Alex's fingers tightened around the glass as he placed it firmly on the table. His sharp gaze remained locked on Lilac. "The water you gave us has a fishy taste," he said, his voice calm but cold. "Why's that?"
Lilac blinked, a flicker of surprise flashing across her face before her usual, enchanting smile returned. "I happened to add a substance," she replied sweetly, brushing a strand of silver hair behind her ear.
Alex's expression hardened. "What substance?"
"I can't tell you." Her voice was light, playful. "It's our shop's top secret."
He glanced briefly at Elizabeth, who still seemed caught off guard by the suddenness of his actions, then returned his attention to Lilac. "If you can't tell me, how do I know it's safe?"
Lilac's smile didn't waver, but her eyes sharpened with something colder. "I never said it was safe," she murmured. "But it won't hurt you. Her, though…" She let the words hang in the air, knowing Alex would understand.
A tense silence stretched between them before Alex's voice cut through it. "Why?"
Lilac tilted her head, her smile fading just a fraction. "Because I don't like her," she answered simply. "And I like knowing where the balance of power lies."
Without a word, Alex took a step forward, his presence radiating quiet danger. But before he could speak again, Lilac's posture shifted—subtle, but enough to signal a readiness for a fight. "If you're so worried," she said, her voice softer now, "why don't we settle this another way?"
Alex narrowed his eyes. "You want to fight, don't you?"
"I don't mind putting you in your place," Lilac answered, the air around her growing heavier with tension.
Before Alex could respond, Elizabeth suddenly pushed herself up from her seat, her chair scraping against the floor. "I'll fight her."
Both Alex and Lilac turned to face her. Elizabeth's usual aloofness had vanished, replaced by a fierce, icy determination.
Alex raised a brow. "You sure?"
Elisabeth's lips curled into a smirk. "I'm not about to let some new girl walk all over me."
Lilac chuckled, lifting a hand as a shimmering scythe materialized in her grip—a sleek, curved weapon that matched the silver of her hair. "This might be fun," she mused.
Alex gave a short nod and stepped back. "Fine. Don't hold back."
The air grew colder as Elizabeth raised a hand, frost forming at her fingertips before crystallizing into jagged shards of ice. Without warning, she thrust her palm forward, sending a barrage of icy spikes toward Lilac.
Lilac spun her scythe effortlessly, slicing through the shards like they were nothing. She moved gracefully, closing the distance between them in a flash. With a sharp swing, her blade whistled through the air toward Elizabeth's shoulder.
Elizabeth twisted to the side, barely avoiding the strike. A thin layer of frost coated the floor beneath her feet, and with a swift motion, she summoned a curved blade of ice in her hand, clashing against Lilac's scythe. The impact sent a chill rippling through the room.
"You're faster than I thought," Lilac admitted, pushing against Elizabeth's ice blade before twirling away. With a flick of her wrist, she sent a crescent-shaped energy slash from her scythe straight at Elizabeth.
Elizabeth countered by raising a wall of ice, which shattered on impact but successfully absorbed the strike. She slid back a few paces, breathing heavier but still composed.
Lilac pressed her advantage, moving like a shadow. Her scythe danced in wide arcs, forcing Elizabeth on the defensive. Each strike was swift and deliberate, aiming to wear Elizabeth down.
For a moment, it seemed to be working. Elizabeth's movements grew more rigid as frost coated her hands and arms—a sign that she was pushing her powers harder than usual. Lilac grinned, sensing her edge. "Is that all you've got?"
Elizabeth's eyes flashed with fury. "Not even close."
In a sudden burst of energy, the air around her dropped to freezing temperatures. Ice erupted from beneath Lilac's feet, sharp and jagged. Caught off guard, Lilac barely managed to leap back, but not before frost crept up her boots, slowing her movements.
Seizing the opportunity, Elisabeth thrust her hand forward, and an icy spear shot toward Lilac. Lilac swung her scythe, deflecting the spear, but Elizabeth was already moving. She closed the distance in an instant, striking Lilac across the shoulder with a jagged ice blade.
Lilac hissed in pain, stumbling backward. Her silver scythe flickered, the edges dulling under the relentless cold.
"You were saying?" Elizabeth taunted, advancing again. This time, her attacks came faster, sharper and unrelenting. Ice wrapped around Lilac's ankles, locking her in place as more spikes formed around her, threatening to strike from every direction.
Lilac struggled against the freezing bind, her breath coming in shallow pants. "You're… stronger than you look," she admitted, her voice strained.
"Stronger than you," Elisabeth shot back, raising both hands as a massive ice pillar formed above Lilac, ready to crush her.
With one final effort, Lilac slashed at the ice around her feet, breaking free but it was too late. Elizabeth brought the pillar down with a resounding crash, pinning Lilac beneath the freezing weight.
Silence filled the room as the frost settled.
Alex, still leaning against the wall, gave a slow nod of approval. "Not bad," he muttered.
Elizabeth exhaled, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. "She's lucky I didn't get serious," she said, though the exhaustion in her voice was clear.
From beneath the ice, a faint chuckle echoed. "You win this round," Lilac murmured, her tone surprisingly calm despite her defeat.
Alex pushed off the wall and walked forward, his gaze locked on Lilac. "Now, mind telling me who you really are because it seems you aren't just a bar girl."
Lilac chuckled. It seems her secret has been exposed, she could no longer keep the facade on. "What do you think?" She asked Alex who seemed not ready to say anything. She sighed, shaking her head. "Fine, I am an assassin."
Alex did not show any signs of being surprised, he was as though expecting such outcome.
"I see," he mumbled. "Who are you working for?" He asked her.
Lilac smiled, not caring about the pain. She had taken a liking to Alex the very first day she met him and her first encounter with him just happened to not be on her first day in class.
"You seem so curious to know about me," she said to him.
"I need to be careful about those around me," Alex replied. "I Don't know when someone will poison me like you just did now."
Lilac burst out laughing at his sarcasm. She had wanted to indeed poison him as ordered to do so but then, she could not bring herself to do it.
She took a slow step toward him, Elizabeth wanted to block her path but Alex glanced at her, thus, she withdrew but her eyes never left the vixen.
Lilac got to where Alex was and bent forward. "I do not have the heart to take your life but if I don't do this, I'll die. You better run before they get here."
It was a whisper, hardly hearable but Alex heard it — every bit of her spoken word. It carried an unknown weight, worry, and concern.
"Run!" She whispered again and then withdrew her steps.
Alex looked down at his shirt and saw a particular spot already soaked in blood.
Seeing this, Elizabeth gasped and wanted to go after Lilac but Alex immediately grabbed her arm and shook his head.
"Run, let's leave!" He said urgently.