"You cast smarter than you should."
Lucen looked over at him.
"Don't sound so surprised."
"I'm not."
They walked side by side now. The corridor smelled like old power cables and metal heat. Lucen's fingers still twitched with residual energy, the taste of spell dust still at the back of his throat.
Varik glanced sideways.
"That perk's dangerous."
Lucen didn't deny it.
"It's also mine."
"That's what makes it worse."
Lucen squinted at him. "Worse for who?"
Varik didn't answer. Just kept walking.
A few more steps passed in silence.
Then Lucen said, "You knew it'd be something like this. Didn't you."
"I knew it wouldn't be balanced."
Lucen raised a brow. "Jealous?"
"I don't get jealous."
Lucen smirked, slow. "Liar."
They reached the end of the corridor, an access hatch back to the outer platform. Low light filtered in through a half-locked grid panel. The city pulsed beyond it, far away and indifferent.
