Purging the Demonic Qi

This! Lucy said, holding up the medicine bottle. "It's a restorative elixir."

Sean nodded and reached for the bottle.

"Hey!" Lucy snatched the bottle back. "I'm not giving you the whole thing. Hold out your hand, I'll give you one pill."

Sean, usually aloof, actually smiled and teased her: "So stingy? I helped your brother purge the demonic qi and you won't even give me a whole bottle?"

Lucy pointed at the bottle, "Do you know what this is? A Level Fifteen Grand Elixir! It's really rare!"

"So... your brother isn't worth a whole bottle?"

"I only have this one bottle, we have to share! Hold out your hand!" Lucy insisted.

Sean smiled and held out his hand.

Lucy poured one pill into his palm.

Out of habit, she steadied his hand with her own while pouring.

Then, as if burned, she quickly pulled her hand away.

Her skin tingled all over.

She looked away and tucked the bottle back into her robe. "Go," she said.

Sean put the pill in his mouth, his voice low and slightly hoarse as he said, "Mm."

True to his word, Sean escorted Lucy to her door—even though her quarters were right next to Ryan’s.

"Go meditate and rest early. I'll need your help again tomorrow," Lucy said.

Sean said, "You rest well too."

Lucy nodded, walked inside, and closed the door.

She listened intently, but heard no footsteps outside.

Had he used a movement spell to leave?

For reasons she couldn't quite explain, Lucy opened the door a crack and peeked outside.

She found herself staring directly into his eyes.

He still hadn't left.

Lucy was thoroughly embarrassed.

It would be awkward to close the door again.

So she opened the door wider and said, "Right!" as if she’d just remembered something.

In the moonlight, Sean’s smile was obvious as he asked in a low, deep voice, "Mm?"

"That Flower Egg..." Lucy said. "I just grabbed one at random to give you. Don’t listen to their nonsense."

She felt she had to clarify, or it would be really awkward.

But Sean’s smile vanished, and he turned cold again, his gaze sharp and a bit fierce as he asked, "Really?"

Then, as if burned, she quickly pulled her hand away.

Her skin tingled all over.

She looked away and tucked the bottle back into her robe. "Go," she said.

Sean put the pill in his mouth, his voice low and slightly hoarse as he said, "Mm."

True to his word, Sean escorted Lucy to her door—even though her quarters were right next to Ryan’s.

"Go meditate and rest early. I'll need your help again tomorrow," Lucy said.

Sean said, "You rest well too."

Lucy nodded, walked inside, and closed the door.

She listened intently, but heard no footsteps outside.

Had he used a movement spell to leave?

For reasons she couldn't quite explain, Lucy opened the door a crack and peeked outside.

She found herself staring directly into his eyes.

He still hadn't left.

Lucy was thoroughly embarrassed.

It would be awkward to close the door again.

So she opened the door wider and said, "Right!" as if she’d just remembered something.

In the moonlight, Sean’s smile was obvious as he asked in a low, deep voice, "Mm?"

"That Flower Egg..." Lucy said. "I just grabbed one at random to give you. Don’t listen to their nonsense."

She felt she had to clarify, or it would be really awkward.

But Sean’s smile vanished, and he turned cold again, his gaze sharp and a bit fierce as he asked, "Really?"