The fire crackled, casting flickering shadows across the clearing outside Noah's cabin where they sat together for dinner.
A dinner made of traditional Serpentpire's dishes: tender lamb shanks served with creamy mashed potatoes, pan-seared duck with a sweet and tangy cherry sauce, seasonal root vegetables roasted to perfection, large mushrooms filled with flavorful spinach mixture, a mix of seafood cooked with saffron-flavored rice, flavorful chicken curry served over fluffy jasmine rice, layers of eggplant with cheese and tomato sauce, and tender quail served over creamy risotto.
They had made a banquet to look good for the arrival of the six and Seventeen. For drinks they served prosecco, herb-infused water, sangria, elderflower lemonade, and a beer the locals called Death's Embrace Stout—a heavy, intense stout with a smoky, charred flavor.
They even prepared four different cultural desserts for them: a warm spiced pear crumble topped with a crunchy oat topping and served with vanilla ice cream, rich dark chocolate truffles dusted with sea salt, a zesty lemon tart topped with elderflower cream and fresh berries, and a decadent chocolate lava cake with a molten matcha center that was served warm.
But even as they dined, the weight of their conversation lingered in the air, thick and heavy. They had barely begun to understand the depth of Seventeen's pain and power, yet they all felt the urgent need to act. All while going down in the surprisingly delicious dishes like ravenous beasts, since they hadn't been eating well in the days travelling with Seventeen there. But before anyone could voice a plan, footsteps approached from the direction of Noah's home.
Two figures stepped into the light, their presence instantly shifting the group's attention. Cassandra and Joshua. Seventeen's childhood best friends. Both had been remarkably absent, aside from a few comments, hovering in the background of the city's operations, but not really involved in their mission. Draco's eyes narrowed as the two of them exchanged a knowing glance before fixing their gazes on the six.
"Seems like you've learned a lot about Seventeen now, huh?!" Joshua said, crossing his arms, his tone calm but firm. His orange eyes flickered with an unspoken challenge, the light of the moon illuminating is skin that was as dark as the night sky, features shared with his sisters.
"And about time," Cassandra added, her voice dripping with sarcasm. From their first meeting in the mountains, she had seemed to be the sharper one, her words cutting through any nonsense with ease.
Joshua's gaze softened for a moment, glancing back toward the path that led to where Draco had felt a presence watching them in the shadows. Seventeen, probably. "But before you get too deep into your plans, let's get one thing straight."
Draco's eyes flicked between the two of them, a bitter sensation already beginning to coil in his stomach. He didn't like the way Joshua spoke about Seventeen—like he had some claim over her. It was irrational, he knew, but the jealousy simmered just below the surface, a raw, unspoken emotion he could barely contain.
Joshua stepped forward, his eyes locking with Draco's, as if he could sense the tension. "We've been her best friends since the beginning. We've known her longer than any of you. We're the ones who've been by her side through everything. So, whatever you think you're building here, keep in mind that nothing changes that."
"I wouldn't say that," Hunter mumbled, almost a whisper and they turned their gazes to him.
"Then stay shut. Your opinion won't alter reality," Cassandra snapped rudely.
Draco's jaw clenched. There was no way he could miss the underlying message. Joshua was staking his claim, and it infuriated Draco in ways he couldn't explain. He could feel his control slipping, the jealousy twisting deeper inside him. It wasn't just about Seventeen's past with Joshua. It was the way Joshua spoke—so familiar, so sure of his place in Seventeen's life.
Cassandra, noticing the rising tension, rolled her eyes dramatically. "Seriously, boys? This is not the time for a pissing contest." She turned toward the rest of the group, her eyes sharp and assessing. "Listen, Seventeen's been through hell. You're not going to win her over by playing nice or trying to be her savior. She doesn't need that."
Light, ever the one to ask the blunt questions, tilted her head. "So what does she need?"
Cassandra smirked, as if the answer was obvious. "Sarcasm."
"Excuse me?" Sablina raised an eyebrow, clearly confused.
"You heard me," Cassie said, her tone unwavering. "Seventeen's defense mechanism is her sarcasm. She uses it to push people away, to test them, to see if they'll back down. If you want to get through to her, you have to fight back. Be sarcastic. Throw it right back in her face."
Joshua nodded in agreement. "She'll respect you more if you challenge her. If you meet her on her level, not as some fragile thing that needs protecting."
["They are trying to... help us? Why?"]
"Even if she's being... difficult?" Amelia asked, a little cautiously.
Cassandra grinned. "Especially when she's being difficult. She'll probably say some awful shit, pretend she hates you, but trust me, I know my girl—if you can stand your ground, if you insist on being there for her, that's how you'll earn her trust."
Draco leaned back slightly, trying to rein in the turmoil inside him. The idea of Joshua being so close to Seventeen, knowing her so intimately, drove him mad. His obsession with her was consuming him, and every time Joshua or Cassandra spoke about her, it felt like they were intruding on something that belonged to him—even if that feeling was irrational and unfair. But the thought of earning Seventeen's trust, of breaking through her walls, that was something he needed to focus on.
"You're telling us to be sarcastic back at her?" Hunter sounded skeptical. "That sounds... counterproductive."
Cassandra shrugged. "Maybe to you, but that's how she communicates. You've seen it yourselves, haven't you? She doesn't respond to pity, or coddling, or care. She responds to strength. To people who can handle her fire."
"And if she acts like she loathes us?" Claus asked, his voice steady but uncertain. "Because she will. She already does. Reasonably in a certain way, but still."
"Then keep pushing," Cassandra said firmly. "Even if she says she hates you, she doesn't. I noticed how she acted when you came back. It's a test. She's been hurt too many times to trust anyone easily. But once you've passed her tests, once you've proved that you're not going anywhere, no matter what, then she'll start letting you in."
Draco's fists clenched at his sides. He didn't need Joshua or Cassandra telling him how to get closer to Seventeen. But he couldn't deny that their advice rang true. Seventeen was... difficult, unpredictable. But she was also the most captivating person he had ever met, and if sarcasm was her weapon of choice, then he would wield it right back at her.
Cassandra's gaze shifted to Draco, and her expression softened, just for a moment. "You, especially, should take note," she said quietly, almost teasingly. "You're obsessed with her, aren't you?"
Draco's eyes snapped up to meet hers, his jealousy flaring into anger. "What are you talking about?"
Cassandra raised an eyebrow. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. The way you look at her, the way you act when anyone else gets too close... You think no one notices? Please. It's written all over your punchable face."
["Did she just called my face punchable?"]
Draco's nostrils flared, but he didn't deny it. He couldn't. Not when it was so obvious. His obsession with Seventeen was becoming more than he could hide. And the idea of Joshua, her so-called best friend, being close to her in ways Draco wasn't—it was unbearable.
Cassandra, sensing his turmoil, leaned in slightly, her voice dropping to a whisper. "If you want to win her over, you need to get over yourself. She's not a prize to be won, De Lavissaye. She's a person. A complicated, brilliant, messed-up person. And if you keep treating her like she's yours before she's even decided what she wants, you're going to lose."
Draco's throat tightened. He wanted to argue, wanted to tell Cassandra she was wrong, but the truth gnawed at him. He was obsessed. He couldn't stop thinking about Seventeen, couldn't stop wanting to protect her, to be the one she leaned on. But Cassandra's words hit him like a punch to the gut.
She wasn't a prize.
And if he didn't change his approach, if he didn't find a way to meet Seventeen on her own terms, he might lose her before he ever had the chance to truly know her.
"We'll try," Light said, breaking the tension, her tone determined. "We'll meet her challenge. We'll use sarcasm, we'll push back. But we're not giving up on her."
Cassandra smiled, satisfied. "Good. Just don't forget—my brother and I have been there for her since the beginning. We're not going anywhere. We're only okay with you getting close to Seven because of the prophecy, not because we are your fans or any shit like that."
Draco glared at Joshua, who met his gaze with a calm, unbothered expression. The bitterness in Draco's chest flared hotter, but he swallowed it down. This wasn't the time for jealousy. It was the time to focus on Seventeen, to understand her, to break through her walls.
Even if it killed him.