"You don't need to worry about me here, Sheii. From now on, your only concern is your plan to escape Damian. Whatever happens—even if I die—you need to keep your eyes on the path ahead. Damian tried to have you killed, and I'll make sure you get out of here as soon as possible."
That was all Kiel said when I visited him at the mansion. That same night, he hurried me away to avoid Damian. He made every effort to keep us apart, and strangely enough, Damian didn't even try to see me. Kiel had said nothing else on the matter except that single warning—and it had been nearly two weeks since our last conversation.
I paused in the hallway of the main building when I collided with a man coming toward me. My calculus book slipped from my hands, but he caught it before I could reach for it. He smiled, holding it out.
"Sorry, miss. I wasn't looking where I was going," he said, bowing slightly.
He had long, curly hair brushing the nape of his neck, complementing his western-looking features. Thick eyebrows framed his deep-set eyes. His lips were thin, and he was almost as tall as Leo. One earphone hung in his left ear, the other dangling freely.
I took the book without a word and continued walking past him. We were both distracted by our own thoughts—mine entirely consumed by Kiel. I wasn't used to not seeing him, and my mind kept replaying what might have happened at the mansion while I was gone. A bad feeling churned inside me.
"Ah, miss?"
I stopped when I felt the man grip my arm, trying to get my attention. I lowered my gaze to his hand instead of looking at him, and he quickly withdrew it, a bit embarrassed.
"Conor," he said.
I glanced at him briefly, then turned away in silence. I had no time to make acquaintances—and honestly, I didn't care who he was.
"Ah, miss? You're Xena, right?"
I stopped again, frowning. "You know me?"
He bit his lower lip, hesitating, then said, "Well… I think almost every student here knows you."
He glanced around, and only then did I notice a few students staring at us. Somehow, they must have recognized me. Probably because of the Fontanilla name. The Fontanillas were notorious in Oxemburge, one of the most powerful families in the underground world.
"What else should I expect," I muttered, narrowing my eyes at Conor. "What do you want?"
He scratched the back of his neck, grinning sheepishly. From the look of him, he was clearly a flirt. When he asked to escort me to class, I only turned away.
"Can I walk you to class? I'd like to get to know you—Wait! Just a moment, Xena!"
I ignored him, obviously uninterested. But he followed, matching my pace, trying to strike up a conversation. I increased my stride, and he kept up.
"Xena, the truth is, I've wanted to approach you for a long time, but I couldn't find the right moment—"
"Get lost. I'm not interested," I said coldly, quickening my pace. But he stayed beside me.
"You don't have a boyfriend, right—"
"If you don't shut your mouth, I'll kill you," I snapped, stopping abruptly and turning to face him.
Conor froze, the smile fading from his lips. He seemed shocked, and maybe even a little hurt, but I had no patience for persistent attention. Ace came to mind, and I wouldn't tolerate reminders of him. More importantly, I wasn't interested.
"C-Chill. I just… want to be friends," he stammered, clearly rattled by my outburst. Not cowardly—he had that cinematic bad-boy vibe—but gentle enough to respect boundaries. Thankfully, he seemed to get the message.
"I'm not interested. Go to your class," I said firmly, turning away. This time, he didn't follow.
A few steps later, I froze again—not because of Conor, but because someone else appeared in the hallway.
"I like you, Xena."
The words hit me like a jolt. My heart stuttered. I had been avoiding Leo, because every time I thought of his unsettling confession, my mind spiraled. He stood four meters away, staring at me as intently as I avoided him. My feet moved on instinct, walking past him, but before I could take three steps, he grabbed my arm.
My chest thumped violently at the touch. I couldn't turn or protest. My body stiffened—not from shock, I realized, but from something else.
"You're avoiding me," he said.
Finally, I found my strength. I yanked my arm free and faced him.
"I'm not avoiding you. I'm avoiding killing you off-plan."
"Really?" he smirked, locking eyes with me. "Not scared of me?"
I let out a short laugh. "Me? Scared of you?"
"Yes. Scared you might change your principles again—"
"As if!" I shot back. "Whatever happens, that will never break."
"You will break it. I promise, you'll break it too," he said.
I froze. His certainty sent a chill down my spine. I knew it wouldn't happen—I was confident—but there was something in his conviction that unsettled me.
"If Ace rose from the grave…"
"Me," he said, and then silence stretched between us. "I'll make sure it's because of me, Xena."
This was a different Leo. Hard to believe. Moments ago, he had acted like a rabid dog chasing a cat. Now he was calm, almost like a tame lamb following its shepherd. What was he thinking? Did he really have feelings for me?
The bell rang, a small relief. I averted my eyes and walked on in silence. But even as I left, I saw sincerity in his gaze, and it scared me.
I wasn't as ruthless as his father or his family. If Leo truly felt for me, I wasn't sure I could use him for my own plans. Maybe it was better if he stayed a demon, as I knew him. If he became another Ace in my life, I might ruin everything. I couldn't risk it…
My mind wandered again. The professor droned on at the front, but no one listened—most students were goofing off. I stared at the pen in my hand, tapping it nervously.
I let out a long sigh, setting the pen down and looking up. Time dragged; my mind was overloaded. I wanted to kickbox, but my gear was back at the mansion. I avoided going out in Oxemburge to drink, afraid I might run into someone tied to our arms or drug dealings.
The day passed slowly. I wasn't used to doing nothing. Kiel had taken over the plantations and transactions Damian had assigned to me, leaving me with nothing. In short, Kiel was doing my job.
Returning to the dorm, it was empty as usual. Sometimes, I felt like I was the only one who actually lived here—Max appeared once a week, if at all, and Leo never stayed longer than an hour. At night, I occasionally woke to find him there, but by morning he was gone. Not that I cared about their antics, but after weeks of inactivity, I was restless. I wanted to leave, but felt watched.
I tossed my bag onto my bed and gazed out the window. The night was silent, almost suffocating. Studying was exhausting but absorbing—though switching from assassin to student wasn't easy. At least this kept me away from Damian's assignments.
I glanced at the clock. Nine o'clock.
I untied my hair and let it fall in loose waves. Locking the door, I turned off the lights and entered the bathroom to shower. The cold water offered a temporary escape from my thoughts. Its steady cascade was the only sound—until I caught the faint creak of the sliding glass door.
Someone was there.
I turned the shower back on, careful not to reveal that I knew. Slowly, I wrapped myself in a towel, distracted by the normalcy of student life and almost forgetting Damian's threat. I had no gun at my side, so I needed a distraction to retrieve it from under my pillow.
I crept toward the bathroom door, listening to heavy footsteps. He was already inside. At the count of three, I swung the door open and kicked the shadowed figure. He staggered, giving me a split second to strike—but he dodged. Darkness, my limited movement, and uncertainty made attacks risky, but it was clear he knew my moves by instinct. He could fight in the dark—an assassin, like I suspected.
He caught my fist when I attacked again, but I twisted free violently, moving closer to my bed where the gun was hidden. I gave him a backward kick and grabbed the firearm just as he clutched at the edge of my towel.
As I aimed, the light flicked on.
And there he was—Leo—standing near the switch, his eyes locking with mine, both of us fully exposed.