STRINGS BETWEEN US

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE: OF SOVEREIGN WALLS, UNSPOKEN RULES, AND THE LONELIEST ROOM

I didn't respond.

But I followed. Because this wasn't a request.

It was a warning.

The Imperial Wing felt colder than usual.

Maybe because no one else was there—no faculty advisor, no full chamber. Just her. Bianchi. And that ever-silent figure with the violet sash—Renari, her strategist, or whatever he was pretending to be today.

She stood at the center of the room like she belonged there.

Like she always would.

"Do you even understand what you've walked into?" she asked, finally turning to me.

I leaned back against the edge of the polished conference table, arms crossed. "What, this room? Or this entire disaster of a school year?"

Bianchi's eyes narrowed. "Don't play dumb. You don't get to act like a victim and benefit from it at the same time."

"Didn't realize surviving counted as 'benefiting,'" I muttered.

Her voice turned colder. "You've inserted yourself into the Sovereign Suites. Into the High Chamber's proximity. Into Khaizer's orbit." Her lip curled slightly. "You're pretending it's coincidence. But we both know better."

"I didn't ask for that placement," I snapped, anger sparking. "You think I wanted to be shoved into that glittery cage just so you could blame me for existing near your ex?"

Bianchi's composure cracked—just slightly.

But enough.

"You don't belong in the Sovereign Suites," she said, voice lower now, more venomous. "You're a walking scandal. A threat wrapped in a pity story."

I laughed—sharp and bitter.

"And you're what? The rightful heir?" I tilted my head. "If you want the crown back so badly, maybe stop handing out the pieces."

Her eyes flared.

But she didn't strike.

Instead, she smiled—tight, cold, regal.

"You're being watched, Del Rio," she said quietly. "Remember that."

I barely made it out of the hallway before fate decided to throw another punch.

"Riyee."

I turned—already exhausted.

Of course.

Khaizer Dylan Dela Vega.

Striding down the corridor with his signature bored elegance, the High Chamber trailing behind him like a dramatic cape.

I crossed my arms, not even pretending to be polite. "What?"

KD's lips curved into the faintest, most infuriating smile.

"Nothing," he said easily.

He stepped closer—too close.

"Just adding more material for those fanfics."

My jaw nearly detached from my face.

Gasps echoed. Whispers exploded.

He walked past me, unbothered, leaving me in a smoking crater of disbelief.

I hate him. I hate him. I hate him.

Unfortunately, my racing heart didn't agree.

The Sovereign Suites felt colder than usual by the time I made it back.

The rest of the campus buzzed—people laughing in lounges, dragging bean bags across common rooms, arguing over who stole whose ramen.

And me? I was climbing ivory stairs toward a silent tower.

Again.

Same polished floor. Same cold lights. Same lonely walk toward a room I never wanted.

I stopped in front of my door, staring at the keycard. Celestine. All over again. Except this time, there was no Alexie laughing outside my door. No Xythe waiting with a crown in his hand. No Saichel or Tofer banging on my walls. No Keryn braiding my hair. No Seb and his detective stories. No Lyle scolding me. No Thres guarding my door.

Just me.

Again.

The door clicked open. Inside was everything I'd run from. Velvet furniture. Gilded frames. Soft silence that made you want to scream.

I dropped my bag, walked to the window, and stared out at the world below. From up here, the students looked like fireflies—bright, loud, alive.

I wasn't one of them. Not anymore. And maybe... I never really was.

The knock came later. Sharp. Measured. Familiar.

I almost didn't open it. But I did.

KD stood there—still perfect, still untouchable—holding two iced coffees. He stepped in like it was nothing. I blinked at him, unsure whether to punch him or thank him.

He set the drinks down without a word and walked toward my window, looking out at the city like he owned it.

"You really do have a thing for towers," he said, voice light.

"Don't start," I muttered, slamming the door shut behind him.

He didn't reply.

Instead, he handed me the iced coffee, his fingers brushing mine. I hated that I noticed. We sat near the window in silence. No questions. No judgment. Just us.

I didn't ask why he came. He didn't ask why I looked like I wanted to burn the entire Sovereign Suites down.

But somehow, that was enough. Just quiet. Just him.

I glanced at him under the soft city glow—his profile steady, calm, too familiar.

And for one terrifying moment, I wondered:

Was it always this easy for him to get in?

I took another sip of coffee, forcing my heart to calm. Different tower. Same game.

And somehow... he's always here, too.

KD'S POV

The Sovereign Suites were quiet.

Not peaceful—just cold. Distant. Like this place was built to keep people apart. I walked slowly, holding two iced coffees. Hers was already warming, but I didn't care. I had seen the look on her face earlier—the quiet kind of tired she never admitted out loud.

And Riyee? She didn't need to say anything. Not for me to know something was wrong. She never asked for help. But I've learned to watch for the silences.

Because when she's sarcastic, she's fine. But when she's quiet? That's when she's carrying too much again.

She didn't say anything when she opened the door. Just looked at me. A little confused. A little too tired to hide it.

I stepped in anyway. Put the drinks down. Sat near her window. Said nothing. She didn't push me away. And that, honestly, was already enough. The tower felt too familiar.  Polished floors. Silent rooms. The kind of luxury that made you feel more alone than comforted.

She sat beside me, sipping coffee in silence. No one was there to see her like this—tired, quiet, real.

But I was.

And maybe that's why I stayed. Not because I had the right. But because she never had anyone stay long enough to try.

She looked at me once. Not long. Just enough.

I wanted to say something—anything. But I didn't. Because sometimes, the silence says everything you're not ready to hear out loud.

So I let her sit there, thinking whatever she needed to. And I stayed beside her.

That was it.

When I finally left, the halls felt colder. Her door closed behind me, but I didn't feel shut out. Not this time. Because tonight, she let me in.