Are special attack nodes meant to interact with the Lithic Sceptre special attack?

I specialized into the node that gave me a 20% to not use my special attack energy and haven't been able to get this to proc off the lithic scepter special. Is this the way the mechanic is supposed to work?

i.e. I am doing a 1 tick scepter build with the lithic sceptre and am expecting to be able to do more than 3 special attacks back to back, but am not able to proc the special attack energy.