Chapter Twelve
Iwake before dawn, humming with excitement as I pull on my work clothes—sturdy black pants and a fitted red top that won't catch fire easily. Today's my first day training fire sprites at Ruby Hall. A job I never thought attainable to me and yet rings with a sense of rightness.
Soot follows me around the apartment as I get ready, his eyes tracking my movements. I pour his breakfast into his bowl, adding an extra scoop since I'll be gone most of the day.
“Be good while I'm at work,” I tell him, scratching behind his pointed ears. “Don't climb into the neighbor's fireplaces or mess with the ovens in the kitchen again. You're going to get me yelled at.”
He gives me an innocent look that I don't buy for a second. I don't know whose idea it was to put connecting fireplaces in a building full of fire fae, but I'm grateful no one that lives in the building is susceptible to burns.
I double-check I have everything—my new ID badge from Elder Nam, my phone, some basic training supplies. My stomach flutters with nerves and anticipation.
The elevator doors open onto the main floor of Ember Unit. The café is already bustling with early risers getting their morning coffee. The scent of roasted beans and pastries makes my mouth water, but I resist stopping for breakfast. I don't want to be late meeting my escort.
Elder Nam explained that having an escort was non-negotiable if I wanted to work outside Halfblood Hall.
With tensions still high between halfbloods and full fae, the administration insisted on having someone accompany me for “protection.” I agreed, even though having a babysitter will make it harder to poke around Ruby Hall looking for information about my mother.
I head toward the meeting spot near the café, scanning the faces of those gathered there. I'm not sure who my escort will be—Elder Nam didn't specify. Part of me hopes it's Eunho. At least he's fun to talk to. Though given my luck lately…
I turn the corner and look toward the bulletin board near the front doors where I was told I'd find my escort.
You've got to be kidding me.
I scoff loudly, unable to contain my dismay. Dohwan's head snaps up at the sound, and those cutting dark eyes lock onto mine. He cocks one perfectly arched eyebrow, giving me a flat look that says a lot about his own feelings on the situation.
“Please tell me you're here by coincidence and I don't have to endure your shadow looming over me all day.” My voice comes out more pleading than I intend.
His lip curls into a sneer, nostrils flaring slightly. “I'm not exactly pleased about the arrangement either.”
A growl rumbles in my throat as I drag a hand down my face. This can't be happening. Of all the fae in Ruby Hall they could have assigned to escort me, they chose the one who seems to exist purely to make my life difficult.
“What's the chance I can go beg Elder Nam to change her mind?” I ask, already knowing the answer but hoping anyway.
Dohwan's shoulders slump slightly, resignation written across his sharp features. “Almost zero.”
I mutter every curse I know under my breath, checking my phone. 8:45 AM. No time to march back to Elder Nam's office and demand a switch.
“Fine,” I sigh, waving my hand at Dohwan. “Try not to talk much. Maybe we can both get through this day without bloodshed.”
His lips press into a thin line. “Hardly a burden. Conversation with you isn't exactly what I'd call scintillating.”
I ignore the jab, striding past him outside and toward the curb, past the gates, to the waiting car. My steps falter as I take in the gleaming red sedan—House Ruby standard issue, of course. Because this day couldn't get any more on-brand.
The driver holds the back door open and I slide in, expecting Dohwan to take the front passenger seat. My heart drops when he folds his tall frame into the backseat beside me instead. His scent hits me immediately—sharp and smoky, like a wildfire racing through dry brush. It makes my head spin.
“Uh, do you mind giving me some space?” I snipe, pressing myself against the door.
Dohwan shoots me a withering glare, gesturing to his long legs already cramped in the tight space. “I don't exactly have far to go.”
I scoot as far away as physically possible, practically molding myself to the door.
It doesn't help. Heat radiates off him in waves, his fire affinity making him run hot like a furnace.
His scent fills the enclosed space, driving my senses into overdrive.
Smoke and spice and male. My fingers dig into the leather seat as I try desperately to ignore how it makes my pulse race. This is going to be a long drive.
The car rolls to a stop and I more or less throw myself out, desperate to escape the suffocating combination of Dohwan's presence and scent. But as I turn to face Ruby Hall, all thoughts of my irritating escort vanish.
My breath catches in my throat. The complex sprawls before me, a stunning blend of traditional and modern architecture that makes my heart stutter.
Dark wooden beams curve gracefully into peaked roofs, while sleek glass and steel elements catch the morning light.
Multiple stories rise in tiers like a wedding cake, each level adorned with wrap-around verandas and ornate railings.
Ruby red banners flutter in the breeze, each emblazoned with the fire affinity symbol—a stylized flame rendered in gold thread that seems to dance in the shifting light. The same emblem is carved into wooden panels, etched in glass, and inlaid in stone wherever I look.
I drift forward in a daze, craning my neck to take it all in. Pagodas dot the grounds, their curved roofs gleaming with metallic tiles. Modern lighting fixtures cast a warm glow even in daylight, highlighting architectural details that make me want to stop and stare.
This is the seat of House Ruby's power. The home of my ancestors. I've seen pictures online, of course, but they don't do it justice. The sheer presence of the place, the weight of history and power, makes my skin tingle.
I pause at the top of the steps, drinking in every detail I can spot. The intricate carvings in the wooden columns. The way modern glass walls somehow complement rather than clash with traditional elements. The perfect symmetry of the layout spreading before me.
Dohwan stands silently at my side, allowing me this moment of awe without comment. When I finally tear my eyes away from a particularly beautiful carved panel, he gestures toward the back of the complex.
“The kennels are this way,” he says simply, no mockery in his tone for once.
I follow Dohwan through massive double doors into an entrance hall that takes my breath away.
The ceiling soars overhead, crowned with intricate golden moldings that catch the light streaming through tall windows.
Scarlet tapestries cascade down the walls, their edges trimmed in metallic thread that seem to flicker like actual flames.
My boots click against polished floors as we wind through corridors, each more opulent than the last. The air grows warmer as we pass through a glass-walled walkway into the gardens. I have to pause again, overwhelmed by the sight.
Flowers in every shade of red, orange and yellow create rivers of fire across immaculately maintained beds. The blooms seem to dance in the morning breeze, their petals catching sunlight like sparks. Stone paths curve between the flower beds, leading to ornate fountains and covered pavilions.
It takes what feels like ages to cross the sprawling grounds. I spot several wings branching off from the main building—rows of what must be residential halls with their own private gardens and courtyards. My eyes drift to Dohwan's straight back as he strides ahead of me. It makes me wonder.
“So you were raised here?” I ask before I can stop myself. “Your family lives in the palace?”
Dohwan's shoulders stiffen visibly. He half-turns his head, not quite looking at me. “I thought you didn't want me to talk.”
I huff in annoyance, crossing my arms. “Never mind, then.”
We walk in tense silence for several more steps. Just as I'm about to give up on getting an answer, Dohwan speaks in a quiet voice.
“Yes. I was raised in Ruby Hall.” He pauses, then adds, “My family still resides in the west wing, with the other diplomats and political officers of the court.”
I mull that over as we walk, trying to imagine growing up in this place. Living in an actual palace, surrounded by such grandeur and beauty every day. No wonder he carries himself like some kind of prince, looking down his nose at everyone else.
Though that still doesn't excuse his attitude, I think sourly. Being raised with a silver spoon doesn't give him the right to treat others like dirt beneath his perfectly polished shoes.
The kennels sprawl across a large courtyard, surrounded by high stone walls lined with fireproof material. Heat ripples through the air as we approach, and I hear the excited barking before I see the sprites themselves.
“Kennel Master Jung will take over from here,” Dohwan says curtly, nodding to a stocky fae male emerging from the main building. Without another word, he turns on his heel and strides away.
Master Jung greets me with a firm handshake, his clear face breaking into a smile. “Welcome to the Ruby Hall kennels. Let's show you around.”
The enclosures are impressive—reinforced steel and stone lined with special fire-resistant padding.
As we walk past, dozens of fire sprites in their canine forms press against the gates, their cool black eyes following our movement.
Unlike Soot's calm demeanor, these sprites vibrate with barely contained energy.
“They're kept a bit high-strung,” Master Jung explains as a massive Western Shepherd throws itself against its gate, flames licking along its fur. “We breed them specifically for guard work and protection details.”