THE FAMILIAR eerie feeling of the prison cells welcomed Tori and Rowan's hooded forms. Their walks were sleek to avoid attention. The very same day when Tori offered the deal to Crown Prince Yei Lin, the latter immediately gave her the contract stating her authority to the Oolong Tea. She realized that what made her father, Duke Rozenreff, busy was that he was working with Marquess Zoliel to get that contract. The first prince was also in cahoots with the two from the noble faction to weaken the aristocratic faction before the Hunt for Elysian Crown.

Tori's gleaming ruby eyes were in complete contrast against the dark alley towards that one specific cell. Tori remembered those cerulean eyes when she visited to torment Mia. He was just in the other cell, watching them with hawk-like eyes.

Allistair Damon, his character throughout the Thorny Crown Series was a bit shady for Tori. He only appeared when necessary for the protagonists or antagonists. In Season 1, Allistair only appeared as the head of the assassination guild that was hired by the aristocratic faction to kill Sabina when the Duke of Rozenreff Duchy announced his support for Sabina and Prince Lauren's relationship.

The next time he showed up in the series, Prince Cory and the original Victoria already died in Season 2. He only appeared as the drug dealer hired by Sabina that was used to frame Victoria leading to the latter's death. He was only a side character until Season 4 when it was learned that he's a missing prince from the Kingdom of Monakre. They sold Allistair to a slave trader when the carriage that he was riding with his mother got mobbed together by Prince Yei Lin. The two of them were best of friends until that tragic incident that separated Prince Allistair. The guilt that Crown Prince Yei Lin suffered was strong enough to betray Prince Lauren.

If I get you under my feet, the future king of Ming Country and the future king of the Kingdom of Monakre will bow down to me. To prepare for war against the noble faction and the royal family, excluding Queen Aurina and Prince Corean, I needed something to corner them.

"My lady, you must not talk with him." The wary voice of Rowan made Tori realize the plot was slowly changing after all.

This spring, you will become Rowan Castaña. Never forget who helped you get out of the wretched slums.

Before entering the cell for those who are waiting for a death sentence, Tori signaled Rowan to stay behind the door which earned her a disapproving look from him but Rowan did not oppose her, he never did.

The moment Tori stepped foot inside the dimly lighted cell, the smell of blood and piss was eerily familiar to her.

A long time ago, the original Victoria stayed inside this very cell for two weeks while waiting for her father to help her. A long time ago, the original Victoria waited and waited, only to get slapped by the truth that she was truly alone until the moment that she died. And a long time ago, Sabina and Lauren sealed their fate when they killed the original Victoria hopelessly.

"You're still alive." Those were the first words that Tori uttered upon witnessing Allistair Damon's state. His lean upper part of the body bathed with his blood oozing from the lashing wounds around his body. His redeeming qualities were his eyes which were unscathed from the torture he endured. Scars danced with his fresh wounds. It was a miracle that he was still alive.

His cerulean eyes were looking at her icily, but Tori was so fed up with those types of gazes from Prince Yei Lin and Prince Lauren that it did not faze her anymore. "You're a tough one. That much I can tell."

"You're the psycho chic who enjoyed watching a tongue being cut off."His voice was deep and raspy.

So you recognized me, even with my tattered coat. This only means that no one has taken an interest in you yet. But I know that a noble from the noble faction took you in and used you later on from the original plot. Who is that noble? The first prince? Duke Rozenreff? Marquess Zoliel?

But I don't care, finders keepers.

Not minding that Allistair was not chained to the wall and was just sitting at the corner, Tori leaned toward the prison bars as she clutched the cold steel. "And here I thought that you quite enjoyed the show."

For the second time, their eyes met. His emotionless eyes met her wicked ones. "What's your deal, lady?"

"Can't I just enjoy a pretty face?"

"I can tell that you enjoy something bloodier, lady. But well, I am a tad bit bloody and I got the looks that most noblewomen love." He suggested she was interested to do something with him, which made Tori's laugh boom.

"Trust me. I will need you, but not as much as you need me. After all, tomorrow is your judgment day, my dearest Allistair."

"Tell me about it," he replied to her when she finally turned to leave. But before she could step out of the place, Tori stopped to look back at him. "By the way, Prince Yei Lin sends his regards to you. Poor Kpop prince, he's been going loco finding you. I tell you, he was like finding Dory when he looked for you. He even made a deal with the devil."

"Who are you?"

Her red eyes were the answer he got from her before the loud thud of a closing door resonated with his version of hell.

THE LOOMING look of the members of the aristocratic faction did not hold a candle compared to Crown Prince Lei Yin's mocking stare. Tori did not know if she would feel grateful to him or what. Sipping the tea that she asked, Tori was waiting for Prince Corean's arrival together with Lady M. While doing so, the thick tension enveloped her when the old geezers had a lot to say to her.

Perhaps the news about the Jewel Eyes of Rhea and Queen Aurina being my sponsor has reached them already. Oh, I bet it did.

"A lovely day, isn't it?" Tori broke the silence together with the crashing of the thunder and the sudden poor of heavy rain outside the windowpanes.

Lord Wolfgang answered her stoically. "Why does the heir apparent of the Rozenreff Duchy playing tea party here when your daddy dearest is plotting against Lord Tofera?"

So they already figured it out? Or the Duke does not have any reason to hide it just to show dominance? So daddy dearest is playing the alpha, huh?

Glancing at Lord Tofera, who's lost in his thoughts, Tori smiled sweetly at Lord Wolfgang. "So this is the meeting all about, I guess. Well, regarding my daddy dearest. A kitten can't give birth to a beast after all. He's a wolf, and he's working with his pack strategically. How about we tossed the bullshit and help each other, Lord Wolfgang? Help me, help you."

"Lady Tori is right. We can't fight among ourselves. Let's take the opportunity that the beast's cub is with us." Lord Helisos butted in before Lord Wolfgang made the situation worse, which Tori did not mind at all.

Lady M's familiar black heels stepped foot inside the secret room with Prince Corean in tow who's wearing a baggy coat to hide his identity. Meeting him a few days after that certain event almost made Tori feel a bit conscious. His nipping teeth like showing ownership always remind her that she's a woman inside a fourteen-year-old body.

This sucks.

"Blessings to the Empire's star, Prince Corean." The members of the aristocratic faction showed their respect to the second prince, who greeted them warmly like always. His smiling face regarded her like usual which made Tori breathe in relief.

"It's good to see you, Lady Tori. I never saw you during school days. Something always holed you up inside your room or the library." He took her right hand gently and lightly kissed it, so opposite to the way he treated her the last time they saw each other.

"Learning becomes a chore for someone like me if I wanted to impress my father. You know what I mean, your highness." Tori simply took her hand away from him.

I'm not poking him again. I don't have that certain powder anymore.

With all of them sitting at the round table, Lord Tofera started the agendum. "We got to do something with the noble faction's monopoly to the Oolong Tea."

"First, who started the trend with Oolong Tea?" Prince Corean butted in while looking around them. He got the aura of an approachable leader with a no-bullshit attitude.

Lord Helisos answered the second prince immediately, "The Duchess of Castaña Dukedom used this tea during Lady Sabina's birthday."

So, you knew about this plan huh Sabina and daddy dearest purposely left me behind. After all the things I pulled off, you're still the favored one.

All eyes glanced at her, but no one uttered a single word out of respect. Everyone was thinking the same thing as Tori. She smiled sweetly at them like her position of being the future heir of the Duchy was not threatened at all because, for her, it never did.

"So, how can we stop this? They are aiming for our trading companies, especially Lord Tofera."Lord Sozeni asked the majority.

"There's only one way to outsmart them. We must get that monopoly no matter what," Lord Wolfgang strongly answered.

"Then let us gain the favor of the ambassadors from Ming country," Lady M suggested, to which Prince Corean butted in calmly.

"The ambassadors do not have this type of power. The monopoly is not just here in the Eckrett empire but in other countries too. And the noble faction is gaining wealth exponentially as we speak," Prince Corean's serious yet calm voice caused some unwanted shivers in Tori.

"His highness is right. It's not the ambassadors. It is Crown Prince Yei Lin from the Ming country and also Prince Lauren's close friend."

Not as close as Allistair, though.

All heads snapped towards her but before questions rain, Lady M beat them to it. "I got a déjà vu just now."

Prince Corean's grinning face reminded Tori of the time when she also offered Lady M and the second prince a deal that led them all here.

Ah, such a nostalgic feeling.

Sliding the parchment that Tori was hiding in the breast pocket of her coat onto the table, she smiled wickedly at Lord Tofera. "I got a deal for you, Lord Tofera. Right here is the contract that Prince Yei Lin gave up on me as he handed the Oolong tea monopoly... to me. In exchange, I want two things."

"Yup, déjà vu it is." Lady M smirked at Tori, to which the latter replied with a sickly sweet smile.

Reading the contract carefully, when every lord learned of the authentication of the said contract, Lord Tofera asked her with wariness. "What do you want, Lady Victoria?"

"Simple. First, I only want a ten percent profit share from Oolong Tea. And the second one, I want you to get a prisoner for me. He's about to be executed this evening at the plaza."

"The first one is good as done, but the second one is really hard to pull off."

Tori knew what Lord Tofera said that's why she's making him do it for her.

"As we speak, I am becoming filthy rich exponentially while you are the opposite, Lord Tofera." Tori's wicked smile was on full display, telling everyone that the deal would be hers any minute now.

"You got yourself a deal, Lady Victoria."

No one dared to ask why she got the contract, but it was clear to them that Lady Victoria Rozenreff was someone whom they should not be messing with. For them, she's a beast that would change the tides of everyone's fate. What they did not know was how correct they were.