OPERATION WINTERSPINE (Strings Between Us Book 2)

CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE: OF LONGINGS, LOYALTIES, AND THE SPACE I KEEP

I slid Xythe's iced coffee across the table. He raised an eyebrow, silent and unreadable as always. I glared back and mouthed 'drink it'. After a beat, he gave in, taking a sip like it was an order he couldn't refuse. But even then, his gaze didn't quite settle—drifting somewhere else, like he was here in body but not entirely with me.

"So how are you, Princess of the Ardent Court?" Mico leaned forward, tone laced with teasing. "Didn't get to talk to you last Friday—the President hogged you all to himself."

"Well, still alive," I said dryly, lifting my cup. "Still trending in every school forum, blog, and group chat, apparently."

Errol laughed. "You really made them alive, to be honest. It was boring before you arrived in the academy, but when you transferred, it became the school's highlight."

I rolled my eyes. "It's not my fault you all love drama. Like, seriously? Why are you so invested in my life? From fanfics, AUs, and then—what?—blogs about me?"

Xylia giggled, leaning closer. "Because the Ice President smiled at you. And that alone triggered Supreme Allievo Academy's drama multiverse."

Jodie clasped her hands dramatically. "One smile, Rielle! Do you know how many theories were born from that moment? They even started calling it the Smile That Launched a Thousand Posts."

I groaned and sank lower into my seat, hiding behind my cup. "Yeah right."

But of course, Errol smirked. "Correction: we're entertained. You're the entertainment."

Mico added, "Now, you're the President's girlfriend. And Ardent Court is not an ordinary group of friends, so yeah, everyone is invested."

I scoffed. "I hate the spotlight I didn't ask for."

Xythe's voice cut in—low, almost careless. "But you love getting attention."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "The kind I purposely plan. Not this circus." Ugh, this is insane.

Then Xylia squealed, "Guys! New blogs dropped."

She shoved her phone toward us. Titles blared in bold letters: Who will the Princess end up with—the Ice President or the Prince?

"Seriously?" I snorted, my jaw aching from how tight I clenched it.

They all turned toward Xythe.

"The Prince gained more fans since the hostage taking," Jodie teased, her smile sly. "A lot of girls fell in love with him when they saw him in action. Apparently, they're into guys who shoot guns now."

I glanced at him, Pulse brushing. His rhythm was off. Not the steady, precise beat I knew—this one felt clipped, restrained, like he was pulling away behind some invisible wall. Not gone. Just... retreating. Choosing distance before anyone else could demand it of him.

And Xythe? He didn't even flinch. He just ignored them, staring at nothing in particular. Quieter than usual. Too quiet.

And in the middle of the chaos, KD arrived—his council trailing behind him. Once fifteen, now eleven. Three were dismissed by KD himself. One... silenced permanently by Xythe for daring to kidnap me. and Rowan Lopez—the last cockroach—still skittering around until KD decides to crush him

KD's gaze swept the crowd, sharp and controlled—until it landed on me. His lips curved into a smile meant only for me. My phone buzzed almost instantly.

KD: Can't join you for lunch. Still busy.
ME: I know. I understand.
KD: See you later.
ME: Later? You mean evening?
KD: Yeah. Sleep over.

I didn't reply. I didn't need to. Him sleeping over at Eclipsa Sanctum had become... a thing. A sanctioned arrangement. Lyle permitted it—because somehow, my presence kept fragment dreams from slipping, kept Echo-9 locked away. Of course it was Lyle. He'd do anything to keep those slips from happening.

Not that I'm complaining. I love sleeping with KD. Sleeping. Just sleeping. Nothing else. I just hate that it feels like a mission now, not just us. Like I'm not spending the night with my boyfriend—I'm just another file my cousin has to manage.

By evening, I was preparing dinner in the Eclipsa Sanctum's common lounge—the only place in the dorm that felt remotely normal. Coffee machines, grocery shelves, a kitchen that smelled like something alive instead of war.

Xythe entered. His footsteps faltered. "You're... cooking?"

"Yeah." I kept my eyes on the pan, stirring a little too hard, the spoon clinking against the pot. "Dinner's ready for everyone. You can just reheat it later."

He nodded, turned, and started to walk away.

My grip on the spoon tightened until my knuckles ached. I let out a sharp breath. "You're avoiding me."

He froze, shoulders stiff. "I'm not, Ari."

"You are." I bit my lower lip, my throat tight, forcing my voice steady. "Your pulse pattern says so."

He sighed, deep and heavy, like he'd been carrying it for days. "I'm... distancing. Not avoiding. I still have to watch you, Princess. It's my duty."

The silence thickened. Steam curled into my face, and I blinked hard—too hard. My lashes stung, betraying the tears I wouldn't let fall.

Then his voice—softer now. "He's jealous. I can't always be too close to you. You love him, he loves you. I won't be the reason that breaks."

Finally, he turned. His eyes caught mine—steady, aching. My fingers curled against the counter to keep them from trembling.

"I'm just... keeping space. But it doesn't mean you lose me."

The tension in my chest loosened, just a little. Because that was the fear, wasn't it? Losing him. Not as the boy I once loved—but as my best friend, my mirror, the person who saw me when the rest of the world blurred.

His lips curved, not into a smile, but something quieter—an understanding only we carried. "I'll stay, Ari. That's my loyalty. Even if it means longing in silence, even if it means keeping space."

My breath escaped, shaky, catching at the edges like I'd swallowed tears back down. For once, the silence between us wasn't jagged. It was gentle. A thread tying us together—delicate, impossible to name, but unbreakable all the same.