Ashes and Stardust

While Eve added the very first pinch of powder, she was about to reach for the second ingredient, when Ivan's inhuman senses picked up a subtle shift beside Eve. His eye flickered to the side and he saw it. The vial of acid tipping, droplets aimed straight for Evelyn.

He moved faster than anyone could react, his body acting on instinct before his mind had fully processed it.

His strong hands shot up and wrapped around her delicate shoulder, swiftly pulling her to his lap, her face buried against his chest. He turned his own face side, shielding both of them from the impact.

The sound of shattering glass echoed through the classroom, cutting through the chatter and silencing everyone. A sharp hiss followed, the sizzling of acid on stone and clothes along with a strong pungent smell filled the space. 

Students turned to look at her source of commotion and their eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

Gasps and murmurs of disbelief rippled through the air. 

No one knew what was more shocking, the fact that the icy Prince Ivan, had his arms wrapped protectively around the lumen princess, who was now sitting on his lap, with her face buried against his chest…. or the sight of acid droplets burning holes through Prince Ivan's clothes and some small part of delicate fabric of Princess Evelyn's dress near her foot.

Eve, who had been suddenly yanked into his arms, was too stunned for a couple of seconds. She didn't know what happened so she panicked a little. She took a deep breath, to try to make sense of the situation when she inhaled his fresh and masculine scent.

Oh, he smelled so good, and somehow it calmed her raging senses.. She moved her hands, and pressed on top of his chest and called him in a muffled voice "Pr-Prince Ivan?"

Ivan gradually loosened his hold on her and looked down at her. Her face had flushed a deep red but there were no visible injuries. In a low, steady voice, he asked, "Are you hurt anywhere?"

She gave him a confused look, then shook her head, still wondering why he asked her that. His eyes subtly scanned her, making sure she had not been touched by the acid. 

But with every passing second, she became increasingly aware that she was still held by him and worse, she was very much still sitting on his lap.

As if that wasn't enough, when she turned to look around, she saw how the entire class was silent and every single student was staring at them in utter disbelief. 

She blushed so hard, that she was convinced fumes would be coming out from her ears right now, if possible.

Eve asked in a small voice, "Prince Ivan, I.. I would like to stand if you don't mind." Watching Eve turning red like a tomato, made him finally let go of her so that she could finally stand up.

Emily was the first one to react. The sight of seeing Ivan protect and hold Eve so intimately, made her blood boil and she rushed to Eve. 

Emily grabbed Eve's hand abruptly and exclaimed "Oh my god! Are you o–.." She didn't get to complete her sentence.

In the blink of an eye, Ivan was on his feet, His hand shot out like a viper, wrapping around Emily's throat as he lifted her off the floor, her feet dangling and eyes wide in shock.

Rage consumed Ivan, he didn't know how he knew it but he could just feel it. His instincts screamed that she did it on purpose. He could smell it, the malice radiating out of her like a foul stench. 

His eyes shifted from deep red to molten orange. He glared at her so viciously, as if he could rip her apart right there and then. Fire danced in his pupil, flickering with barely restrained chaos."

Suddenly the temperature in the classroom spiked and every glass container started to crack. Slight tremors were felt on the floor, rumbling under their feet as if earth was getting ready to split open to swallow them all.

Professor Ana rushed over to Ivan's side and her voice laced with panic, "Your Highness, please! You must calm down!!" 

Damien behind her was alarmed, "Ivan! Get a grip! You'll burn this entire place to the ground!"

Cece stepped in as well, her eyes sharp like a dagger locked onto Emily who was thrashing in Ivan's grip like a fish out of water, said, "Let her go Ivan. You'll end up killing her at this rate." 

But Ivan saw only red. The mere thought of dangerous acid almost burning Evelyn had triggered something primal inside him. Something that urged him to let his powers loose and reduce everything to ashes.

Power pulsed through him, wild and untamed. No words were quite reaching him.

When Damien reached out to touch Ivan, hissed in pain when his skin burnt so he pulled away quickly. He was shocked to feel the intense heat radiating off his brother.

Desperate and out of options, he kept trying to talk to him along with Cece and Prof. Ana, but nothing broke through.

With Ivan's powers ready to unleash destruction, something ancient stirred deep within Eve.

As the heat in the room continued to rise, Eve's amber locket almost as if responding to Ivan's energy started to crack, little by little.

Then, without a warning a sudden urge of unfamiliar power swept through the classroom. 

Evelyn, who until today was seen as nothing more than a powerless Lumen princess, began to glow with a blinding radiance. 

Everyone turned to look at her and collectively held their breath in shock.

She looked ethereal, as if the goddess of light had descended to earth. Her eyes shimmered golden and her skin radiated with a divine golden hue. 

As if in trance, Evelyn started to walk toward Ivan with steady footsteps. Each step was slow, deliberate, yet thunderous in its weight. Her expression was blank, her gaze locked onto his back. 

Damien's voice died in his throat. Cece's breath hitched. Even Professor Ana stood frozen, her lips parted in disbelief.

Evelyn extended her hand and gently touched Ivan's back.

Time seemed to stop. His heat didn't burn her, as if bowing to her.

The searing heat began to subside a little by little and the trembling ground gradually stilled, as if the earth itself had exhaled in relief.

And in that moment, surrounded by the remnants of chaos, Evelyn stood at the center like the calm to his fury.

Ivan felt a magnetic pull call to him. Something primal, something that felt like his very own. He didn't understand what it was, but he let go of Emily's neck only for her to collapse on the ground and faint. 

When Ivan slowly turned around, he saw Evelyn, her hand gently slid off his shoulder. Her eyes shone golden, her skin radiant with soft golden light emanating from within. 

She no longer looked like a defenceless or fragile princess. She looked like an ethereal being, descended to earth to banish all evil.

As her hand slowly slid down, her expressionless face finally showed a flicker of emotions when their eyes locked. 

Golden meeting molten orange and something unspeakably raw passed between them.

Her eyes softened and a single devastating tear escaped from her eyes and trailed down her cheeks. She didn't say a thing but it shook Ivan to his core. 

Suddenly, the radiant glow that flowed from Evelyn's body began to flicker. Her eyelids fluttered and slowly shut. While her strength waned, her body swayed from not being able to stay upright anymore and she fell forward.

Ivan instinctively stepped in, catching her as she slipped into unconsciousness.

Nobody understood what happened in the class, but everyone knew it was wise for them to stay silent if they wanted to live another day. 

Confusion spread across the faces of Damien, Cece, Edward and Professor Ana as they all stared at unconscious Evelyn cradled in Ivan's arms. 

Ivan shut his eyes for a moment and when he opened them again, they had returned to their usual dark red hue

In a low voice, Ivan spoke to the Professor and Damien, "I am taking Princess Evelyn to the infirmary, you can decide what punishment to give that trash lying on the floor, unless you'd rather I step in. She intentionally tried to throw acid on us, only to fail because of my intervention."

And then, in a voice laced with icy calm and unmistakable authority, he said one of the most unexpected things ever:

"I expect we'll be given another chance to complete our healing potion, since the first attempt was rudely interrupted."

With that, he turned on his heel and strode out of the classroom, Evelyn cradled effortlessly in his arms.