl with her little brother. Others, too. Where were they now?
His gut twisted again. Not from hunger.
Victor glanced back at Caelum, who was eating steadily, his expression unreadable.
"Do you know what they're going to do with us?" Victor asked quietly.
Caelum didn't look up. "Train us. Use us."
"And the girls?"
Caelum finally stopped eating. "Not our problem."
Victor frowned. "They were with us. Same cells. Same guards. Doesn't feel right just ignoring it."
"You can't save everyone," Caelum said without emotion.
"I'm not trying to. I just want to know what's happening."
Silence stretched between them.
Victor looked down at his bowl. It was empty now.
He sighed and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Well, either way... I'm not planning on staying in the dark forever."
Caelum didn't respond. But his eyes flicked sideways.
Victor didn't need his Empath
trait to catch that.