The day after the assassination, Marcus noticed Lucian was different. The young genius sat in Combat Theory class with his usual perfect posture, took notes with his usual meticulous attention, answered questions with his usual brilliance. But his amber eyes had changed—harder, more aware, carrying the weight of someone who'd crossed a line they couldn't uncross.
Marcus ate his lunch, watching from across the dining hall. Lucian was surrounded by his usual admirers—students who gravitated toward top-rank talent—but he seemed distant from their conversations, his mind clearly elsewhere.
After class, Lucian found Marcus in the library. "We need to talk. Privately."
They moved to a study room that Marcus had previously verified had no listening enchantments. Lucian cast a privacy ward for extra security—unnecessarily paranoid, but Marcus approved.
"I can't sleep," Lucian said without preamble. "I close my eyes and I see Crane's face. The moment my sword went through his back. The shock in his eyes. The blood." He ran a hand through his silver-streaked hair. "I thought killing would be different. Cleaner somehow. It's not. It's messy and permanent and I can't undo it."
"No, you can't," Marcus agreed. "Welcome to consequences. They're uncomfortable."
"How do you handle it? The guilt, the memories?"
Marcus considered how much truth to share. "I remind myself why they deserved to die. Crane was a slave trader. He'd caused dozens of deaths, ruined countless lives. The world is objectively better without him. That doesn't erase what you did, but it provides context."
"Context doesn't make the nightmares stop."
"No, it doesn't. Time does that. Eventually." Marcus leaned back. "If you want to quit our arrangement, I understand. Assassination isn't for everyone."
"I don't want to quit." Lucian's amber eyes were determined despite the obvious distress. "I want to be stronger. Strong enough that I don't freeze, don't need saving, don't feel this helpless. But I also need to understand—is this what power costs? Becoming someone who can kill without hesitation?"
"Not without hesitation. That makes you a monster. With hesitation, but doing it anyway because it's necessary. That makes you a warrior." Marcus pulled out food from his bag. "Power costs different things for different people. For you, it costs innocence. For me, it costs isolation—I can't let anyone truly know me without risking everything. We all pay different prices."
Lucian was quiet, processing. "Your paranoia isn't just personality, is it? It's survival strategy. Keep everyone at distance, trust no one completely, maintain multiple identities so if one falls apart the others remain."
"Exactly. You're learning."
"And now I'm part of that strategy. An ally bound by shared secrets and mutual leverage. Does that mean you trust me?"
"It means I trust our mutual self-interest. You won't expose me because it exposes you. That's more reliable than emotional trust." Marcus took a bite of his pastry. "But I'm also training you properly, teaching you real skills, helping you become stronger. That's the positive side of our arrangement."
"So we're allies of convenience?"
"For now. Maybe that changes over time. Maybe it doesn't. I'm fine with either outcome as long as the arrangement remains beneficial to both of us."
Lucian smiled slightly. "You're remarkably honest about your pragmatism. Most people would pretend to care more."
"Pretending wastes energy. I'd rather be clear about motivations."
A knock on the study room door interrupted their conversation. Both tensed—the privacy ward should have indicated the room was occupied.
Marcus opened the door slightly. Professor Blackthorne stood outside, looking concerned.
"Mr. Aldrich, Mr. Ashford. I need to speak with both of you. It's about last night's incident in the dock district."
Marcus's blood ran cold. Had they been identified? Seen by witnesses? He calculated escape routes, contingency plans, ways to eliminate the threat if necessary.
"What incident, Professor?" Lucian asked smoothly, his voice perfectly controlled.
"Victor Crane's assassination. He was found dead this morning, transformed into crystallized remains like all of Phantom's victims. But several witnesses reported seeing two attackers, not one. A masked figure matching Phantom's description, and a second person in dark clothing."
She studied them both carefully. "You both have alibis, I assume?"
"I was in my rented room above the bakery," Marcus said. "Sleeping. The baker's wife can confirm I was there until dawn."
"I was studying in the library's restricted section until 2 AM," Lucian added. "The night librarian can verify. Then I returned to my dormitory."
Blackthorne looked between them, clearly not entirely convinced but lacking evidence. "Of course. I'm sure you were. I'm simply informing students that City Guard is investigating vigorously. Anyone with information about Phantom or his possible accomplice should report it immediately."
"We'll keep that in mind, Professor," Marcus said.
After she left, Lucian let out a breath. "That was close. Do you think she suspects?"
"Possibly. But suspicion without evidence is meaningless. Our alibis are solid—I paid the baker's wife to swear I was home all night, and the night librarian was drunk and won't remember who was or wasn't there." Marcus smiled slightly. "Paranoia, remember? I always establish alibis before contracts."
"That's... actually brilliant. Disturbing, but brilliant." Lucian stood. "I should go establish visible presence around campus. Make sure people see me acting normal."
"Good instinct. Also, stop looking guilty. You're too obvious about it."
"I'll work on that." Lucian headed for the door, then paused. "Marcus? Thank you. For not abandoning me after last night. I know bringing me along was risky for you."
"It was mutually beneficial. You wanted experience, I wanted backup. Simple transaction."
"Right. Simple transaction." Lucian's expression suggested he didn't entirely believe that, but he left without pressing.
Marcus sat alone, considering their situation. Blackthorne's suspicion was concerning but manageable. The bigger problem was Lucian's obvious guilt—the young man was too principled, too unused to deception. That would become a liability if he couldn't learn to hide his emotions better.
But Lucian was also adapting quickly, showing good instincts about alibi-building and public perception. With proper training, he could become an excellent accomplice.
The real question was whether Marcus wanted a long-term accomplice or preferred working alone.
Allies were useful but complicated. They created vulnerabilities, dependencies, emotional entanglements that interfered with cold calculation.
But they also provided backup, shared the burden, and made certain contracts manageable that would be suicide solo.
Risk versus reward. Always the same calculation.