Chapter 75 Detour

Words : 1308 Updated : Sep 12th, 2025

Noah pulled back, the ghost of almost-contact lingering between them. Something flickered across Sophia's face - understanding, then mischief. "Come with me," she said suddenly, grabbing his hand. Before he could process what was happening, she was pulling him to his feet, her grip warm and insistent. She turned to face him as she ran backward, her smile radiant in the moonlight. "Where are we-" "Trust me!" She spun forward again, her hair streaming behind her like dark silk, still holding his hand as they raced across the academy grounds. The night air rushed past them, carrying the faint scent of her perfume - something light and expensive that Noah couldn't name. "Almost there," she called over her shoulder, enthusiasm bubbling through her words. Noah's mind finally caught up with his feet. They were heading toward the main gates - the actual exit from the academy grounds. He hadn't been outside without official supervision from Mrs Harper since... well, ever.@@@@ 'This is insane,' he thought, but didn't slow down. The gates loomed ahead, their quantum-locked barriers humming. Two guards stood at attention, their beast-tech armor gleaming under the security lights. 'No way they let us through,' Noah thought. 'Even if she is second-gen awakened.' But Sophia didn't hesitate. She approached the guards with the same easy confidence she showed everywhere else, pulling something from a hidden pocket in her dress. "Evening, James," she said to the guard on the left, holding up what looked like an ID card. But the material wasn't standard issue - it caught the light differently, displaying security marks Noah had never seen before. The guard - James - barely glanced at it before nodding. "Miss Reign. Your father mentioned you might be out tonight." 'Her father?' Noah filed that information away for later. The quantum barriers parted silently, their energy field rippling like water. Sophia pulled Noah through before he could think too hard about what just happened. The world beyond the academy walls felt different - wider, somehow. Modern buildings stretched toward the sky, their surfaces alive with holographic displays advertising everything from the latest beast-tech upgrades to synthetic food alternatives. "This way!" Sophia tugged him toward what looked like a transport terminal, but sleeker than the ones Noah remembered from training videos. The station itself was a marvel of engineering - curved lines and transparent materials that seemed to defy gravity. A mag-lev train waited at the platform, its aerodynamic shape suggesting speeds that would make old-world bullet trains look like toys. "How did you-" Noah gestured back toward the gates. Sophia's eyes sparkled. "Let's just say being the Eastern sector's Defense Minister's daughter has its perks." Noah almost stumbled. 'Defense Minister? That would explain...' But Sophia was already pulling him toward the train, her excitement contagious. "Don't think too hard about it," she said, reading his expression. "Sometimes the best moments happen when we stop planning every detail." The train's doors opened soundlessly, revealing an interior that looked more like a luxury lounge than public transportation. As they stepped inside, Noah caught their reflection in the polished surfaces - him in his new clothes, her in her starlight dress, both looking like they belonged in this future-perfect world. 'What am I doing?' he wondered for the hundredth time that night. But watching Sophia's face light up as she pointed out their destination on a holographic map, Noah realized he didn't want to stop finding out. The hunter they'd been discussing glanced their way briefly before returning to a holographic display floating above her palm. "Where exactly are we going?" Noah asked, suddenly aware that he still had no idea. "Well, you're about to find out," Sophie said. The train ride ended at a station in the upper district, where the buildings seemed to touch the stars. Sophia led them to a waiting cab. She clearly knew the big city really well with how she found her way. The vehicle's sleek design matched the luxury of the neighborhood they were in. "You'll like my place," she said, inputting coordinates into the cab's navigation system. "The view alone is worth staying up for." "We are going to your place?" Noah asked completely astonished. He didn't expect this sudden move. Sophie spared in a glance with a smile that spoke a thousand words. 'He's so cute and innocent,' she thought briefly. Noah watched the city blur past, trying not to think about how surreal this night had become. Just hours ago, he'd been arguing with Lucas about going to a party. Now he was in a cab with Sophia Reign, headed to her apartment. The building when they arrived was exactly what you'd expect from the eastern Defense Minister's daughter - all glass and polished metal rising into the night sky. The doorman nodded respectfully as they passed, clearly used to Sophia's late-night returns. Her apartment occupied the entire top floor. The doors opened to reveal a space that made the academy's faculty quarters look modest in comparison. Floor-to-ceiling windows offered a panoramic view of the city, lights twinkling like earthbound stars below them. "Make yourself comfortable," Sophia said, moving toward what looked like a state-of-the-art kitchen. "I'll fix us something to drink." Noah sank into one of the plush couches, taking in his surroundings. Everything spoke of careful curation - expensive but tasteful, modern but warm. "Being twenty has its perks," she called from the kitchen. "Dad insisted I needed my own space after second year. Something about independence building character." She returned with two glasses filled with something that looked freshly blended. "Try this. My own recipe." The drink was sweet but not overwhelming, with hints of flavors Noah couldn't name. "I'm going to change into something more comfortable," she said, heading toward what must have been her bedroom. "These heels are killing me." When she returned, she had traded her dress for a set of midnight-blue silk pajamas that clung to her curves with effortless grace. The loose clothing had a deep V-cut neckline that revealed the soft swell of her cleavage. The thin material left little to the imagination, her hardened nipples subtly pressing against the silk, teasingly visible with every step she took. The pajama shorts sat high on her thighs, the hem barely reaching the midpoint, exposing smooth, pale skin. As she curled up beside him, one leg casually draped over the other, the delicate slit in the fabric parted slightly, offering a glimpse of toned thighs and the gentle curve of her hip. She was closer than necessary. "The rave's fun when I'm bored," she said, taking a sip of her drink. "But this is better. No pressure, no everyone watching your every move, don't you think?." "Must be exhausting," Noah said. "All those expectations." She laughed softly. "Says the first-year who's got everyone talking. The mysterious Noah Eclipse." Her eyes met his. "You know, half the third-years can't figure you out. Where you came from, what you're capable of..." "Not much to figure out," Noah said, but his heart rate picked up as she moved closer. "No?" Her voice was softer now. "I think there's plenty about you worth discovering." She set her glass down, turning to face him fully. Her fingers traced along his jaw, feather-light but purposeful. "You're different," she whispered. "Not like the others who try so hard to impress me. You're just... you." Before Noah could respond, she leaned in, and this time, there was no pulling back. Her lips met his, soft and sweet from the drink, and for a moment, the world beyond this apartment ceased to exist.

Chapter 75 Detour

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