OPERATION WINTERSPINE (Strings Between Us Book 2)

CHAPTER ONE: OF DAGGERS, DRESS CODES, AND THE PRINCESS WHO

"You may sit beside them in class.
You may meet them in passing.
But remember:

They are not just visiting.
They are watching."

"Thank you."

And just like that, the entire Supreme Allievo student body broke.
Because they didn't invite students.
They invited a storm.

Dressed in royalty.

"Now," Headmaster Antonio continued, voice slicing through the aftermath of his announcement like silk over steel, "to formally welcome the Court into our halls, I call upon Supreme Allievo Academy's Student Council President."

A pause—measured.

"Khaizer Dylan Dela Vega."

My heart did a backflip it didn't bother warning me about.

I didn't need to turn.
I could feel him.

Because of course he was next.
Because this school doesn't move without KD choosing which direction north is.

The entire dome shifted—quiet, reverent.

Then he stepped into view.

Khaizer Dylan Dela Vega.

KD.

My boyfriend.
My chaos-calm.
My secret gravity.

But today?

He was the Ice President again.

Polished navy-black uniform tailored within a breath of militaristic minimalism. Accents: matte steel. Crest: Sovereign sigil crossed with executive laurels. No gold. No flash. Just quiet dominance. Strategic elegance.

His gloves were still on—half-cut, ceremonial.
He moved like he knew exactly how many eyes were tracking his every step.

And yet...
He only looked at one person.

Me.

No smile.
But no frost either.

Just that steady, familiar pressure.

That You okay? look I'd grown addicted to.

KD took the podium with no flair—just command.

And when he spoke?

The dome didn't hush.
It braced.

"Members of the Ardent Court. On behalf of Supreme Allievo Academy—its chambers, council, and student body—I welcome you."

His voice was clean, calm, and exact. Like each word had been weighed before it left his mouth.

"This alliance is not a formality. It is a convergence. Between legacy and reform. Between Celestine and Sovereign. Between history and the futures we haven't dared to write yet."

He paused—and for a flicker, his eyes scanned the front row.

Lyle.
Xythe.
Saichel.
Me.

His gaze lingered on mine for just one second too long.
(Just long enough for my pulse to forget what rhythm meant.)

"I don't speak to you as someone unfamiliar with your names, or your titles."

"Because I've known the Court long before the rest of this school knew how to spell 'Ardent.'"

Murmurs. Subtle. Confused.

He ignored them.

"You're not strangers in this hall. You're not threats to my position. And you are not my opposition."

"You are colleagues."

The room blinked at that. No one expected it. Not from him.

"To Lyle Raizen Soriano—whose mind is sharp enough to crown or crush kingdoms."

"To Xythe Alcantara—whose strategies could reroute history if left unchecked."

"To Saichel Levesque—who once turned a failed trial into a flawless execution."

"To Arielle Rylance Del Rio—"

His voice dipped—fractionally softer.

"—who's not just the Court's Heart."

"She's mine."

Gasps rippled like a lightning thread. Whispers detonated across the dome.

Did he just say she's mine?" one student whispered, scandal bleeding into her voice.
This gives more of a mirror to the chaos.

I looked down. My ears were burning.

Saichel was grinning like this was his party now.

"Let me be clear," KD continued, unfazed by the chaos. "The Ardent Court is not here to disrupt us. They are here to stand with us."

"Not above. Not below. With."

"Their methods may differ. Their pace may burn faster. But their purpose aligns."

"Supreme Allievo Academy does not fear the Ardent Court. We respect them. We welcome them. And when the mission calls—we move beside them."

"Let this alliance strengthen us all."

He gave a single, precise nod—toward Lyle. Then Xythe.
And then... me.

My fingers curled on instinct, grounding myself.

Because even from the stage, with a thousand eyes on him—

He still looked at me like I was the only person in the room.

"Welcome to Supreme Allievo."

And just like that, he stepped down. No dramatic flourish. Just quiet finality.

I exhaled like I'd been holding my breath since Celestine.

Because that was KD.

The boy who could freeze a room and melt a heart in the same sentence.

And now the Court had been officially welcomed.

Not by an enemy.

But by one of our own.