"RUBYYYYYYY!!!"
The squealing voice shattered the silence. Kui'er raised her guard instantly, instincts snapping like drawn steel. But the girl who burst into view—bright smile, hair bouncing—ran straight through her like smoke, as if Kui'er were nothing more than a hologram.
The space warped, hardening into a grand mansion at the edge of town. A crystal chamber unfolded within—walls shimmering silver, catching faint rainbows with every flick of the eye.
Two coffins of crystal gleamed at its heart.
A sharp creak broke the hush. One coffin cracked open, and a figure rose. She bore Yangtan's face, eyes sharp with danger.
"Little beast Raya," Rose's voice curled like a blade, "it better be a good reason to wake a sleeping dragon."
"Phmn! That doesn't scare me anymore. You're just a bully—I won't take you seriously," Raya pouted, arms crossed.
Rose arched a brow, faintly amused. "So the kitten bares her claws now?"
Before Raya could retort, the second coffin slid open on its own. Ruby sat up ghostlike, her black-red hair spilling loose, silken strands veiling her body. The movement was eerie—graceful—like she'd never truly slept.
"Really?" Raya huffed, but her bravado cracked as the three sisters dissolved into sudden laughter.
"You're evil," she accused mid-laugh, sprawled on the floor.
Ruby brushed her hair back, revealing a pale oval face, smooth as porcelain, marked by a faintly glowing red crescent birthmark. "So tell me—what gave you two the courage to storm a dragon's lair this morning?"
"We do it every day, don't we?" Rose and Raya chimed in unison—only to shiver when Ruby's eyes narrowed, her presence chilling the air.
"Oh! The college you and sister applied for sent a reply!" Raya blurted, sparkling with excitement.
"College? We didn't—" Rose began, but Ruby's hand clamped over her mouth.
"Yes, we did. Rose was so excited she forgot. Remember, sister? The CITY program we applied for?" Ruby's smile was sharp, her tone cutting like glass.
Rose twitched, forcing a crooked grin. "Ah… of course. Our proposal was approved?!"
"Yeah," Raya nodded eagerly.
Ruby waved her off. "Rose is still… processing. Go help mother with breakfast, alright?"
"Okay, bro!" Raya skipped out, closing the door behind her.
The silence that followed was heavy.
"What's going on?" Rose whispered at last.
Ruby's gaze hardened, her dark pupils locking with her twin's. "Big Boss—Red Dragon—is back."
Rose stiffened. "You mean… Fang?!"
"Shhh." Ruby's glare silenced the echo bouncing off the crystal walls.
Rose muttered, lips tight, "Your crystal walls have sharper tongues than we do."
"I can't sleep without them," Ruby replied coolly, slipping from her coffin and rinsing her face at the crystal sink. Water beaded against skin pale as snow.
Rose's voice lowered. "So if Silent Whisper has returned… then Old Fang wants him to help restore order?"
Ruby nodded. "Yes. But here's the twist—White Dragon intends to step aside for Silent Whisper."
Rose's eyes widened. "What? White Dragon has the makings of an underboss! Why throw that away—especially after all their rivalry?"
"Because rivalry bleeds brothers dry. White Dragon would rather bind the wound than sharpen the knife. Better to step down and keep Silent Whisper close than fight him head-on."
Rose scoffed. "Lucas—Silent Whisper—is clever, yes. But from informer to underboss? The others won't respect him."
"True." Ruby's tone was flat, dangerous. "But we both know what he truly wants."
Rose's eyes narrowed. "If it's ambition, good. But if he covets the throne…" Her lips curled into a predator's smile. "…he'll be erased from history."
A squeal from below shattered the tension—Raya's voice carrying the "big news."
"The kitten has purred," Rose murmured, amused.
Ruby, however, stayed grave. "If Stephanie learns we're still in the game, it's over for us."
"I'll pull out of the admission. You handle the front. If you need me, I'll strike from the shadows." Rose turned toward the balcony, pausing on the rail.
"Ruby…" she said softly. "You're not alone. Don't drown in this weight."
Ruby's expression didn't shift. "…I know. But knowing doesn't lighten it."
Her eyes turned cold again. "Get out."
The twins shared a quiet chuckle before Rose leapt into the dawn.
Ruby lingered, her gaze shadowed as thoughts churned:
Silent Whisper isn't the type to bow to either brother. Given his blood feud, why would he bend to Feng? One card's bent in the deck. Time to count the coins again—and burn the fakes if I find them.
Ruby descended the stairs for breakfast, her steps calm but deliberate. She slipped into her chair, reaching for an apple just as Stephanie burst in, squealing with joy.
"Ruby! You did it!" Stephanie cheered, nearly tripping over herself. "You got into the academy without Father's name. You're amazing!"
Ruby gave a faint smile, but her eyes flicked sideways. Raya caught the signal instantly and slipped away to fetch Draven.
Then Stephanie spun toward Rose, her joy curdling. "And you? Why didn't you get in too?"
Rose's lips pressed into a thin line. "…I declined."
"What?!" Stephanie nearly shouted, her face reddening. "You declined? Do you know what this means for us?!" She moved as if to lunge at Rose.
The door opened—Draven entered, sensing the heat in the air.
Ruby's eyes met his, sharp and steady. Take care of your wife, her glance said.
Feigning ignorance, Draven moved to the table, rubbing his stomach. "Starving. Did anyone save me bread?" His voice was light, but his crimson eyes measured every twitch and breath.
Stephanie clung to him. "Draven! She—she turned down her admission! Can you believe it?"
Rose's patience snapped. Her reply slipped out in a whisper only Ruby and Draven would understand:
"Two queens can't sit at the same table."
The code struck like lightning. Stephanie froze, confused, but her instincts screamed something was wrong. Draven's gaze cut into Rose, silently demanding: Why would you use the table code here?
Raya laughed too loudly, breaking the moment. "Oh, Rose! Still playing at mafia lingo from that Italian film last night?" She wagged a finger. "You'll spook Steph with those silly codes."
Stephanie hesitated, suspicion lingering, but she let it drop—barely.
The room drowned in silence. Then Ruby pushed back her chair, stood, and left without a word. Rose followed seconds later.
---
Ruby entered her crystal chamber and froze. A raven waited on her windowsill, feathers black as ink. Around its neck hung a tiny wooden box and a ruby emblem caught in golden vinework.
Her expression hardened. She untied the box and unfolded the slip of paper inside.
"The vineyard's contract is broken."
The words burned into her mind. Her aura surged, shattering several crystals around the room into glittering fragments.
Rose burst in, startled. "Ruby! Wait—about earlier, I didn't mean it, I swear."
Ruby ignored her, methodically packing her bag. Finally, she muttered in code:
"Our vineyard's grapes have soured." (Their alliance has ended.)
Rose stiffened, fists clenching. "Then what now?"
Ruby's reply was sharper, deadlier.
"The dove stays in the cage." (Keep Stephanie safe.)
"The fox hunts in silence." (Investigate quietly.)
She slung her bag over her shoulder and turned to the raven. "Show me the road."
Without hesitation, Ruby vaulted off the balcony into the gathering dusk, her form swallowed by shadows.
Rose lingered a moment, then gave Raya a sharp nod. "Tell Draven."
And then she too was gone.
---
When the message reached Draven, he sat back, swirling blood-red wine in his glass. His lips curved into a slow grin.
"The vineyard burns," he murmured in code, voice low and dangerous.
His crimson eyes glowed hellishly as he raised the glass and drank deep.
The ride stretched until dawn. The campus loomed ahead—stone walls crawling with ivy, banners swaying gently in the breeze. To anyone else, St. Heliera College was just another school. To Ruby, it was enemy ground.
The driver in the black coat handed her a folded slip before driving off without a word. Ruby unfolded it, her eyes scanning the message:
"The vineyard has spies in the orchard. Trust no fruit."
(The enemy is already here, disguised among the students.)
Her grip tightened around the paper.
All around, the college buzzed with ordinary life—freshmen dragging suitcases, professors trading jokes near the archway. But Ruby's eyes caught on one boy in the distance: too still, too sharp. He met her gaze for a heartbeat before vanishing into the crowd.
The raven croaked low on her shoulder, uneasy.
Ruby straightened her bag and stepped past the gates. To everyone else, she was just another new arrival. But for her, every breath inside these walls was a test. This wasn't college. It was another battlefield.