Oh-oh, yes, I'm the great pretender...

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CHAPTER 71:

WHITE SPRING

White Spring... This was the center of attention for all the souls right now. Classes were suspended, the school was decked out like a gift, and every corner of the Dorm buzzed with activities that kept the festive atmosphere alive. Theaters, shows, game nights, and parties filled the air. Souls skated on the frozen lake, each evening offering a new celebration.

I knew about all these events, either through Ursa's stories or from snippets I caught myself. Yet, I had neither the time nor the inclination to partake. Like other nights, I found myself back in the library, in our usual after-dinner rendezvous spot, with friends who shared my fate. We continued to grapple with the unresolved question: How do we break into the Archive? Tonight, our focus was on timing our entry.

"Using the ball seems like the only sensible solution," Ursa suggested.

She was referring to the Winter Ball that marked the end of White Spring. From what I'd learned, it was a massive night held in the domed hall to celebrate the end of the holiday and the start of the new term.

It's like something out of a movie, Ursa had said, her eyes sparkling. Everyone will be dressed in gowns and tuxedos, dancing and enjoying themselves until dawn, eating and drinking the night away.

"All eyes at the Dorm will be on the ball," Blue confirmed. "Even the angels... No one will notice we're gone."

"Jinx will be at the ball, too," Tarben added. "Couldn't we just lift the card from her then?"

Ursa grimaced. "And how are we supposed to get the necklace off her without her noticing?"

Diego hesitated before chiming in, "Uh... I might be able to help with that." He looked away, embarrassed, as we all turned to him with hope. "You know, I don't have a proud past. But... pickpocketing is sort of my trade. And I'm not bad at it."

His voice trailed off. Diego rarely spoke about his life. From the bits and pieces he shared and what Ursa had inadvertently revealed, I knew he had grown up on the streets alone, surviving by theft and scrapes. He died trying to protect someone else in a street brawl. I understood why it was hard for him to talk about his past, but none of us would judge a boy who had struggled so hard just to live. If anything, we looked at him with renewed respect now.

"So, you're saying... you could swipe the necklace from Jinx?" Blue asked, her voice tinged with excitement. Diego nodded, a bashful smile spreading across his face, which made Blue laugh. "Prove it," she challenged, standing up and facing Diego. "Show me, on me."

Ursa and I exchanged glances. Tarben bit his lower lip and looked down to hide a smirk. Poor Diego seemed utterly baffled, trying to figure out his next move. Tarben stepped in to help him out.

"It's a ball, right? And Diego is the best dancer in this school."

"If he dances with Jinx..." Ursa chimed in.

We all knew what that could mean, exchanging knowing smirks—except Diego, who still looked stunned as he faced Blue.

"Come on," Blue encouraged him. "Let's see if you're as good as you say."

For a moment, it looked like Diego might freeze up. But then he reached out his hand to Blue, and when she accepted, he drew her close. Soon, they were waltzing between the bookshelves. They moved fluidly, spinning and gliding around us. Blue managed to keep up with Diego's steps, though she stumbled and laughed a few times. Their dance was brief, lasting only about a minute. Diego ended it with a flourish, dipping Blue in a dramatic final pose before carefully pulling her back to her feet.

"Well?" Blue eyed him skeptically, all of us leaning forward in anticipation.

"Thank you for the dance," Diego said, reaching into his pocket and raising his hand.

Blue gasped as her hand flew to her ears—her three earrings, four rings, and two necklaces were now in Diego's hand.

"How...?" Blue stammered, touching her jewelry to confirm it was real. She was unaware of the turmoil she'd caused Diego. His face turned red again, his composure crumbling the moment Blue touched him. He handed back her jewelry and quickly stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"Well, that's one problem solved," Tarben said, drawing attention to give Diego a break.

"Has anyone found anything about the wolves?" Ursa inquired.

We all shook our heads. We had asked Alfie to pull all the fairy tales that mentioned wolves. Given we couldn't divulge too many details without risking getting caught, the librarian stork told us there were seven thousand eight hundred and fifty books to go through. We had to start somewhere, so we divided them up. With Alfie's assistance, each of us rotated through a new set of books each time, but so far, my batch had yielded nothing useful.

"At this rate, we won't get through even half of them before the ball," Ursa complained.

Blue slumped back down. "And even if we do read them, there's no guarantee we'll find anything useful..."

"Actually, there are a few things about werewolves," Diego chimed in. "Like their vulnerability to silver... Maybe these wolves are susceptible in the same way. They are supernatural creatures, after all."

"That's worth exploring," Tarben pondered. "We might use that."

"There are decorative silver swords and armor in the history room," I pointed out. "Maybe we could use those to defend ourselves."

"And they're scared of fire," added Blue.

Tarben seemed encouraged by our discussion. "If you can herd the wolves with fire, I can lasso them," he proposed. "I've got a lot of experience with horses. Once they're lassoed, we could keep them contained with a circle of fire."

"We could take turns keeping watch while the rest of us search for the tapes," Diego suggested, wrapping up our strategy session.

A flicker of excitement lit up everyone's eyes, but then Ursa dropped a sobering thought. "Do you think silver or fire would even affect skeleton wolves? They're already dead, aren't they?"

Silence fell over us, the reality sinking in that we wouldn't know for sure until we confronted those wolves.

"So, what's our plan now? Just keep reading fairy tales?" Diego's frustration was evident.

I was okay with continuing. Long hours lost in books was what I did best. However, the rest of the group looked visibly drained, their faces pallid from the relentless nights and days spent reading.

"I don't know about you guys, but I need a break before I lose my mind," Blue announced, and the sentiment quickly resonated with everyone.

"I feel that. Everyone else is out there enjoying the snow while we're just withering away among these shelves."

"A quick break won't hurt."

"Let's just check out the lake and come right back."

"And maybe grab some treats too."

They all started to get up as if on cue.

"Guys," I interjected, hesitating. "I think I'll stay here. We've just eaten, and I'm not hungry. Plus, I can keep digging into the research." And hopefully, steer clear of Mars.

"Olive!" Blue scowled at me. "Don't be a party pooper. We'll be back before you know it."

Before I could object, Tarben had already grabbed my arm and hoisted me to my feet. "We're a team," he reminded me, grinning. "Wherever we go, you're coming with us."

How could I resist when everyone looked at me with such expectation? Soon, I found myself walking out of the Dorm with them. I hadn't even stepped outside the building for days, so the sight of the transformed garden was startling. Everything glowed brightly. Flowers were blanketed in white and interspersed with ice sculptures. Transparent birds flitted through the softly falling snow.

The scene was enchantingly magical. The sadness from my past experiences and the fear of my future goals were replaced by a comforting warmth as I walked among my friends, watching crystal globes and fireflies adorn the forest trees. However, the spell was broken when we neared the statue that marked the boundary between the lake and the Void. My eyes inevitably drifted toward the dark abyss that had nearly claimed me, sending a shiver through me.

"You have to try the snowballs," Ursa said, looping her arm through mine, her tone suggesting she'd easily guessed the fright I thought I'd concealed.

She explained that snowballs were doughy treats, fried and then dusted with powdered sugar, typical of this season. She continued listing other special snacks and beverages available. I tried to focus on her voice and the information she was giving, but as the music grew louder, so did my panic. After all the days I had managed not to see Mars, the thought of running into him now was breathtaking. I didn't know what I would do, how I could remain calm.

Thankfully, my fears were unfounded, at least for the moment. If Mars was somewhere around the lake, encountering him seemed highly unlikely. The area was bustling with more activity than ever before. The frozen lake teemed with spirits on skates. The number of food stalls had multiplied, each one festively decorated. The air was fragrant with chocolate, sugar, and cinnamon scents. Numerous fires had been kindled along the shore, around which groups of souls gathered. Some played with snowballs, others danced, and some pulled each other on sleds.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Tarben asked as he handed me a cup. "Hot chocolate," he said with a smile. "But I bet it's unlike anything you've ever tasted."

He was right, but even so, I wasn't prepared for the taste. My eyes widened with delight as I took a sip. Then I sampled the stuff Ursa had brought—snowballs, honeyed peanuts, caramel pastries, white chocolate strawberries—each bite exploding with flavor. I was teetering on the brink of a sugar overload. When Blue suggested grabbing something savory, I immediately joined her in line for hot chestnuts.

We'd only been waiting for about five minutes when Blue came up with a better plan. She would order the chestnuts while sending me to another stall for French fries. The line was long, and the spirits ahead moved sluggishly. Time seemed to drag on, and it felt like I wasn't getting anywhere.

With my hands tucked in my pockets, I started scanning the surroundings. I could have stayed focused on the fries, looked straight ahead, or, even better, remained in the library to avoid any complications. Yet there I was, and after just one sweep of the area, my eyes locked onto one thing only.

After days and nights of avoiding him, there was Mars right before me. He leaned against a tree, hands in his pockets, gazing at a distant fire. The flames cast an orange glow on his face, making him statuesque. His cuts had healed—well, a few scars couldn't mar his perfection anyway. But I couldn't keep my gaze on him for long. Right beside him was a girl; her hand on his shoulder felt like sharp daggers to my eyes. I blinked twice, but the image remained unchanged.

I didn't know her. Blonde strands peeked from beneath her hat, her bare legs apparently immune to the cold beneath her miniskirt. Her puffy jacket was left open, casually draped off her shoulders to showcase the daring blouse beneath. From her confident stance, her laughter, and the way she tossed her head, it was clear she dressed with the boy next to her in mind.

Resentment brewed in my chest, the hot chocolate and treats I'd consumed threatening to resurface. Mars seemed oblivious to her, lost in his thoughts and barely acknowledging her presence. Yet, there he was with her. The irritation should have been directed at myself, not her.

What had I expected? That a single night could change everything? Mars had made it clear he wasn't interested in caring deeply for anyone, having someone permanent in his life, or being burdened by too many thoughts. So there he was, with a casual fling by his side. He would probably return to his room with that girl tonight; then the night would end, she would leave, and others would come.

And me?

I was merely a mistake in his life, a moment of confusion. That I still looked at him with the same longing and desire, despite knowing what I had heard, seen, and understood, was entirely my fault. Thankfully, fate seemed ready to deliver a harsh lesson for my foolishness.

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