"You were cast from the Abyss."

Break's cold words cut me deeply. His red eye fixed on me.

"Abyss?" Oz gasped in disbelief and wonder. His gaze made me uncomfortable and I wanted to avoid talking altogether.

"Shut up! Leave me alone!" I shouted, angrily, frightening Oz. He froze, hurt and pain-stricken. Though I felt my heart ache a bit, I stared at him coldly.

I turned my gaze to Break. "You don't know anything, Break! Stay out of my business!"

Break laughed. "Actually, quite the contrary. It "is" our business…since we are involved." Break began to walk towards my bed, waving his staff in one hand, and his lollipop in the other.

He plunged his staff straight towards me, stopping it within inches of my face. He smiled maniacally. "Do you think I am a fool?"

"Break!" Gilbert shouted.

"Your hate has made you quite arrogant. Revolting...but these detestable feelings have kept you motivated in the timeless Abyss." Break lowered his staff, smashing it against the wooden floor. "Quite sad really." He turned away from me. "Memories don't fade even after centuries…do they?"

"This is not a joke, Break!" Gilbert barked, slamming his hand down onto the small table beside him.

"Quite right, Raven." With that Break slowly strode towards the nearest window, frozen over with frost. He stared through the glass. "Bare in mind, I will not stand idly by and let you interfere with Pandora's ideals. You have, of your own free will, joined Pandora."

"I did not agree!" I remarked, in alarm.

"The chocolate you accepted marks the contract. You have accepted Pandora's terms without question." Break answered, in a serious tone.

"That's ridiculous." I glared at him, fuming with anger.

Suddenly, I noticed the soft white rain outside had stopped falling. The sky was still white, blending in with the miles of snow. I stared in wonder at the remains of the winter storm.

Pushing the thick covers off of me, I turned my feet and slid off the bed. My feet became numb the instant they touched the wooden floor, feeling a pinch of ice. I pattered across the floor over to window.

Break continued to watch the glimmer of the frost along the windowsill, as I stood motionless in his wake.

"We're all fools."

I did not bother to glance back to Break or even to Oz or Gilbert. With the turn of a knob, I slunk out of the bedroom door and into the shady lamp-lit hallway.

Once the door closed, I leaned up against the smooth wooden door and sighed in relief.

"Ruin, is it?" A soft male voice whispered.

All of a sudden, a warm hand clapped over my mouth before I could say anything. My whole body tense in fear.

"Shhhhh." The shadow hushed, but then he gently releasing me from his grip and backed into the darkness so I couldn't see his face. "Come." He slowly walked down the hall, bidding me to follow.

The shadow led me through the winding hallway until he abruptly stopped at the entrance to a mysterious room at the end of the dim hall. The door uttered a strangled creak as the shadow lightly pushed it open and motioned me inside.

My eyes widened when I caught sight of the young girl I rescued from the Abyss. She was tucked snug under the covers of a king-size canopy bed shrouded in white drapes that trailed to the foot of the red-carpeted floor.

The atmosphere was frigid and ominous.

"Do you remember?" The male voice whispered behind me.

I whirled around to face the shadow, in fear of who or what it may be. I gasped in shock.

Light blonde hair fell across his shoulders and down to his waist. His attire consisted of a long black coat with a golden cross emblem on the right side. Grinning, the man slunk closer to me.

This man…I've seen him before…A hundred years ago…but he was a child…" I shivered as I gazed into his eyes—one bright gold while the other was a dark crimson red.

"You do remember. Oh, I'm so happy." His face lit up with a childish joy. Suddenly, his eyes drooped. "Although, I'm sad you don't remember my name…well… it's a start…maybe that's a good thing for now." He smiled, like a naïve child.

His eyes wandered over to the bed where the sleeping girl lay. "Have you forgotten her too?"

I approached the side of the bed where the girl lay sleeping quietly. The shadow followed closely behind.

The girl was as peaceful as she was in the Abyss, and as beautiful. Her breath, visible like mine, was as white as snow.

This is Alice!

"Do you recognize her?" The young man murmured.

I stared at the young girl's face, leaning closer, tracing every feature. "I.." My voice was feeble. Alice. This is Alice. After centuries of waiting, I have her. I have them. My…

I placed my clammy hands on the base of her tender neck, feeling the soft touch of her icy skin and the faint throb of her pulse. My fingers moved forward inch by inch until they pressed against her trachea.

Without warning, everything was swept up in black. Frozen in a state of numb hibernation, my consciousness slumbered beneath the black lake of my dreams and nightmares.

Suddenly, a voice thundered over my numb conscience and it grew louder. Although I couldn't make out the words, the voice was surely Oz's.

A speck of light was all I could catch in the darkness.

"Ruin! Wake up! Ruin!" Oz cried.

Words were becoming clearer and after attempting twice, I was able to slowly pry open my weak eyes and look up into the petrified face of Oz.

Gilbert was soon by his side.

"Ruin! Ruin! What happened?" Gilbert, in a cold sweat, stared down at my most likely dazed expression. "Ruin!"

"Can you guys stop shouting?" I muttered.

"Raven, there's no need to fuss. She's only drowsy." Break's voice grimly commented from a few feet away.

I didn't have the strength to turn my head.

"Break, she was found collapsed on the ground unconscious and Alice is missing!" Gilbert stated angrily, climbing to his feet to confront Break.

My skull felt as if drumsticks were thumping against it as I groggily pushed myself to sit up. As my eyes wandered, I noticed the canopy bed was empty—its sheets and covers disheveled—and Alice was nowhere to be found.

Oz sat depressed in the corner of the room; his arms were wrapped around his legs with his head sinking between his knees. Gilbert stood puzzled, cozied up against the arm of a rose-colored couch, deep in thought.

Across the table from me sat Break, sipping cup of sweet tea, delicately handled in his right hand.

Resting my chin upon the surface of the hard wooden table, I sulked as well, scowling with frustration.

Gilbert's faint voice broke the silence. "Break, what do you plan to do?"

Break stared bitterly into his tea.

"Break?" Gilbert repeated.

"That is the very same question you should be asking yourself, Raven. Miss Alice is gone and our Ruin was found sound asleep. You should know who the culprit is." Break took another sip of his tea.

"Vincent's chain is Dormouse." Gilbert blurted, seething with anger.

I raised my head. Vincent?

"What is he trying to accomplish now?" Gilbert covered his face with his right hand.

"Break, why would Vincent take Alice?" Oz questioned.

"That sewer rat could be aiding the Baskervilles." Break revealed with a bitter revulsion in his voice. Break was drastically unlike his usual jolly self. He was pretty unnerved.

"The Baskervilles?" Gilbert lifted his head, widening his eyes.

"They are closing in…" Break confessed, almost in a whisper. "What if they try to snatch another?"

I froze.

"What are you saying? I coldly asked, fiercely griped the rim of the table. The teacups and glass plates in front of me clattered. Break had lifted his cup as if prepared. "Are you saying that these Baskervilles will come after me?"

"Perhaps." Break sipped his tea.

"Who are the Baskervilles?"

"The Baskervilles are the followers of the one called Glen Baskerville." Gilbert commented. His amber eyes surveyed my fixed expression. "The Baskervilles want power….they crave it as does their leader."

"Things are not always as they seem, Raven." Break remarked.

"What do they plan to do with Alice?" Oz demanded.

"That I do not know." Break set his chin upon the edge of the table, sighing with utter boredom.

"You're lying."

Break eyed me. "Lying?"

"You know a lot more than what you are saying." I clenched my fists.

"Likewise." Break raised an eyebrow as he sipped his tea. "Tell me. What do you care?"

"What?"

"Why do you base your decisions on what I know or do not know?"

"I…"

"You should already know your next step already." Break's cold eyes surprised me.

I was caught off guard. I didn't know what to say to him. My mind could not devise a sly comeback to his arrogant words. That thought made me all the more pissed.

All I could do was glare at him. Annoyed, he, in turn, looked away from me.

Gilbert and Oz certainly could sense the tension between us, and they ogled at the both of us with blank expressions.

Unexpectedly, from the pit of my stomach came a low grumbling. Everyone perked up in confusion.

I eyed the others and just pretended nothing happened. I realized I hadn't eaten anything in a couple days since Gilbert had taken me to see Break. To be honest, it was a rather lavish meal at the Nightray estate.

But it had still been days since then, and other than the "contact" chocolate Break had given me, my stomach was empty.

I felt sickly from hunger, and as I glanced up at the contents of the table, one dish caught my eye.

"Mince pie?"

Gilbert, Oz, and Break turned their gazes at the words.

Mince pies, piled atop one another, sat on a large plate in the center. Grabbing hold of two mince pies fresh from the oven, I munched on them both. Once I took a bite out of one, I tore a chunk out of another.

The sweet flavor of fruit, spice, and cinnamon filled my mouth. As I smiled in happiness, Gilbert and Oz watched, shocked. Break appeared star-struck.

I ate two more, and again two more. Taking a light sip of cocoa, still hot, located beside the laced and layered angel cake, and slid the plate of mince pies away from me.

"I'm so happy you liked it, Ruin." A delicate hand patted my shoulder, causing me to jump. Suddenly, Miss Sharon's soft pink eyes were inches from mine. She smiled in a cute manner. There was a rosy tint to her light peach face.

"Lady Sharon created all of the delicious recipes before you. Her specialty is cakes but she has been practicing baking pies as of late." Break shot a proud smile to Sharon who smiled back in confidence.

Break's sudden mood alteration bemused all of us.

"It was very good, Miss Sharon." I said, shyly. I could feel my skin prickling.

Sharon blushed happily. "Thank you."

Break snickered. My face flushed red.

"What is up with your mood swings?" I hollered at Break.

"Break, what did you do? Ruin seems to be quite angry with you." Sharon lightly scolded.

"It seems." Break sipped his tea, hiding a slight grin.

I glared begrudgingly then stood and turned sharply, nearly running into Sharon.

"Pardon me." She gasped embarrassedly then quietly backed away. "Forgive me."

I nervously moved out of the way. "No, the fault was mine."

'Forgive me'… Those words…

"…Are you okay, Ruin?" Sharon sounded sad.

"Never better." My tone was obviously indifferent. This did not comfort her. I didn't say anything else in fear of making her feel worse.

Break let out a long sigh. "Uncute… not cute at all, wouldn't you say, Raven?"

"Shut up, Break. I don't need your little input…and by the way…we share the first step."

Break looked clueless. "First step?"

"To find Alice, of course." I stated the obvious.

He set his cup of tea down. "There is no need."

"What?"

"I have enrolled you into an academy, the third top prestigious school in the world!" Break chimed.

His smile was irritating.

"What for?!" I raged.

"Don't worry. We will all accompany you. You will need to pack and we will be off in the morning."

"I don't understand!" I wailed.

"Of course, you don't." He beamed.