Adrian woke to the lock clicking.
Marcus stood in the doorway, silhouetted against the corridor lamplight. "Up. We're skipping morning training today."
Adrian sat up, confused. "Why?"
"Because you need recovery time more than you need another beating. Your body's adapting but you're pushing too hard." Marcus stepped back. "Get dressed. Cross wants everyone in the main courtyard in twenty minutes for tactics drills."
He left before Adrian could ask more questions.
Tactics drills?
Adrian dressed quickly and made his way through the now-familiar passages to the courtyard. Most of the other Initiates were already there, standing in small groups.
Elena spotted him and waved him over. She stood with Thomas and two others, Adrian didn't recognise.
"Morning," she said. "Sleep well?"
"Well enough." Adrian nodded to Thomas. "You?"
"Same as always." Thomas gestured to the others. "This is Garrett and Lynn. They're in our training cohort."
Brief introductions were made. Garrett was short and stocky, bound to The Crucible. Lynn was tall and quiet, with the Armament Dao like Julian.
Warden Cross emerged from the building, and the courtyard fell silent.
"Today we're working on team tactics. Pair exercises. I want to see how you coordinate with partners who aren't your usual sparring partners." He began calling out names.
"Elena Frost and Adrian Blackstar."
Elena glanced at Adrian. "Ready to see if you can keep up?"
"I'll try my best."
They moved to an open area of the courtyard. Cross explained the drill. One person would defend a designated zone while their partner tried to breach it. Then they'd switch roles. The goal was to learn how to read your partner's movements and coordinate without verbal communication.
"Begin!"
Elena moved first. She was fast. Not Julian-fast, but quick and precise. Her attacks weren't meant to overpower but to probe. Testing Adrian's defences. Looking for patterns.
The Cipher Dao. She sees patterns. Analyses them. She's learning my tells.
Adrian defended as best he could, using everything Marcus had taught him. But Elena was different from the others. She didn't repeat combinations. Every attack was unique, calculated to expose a different weakness.
After two minutes, she'd found three openings in his defence.
"You telegraph with your eyes," she said, stepping back. "You look where you're going to block before you block. It's subtle but noticeable."
"How do I fix that?"
"Practice not looking. Feel where the attack is coming from." She demonstrated, closing her eyes and blocking an imaginary strike. "Your body knows. Trust it."
They went again. This time Adrian tried not to focus on watching her eyes. Tried to feel the attacks instead.
It worked better than expected. He blocked more. Read her movements by the shift of her weight, the tension in her shoulders.
"Better," Elena said. "Much better. You learn quickly."
"So I've been told."
They switched roles. Adrian attacked while Elena defended her zone. He lasted maybe thirty seconds before she'd analysed his entire approach and shut him down completely.
"You favour your right side," she explained. "And you pull back slightly before committing to a strike. Those are your tells."
She sees everything. Processes it instantly. That's her Dao at work.
They continued drilling for another twenty minutes. By the end, they were moving together smoothly. Adrian could predict where Elena would be. She could read what he was planning before he fully committed to it.
"Excellent work," Cross called out. "Elena, Adrian, you're dismissed early. Good coordination."
They stepped aside as other pairs continued drilling. Adrian was breathing hard but not exhausted. His body was already recovering from the exertion.
"You fight like someone who's been trained recently," Elena said, watching him carefully. "But you move like you've never fought before. It's strange."
"Strange how?"
"Like your body knows things your mind doesn't." She tilted her head, studying him with that analytical gaze. "Your Dao must enhance physical learning. Pattern."
"Maybe. I don't really understand what my Dao does yet."
"You will. They always manifest fully within the first few weeks." Elena pulled her braid tighter. "Want to get an early lunch? Training doesn't resume for another hour."
"Sure."
Thomas joined them as they headed inside. "Good work out there. You two coordinated well."
"Adrian's a natural," Elena said. "Or his Dao makes him one. Hard to tell which."
They walked through corridors that were becoming familiar. Down one hall. Up a short flight of stairs. Through a set of double doors.
The mess hall.
Adrian had never been inside before. It was large, filled with long wooden tables. Most were empty this early, but a few Hunters sat eating and talking quietly.
Thomas led them to a serving area where an older woman ladled out stew and handed over bread. The food smelled better than anything from Adrian's cell.
"First time here?" the woman asked Adrian.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Well, eat up. You're skin and bones. Hunter Reed mentioned you need feeding up." She gave him an extra portion of bread.
They found a table near the windows. Natural light streamed in, making the space feel less oppressive than the training areas.
Adrian ate slowly, trying not to show how hungry he was. The stew was thick and warm. The bread was fresh.
"So," Elena said, breaking her bread into pieces. "Tell us about the explosion. The real story."
Not this again.
"You've heard the official version."
"Official versions are rarely complete." She dipped bread in her stew. "I'm bound to The Cipher. I see patterns in information. And something about your story doesn't fit."
"What do you mean?"
"You're too calm about everything. Most people who accidentally bind to something would be terrified. Desperate for answers." She took a bite and chewed thoughtfully. "You're just adapting. Learning. Surviving. That suggests either remarkable composure or you knew more going into this than you're admitting."
Thomas leaned forward. "She's got a point. You handle everything like someone who expected this. Or at least someone who's not surprised by it."
They're both smart. I need to give them something without revealing too much.
"My mother was researching something. I didn't know until after she died. When I found her hidden room, I realised she'd been investigating things that the Vigil considers dangerous." Adrian met their eyes. "So yes, I knew something was there. But I didn't intend to activate it. That part was an accident."
Elena nodded slowly. "Your mother was researching Daos."
"I think so. But all her research was destroyed in the explosion."
"Convenient."
"Convenient for me. Inconvenient for the Vigil. They'd probably like to know what she found."
Thomas finished his stew. "Do you know what Dao you're bound to?"
"No. And neither does anyone else here. That's the problem."
They sat in silence for a moment. Around them, more Initiates were filtering into the mess hall for early lunch. The noise level rose.
"The Vigil has partial records of twelve Daos," Elena said quietly. "But they only have comprehensive information on four. The rest are known to exist but not well understood."
"How do you know that?"
"I asked. I'm curious by nature. The Cipher Dao makes me more so." She leaned back. "If you're bound to one of the eight lesser-known Daos, the Vigil will eventually figure it out. They have contacts in other cities. Other organisations."
"And if I'm bound to something outside the twelve?"
Elena's expression grew serious. "There is nothing outside of the twelve."
Thomas gestured across the mess hall. "Speaking of danger. Julian's table."
Adrian looked. Julian sat with Marcus Kell, Sarah Byrne, and three others Adrian didn't recognise. They were all watching Adrian's table. Not subtly.
"He's still angry about this morning," Thomas said. "About me defending you."
"I didn't ask you to do that."
"I know. But someone needed to. Julian's been getting worse. More aggressive. More territorial." Thomas lowered his voice. "His father has connections on the Council. Julian thinks that makes him untouchable."
A chair scraped across the floor. Sarah Byrne stood from Julian's table and walked toward them.
Here we go.
She stopped at their table, arms crossed. Her smile was mean. "Interesting group. The mysterious binding, the analytics nerd, and the charity case."
"Go away, Sarah," Elena said calmly.
"Just making an observation. It's fascinating how Vale's pet project has already found the other misfits to cluster with."
Thomas stood slowly. He didn't say anything. Just stood and looked at her.
Sarah's smile faltered slightly. Thomas was bigger than her and his expression made it clear he wasn't in the mood.
"Whatever. Just don't expect special treatment to last forever. Eventually, Reed will realise you're not worth the effort." She turned and walked back to Julian's table.
Thomas sat back down. "Sorry. I shouldn't have risen to it."
"She was trying to provoke a reaction," Elena said. "You handled it fine."
"Julian's using her to test boundaries," Adrian said. "Seeing how we'll react."
Elena nodded. "He's building to something. Probably another confrontation. But he'll wait until it's on his terms."
They finished eating in relative quiet. The mess hall filled up completely. The noise became almost overwhelming.
"I should study before afternoon training," Elena said, standing. "Tactics exam next week and I need to review formation patterns."
"Good luck," Thomas said.
She looked at Adrian. "Walk with me? I'm heading past the library."
"Sure."
They left together. Thomas waved and headed in a different direction.
Elena led Adrian through corridors he didn't recognize. Up stairs. Past rooms with closed doors.
"The library is on the third floor," she explained. "Open to all Vigil members once they're cleared. Initiates usually get access after the first month."
"Have you been cleared?"
"Three weeks ago. It's useful. The Vigil has an extensive collection of historical texts and tactical manuals."
They reached a large wooden door. Elena pushed it open.
Inside was the most beautiful room Adrian had ever seen. Shelves stretched from floor to ceiling, packed with books. Tables lined the centre, most occupied by Hunters and senior Initiates studying.
"This is incredible," Adrian whispered.
"Isn't it? I spend most of my free time here." Elena walked to one of the tables and set down her bag. "You're welcome to join me. If you want company."
She's offering more than just company. Friendship, maybe.
"I'd like that. When I'm cleared for access."
"Shouldn't be much longer. You're adapting well. Cross and Vale will notice." She pulled out a thick book. "See you at afternoon training. Try not to let Julian provoke you."
"I'll try."
Adrian left the library and walked back through the corridors. His mind was racing.
Elena is smart. Dangerous. But she seems genuine. Like she actually wants to understand rather than just report everything to the Wardens.
Thomas is solid. Reliable. Someone I could trust in a fight.
But Julian is watching. Building toward something. And his group is larger than mine.
Adrian reached the intersection where corridors split toward different cell blocks. To the right, toward his cell. To the left, toward the training areas.
Footsteps behind him.
He turned. Elena had followed him out of the library.
"I forgot to mention," she said, slightly breathless. "Tomorrow morning. If Reed cancels your private training again, come to the library. I can show you some tactical texts that might help."
"Why are you helping me?"
She smiled. Small but genuine. "Because you're interesting. And I like puzzles. You're definitely a puzzle."
"Is that all?"
"Maybe not." Her smile widened slightly. "See you tomorrow, Adrian."
She turned and walked back toward the library.
Adrian stood alone in the corridor, processing what just happened.
She likes puzzles. I'm a puzzle. That's one way to put it.
But there was something else in her expression. Something more than just analytical curiosity.
He walked back to his cell, his mind full of Elena's sharp eyes and sharper mind. Thomas's steady support. Julian's calculating hatred.
For the first time since the explosion, he wasn't alone.