Chapter 6

"Get lost."

The voice was low and familiar, carrying an edge that sent a chill through the air.

I looked up, startled. The crowd that had just been circling me was now scattered, split neatly into two groups on either side of the hallway.

The division couldn't have been more striking: one half was a frozen wasteland, the floor and walls coated in a thick layer of ice. The other half was shrouded in swirling black smoke, dark and suffocating.

The sheer power radiating from it was terrifying.

"See, Ms. Handsome? Didn't I tell you? Coco can protect you now!"

Coco peeked out from behind me, flashing me an innocent smile as if she hadn't just scared the living daylights out of everyone in the hallway. Her small hands glowed faintly with an eerie blue light pulsing like a heartbeat.

"This is your idea of protection?"

A sharp, sarcastic voice came from behind me.

"If I'd shown up even a second later, that iron rod would've smashed down on her."

Coco frowned, crossing her arms with a huff. "Who asked you to stick your nose in? I didn't need your help."

Then she turned to me, her cheeky grin returning. "I just wanted to enjoy being protected by Ms. Handsome for a little longer! You're so annoying, Michael!"

Michael.

I whipped around, my heart skipping a beat.

There he was, tall and imposing, dressed in sleek black from head to toe. His arms were crossed over his chest, his sharp features set in a look of mild disdain. A faint smirk played at the corner of his lips, but his dark eyes gleamed with something dangerous.

"It's really you!" I blurted out, relief flooding through me. "Michael! Thank you for saving me!"

He scoffed, tilting his head slightly. "Oh, so you do remember me. How touching."

His voice was cold, but there was something teasing about the way he looked at me as if he wasn't sure whether to be annoyed or amused.

"You're the one who disappeared for ages," he continued, his tone sharper now. "And before you left, you made sure to hand out gifts to everyone. Everyone except me."

"Guess I wasn't worth the effort, huh?"

His words stung, but I could tell he wasn't really angry. This was Michael, after all-he always had a way of making everything sound like both a joke and an accusation at the same time.

Still, I wasn't about to let him hold this over me.

"That's not true!" I protested, stepping closer. "I did prepare something for you! It's just… something happened before I could give it to you."

"Don't be mad," I added quickly, trying to smooth things over. "I swear, I made it myself-a set of clothes, actually!"

His expression shifted instantly. The smirk faded, and his eyes widened ever so slightly. A faint blush crept up his ears, though he tried to play it off by clearing his throat.

"You made it yourself?" he asked, his voice unusually soft.

"Yeah!" I said, nodding eagerly. "I made it just for you! I know what it means to give someone handmade clothes-it's a way of saying they're really important to you, right?"

"You're important to me, Michael."

The blush deepened, spreading from his ears to his neck. For a moment, he looked almost vulnerable, his usual confidence slipping.

But then I kept talking.

"And so is Coco! And Hebo! And everyone else! You're all so important to me!"

The warmth in his expression vanished instantly.

"Idiot."

I pouted, crossing my arms. "Why are you always calling me names?"

Behind me, I could hear Coco struggling to hold back her laughter, but she wasn't doing a very good job of it.

Michael's gaze flicked to her, sharp as a knife. "What's so funny? Have you finished the assignments I gave you? Or are you just running around causing trouble again?"

Coco's smug grin disappeared instantly. She shrank back behind me, her head hanging like a scolded puppy.

I stepped in front of her, ready to defend her, but Michael didn't give me the chance to speak.

"And you," he snapped, his attention back on me now. His eyes narrowed as he gestured toward me. "What's with the outfit? A grown man, prancing around in women's clothes. Do you have any idea how hard you made it for me to find you?"

He frowned, his annoyance palpable. "You know I don't care that you're a man, right?"

His words caught me off guard, but his expression suddenly shifted again. His eyes darkened, a dangerous edge creeping into his voice.

"Or…" he began slowly, his tone turning icy, "are you dressed like this for someone else? Who is it? Daniel? Or that pale little performer from the Flower District?"

As he spoke, his hand drifted to the hilt of his sword, his fingers resting on it lightly but purposefully.

I swallowed hard. There was no doubt in my mind-if I gave him a name, he'd march straight to their door and start swinging.

"N-no!" I stammered, forcing an awkward laugh. "There's no one else! I swear! Have you ever considered… I might actually be a woman?"

Michael froze, blinking at me in confusion.

"You're a… what?" he asked, his face a mixture of shock and disbelief.

"You're a woman?"

His voice grew louder as he started piecing things together.

"Wait a second. You mean to tell me… all those times you bathed with me? And all those late-night conversations, sitting together for hours?"