WHITE

I slash and stab at the straw dummy, getting even more furious when I realize my posture is probably all wrong. Pretending that the messed up dummy is that silver-haired devil, I pin the knife straight through his heart.

I couldn't even focus on practicing.

Finally, I sigh and plop down on the ground, my mind spinning as I grip V's knife tighter.

"There you are."

My entire body goes taut as a rope as a hand brushes over my shoulder, ash silver hair flickering in my peripheral vision. I shake my head when for some reason, I scent V— winter and fresh pine.

I must be hallucinating.

"What do you want?" I hiss when his teal eyes glimmer in mirth, knocking his hand off of my shoulder. "Are you going to say something, or did you come here just to sit and do nothing?"

He suddenly bursts into laughter.

"You are so— interesting." He says, his smile deepening his eyes when I wordlessly glare at him. "You just might work."

"For what? So you can torment me?" I growl, pushing him away when he pulls at my hair. "Stop touching me before I rip your face off."

"Your threats have less weight than your curses." He says silkily, and I start destroying the pile of straw that once used to be a human figure. I was in a terrible mood swing, and the fact that he was here really didn't help.

I glance at him to see if he's going to leave anytime soon.

His ash hair looks like it's made from snow, and I can see a faint amber ringing his teal eyes. It reminds me of V, before I push that thought away with a huff.

"I know I'm beautiful, my dear Miss White."

An angry heat flushes my cheeks. "Can you leave if you're not going to do anything but this? I have stuff to do."

"He should be here soon." He suddenly says, lowering himself down to my eye level. He's so close I can smell the winter on his breath. "I suggest we kiss, if you really want to spite him."

"What are you even saying." I hiss, placing two flat palms on his chest before shoving him away as hard as I can. "You crazy, insane—"

"Good morning, baby brother."

My angry words stop at my throat as V walks briskly into the room, his eyes narrowed with fury. In just a span of one second, I go from being appalled to confused.

V?

"You should've told me Asher came back." He hisses at Jimin, and I blink, my fingers tight on the handle of the knife. "I went all the way to Winter for nothing."

"What's the fun in that?" Jimin laughs, messing around with V's dark raven hair until he forcefully shakes away his hand.

"You're his brother?!" I yell in a mix of shock and anger when realization finally dawns on me. "Wintry?"

"Call me Jimin." He says, wrinkling his nose at the name. "Oh, and by the way, the Truth and whatever was all a lie. Although it was very entertaining— you have my deepest thanks."

My mouth drops open.

When I see V turn and leave, I hurry to follow him, making sure to smack Jimin as hard as I can in the back of his head when I do. The amused laughter he pulls is even more infuriating, and I slam the door shut behind me so I don't have to hear it.

"Wait!"

I'm pretty sure he heard me, but he just keeps walking. Grinding my teeth in annoyance, I break into a run to catch up and wrap my hand around his shoulder.

My silver glow flashes up like a wall against his pain.

"You've improved." I hear his familiar voice as I gasp for breath, my moonlight-tinged hand still tight against him. "Good, demoiselle."

Now everything makes sense. They had almost the exact same scent on them— the breaths of ice and deep winter. And like magic, one had turned up when the other had disappeared.

I should have known.

"Where are you going?" I say curiously as I fall in step along with him, almost jogging to keep up with his long strides. "Isn't there—"

"The Empress summoned me." He says stiffly, eyes fixed straight forward. The insides of my mouth instantly goes dry, and I look at him.

I really, really look at him.

Exhaustion and pain lurk in every shadow created by his features, and for a second I get a glimpse at how much weight is pulling him down. He seems restricted in every single way, forced to act twice and over his age.

And I still couldn't forget the terrified look on his face.

"Wait." I say quickly, taking a hold on the soft cloth of his sleeve just in case he decides to ignore me like last time. "You— do you have to go?"

His lips press with bemusement. I've never seen such a certain emotion on him before, and curse that I hadn't chosen my words more carefully.

"Are you suggesting I defy the Empress?"

"Not that—" I pause, struggling to find words to make this entire thing not sound weird. I didn't actually care, but that still didn't mean I wanted that to happen again.

"I mean, yeah. Basically."

Then he suddenly bends down, his hand tightening back over my lower shoulder. His voice is like ice when it washes over my ears.

"Speak softly, my innocent demoiselle." He whispers, eyes tracing the flare of my glow. "Before the Empress breaks you and leaves you in the ash."

Then he shoves me away, and I just watch stunned as he disappears down the corner.

"He's always like that."

"Always like that?" I echo, too confused and too stunned to react when Jimin's hand falls heavily on top of my head. When I look up at his silence, I see his icy blue eyes fixed at the corner where V had gone.

"Yeah." He says lightly, but I can hear the expression behind his voice as he pats my head. "Well, I'm going to take a nap."

He gives me a smile.

"I mean, unless you want to—"

When I give him a twisted look, he bursts into laughter and heads into the room next to V's. And then when I think he's finally done, he pokes his head out from between the slit doors.

"You sure?"

"Just go to freaking sleep." I hiss at him, walking briskly away from him and hearing his familiar laughter ring out before the closed door muffles it.

Maybe I should just go take a nap too.

Pulling at my eyelids, I'm making my way back to my own room when a faint sound of cheers and yells reach my ears.

I instinctively turn my head towards the sound.

I can't help myself as I quickly rush to an open window, overlooking the Main Courtyard in the back of the Palace. A small crowd of beautiful people— the Blessed— surround a square of empty of space where there's two women facing off each other.

A fight?

When I lean further out to get a better look, a flash of blue lightning suddenly streaks from one's hand. Shock turns my breaths to ice when I see the burst of electricity go straight through the other woman.

And her body disintegrates to ash.

But then she steps out from behind a man in a crowd, her thin lips stretched into an elusive smile.

Illusion— and electricity.

But what were they even doing out there, fighting each other like that?

I'm chewing on my lip, wincing at the viciousness of both women. With every strike they made at the other, it was like they were actually fighting to kill.

Then my mouth goes dry when realization dawns.

They were practicing.

For the Trials.