《Heiress of the Blood Throne》 Werewolves and Witches and What? Oh My! The cold water is a stark contrast to the hot sand beneath my feet, but I don''t mind. My focus is on the sky, on the display of colors above me. Casting hues of reds, purples, oranges on the water below. I find myself wishing I could stay here forever, but I know soon I will have to wake up. "Sedalia needs you." I stand, brushing the sand from my pajama pants and turn to the woman. She stands a short distance from me, hood drawn over her head so I can''t see her face. The wind causes her cloak to billow. "You keep saying that but I don''t even know what Sedalia is. It''s not a place I''ve ever heard of, I looked.¡± Before she can say anything else a gust of wind blows sand in my eyes. I blink, and my ceiling greets me. I close my eyes again, throwing my forearm over my face and sighing. For the last month I''ve been seeing the same woman. She talks about this Sedalia and how it needs me but never explains more than that. I chalk it up to watching too many movies before going to sleep, rolling onto my other side to hopefully fall back asleep. My cell phone chiming makes that dream impossible. Unsurprisingly, it is a text from Gemma, asking if I want to go to the bar with her. With a groan I pull the phone from the charger, squinting against the light in my eyes. She doesn¡¯t give me time to reply, my phone ringing almost the second I open the text. ¡°Wake up Love Dove! It¡¯s almost seven pm we gotta go now if we wanna be able to get good seats! We really need to get you a better job, during the day. Wake up! I¡¯ll be at your house in twenty-five minutes!¡± Without waiting for a response she hangs up. I lay in bed for another minute before forcing myself up. It¡¯s better for me in the long run if I get myself ready before she shows up. True to her word, exactly twenty-five minutes later there is a brief knock on my door followed by Gemma barging in. Sometimes I regret giving her the spare key to my apartment. ¡°Oh good you¡¯re dressed!¡± She says when she sees I¡¯m in the middle of putting my locs into a bun. I nod, glancing over at her. She¡¯s got on a wine colored crop top and black mini-skirt. How she manages to walk in her thigh-high heels I¡¯ll never know. Her ginger hair is done in her signature wash-and-go, the front part in bantu knots. ¡°You¡¯re not doing make-up?¡± She questions, plopping onto my bed. Not that she has much on either; black lipstick that she somehow manages to make work and deep purple eyeshadow that makes her brown eyes pop. Gemma almost never wears foundation, either, saying she actually likes the way her freckles look and she doesn¡¯t want to cover them up. ¡°You know I can¡¯t do make-up.¡± I say, finally deciding to throw my hair into two space buns. Gemma stands, coming over to where I am at my vanity and digs through my sorry excuse for a make-up bag, producing eyeliner and mascara. ¡°C¡¯mere, I¡¯ll do this really quick. You look so cute with winged eyeliner I wish you¡¯d do it more often. You know you can watch youtube tutorials.¡± ¡°Yeah yeah. You know I¡¯m not going to. I have better things I could be doing with my time.¡± ¡°Sleeping doesn¡¯t count, Dove.¡± Gemma huffs, hitting me on the shoulder. ¡°Alright, done.¡± She takes a step back, admiring her handiwork. I, too, look in the mirror pleased with my appearance. The liner she¡¯s done accentuates my eyes perfectly. I adjust the black dress I¡¯ve decided to wear, tugging it so it sits a bit further on my thighs. It¡¯s something I¡¯ll be doing all night. The problem with tight fitting skirts and dresses. Gemma insists I have a few in my closet though, so I deal with it. ¡°Stop that.¡± Gemma scolds, swatting at my hand. I frown at her when she pokes at my thigh, causing it to jiggle. ¡°Leave the dress up, maybe you¡¯ll actually get some action tonight.¡± ¡°Oh my God Gemma!¡± I tug my dress once more for good measure before shoving my best friend toward the door. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Thankfully the club isn¡¯t crowded when we get there, and Gemma is able to find us seats at the bar. After ordering our drinks she swivels to face me. ¡°Anything new since we last saw each other?¡± ¡°You mean yesterday?¡± I laugh. ¡°Not really. I dreamt about that woman again. She kept saying the same thing. ¡°Sedalia needs me.¡± I don¡¯t get it. I¡¯d think it were a fever dream but--¡± ¡°You¡¯ve never been sick.¡± Gemma takes the drinks from the bartender, thanking her before sliding mine toward me. She takes a sip before saying, ¡°You think you¡¯re stressin¡¯ because your big two-five is coming up?¡± I shake my head. My twenty-fifth birthday is still three months away, and really nothing is going to change in my life other than being able to rent a car, so there¡¯s no reason for me to stress. ¡°No. I think I just need to stop watching anime before bed.¡± I raise my cup to take a sip when something across the bar causes me to pause. Rather, someone. The woman who I¡¯ve been dreaming about for nearly a year now is sitting directly in my line of vision, watching me. Though I¡¯ve never seen her face before now, I know without a doubt that it¡¯s her. ¡°Gem.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°It¡¯s her. The woman from my dreams.¡± Gemma turns, looking in the same direction as me. She turns back to me with a smirk. ¡°Are you going to go ask the ¡®woman of your dreams¡¯ for her number?¡± Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Shut up.¡± I push her on the shoulder, unable to tear my eyes away as the woman stands and leaves out of the back door. I stand immediately, ignoring Gemma¡¯s questioning gaze. Something in me is pushing me to follow her, so I tell Gemma I¡¯ll be right back before going toward the same door she disappeared out of. It¡¯s almost as if she really has disappeared, as I see no sight of her when I make it outside. I scratch my head, frowning. She came out here, clear as day. So why is there no sign of her? The wind blows, bringing a chill with it and I wrap my arms around myself, shivering. It felt as if I was supposed to follow her, but if she¡¯s not out here there¡¯s no point in freezing to death. I turn to go back inside, gasping and jumping back a step when the woman comes into my line of vision. Though it¡¯s not only the fact that she¡¯d somehow gotten directly behind me without me hearing that startles, but that this woman looks exactly like me. Same brown skin, same honey colored eyes. The only difference is the hair; where mine has been loc¡¯d for the last seven years, her dark brown falls around her shoulders in tight ringlets. ¡°Woah.¡± I breathe, fully aware I¡¯m staring and unable to help myself. ¡°It¡¯s like looking in a mirror.¡± ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± The question confuses me enough to break me out of my awe and I frown. How could I know someone I¡¯ve only just met. ¡°But we haven¡¯t just met, have we Pandora? In fact, we¡¯ve met almost every night for the last year.¡± ¡°How do you know that name?¡± The woman sighs, holding out her hand. While I am hesitant, that same pull that caused me to follow her outside is compelling me to take her hand. As if sensing my hesitation she says, ¡°we will only be gone but for a moment.¡± I nod, reaching out to take her hand. The moment I do we are standing in a field of flowers, the wind no longer ripping through my clothes. I spin around, eyes wide. Wildflowers of every color meet my eyes at each turn, going on for miles. ¡°Woah.¡± ¡°Pandora, we need to talk.¡± At the sound of that name I turn to face the woman again. ¡°Why do you keep calling me by my middle name? No-one calls me that. My name is Dove.¡± She sighs again, and I get the feeling I¡¯ve somehow disappointed this woman. ¡°She couldn¡¯t even be bothered to raise you with the correct name?¡± She¡¯s muttering under her breath, arms crossed in front of her. ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯ve always been Dove.¡± ¡°No sweetheart, that¡¯s the issue. Your name, the one you were given at birth, is Pandora. Pandora Dove VonMerlyn.¡± ¡°Von...what? It was weird enough knowing my middle name was Pandora, but now you¡¯re telling me I¡¯m a Merlin?¡± ¡°Not Merlin, VonMerlyn, though I suppose you may be related to him in some capacity. You are a VonMerlyn, Pandora. And the last of your bloodline.¡± I¡¯m shaking my head before she¡¯s finished talking. Merlin. As in magic. There is no way I have any sort of magic in me. Magic isn¡¯t real. And I¡¯m as ordinary as they come. The woman clicks her tongue. ¡°You are not just magic, Pandora. You are the last of a royal bloodline. And now, your kingdom needs you.¡± ¡°My king--I¡¯m a princess?? No, this is insane. I¡¯m just a random nobody. I¡¯m not a freaking princess. And I¡¯m definitely not magical. That doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± The woman looks annoyed. ¡°Haven¡¯t you ever wondered why you¡¯re allergic to garlic, and have to wear sunglasses even with an overcast?¡± ¡°Well--¡± ¡°Your crankiness during a full moon? Ache and pains? Heightened senses?¡± ¡°PMS?¡± ¡°...your love of swimming? Singing?¡± ¡°Please¡­¡± ¡°You have vampire blood. Werewolf. Siren, it¡¯s all in you, Pandora.¡± ¡°How do you know all of this?¡± The woman takes a step toward me, touching a finger to my forehead. A scene of what looks to be her holding a baby me flashes before it is gone. ¡°I am a witch. I¡¯m also your grandmother.¡± Head spinning, I fall to a heap on the ground. Vampire. Werewolf. Witch?? This woman, my grandmother, is telling me I am not the human I was raised as. That my name isn¡¯t really my name. That I¡¯m a freaking princess? ¡°Wait.¡± I tilt my head to look at her. ¡°You said I¡¯m the last of my line but you¡¯re my grandma. And I was raised by my aunt.¡± ¡°Yes, your mother¡¯s sister. Who is, in fact, human. Your mother as well. While I am your father¡¯s mother, I cannot hold the throne as I am a VonMerlyn in name only. Tradition dictates that the heir marries someone of supernatural blood, and as a way to avoid taking the throne your father married your mother, a human. Of course, we have picked a suitable partner for you given the circumstances. My husband, your grandfather, then had to remain on the throne, but he has passed away and I¡¯ve been searching for you for the last year.¡± ¡°But you said so yourself, my mother is human. I was raised human, I can¡¯t take the throne, I have no supernatural abilities. Not only that but how can I lead a kingdom I know nothing about?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t know that for sure. You did not receive the proper training so for all we know you could have abilities you just don¡¯t know how to tap into.¡± The woman holds out her hand, helping me to my feet. ¡°We can go over the rest when we return to Sedalia.¡± ¡°Return? Wait, I can''t just leave! I have a job and people who¡¯d miss me if I suddenly disappeared.¡± ¡°Two weeks.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I will give you two weeks to get your affairs in order. After that, I am coming to take you back to your rightful home.¡± There is a gust of air and we are once again in the back of the bar. The woman is nowhere to be seen. I rush back inside, Gemma still sitting exactly where I left her. It seems as if no time has passed, and though that probably should freak me out more than it is, after everything that has just happened I pay it no mind. ¡°Gem. I want to leave.¡± ¡°Now? We just got here.¡± Gemma looks pointedly at our barely touched drinks. ¡°I know I know but, ugh I¡¯ll tell you back at my apartment. Let¡¯s just go.¡± Gemma is pacing, and has been ever since we returned to my apartment and I explained everything that happened with my grandmother. ¡°So let me get this straight.¡± She says, stopping to look me dead in the eye. I flinch at the intensity of her stare, nodding for her to continue. ¡°You are a princess to some magical land God knows where. Your grandmother, who you didn¡¯t know existed until now and who¡¯s been visiting you in dreams wants you to take your place as Queen and you¡¯ve got two weeks to get your life together?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the gist of it, yeah.¡± ¡°So...you gonna go?¡± ¡°What do you mean "you gonna go"? You know, this is how people in horror movies get killed.¡± ¡°Finding out you¡¯re a long lost princess? This isn¡¯t a horror movie, Dove, you¡¯re living an actual fairy tale! You have to go!¡± I fall backward onto my bed groaning. Of course Gemma finds all of this a lot more exciting than it is. It isn¡¯t her who is finding out her entire life has been a lie. Or that she¡¯s engaged to some man she doesn¡¯t know in order to take the throne of a kingdom she¡¯s never heard of. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll what now?¡± I¡¯d tuned her out but at that I shoot up, blinking at my best friend. ¡°It¡¯s not like I have any family here, and definitely none who¡¯ll miss me if I leave. Plus, I know you. You¡¯re gonna stress about this and drive yourself to an early grave. It¡¯ll be better if you have someone you know there.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t ask you to uproot your entire life to come with me.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t asking, Panda.¡± Gemma is the only one who calls me by my middle name, well I suppose my first name now. It¡¯s something I will have to get used to hearing. She throws an arm around my shoulder, pulling me so we are both laying on the bed. ¡°I¡¯m offering. You¡¯re about to go through a bunch of big changes and you need someone there with you. What kind of best friend would I be if I let you go through it alone?¡± ¡°A sane one?¡± Gemma laughs, rolling away from me and standing, announcing that she is going to raid my alcohol stash since we left the bar so quickly. May I Bring a +1? The two weeks have gone by annoyingly fast. I put in my two week notice at my job the morning after my grandmother showed up. Luckily, just like Gemma, I don¡¯t have any family near me. My aunt still lives in the city I grew up in, and a simple phone call was all it took to explain what was going on. She was surprisingly okay with hearing that I was a princess, even overnight shipping me a photo album of my parents saying she always knew there was something special about me. Gemma is still gung-ho about the entire thing, having basically moved in with me the last two weeks. She spends most of her day researching supernatural creatures, even though I try to tell her that the internet probably isn¡¯t the most reliable source of information. ¡°So you have absolutely no idea who this future husband of yours is? Is he a vampire? Werewolf? Maybe he¡¯s a Centaur. Oh what if--¡± ¡°Gemma please.¡± I groan. I don¡¯t get why she¡¯s so excited for me to get married. Out of the two of us, she¡¯s been in a lot more relationships than I have. Not that I have anything against dating, it¡¯s just working overnight shifts and sleeping most of the day doesn¡¯t lend much time for socializing. ¡°It¡¯s just exciting, Love Dove. Weddings have always been fun for me.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you marry him?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the Chosen One, princess.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± I fall dramatically onto my back, covering my face with a pillow. The bed dips, and Gemma is plucking the pillow from my face, laughing at my frown. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s been two weeks, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, give or take a few hours, why?¡± She hugs the pillow to her chest, shrugging. ¡°I was just wondering when your grandmother is supposed to show--woah!¡± As she¡¯s talking my grandmother suddenly appears in my room, looking exactly the way she did two weeks ago. I quickly stand from the bed, Gemma following my action. ¡°Who is this?¡± My grandmother asks, gesturing to Gemma. ¡°Uh, my best friend, Gemma. She wants to come with me.¡± Grandmother looks as if she wants to protest, but after taking a moment to look Gemma over, shakes her head instead. ¡°Alright, fine.¡± Without warning she touches a hand to each of our shoulders, and then we are no longer in my bedroom. What looks to be a town greets us. The very first thing I notice is the huge palace directly across from where we¡¯re standing. I assume that is where we¡¯ll be staying. There is a magnificently huge body of water between us and the palace, and a bridge connecting the two. Then a large stretch of lawn and the same wildflowers from my dream. The palace itself is surrounded by a gate. To the left of the palace is another building that looks to be a greenhouse of sorts, considering it¡¯s glass ceiling and the large windows all around it. ¡°So what is this town called?¡± I question, looking over to see my grandmother smiling at me. ¡°This is not a town at all. This is your palace.¡± ¡°That building right?¡± ¡°No, dear. The entire structure is the palace.¡± ¡°What?¡± I squeak, turning back to the palace. There are at least three other buildings not including the big palace and the greenhouse. And there is no telling how many more are behind everything else. ¡°This whole thing is my home?¡± ¡°Welcome to Sedalia. Follow me.¡± As grandmother begins leading us across the bridge Gemma asks, ¡°So...what¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°I am Rosedriah. You may call me Rose.¡± I can¡¯t believe I hadn¡¯t thought to ask my own grandmother what her name is. Rosedriah. It is a pretty name, and somehow fits her perfectly. But that leads me to wonder if I should call her Grandma Rose, or just Rose? Or grandmother? I haven¡¯t had one of those before, and I am unsure what the rules are since I¡¯m an adult meeting her for the first time. I make a mental note to ask her later, since we¡¯ve just made it across the bridge. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°This is Aikyam Palace. It is where the heir and their spouse stays. You will get a formal tour later, for now I¡¯m sure you are famished. We will eat dinner and then you can retire for the night. Dinner is thankfully uneventful, and then Rose shows us to my room, telling Gemma that because she is an unexpected add-on she will have a room prepared for her by tomorrow. Finally Gemma and I are alone again. I immediately flop onto the bed. It is huge, and much softer than the bed in my apartment. Gemma is roaming around my room, marveling at how big it is and how she hopes her wardrobe is the same cherrywood that mine is. ¡°So...grandma Rose seems nice.¡± I roll over onto my side, looking to see Gemma is pulling open the door to my balcony. It lets a gust of cool air in and I take a deep breath. The outdoors usually helped to calm my nerves, but it wasn¡¯t doing nearly enough right now. ¡°Yeah...I¡¯m freaking out though, Gem. This is too much.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be fine, Love Dove. Besides, we¡¯re here now. No point in stressing about it.¡± Despite Gemma telling me not to worry about it, I can¡¯t help but do precisely that. Sleep did not come easy to me last night, between thinking about the role Rosedriah expects me to play, and the fact that I am to meet and marry a stranger. By the time morning came, I¡¯d managed to sleep a total of two hours. After a quick breakfast, Rosedriah tells us that we are going into town to get us each a new wardrobe, and it reminds me that we came here with literally nothing but the clothes on my back. Gemma is of course, excited the entire trip and normally I would be as well but I can¡¯t help but think about the fact that Rosedriah expects me to be Queen. To just jump into this role like it¡¯s the most natural thing in the world. ¡°Dove!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Rosedriah and Gemma are looking at me and I think I must have missed something. ¡°Grandma Rose was asking if you liked this dress to wear for tomorrow.¡± Gemma says, pointing to a dusty rose dress hanging in a shop window. It looked off the shoulder, form fitting up top and then ball gown from the hips down. The bottom had white roses with gold glitter dusted on climbing part of the way up. I nod absentmindedly, before turning to the two again. ¡°What¡¯s happening tomorrow?¡± ¡°You¡¯re meeting your fiance tomorrow, dear.¡± Rosedriah answers. ¡°Are you feeling alright?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine.¡± I lace and unlace my fingers together, over and over, a bad habit I have whenever my nerves get the best of me. Gemma notices, patting my arm comfortingly. ¡°Because you were raised human, there is some training you will have to do before we can hold your commencement ceremony.¡± ¡°Commencement?¡± Rosedriah nods, touching a light blue dress. She seems to mull over it for a moment before signaling for the employee. ¡°Traditionally the commencement is held on the heir¡¯s 25th birthday. By then they would have learned what they need to rule the kingdom well. Unfortunately, you were not afforded the same opportunity. Though your birthday is a mere two months away, that will not be enough time for you to learn all there is to ruling the kingdom.¡± She holds the dress up to Gemma before clicking her tongue and shaking her head. ¡°There is much you need to learn and less time for you to learn it in.¡± We finish shopping not too long after, both Gemma and I several dresses and shoes heavier. When we return to the palace, we are taken to Gemma¡¯s new room. It is similar to mine, if not a bit smaller, and thankfully only a few doors down from me. Despite her room being so close Gemma still chooses to stay with me tonight, which I am glad for. My stomach is a mess knowing what is to come tomorrow. I lay in bed while Gemma pulls open the balcony doors again. She looks at me, humming. ¡°You look terrible.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± I roll my eyes. She grins, going over to the door and peeking her head out the door to my room. A moment later I hear her asking one of the maids to bring us some tea and snacks, most likely because I barely touched my food at dinner. ¡°I know I keep saying this but I swear it¡¯s you who was meant to be the princess and Grandma Rose got us mixed up.¡± Gemma snorts, closing the door and turning to me. ¡°Are you kidding me? You and her are practically twins. She looks like your older sister at most.¡± ¡°That¡¯s probably because she¡¯s a witch, Gem.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a what?¡± I sit up, blinking. Gemma is going on about how she can¡¯t believe Rosedriah is a witch while I can¡¯t believe I forgot to mention that part. ¡°So the lessons she was talking about is to teach you magic?¡± I shrug. ¡°I guess so.¡± A knock on the door claims Gemma¡¯s attention, and a moment later she walks over to me with a tray of cookies and tea. She sets it on the little table in my room and I roll off the bed, sitting in one of the chairs and pour myself a cup of tea. ¡°So¡­¡± Gemma starts after taking a bite of a cookie. ¡°Oh my lord these are good.¡± ¡°Are they? Oh!¡± I take a bite as well, agreeing with her instantly. The cookie is so soft, and the chocolate is the best I¡¯ve ever tasted. ¡°These are good.¡± ¡°Your future husband is probably some kind of royalty, huh?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± I hum, taking a sip of tea. I don¡¯t understand why she¡¯s so fixated on my marriage, but at this point I suppose it¡¯s better to appease her curiosity. ¡°So I think we should do some princess training!¡± The regret from letting her talk is instant. I set my cup down, frowning at her. About to say something I would regret even more. ¡°What are you talking about, Gemma?¡± Five minutes later and I am attempting to walk with books stacked on my head. ¡°You¡¯ve watched too many movies, Gem.¡± ¡°Less talking more walking! Keep your head up!¡± Gemma calls from the comfort of my bed. I groan, sticking my arms out in an attempt to steady myself. The attempt lasted for approximately twelve seconds before the books came tumbling down, most of them hitting me on the shoulder. I hiss, rubbing the offended body part while Gemma laughs. After gathering the fallen books and placing them on the bookshelf I sit at the table, stuffing another cookie in my mouth. ¡°This is stupid. I¡¯m sure my new husband knows how I was raised and won¡¯t be expecting an actual princess.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡± Gemma huffs. ¡°You are an actual princess.¡± Call Me Anything but Late for Dinner Continuing onto firsts for me, I had help getting dressed today. A maid, who introduced herself as Daphne entered my room the moment I opened my eyes, saying she was to be my personal maid. That I was uncomfortable might be an understatement. The only other person to ever see me naked, aside from my aunt, is Gemma and that¡¯s only because we¡¯ve known each other for almost seven years now. Thankfully it doesn¡¯t take long, and I am being ushered to Gemma¡¯s room. Together we go to the dining hall for breakfast. ¡°Hey Daphne?¡± ¡°Yes, my lady?¡± I try my hardest not to make a face at the title but I know I failed when Gemma snickers. ¡°Where is my grandmother?¡± ¡°Ah. Queen Rosedriah will meet with you all at dinner, during the meeting.¡± ¡°Oh...thank you.¡± Butterflies erupt in my stomach at the thought. Unprepared is an understatement for how I feel about tonight. I look at my food, my stomach churning at the sight. ¡°Done eating? I was thinking about checking out the garden.¡± Gemma says, coming to my rescue. I nod, standing and looping arms with her. Daphne leads us outside, and waits by the door while Gemma pulls me away. We walk a bit aimlessly, arms still linked together. Gemma is talking about how much she loves her room and how having a personal maid is so strange when something catches my eye. I slow to a stop. A man is a distance away, bent at the waist. He has one hand in his pant pocket, the other stretched out delicately touching the petal of a flower. His white hair cascades around his shoulders, blocking his face from my view. ¡°What is he doing?¡± Gemma asks from beside me. It¡¯s then I notice the flower looks to be dead. He blows on it, and it slowly blooms back to life. Gemma gasps unnecessarily loud, and his eyes snap to mine. I suck in a breath, freezing for just a moment before swiftly tugging Gemma away. "Did you see that?" She asks, trying to twist around to catch a glimpse once more as I continue dragging her away. "Yes, Gemma." I hiss in response. "He brought that flower back to life!" "I saw, Gemma." "But Panda!" "Gemma please let''s just go!" By the time dinner rolls around I can¡¯t decide if I¡¯m hungry or if I want to throw up. Eating is out of the question, and I wonder if anyone would call me out if I feigned sick. It wouldn¡¯t give him the best impression of me but at this point I would take that over having to speak to him. There is a knock on my door, and then Daphne and Gemma are walking into my room. I allow Daphne to help me into the dusty rose dress from yesterday, resigning myself to following the pair out of the room and to the dining hall. Grandmother Rose is already at the table when we arrive, standing and motioning for us to sit down. She smiles when she sees me in my dress, patting me on the shoulder gently when I make my way to her. ¡°Our guest should be along shortly.¡± She says once we get settled. As if on cue the doors open and my hands are in front of me, nerves set off for what feels like the millionth time since arriving in Sedalia. To my surprise, the man from the garden strolls into the room. Seeing him up close, I can tell he is tall, his hair pulled into a bun. What I couldn¡¯t tell in the garden was the color of his eyes. They are a strange mix of gray and gold; strange because the gold seems to be concentrated around his pupil. It is a contrast I find it difficult to look away from. I am only able to drag my eyes from his when I¡¯m jabbed in the side by Gemma who hisses a ¡°woah he¡¯s hot.¡± ¡°This is Caspian Lux.¡± Grandma Rose says, gesturing toward him. I stand quickly, trying not to wince when my chair scrapes against the tile. Caspian bows, which I respond with a curtsy. ¡°Pleasure to meet you, princess.¡± ¡°You can call me Pandora!¡± I say, trying to ignore the fact that his voice is currently causing my stomach to knot. ¡°Sit, sit. The food isn¡¯t going to eat itself.¡± Rosedriah says, to which I swiftly comply, though it does nothing to quell the feeling of Caspian¡¯s eyes on me. Like he¡¯s studying me. I try my hardest not to squirm in my seat. ¡°Panda.¡± Gemma whispers not too quietly. I turn to her, edging away from her poking at my side. ¡°Dude, your husband is hot. How did you get so lucky?¡± It¡¯s times like these I find myself grateful I am too dark for the blush to show on my cheeks, since I can feel my face heating up. Gemma has never been good at being subtle, or quiet, as she is so obnoxiously demonstrating now. I try my hardest to focus on my food when she says, ¡°Oh, Love Dove, Daphne said later on she¡¯d show me to the library. Apparently it¡¯s really freakin¡¯ huge!¡± ¡°Love Dove?¡± I look to see Caspian raising an eyebrow, amusement clear on his face. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. I silently curse Gemma when she proceeds to explain the nickname. ¡°Well when I met Pandora, she was going by Dove on account of thinking that was her name and all. Love Dove is something I¡¯ve been calling her for years. Of course, if you think it¡¯s too much you can always call her Panda.¡± ¡°Or he could call me by my name, Gemma.¡± I finally interject, shooting a glare towards my best friend. Though now I¡¯m thinking I should revoke that title. ¡°You don¡¯t have to call me anything but Pandora.¡± To my dismay Caspian smiles. ¡°I think I like Dove.¡± Gemma snickers while I wish the ground would open up and swallow me whole. Later that night I find it hard to sleep, a habit I seem to have picked up lately. I roll out of bed, sleeping on a robe and venturing outside. It takes me a bit to find my way but soon I am outside in the gardens. I take a deep breath, letting the cool air calm my nerves. Though the air isn¡¯t too crisp, I know I won¡¯t be able to stay outside long before the cold catches up to me. I don¡¯t know my way around the garden well enough to go too far away from the door, but a faint glow a little ways ahead of me catches my attention and I find myself following it. A giant tree is where I am led, the glow coming from Caspian. His hand is on the trunk and he has a slight frown on his face. He doesn¡¯t look as if he wishes to be disturbed, not that I would go over to greet him anyway. Just as I make up my mind to go back to my room, movement out of the corner of my eye causes me to pause. Everything in me is screaming for me to go back but I can¡¯t help but watch. A woman approaches Caspian, though she is too far away for me to make out what she looks like. The screams to leave get louder but it is as if I am rooted to the spot. The woman says something to Caspian, but he doesn¡¯t reply, only straightening slowly and turning to look at her. It feels as if I am disturbing something when she steps even closer to Caspian, hands on his chest. My chest tightens. Who is this woman? His girlfriend? It¡¯d make sense, this is an arranged marriage after all. Maybe he¡¯s being forced to marry me. It explains why he seemed less than thrilled to meet me. Still, I can¡¯t help the frown when the woman goes to hug Caspian. Surprisingly, though, when the woman pulls away from Caspian, tears in her eyes, Caspian looks completely unfazed. In fact, he hadn¡¯t hugged her back either. Almost as if he doesn¡¯t want to be bothered. He says something I can¡¯t hear, pushing the woman away from him. She looks hurt. More words are exchanged and Caspian begins walking away. I suck in a breath when the woman suddenly turns and makes eye contact with me. Definitely time for me to head back inside. ¡°So you saw Caspian and some woman hugging last night?¡± I nod, picking at the edge of my cover. Gemma hums, turning toward me with her hands on her hips. ¡°You think he¡¯s cheatin¡¯ on you?¡± ¡°Cheating? We barely know each other. For all we know he could have had a girlfriend or something before he was forced to get married to me.¡± I sit up. ¡°What if they decide to stay together after we get married? He¡¯ll have a mistress. Is that allowed? Am I supposed to be okay with that?¡± ¡°It looks suspicious.¡± Gemma sighs, patting me on the head. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t stress about it though. You said he didn¡¯t look happy to see her so don¡¯t worry.¡± A knock on the door interrupts our conversation, and Daphne is inside the room, telling me that Rosedriah requests my presence. ¡°I¡¯ll be in the library. Have fun with your grandma.¡± Gemma says, winking at me. She leaves the room and I follow Daphne to where Rosedriah is waiting. I can hear yelling behind the double doors and I hesitate to go in, heart slamming in my chest. ¡°How do we even know that¡¯s Claudio¡¯s kid?¡± ¡°You think I don¡¯t know my own granddaughter?¡± ¡°Regardless, she has no idea of our lifestyles, customs or anything. How will she be able to run the kingdom?¡± ¡°I say we let Lord Phillip remain in charge for the time being. Two months is hardly enough time to learn to run a kingdom.¡± ¡°A VonMerlyn belongs on the throne, you know this. My granddaughter will take her rightful place, end of discussion.¡± Daphne gives me a look as if to say ¡°good luck¡± before knocking on the door. At my grandmother¡¯s ¡°enter¡± she pushes open the doors and I slowly walk in. Any chatter that had been going quieted at my entrance, and my hands are already in front of me, twisting and turning. ¡°Well would you look at that! She¡¯s the spittin¡¯ image of ya Rosedriah.¡± A man laughs. I don¡¯t remember hearing his voice among the protestors. ¡°There¡¯s definitely no denying she¡¯s a VonMerlyn.¡± Grandmother comes to stand next to me, her hand on the middle of my back. ¡°Allow me to introduce Pandora Dove VonMerlyn, only child of Claudia Ezra VonMerlyn, Heir to the Throne.¡± Though I¡¯m trying not to let it show, being introduced in such a way is extremely uncomfortable for me, and I want nothing more than to run and hide. I am their future queen, and I don¡¯t need to give them any more reason to disapprove. To my surprise, sitting right in my line of vision is Caspian. He is tucked into the corner of the room, not sitting at the table like the rest of the men present. I don¡¯t notice right away what he¡¯s looking at, but when I realize he¡¯s staring at my hands I move them behind me. His eyes shoot up to mine, and my breath catches in my throat. I can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s pity in his eyes, or something else, but I force myself to look away from his gaze. Rosedriah is introducing the men sitting at the table and admittedly most of the names escape my mind the moment she mentions them. The ones that do stick out in my mind are Philip Visconti and his son, Adrien. According to Grandmother, Philip is the one who has been running the kingdom in my absence. And if the way neither of the men are hiding their disdain from their faces, they aren¡¯t too happy with the fact that I¡¯m here now. On the opposite end of the spectrum is a man named Nathaniel Rosetti, who is my advisor. He has a much kinder look about him, and though I am still weary of everyone in the room, it may not hurt to trust him at least a little. I breathe out a small sigh of relief when Rosedriah tells me I may leave. I give a quick curtsy, trying not to run out of the room. It¡¯s incredibly difficult, especially since I feel severely inadequate with all the disapproving stares. Once out of the room, I pause to take another deep breath. It isn¡¯t helping, though, and I know I need to be outside. It takes a moment for me to realize I¡¯m being followed. I pause in my steps, whirling around to see the cause of the sound of footsteps behind me. To my surprise, Caspian is standing just a few feet away from me, hands in his pockets. ¡°Did you follow me out?¡± He raises an eyebrow, still looking nonchalant as he says, ¡°I was concerned you might collapse given how terrified you seemed back there.¡± His eyes fall to my hands, which have betrayed my nerves once more by wringing in front of me. I move them behind my back, turning away from him and continuing on my quest to find the way outside. Caspian almost immediately falls into step behind me and I let out a small sigh. We walk in relative for a short while, Caspian following me dutifully as I wind my way around the castle. ¡°Are you lost, Princess?¡± His words are gentle, and I slow my pace, allowing him to catch up to me. ¡°I was looking for the way to the garden.¡± I confess, refusing to meet his gaze. ¡°Follow me.¡± Caspian easily takes the lead, going in the direction we¡¯d just come from. His strides are long and I have to quicken my pace to keep up with him. We make it outside quickly. Once the cool air hits my lungs I let out a breath of relief. ¡°Do you feel better?¡± There is a hint of amusement in Caspian¡¯s voice that I choose to ignore, nodding at his question. ¡°Being outside or in the water always makes me feel better.¡± Caspian lets out a hum, catching a falling leaf. ¡°Nature certainly has its way of calming one''s nerves.¡± He turns to me with a gentle smile. ¡°Come, let¡¯s walk some.¡± Elementals, My Dear Panda It takes a while for me to fall asleep and almost immediately I wish I hadn¡¯t. I find myself in what seems to be a one room shack, with no windows and the only door locked tight. There is a panic sitting in the center of my chest and I force myself to breathe through it. And then the flames erupt. So focused was I on trying to escape that I hadn¡¯t noticed the beginning tendrils right away. It wasn¡¯t until smoke began to cloud my vision that I finally spun around, sucking in a breath at the flames that greeted me. ¡°Help me!¡± No matter how much I scream, there is no-one coming to my rescue. The smoke is burning my lungs, the fire surrounding me so I am forced into the center of the room. It is unbearably hot. ¡°No-one is coming to save you, Princess.¡± The voice rings out clearly, as if it is in the room with me though I know that¡¯s impossible. I¡¯m on my knees, hands clutching my chest. ¡°You should have stayed away.¡± This time I recognize the voice. Philip. Had he started the fire? I don¡¯t have time to ponder on it. Just as the flames consume me I open my eyes with a scream. Darkness surrounds me, and it takes me a moment to realize I am no longer dreaming. My chest still feels tight and I struggle to suck in breaths, finally scrambling out of bed and stumbling to my balcony. I gulp in the cold air, sliding against the wall to the ground. While the coolness outside helps to calm my racing heart, I know there is no way I am going to be able to fall back asleep. Not when I can still feel the heat of the flames licking at my skin. After a while of sitting outside, the chill finally chases away the lingering feelings and I make my way back to my room. After picking up the book I¡¯d taken from the library, I settle onto my bed, hoping to pass the time quickly. The light is just beginning to pour into my room when there is a knock on the door. Daphne comes into the room a moment later. ¡°Good morning Princess.¡± I blink up at her, rubbing at my eyes. ¡°Good morning.¡± Daphne is closing the balcony doors. She turns to me, shivering. ¡°The Queen is requesting your presence. I will help you get dressed.¡± This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. I nod, sliding off the bed and following her to the wardrobe. ¡°Are you alright Princess?¡± Daphne asks as she pulls my hair into a ponytail. ¡°You look quite tired.¡± ¡°I just didn¡¯t sleep well.¡± I am dressed rather quickly and we are off to see Rosedriah. We meet in the library, Rosedriah already standing in front of a table with various objects sitting on it. Of what I can recognize there is a stack of books, a stone of some kind and a mirror. There are other bottles and a basket of what looks like yarn as well. ¡°It is time we start your lesson.¡± Grandmother says as I approach her. ¡°Lessons?¡± ¡°Yes. From now on, starting today you will have a different tutor to teach you how to tap into your abilities, should you have inherited any. At the start of the week I will teach you magic. Tomorrow I have a Werewolf coming where you will at the very least learn to defend yourself. The days after that will be a very old Vampire friend of mine, and a Siren. The fifth day is dedicated to teaching you all you need to know about running the Kingdom, and Nathaniel will oversee that.¡± I let out a sigh. It all sounds so overwhelming. ¡°The weekend will be set aside for you and Caspian to get to know one another.¡± At those words I finally draw my eyes from the table to Rosedriah. ¡°Do I have to?¡± I find myself asking before I can help it. Rosedriah offers a gentle smile. ¡°I understand your apprehension to an arranged marriage, Pandora. Under normal circumstances you would be able to marry for love. However, these are not normal circumstances. I sincerely hope that the two of you will grow to love each other as time goes on. At the very least, these weekends will allow you to not be complete strangers at the time of your wedding. Now,¡± Rosedriah claps her hands together, coming to stand on my side of the table. ¡°How much do you know about witches?¡± I shake my head helplessly. Even though Gemma and I did some very rudimentary research, I¡¯m sure whatever we read about was inaccurate. Grandmother laughs, telling me it¡¯s alright and begins to explain just the basics of what a witch can do. My head is spinning by the time she¡¯s done with her explanation. She gestures to the table. ¡°There are several ways we can test to see if you have any magical inclination. Given that I am your grandmother, you will have a significant amount of witch in you so you should have at the very least one gift.¡± The next several hours are filled with disappointment after disappointment. Rosedriah is still optimistic, telling me I have to have a gift, while I feel as though she is wasting her time with me. Maybe because I was born human that stunted whatever gifts I may have had. I set the scrying crystal down with a sigh. ¡°I think maybe I just don¡¯t have a gift.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Grandmother clicks her tongue, going over to the stone we have yet to touch. She picks it up, walking over to me. ¡°There is one more thing we can try. Now, I don¡¯t have any elemental gifts myself but that does not mean you didn¡¯t inherit any. If you do, the stone will change color.¡± She drops the stone in my hand, taking a step backward. ¡°It is not unheard of for a witch to have just one, or even no elemental gifts like myself, but--¡± I have stopped listening to her, my eye fixated on the stone in my hand. It has gone from a dull grey color to shining vibrantly. It is a myriad of colors, beautiful and gleaming in the palm of my hand. Even Rosedriah has been stunned into silence by the light show. ¡°Is this a good thing?¡± I can¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Good? My dear this is more than good! You are an Elementalist, Pandora. You can wield any element to your heart''s desire.¡± I close my hand around the stone, feeling it pulse in my grasp. Rosedriah goes over to the table, sifting through the stack of books until she finds the one she is looking for. ¡°This will tell you the basics of what you need to know about using elemental magic. We will go over it in more detail during our lesson next week as it is quite late. For now, let us go eat. Lunch should be ready by now.¡± Race With a Himbo Evening finds me back in the gardens. So much has changed in the last 24 hours, it is almost overwhelming. Thankfully I still had the outdoors to help clear my thoughts. Ever since Caspian led me I have been able to find my way outside with ease. The stone from today¡¯s lesson is in my pocket, and even now as I grip it I can feel its warmth. It¡¯s presence is comforting, giving me the same safe feeling being outside has. I wander, letting the cool air and the warmth from the stone calm me. It is only a few minutes later that I happen upon a gazebo. It sits unassuming, in the middle of what appears to be a rose garden. Vines trail up its pillars, spilling onto the roof. I walk toward it, the cold from the bench causing me to shiver. After a short while footsteps draw my attention from the stars in the sky, and I am met with Caspian slowly approaching. ¡°What are you doing out here?¡± He raises an eyebrow, climbing up the stairs and stopping to stand just barely out of arm''s reach. ¡°Am I not allowed to be?¡± ¡°What? No, that¡¯s not what I meant! Of course you can be here.¡± Caspian lets out a laugh. ¡°You aren¡¯t the only one who enjoys the comfort of nature, Princess.¡± I stare at him, unsure of how to respond. Flirting has never been my strong suit. In fact I¡¯m not sure if flirting is something I should be doing. Gemma was always the one with a new guy seemingly every month. She could pick up anyone flawlessly. Me, on the other hand, has had exactly one boyfriend fresh out of college. That ended fairly quickly, and cleanly thankfully, and since then I¡¯ve been too busy with work to bother attempting to date. That doesn¡¯t matter now, though. I don¡¯t have to worry about impressing Caspian too much considering we¡¯re already engaged. With my thoughts as scrambled as they are I choose to stay quiet, picking at my nails instead. Caspian takes the opportunity to take the seat across from me. Despite my best efforts to ignore him, I can practically feel his gaze burning a hole in me. Now that he¡¯s here, I want desperately to ask who that woman from the night was. A friend? A lover? Does he regret being engaged to me? I know, however, that by asking it will betray the fact that I saw them, and I am quite sure I¡¯m not ready for that question. ¡°Ask, Dove.¡± Caspian¡¯s voice startles me, my hands stilling. ¡°W-what do you mean?¡± His eyes, which had been staring pointedly at the hands sitting in my lap, meet my own. ¡°You obviously look as if you wish to ask me something. So ask.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± I falter, clearing my throat. Deciding not to open that can I shake my head. ¡°Do you come to the garden often?¡± An amused expression crosses Caspian¡¯s face. ¡°That is not what you wanted to ask.¡± ¡°No.¡± I offer no other explanation, and whether or not Caspian accepts my answer he says, ¡°I visit here almost every night. I have since I arrived in Sedalia.¡± ¡°Have you been here for very long?¡± ¡°I arrived perhaps a week or two before you did. I would have greeted you the day you came but something came up that required my full attention.¡± ¡°That¡¯s alright!¡± I quickly shake my head. Meeting Caspian the day I got here would have been too overwhelming. It¡¯s better that everything has played out the way it has. ¡°Where is home, anyway?¡± ¡°I am from Eiland.¡± ¡°Is it far?¡± ¡°About a week via train. It is quite the enjoyable ride.¡± ¡°Is it much different from Sedalia?¡± If he¡¯s annoyed at my questions he doesn¡¯t show it, resting his chin on the back of his hand. He looks at me, and I immediately drop my gaze. Caspian chuckles lightly. ¡°Eiland is certainly much warmer than it is here.¡± As if to accentuate his statement a gust of cold air causes me to shiver, and Caspian stands. ¡°We should head back inside. Can¡¯t risk the Princess getting sick.¡± I look up into his smiling face before reaching out to take his outstretched hand. Gemma and I have breakfast at the gazebo the following morning. It is even more beautiful in the early morning, when the sun is just beginning to rise. Gemma, of course, is complaining about being up so early. ¡°My tutor is coming early today, I told you this. I don¡¯t like being up this early either.¡± She simply groans, taking another bite of her croissant. Her eyes are barely open, and if she weren¡¯t eating I¡¯m sure she¡¯d be struggling to hold her head up as well. As it is, she has her cheek resting in one hand, elbow on the table. The croissant sits haphazardly in her other hand. I watch it, waiting to see if it will tumble from her barely there grip to the table. ¡°Couldn¡¯t he come later on tonight? Who wakes up before the sun even wakes up?¡± Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. I drag my eyes from the bread dangling from her fingers to the pout on her face. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to get up this early Gem. You¡¯re not the one training.¡± ¡°And why aren¡¯t I?! What am I supposed to do if there¡¯s an attack on the castle and I can¡¯t protect you?¡± I am wholly unprepared for that question. I blink at her a few times. ¡°Pretty sure that¡¯s what the guards are for. And I would expect you to hide, considering you are human and everything else in this world is not.¡± Gemma snorts. ¡°I¡¯m going to go ask Rose later about joining your personal guard.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t fight, Gem.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll learn! Won¡¯t catch me being useless in dire situations.¡± She begins grumbling to herself and I tune her out. I¡¯m used to Gemma¡¯s dramatics, so I¡¯m able to ignore her, focusing on eating my food. Late morning is when my second tutor arrives at the castle. I¡¯m dressed in simple leggings and a long sleeve shirt and led outside where a very tall Werewolf is waiting. Not quite as tall as Caspian but still much taller than me. He has broad shoulders and his skin is the color of someone who spends a great deal of time in the sun, not much darker than I am. He runs a hand through his hair - dark and long at the top, pulled into a braided ponytail to show off the undercut. When he finally turns to smile at me I can see his eyes are a pretty dark blue. ¡°Nice to meet you Princess Pandora! My name is Ronan Pell. I apologize for being late. Something happened in the pack and being Beta means I have to be there to help resolve it.¡± ¡°Ah no need to apologize. It¡¯s nice to meet you Ronan.¡± I quickly curtsy. Similar to what Rosedriah did yesterday, Ronan wants to see just what I can do before coming up with a training plan. I tell him I¡¯ve always been able to see and smell better than average, and that I¡¯ve never had issues seeing in the dark. He hums, shifting his weight from one leg to the other. ¡°Let¡¯s race.¡± I look over at Ronan, who has begun to peel off his shirt. I don¡¯t answer right away, blinking at him. Holy god he has a six pack. I can feel my face grow hot when he rolls his shoulders back. How could this man possibly be so comfortable practically stripping in front of me when we just met not even ten minutes ago? After tearing my eyes away I say, ¡°race?¡± Ronan bounces a bit, his braid swinging with the action. He has a grin stretched across his face. ¡°Yup! I want to see how fast you are and the easiest way is to race you.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re a werewolf.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re faster than me.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll lose.¡± ¡°Aw c¡¯mon Princess. Of course I¡¯m gonna beat you but that don¡¯t mean I can¡¯t see how fast you are in comparison.¡± I let out a sigh, pulling my locs into a ponytail. ¡°Was taking off the shirt necessary?¡± Ronan¡¯s hands are on his hips as he asks, ¡°Why? Like what you see?¡± I can¡¯t help but roll my eyes, turning away from him. It¡¯s mildly annoying not being able to tell if he¡¯s being serious or not, but I ignore his question. ¡°Where are we racing to?¡± He hums loudly, hand on his forehead over his eyes as he scans the trees. After a moment he points in a random direction. ¡°You see that tree over there?¡± It takes me a moment to be able to see where he¡¯s pointing, having to squint my eyes to be able to make out the giant tree. Eventually I am able to see it, though it has to be at least a dozen yards away. At my nod he bounces again. ¡°Good. We¡¯ll race there and back.¡± ¡°All the way there?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not too far. Okay ready? Go!¡± Without waiting for a response Ronan takes off running, forcing me to go after him. Even without the head start it¡¯s clear Ronan is way faster than me, already headed back towards the castle before I even make it to the tree. He grins at me as he passes me. I frown, speeding up some and making it to the tree and back to the castle in what I feel is record time. Ronan doesn¡¯t look like he just ran a marathon, grin still on his face while I¡¯m doubled over attempting to catch my breath. ¡°You¡¯re faster than I thought! With proper training you may even be able to keep up with me one day.¡± Before I can retort, movement out of the corner of my eye catches my attention. I¡¯m surprised to see Caspian strolling towards us, hands in his pockets. ¡°Caspian!¡± Ronan¡¯s loud cry startles me. He bounds over to Caspian, lifting him in a giant hug and spinning him around. The scene renders me speechless. ¡°Put me down, Ronan. How many times do I have to tell you to stop grabbing me like that? I¡¯m not a toy.¡± Despite the scolding, Caspian has a smile on his face. ¡°Excuse me.¡± I finally say. ¡°How do you guys know each other?¡± ¡°Cas is my best friend!¡± Ronan says as he makes his way towards me once more. Caspian readjusts his shirt, gaze fixated on me. I force myself not to shift from it, turning my attention to Ronan instead. ¡°It¡¯s pretty hard to see each other though since I¡¯m always busy with work.¡± Shirt now back on, Ronan slings his arm around my shoulder. I notice Caspian¡¯s eyes narrow with the action. ¡°Anyway, how do you guys know each other?¡± ¡°She is my fianc¨¦e.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Ronan practically flies away from me, hands up in surrender. I let out a quiet laugh at the reaction and Ronan¡¯s distressed expression deepens. ¡°I had no idea!¡± Caspian simply waves him off. ¡°I came out here to tell you both dinner is ready. I¡¯ve already informed the staff that you¡¯ll be staying, Ronan. Let¡¯s go.¡± We follow Caspian to the kitchen, food already waiting for use on the table. Ronan wastes no time finding his spot, digging into the food before his butt touches the chair. Caspian simply shakes his head, pulling my chair out before taking a seat across from me. Ronan is rattling off about his pack, Caspian telling him not to talk with his mouth full when the doors open. ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late Panda! Daphne wanted to show me¡­¡± She trails off mid-sentence, her eyes frozen on Ronan. Ronan also seems to have frozen in place, his fork clattering onto his plate breaking the sudden silence. Glancing at Caspian, he doesn¡¯t seem to be fazed by the shift in atmosphere at all, calmly eating his meal. Ronan slowly stands, his eyes never leaving Gemma¡¯s as he walks toward her. He takes her face gently in his hands and I watch as my best friend''s eyes light up, a smile on her face. It¡¯s strange. I¡¯ve never seen Gemma so smitten over a guy before, and certainly never this instantaneously. Even Ronan, who I¡¯d only just met, seems to be acting strange. And Caspian, calmly sipping his tea and being so unbothered by the scene only fuels my confusion. Ronan says something I can¡¯t hear and Gemma nods, smile widening. Her hand now snug in his, he mutters an ¡°I¡¯ll catch up with you guys later¡± before leading Gemma out of the room, leaving me and Caspian alone. I stare at the spot they were just standing for a second before turning to Caspian, who has finished his meal. ¡°Ask, Dove.¡± ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Caspian chuckles, setting his tea down. ¡°It seems as if Ronan has finally found his mate.¡± ¡°Mate? As in soulmate?¡± Caspian gives a hum of agreement, tapping my plate. ¡°Finish eating.¡± I take a bite of my food, quickly swallowing it so I can ask, ¡°do all werewolves have mates?¡± Caspian nods, the amused expression never leaving his face. He looks pointedly at my food so I take a few more bites. ¡°Do you think I have a mate?¡± ¡°Are you going to leave me if you do?¡± I freeze, looking up at him. ¡°N-no.¡± I am finally able to spit out as Caspian stands. He smiles at me. ¡°Good. I¡¯m not partial to sharing.¡± ¡°Wha-¡± ¡°You do not have enough werewolf blood in you to feel the mate pull. Even if you did, I am not inclined to give you up that easily.¡± Caspian interrupts. He pats me on the head. ¡°Finish eating, Dove.¡± He leaves the room before I can say anything in response. Intoxicating I am in the burning building again. Almost immediately my throat is filled with smoke. There is no time for me to acclimate to the flames around me. I am by a wall, searching fruitlessly for a way out. My throat is already raw from my screams, and though I know this dream will end the same way it does nothing to quell the panic bubbling within me. The fire feels hotter than it did the first time around, and engulfs me quickly. Like before, I can hear Philip¡¯s voice ringing out, telling me he will never give up the throne. My feet are on the ground before my eyes are fully open, and I stumble to the balcony, ripping the doors open. The cold does little to calm my racing heart, my body still feeling as if it is aflame. Without much thought I leave my room, thankfully aware enough to at least put on shoes before I am running down the dark halls, sucking in a deep breath the moment I¡¯m in the gardens. It doesn¡¯t take me long to realize where my feet have carried me. Caspian is already sitting at the gazebo, looking just as shocked to see me as I am to see him. I still, one foot on the last step ready to pivot me back to my room. My heart is still thundering in my chest. Though the cool air is slowly working it¡¯s magic, the nightmare is still fresh in my mind. I can still feel the heat licking at my skin. ¡°Why do you look so frightened, Dove?¡± I drop my foot to a lower step, wanting nothing more than to be back in the stuffiness of my room. The nightmare has me shaken up more than I want to admit, and way more than I want Caspian to see. At my prolonged silence, though, Caspian gives a small frown. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Pandora?¡± His soft tone and use of my full name causes my stomach to knot. He looks at my hands, seeming to contemplate for barely a moment before he¡¯s standing and taking a hand in his. Without waiting for me to protest, Caspian pulls me onto the bench next to him, the warmth from his body causing me to realize just how cold it is outside. ¡°I had a nightmare.¡± I finally mutter, feeling a bit silly now that I¡¯ve said it out loud. ¡°My room felt too suffocating when I woke up.¡± ¡°How can your room be suffocating as big as it is?¡± Caspian¡¯s tone confirms just how silly I sound. I frown, picking at a nail. ¡°I¡¯m claustrophobic. Waking up from...that...made my room feel a lot smaller than it is.¡± ¡°Would you like to talk about the dream?¡± At his question my body involuntarily freezes. I had been trying to be okay, but the question brings how real it felt fresh to my mind and a shiver tears through me before I can stop it. Caspian wraps an arm around my shoulders, pulling me against his side. The heat radiating from him begins to chase away the chill and I shiver again. ¡°Was the dream that bad that you ran outside with nothing on?¡± He asks, voice still gentle. ¡°I was on fire.¡± I finally whisper. I cross my arms, rubbing the goosebumps away. The last thing on my mind was wrapping myself in another layer of clothing when I already felt so trapped. ¡°I couldn¡¯t breathe. I can...I can still feel it.¡± ¡°Do you have nightmares often?¡± ¡°No. This is the second time I¡¯ve had this specific dream. It felt so real.¡± Caspian takes both my hands in one of his, using the other to rub at my arm. He¡¯s pulled me so that my head is resting on his shoulder, and it doesn¡¯t take long for the exhaustion to catch up to me. Eventually, between Caspian''s warmth and the feel of him rubbing my arm, I can feel myself being lulled back to sleep. I burrow my face into his side, taking a deep breath and letting it out on a sigh. "You smell good." Caspian lets out a hum, the hand holding both of mine tightening just a bit. "Oh?" "Mhm." "What do I smell like?" There is a hint of amusement in his voice. Normally I would be embarrassed at admitting something like this out loud but I had never noticed his scent until this moment. In my half asleep state I was having a hard time pinpointing exactly what the smell was. Earthy and pine and safe. It wasn¡¯t a body wash, or perfume or anything of the like. It was him, on his skin and in his clothes. I¡¯m sure if I were fully awake I would be mortified at my behavior but for now, I was enjoying being enveloped in this newfound feeling. Eventually he nudges my arm a bit and I blink my eyes open. "Outside." Caspian chuckles then, his hand moving to twirl a loc between his fingers. "I smell like outside?" My eyes are closed again, and I barely let out a, "mmm" in response. There is another chuckle, and the Caspian pulls me even closer to his warmth. "Sleep, Dove. I will chase the bad dreams away." The next time I wake up it is to find I am in my bed, though I am unsure how I got here. The last thing I remember is waking up from the dream and running to the gazebo. Where I ran into Caspian. ¡°Oh no.¡± The conversation flows back to my memory. ¡°How could I tell him he smells good?¡± I cover my face with my hands, groaning loudly. ¡°That¡¯s it. I can never face him again.¡± Marriage be damned, I do not have the good grace to face him after that. Our fourth meeting and I tell him he smells good? Unfortunately, as much as I wish I could hide in bed forever, I have to force myself to roll out of bed, running my hands over my face again. Daphne arrives not too long after to help me dress for the day. My plans to avoid Caspian are ruthlessly thwarted the moment I walk into the Dining Hall and see him sitting at the table, breakfast already in front of him. As soon as his eyes meet mine he is smiling and I know he remembers last night as well. ¡°Good morning Dove.¡± This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Good morning.¡± I grumble, shuffling reluctantly to the table and taking a seat across from him. I look up at Daphne as she brings my food. ¡°Where¡¯s Gemma?¡± ¡°Lady Gemma went out with Master Ronan last night and hasn¡¯t returned yet.¡± ¡°Ahh I see. Thank you.¡± I am trying my hardest not to let Caspian¡¯s presence bother me but I can feel him staring at him despite me avoiding his gaze. ¡°How did you sleep?¡± He asks. ¡°Fine.¡± On top of him staring at me, ever since I noticed his scent last night, that seems to be all I can smell. It was on my nightgown when I woke up, which means it was on my sheets, and now it is hitting me full force with him sitting across from me. To make matters worse, it is having the same effect being outside has on me. Calming and alluring and has me wanting to wrap myself in it and never leave. The thought causes my face to heat up and I swiftly shake my head, glancing up to meet Caspian¡¯s questioning gaze. ¡°Why are you here instead of...wherever it is you go in the mornings?¡± I ask, hating how unsure my voice sounds. ¡°Do you dislike me being here, Dove?¡± ¡°No.¡± Caspian smiles again. ¡°Since your tutor won¡¯t arrive until later in the evening, and Gemma seems to be otherwise occupied, I figured I would spend the day with you.¡± I feel my heart drop into my stomach at those words, cursing my luck. We decide to stroll around the garden after breakfast, Caspian standing a bit too close and his damn scent confusing my thoughts. I suspect he¡¯s doing this on purpose, though I am unsure what ¡®this¡¯ is. At any rate, Caspian leads me to the tree I spied him and that woman at just a few nights ago. ¡°This is one of my favorite spots in the garden. It reminds me of home.¡± He says, going to touch the base of the tree. That glow begins at his hand, slowly seeping into the tree. ¡°It is a shame the garden isn¡¯t well taken care of anymore.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s job is it to do that?¡± ¡°Well, typically whichever spouse isn¡¯t on the throne. Of course, once King Julian died, Queen Rosedriah could not focus on the garden as she once did.¡± It made sense, Grandmother would have had to shift her focus on the affairs of the kingdom. It¡¯s a shame, something so beautiful had to go neglected for so long. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about gardening or plants but, I would like to learn if it means bringing life back into this place. If you wouldn¡¯t mind teaching me, that is.¡± Caspian turns to me with a smile that serves to clench my stomach and causes me to draw in a breath. He walks over to me, patting my head gently. ¡°I would like that.¡± Evening comes fairly quickly. I was sure that Caspian would grow tired of my company after having spent nearly the entire day with me, so imagine my surprise when he says he is accompanying me to my lesson as well. ¡°You know you don¡¯t have to come with.¡± I try to offer but he is already shaking his head. ¡°I do not trust the man your grandmother chose to tutor you.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You will see.¡± Is all he says. And in fact I do see the moment my eyes fall on who exactly my tutor is. He is a very gorgeous man, red eyes and long dark red hair pulled into a low ponytail. He smiles at the sight of me, gliding over and extending a hand, kissing the back of mine. ¡°My, you smell delicious.¡± He purrs. ¡°Dimitri.¡± I am shocked at the possessive, and warning tone in Caspian¡¯s voice, but Dimitiri doesn¡¯t seem bothered by it, slowly standing upright and taking a step back. ¡°Alright Princess. Tell me what you can do.¡± ¡°Well I¡¯m allergic to garlic, and sensitive to the sun.¡± Dimitri hums, and before I can register what¡¯s happening he¡¯s cut my arm, from the crook of my elbow down to my forearm. I wince, grabbing onto the bleeding appendage and Caspian immediately pushes me behind him, scowl on his face. ¡°What the hell, Dimitri?¡± ¡°I suppose instant healing is not one of your strengths.¡± Dimitri muses, eyes on my bleeding arm. He lifts the hand he¡¯d cut me with, licking the blood off his nail. His eyes light up and I try not to make a face at the sight. Caspian turns to me, ripping the bottom of his shirt to wrap tightly around my arm. ¡°I have half a mind to end this now.¡± ¡°Oh relax, Lux. Your precious princess will be fine.¡± Dimitri¡¯s arms are crossed, looking as if he doesn¡¯t understand why Caspian is upset. ¡°I wonder, can you shapeshift or use hypnosis?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know, I¡¯ve never attempted either of those things.¡± Dimitri taps his chin thoughtfully, eyes flicking to Caspian before returning to me. ¡°I will have to do a bit of research to find a way to best teach you. Rest assured darling, if you inherited anything it will be one of those two things.¡± I nod. Dimitri begins to walk toward me again, stopping when Caspian blocks my view with his body. I peek around to see Dimitri holding his hands up in surrender. ¡°Alright, Lux, I get it. Princess, it would be helpful if you do some research yourself. Until next time.¡± He disappears in a plume of smoke and only then does Caspian relax. ¡°Do you think I can do that?¡± I ask when Caspian turns toward me. He doesn¡¯t reply, grabbing my hand and leading me back inside. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± ¡°A little. Kinda stings more than anything.¡± Caspian stops walking, peeling the makeshift bandage off my arm. His hands still when he sees the bleeding has all but stopped. I, too, am surprised. I¡¯ve never scarred before but I didn¡¯t think I would heal this quickly. Granted, there is still a wound. He makes a noise under his breath, too quiet for me to hear, and takes me to his room, telling me to wait by the door while he goes to grab something to better dress the wound. His room looks very similar to mine, except he has plants everywhere. So many plants. In pots on the floor, out on the balcony, hanging from the ceiling. Smaller potted plants on tabletops and nightstands. And his scent is everywhere. It¡¯s making my head spin, and making me contemplate hightailing it out of there. Because the alternative is much more embarrassing. Caspian comes out of his bathroom rather quickly, distracting me from the sudden desire to throw myself on his bed and burrow under the covers. I let out a soft, grateful sigh. After wrapping my arm properly, I am walked back to my room. He pats me on the head, telling me to get some rest. I am only able to sleep for maybe an hour before there is a loud knock at my door. It takes me a second to climb out of bed, and I am still groggy when I shuffle over to open the door. Gemma practically barges into my room. She¡¯s already sitting on my bed by the time I turn around. ¡°Gemma?¡± I yawn, rubbing my eyes. She simply pats my bed, waiting for me to settle. ¡°So, let me tell you what happened.¡± She starts. ¡°Are you just getting back in? What time is it?¡± ¡°Listen!¡± She shakes me a bit, huffing. ¡°Ronan took me back to his pack house, and it¡¯s huge! The alpha family, and the beta, Ronan, and his future family live there. Plus any orphans and people who work there like maids and stuff. It¡¯s more like a pack mansion. Anyway he said we¡¯re mates. Like soulmates. We¡¯re destined to love each other and be with each other forever and honestly it sounds really crazy but I dunno Panda I¡¯ve never felt anything like this with anyone before.¡± She¡¯s talking a mile a minute and my half-asleep brain has a hard time keeping up with her. Gemma goes to scratch her neck and it¡¯s then I notice the red mark. ¡°Did he give you a hickey?¡± Gemma has the audacity to blush, her hand going to cover the mark. ¡°Oh, yeah. He gave it to me instead of marking me.¡± ¡°Marking?¡± ¡°It¡¯s..uh...a werewolf¡¯s way of showing who one belongs to. Kinda like a wedding ring except more¡­¡± ¡°Permanent?¡± ¡°Yeah. Ronan wanted to make me right away but he¡¯s waiting until I¡¯m ready. Oh! He said I could move in with him, if I wanted, but would understand if I didn¡¯t want to.¡± I run a hand over my face, yawning. ¡°Do you want to? Be marked, I mean?¡± Gemma shrugs, picking at my cover. It¡¯s weird seeing her so unsure when she¡¯s always been the decision maker in our relationship. ¡°I dunno. Kinda? But it¡¯s a huge step. I told him whenever I¡¯m ready for that, I want a human wedding too, ya know? I think I will move in with him though. Being away from him feels strange now that I¡¯ve found him. It¡¯s like I¡¯ve known him forever, Love Dove. I don¡¯t know how to describe it.¡± Even though I can¡¯t completely wrap my mind about what Gemma is saying, or the mate bond in general, it¡¯s clear to see Gemma is happy with Ronan. ¡°You should go be with him then, Gem.¡± ¡°In the morning.¡± Gemma flops onto my bed, pulling me down next to her and throwing an arm around my waist. ¡°Let¡¯s sleep. I¡¯ve missed you.¡± Its in Your Blood When I wake the next morning it is to Gemma missing and Daphne shaking me, telling me that it¡¯s time to wake up as my final tutor will be here after breakfast. Just like yesterday, I am surprised to see Caspian already sitting and eating when I walk into the dining hall. How early does he wake up to beat me here? Breakfast goes fairly quickly, and Daphne comes to escort me to where the lesson is being held, Caspian following us. When I question why he simply say, ¡°after yesterday I do not trust anyone to be alone with you.¡± Daphne leads us to a lake where a beautiful woman is already mostly submerged. ¡°This is Lady Sereifa, a Siren and your final tutor.¡± Daphne says. Sereifa smiles, waving Daphne off who bows quickly before going back to the castle. Caspian hangs off to the side as I go closer to the water, able to get a better look at Sereifa. She is breathtakingly beautiful, deep blue hair falling in waves down her back and eyes that remind me of the ocean. ¡°Into the water with you princess.¡± Even her voice is soothing, each word spoken gently. We start things off with seeing how long I can hold my breath. I last roughly ten minutes before I can feel Caspian''s impatience. And sure enough when I resurface his eyes are on the water, looking as if he is ready to jump in at any moment. "I can hold my breath for twice that amount of time." I say. He doesn''t respond, going back to leaning against the tree, arms crossed. Sereifa looks between the two of us, giving me a knowing smile. "Have you perchance learned a Siren song yet?" I shake my head. Before now I hadn''t even heard of a Siren song. ¡°While most use it to lure men to their deaths, it doesn¡¯t have to be used that way. You can use your voice to get almost anyone to do your bidding. We can go over more next lesson. For now, let¡¯s see just how long you can hold your breath.¡± Similarly to my lesson with Ronan, we race. I fully expect Sereifa to beat me, and she does not disappoint. Though, like Ronan, she is surprised with my swimming strength. I attribute it to the amount of hours I''ve spent just in the water. In high school I swam competitively, and that paid my way through college as well. Being in water is as comfortable to me as walking on land. After the lesson Caspian wastes no time wrapping me in his jacket, quickly ushering me inside. Dimitri must have bothered him more than I originally assumed. Either that, or he thought me some frail girl who needed protecting. I reach up to wrap my soaking locs into a bun, the jacket slipping off my shoulders in the process. When Caspian moves to fix it I take a quick step back. ¡°You know I¡¯ve never been sick, right?¡± He looks at me, shocked. ¡°Not even once?¡± ¡°Not that I remember. Not even allergies.¡± ¡°Fascinating.¡± Caspian still fixes the jacket, leading me to my room. I change quickly, not wanting to miss dinner. It takes me a bit longer than usual to get changed, needing to make sure my hair is semi dry before putting dry clothes on. There is a knock on my door and Caspian is asking if I am okay. I open the door, smiling up at him. ¡°Was I taking too long?¡± ¡°Any longer and I would have come inside and help you.¡± He brushed a loc behind my shoulder. ¡°C¡¯mon, let¡¯s go eat.¡± I follow Caspian to the kitchen, surprised to see Gemma and Ronan sitting there. They are holding hands, and I have to admit they are cute together. Gemma looks incredibly happy, and even Ronan is looking pleased with himself. I¡¯m sure if he had a tail it¡¯d be wagging right now. Once Caspian and I are seated the maids begin bringing the food out to us. ¡°Hey your food looks way better than mine!¡± Ronan says as Daphne places my plate in front of me. She lingers for just a moment before backing away, and I look up to see both Caspian and Ronan¡¯s eyes on her. I don¡¯t think too much about their shared expressions, the smell coming off my food distracting me. Though I am not sure why, it smells off to me. Still, the others have begun eating and no-one else seems too off put by the food so I figure I may just be imagining it. As I begin to eat, though, my stomach begins to hurt. A sharp pain causes me to grip my fork and I suck in a sharp breath, trying to wait for it to pass. It doesn¡¯t pass though, and it¡¯s Gemma who says, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Panda?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I¡¯d only managed to make it through half my meal but the more I ate the more my stomach hurt. ¡°My food smelled weird but you guys were eating so I figured it was okay. My stomach hurts, though.¡± Caspian grabs my plate, giving it to Ronan who already has his hand out. He barely gives it a sniff before tossing it away from him, a sick look on his face. ¡°Wolfsbane.¡± ¡°Someone poisoned Panda?¡± ¡°Someone tried to. She would be a lot worse off if it did as intended.¡± As Caspian says that I reach out to touch his arm. The pain has intensified, and I think I might throw up. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Caspian lifts me into his arms immediately. The sudden movement makes my stomach lurch and I cover my mouth with my hand, gasping. He murmurs an apology, telling Ronan to find a doctor before carrying me out of the hall. His bedroom door is barely in sight before I am fighting to get out of his arms, the food threatening to come back up. Caspian quickens his pace, managing to get me at least into the bathroom and on my feet. Immediately I am on my knees, throwing up everything I¡¯d eaten that day. I¡¯d never thrown up before, had never been sick enough to. It is a horrible feeling, my stomach cramping and my throat raw by the time I am done. Energy sapped, I sag on the floor, only to feel Caspian begin to lift me again, the action making my stomach churn again and he once again mutters an apology. ¡°I will return in a moment.¡± He says, brushing a hand against my forehead. I must have drifted off as I am startled awake by a cup pressed against my lips. I don¡¯t want to eat or drink anything else, never wanting to experience vomiting again. My weak attempt to push him away has Caspian clicking his tongue. ¡°Drink this, Dove. Then you can sleep.¡± The next time I wake it is to Gemma placing a cold towel on my head. ¡°Gem? What happened?¡± ¡°You''re awake! I was so worried Panda! You¡¯ve ever been sick before so I had no idea what was going on. They think you were poisoned by wolfsbane.¡± ¡°Wolfsbane?¡± I attempt to sit up, my still cramped stomach causing me to wince. ¡°They think your vampire blood nullified the deadly properties of it. Ronan says there was enough wolfsbane in your system to kill a full-blooded werewolf. You basically had food poisoning.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Caspian?¡± Gemma nods toward the couch, where Caspian is sitting, looking to be sleeping. ¡°He stayed up with you all night.¡± She lets out a sigh, patting my hand. ¡°Since you¡¯re awake I¡¯m gonna go check on Ronan. Just the smell had him feeling nauseous.¡± The moment Gemma shuts the door, I sit up, intent on getting out of bed. I have no idea how long I''ve been laying here but I want to get up before the lingering sleep takes hold of me once more. I barely get my legs over the bed before I''m being pushed into my back, and a very grumpy looking Caspian appears in my line of sight. "You need to stay put and rest." His voice is rough, like he''d just woken up and I try not to let how much I enjoy the sound distract me. "Have you been awake this whole time? Gemma said you were up all night you should rest." He raises an eyebrow, pulling the cover to my chin. "I am fine." Before he can move away fully I reach out, grabbing his sleeve. When he doesn''t move I pull at him until he''s finally sitting on the bed. When he looks as if he''s going to question me I say, "It''s your bed. You should sleep." Caspian twists so he''s facing me. He brushes a loc from my face. "Do you really wish for me to sleep next to you?" When I nod he straightens, gesturing for me to make room. I hold the covers back for him, only to frown when he sits with his back against the headboard. "What?" Caspian questions when he sees my expression. "You''re supposed to be laying down, not sitting against the headboard." "You are quite bossy." He chuckles, but does as I say, sliding onto his back. I don''t expect his arm to snake around my waist, so a squeak leaves my mouth when I am pulled against him. Eventually he settles us so he is on his back, arm locked firmly around me so I am forced to rest with my head on his chest. "Caspian!" I try to push away from him but his hold on me is tight. "I didn''t mean for you to hold me hostage. I just woke up." "You couldn''t have possibly rested enough." His voice leaves no room for further protest so I let out a sigh, giving up on trying to get away. It isn''t unpleasant. Just the opposite, in fact, his scent invading my nostrils and forcing my body to relax. I look up to see his eyes are closed, giving me the perfect opportunity to study him. His eyelashes, which are surprisingly dark compared to his white hair, are long, fanning onto his cheeks. I resist the urge to brush them with my fingers, which are currently pressed between my stomach and his waist. It''s strange, seeing him so relaxed. So close. I drag my eyes from his lips to meet his open ones. Another squeak leaves my lips and I jump. When had he opened his eyes? "Do you like what you see, Dove?" He muses. "You are very pretty." I say. His eyes are closed again but he smiles at the compliment. "Am I?" I nod, knowing he''d be able to feel it against his chest. He hums, quiet for a moment. I begin reaching up to brush a stray hair from his forehead when he asks, "Do I still smell good?" My entire body freezes at that, including the hand that hadn''t quite made it to his hair. His eyes open once more to meet my wide ones and he grins. "Was I not supposed to mention that?" I let my hand fall to his chest, twirling the hair that''s fallen over his shoulder around my finger instead. I had tried desperately to forget that night and here he finds it amusing! I take a deep breath, letting it out on a sigh. "It''s not that. I shouldn''t have said it." "Why not? It''s good to know my scent comforts you." My eyes are focused on the hair in my hand, and I breathe through my traitorous heart beat. I''m sure he can hear the pout in my voice as I whisper, "You''re teasing me." "I assure you I am not." My hand stills again at that, and I look up to see Caspian''s eyes are once again closed. A small smile touches my lips when he reaches a hand to take mine, linking our fingers together. He falls asleep moments later, and I allow his scent and his warmth to lull me to sleep as well. Nathaniel is waiting for me in the library for my final lesson of the week. He smiles when I enter the room, asking how I¡¯m feeling. ¡°You know about that?¡± I ask as I take a seat at the table. ¡°The whole castle likely knows about it, princess.¡± He chuckles warmly. ¡°You are doing fine now, I trust?¡± At my nod he smiles, gesturing to the map stretched across the table. I let out a sharp breath at the size of it, eyes scanning over it. ¡°We will begin our lesson with the basics. I am lead to believe you know nothing about your ancestors or Sedalia as a whole?¡± ¡°I was raised by my mom''s sister. She wasn¡¯t exactly jumping at the guns to hold supernatural lessons.¡± Nathaniel laughs, flipping through a stack of papers before finding the one he is looking for and placing it above the map. ¡°Not to worry. Altair VonMerlyn is your great-great-great-grandfather. One of the greatest Witches of his time.¡± ¡°He was a Witch?¡± ¡°Oh yes. Albeit distantly, you are related to Merlin. Altair VonMerlyn was quite ambitious, securing the throne at a young age. Barely in his 20s if I remember correctly. He held the throne for nearly 100 years before passing it on to his daughter, Willow when his wife, a Siren by the name of Mira Chalice passed away. Each heir since then holds on to the throne until they deem necessary before passing it on to the next. Because your family is of mixed blood, your lifespan is hard to predict. Your grandfather, King Julian, passed away before we could officially locate you. That is why everything is rushed. What you should have learned growing up we are trying to teach you now.¡± He points at the map. ¡°Now then. This is Sedalia.¡± ¡°This? All of this?¡± He drags his finger from one edge of the map to stop a bit more than halfway across. For the first time since arriving in Sedalia I am realizing just how enormous this kingdom is. And I have to learn how to rule all of it in just a few short months. As if sensing my sudden spike in anxiety, Nathaniel pats me gently on the shoulder. ¡°Although it looks daunting, you will not be alone. You will have me, Queen Rosedriah and Master Caspian by your side. And the Council will be with you.¡± At the mention of the council I can¡¯t help but scoff. ¡°I don¡¯t think they want me here.¡± ¡°To them, you are no different than an outsider. I would not dwell on it too much. When they see how capable you are they will come around.¡± ¡°How do you know I¡¯m capable?¡± Nathaniel smiles. ¡°You are a VonMerlyn, princess. It is in your blood.¡± It Was Then That I Loved You An hour after the lesson is over I am still in the library, reading one of the history books Nathaniel left for me. It is where Caspian finds me, curled into one of the big chairs scattered about the room. I don¡¯t hear him come into the room so it startles me when he plucks the book from my hands. ¡°Come, Dove. You¡¯ve studied enough. You¡¯ll miss lunch if you stay here, and you already skipped breakfast.¡± Instead of the dining hall, however, Caspian leads me to the gazebo, where there is a small table with our food already waiting for us. ¡°Are we on a date?¡± I ask as Caspian pushes me into a chair. He takes a seat across from me, smirking. ¡°Do you want to be?¡± The question catches me off guard, and I stare at him unable to come up with anything to say. ¡°We are just having lunch. Spending time together. How am I supposed to get to know you when I can¡¯t spend time with you?¡± He laughs during my prolonged silence. ¡°We¡¯ve been spending time together all week.¡± I point out. ¡°That was shared time.¡± He smiles. ¡°I have the whole weekend now.¡± ¡°Do you have plans then?¡± Caspian pushes my plate toward me, signaling for me to eat. ¡°I do in fact have plans.¡± He hums after I¡¯ve eaten a good chunk of my food. ¡°There is a festival going on in the town and I figured you would enjoy going.¡± ¡°Wait really?¡± I can¡¯t hide the excitement in my voice, bouncing a bit in my chair. I knew there was a town nearby but there hadn¡¯t been very much of an opportunity to visit since coming to Sedalia. Getting away from the castle, even if only for a few hours, has me looking forward to the end of lunch and I begin shoveling food in my mouth. My excitement is something that amuses Caspian greatly. Even the carriage ride is a new experience for me, and I can¡¯t help but press my face against the glass, watching the trees pass us by as we head toward town. I glance over to see Caspian with his arms folded, watching me with a smile on his face. I grin at him before turning back to the window. As the town comes into view my excitement peaks once again. There are a myriad of decorations that I can see even from the distance we¡¯re at. And once we get into the town I can see it is bustling with people all over the place, stalls lined up on either side of the street. ¡°Do you think anyone will recognize me?¡± I ask Caspian as he comes to stand by my side. I hadn¡¯t been introduced into society yet, but I look so much like Rosedriah it wouldn¡¯t take much for people to put two and two together. He pulls my hood further down my head. ¡°Keep your hood down and you will have no issues. Ready?¡± At my excited nod he takes my hand, and for the next several hours allows me to drag him around town, trying every food stall I can and even plays some of the games with me. By the time it starts to get dark, and the music begins to play, we have had several drinks between the two of us, though I suspect I have had more than he has. Either that or his tolerance is a lot better than mine. I like to think I can handle my alcohol but there''s no denying I am more than a little tipsy. He leads me toward the center of town, where many of the festival goers are dancing. The band is playing some upbeat song. It doesn''t look as if there is an organized dance to it, the people doing all sorts of movements. I look from the scene to Caspian and he pushes me a bit. ¡°Go.¡± And with a grin I dash away from him, joining the crowd. Gemma? ?and? ?I? ?have? ?been? ?to? ?plenty? ?of? ?concerts.? ?I''ve? ?done? ?my? ?fair? ?share? ?of? ?dancing? ?and? ?laughing? ?and? ?public? ?intoxication.? ?Nothing,? ?however,? ?has? ?ever? ?come? ?close? ?to? ?how? ?I? ?feel? ?at? ?this? ?moment.? ? The? ?wind? ?ripples? ?around? ?me,? ?causing? ?my? ?dress? ?to? ?billow? ?out and my hood to fall off.? ?I''ve? ?never? ?felt? ?so? ?free,? ?especially? ?since? ?coming? ?to? ?Sedalia.? ?No? ?assassination? ?attempts,? ?no? ?lessons,? ?no? ?learning? ?to? ?be? ?Queen.? ? Carefree.? ? ? The? ?wind? ?beckons? ?me? ?to? ?spin? ?and? ?so? ?I? ?do.? ? I? ?spin? ?and? ?I? ?dance ?and? ?I? ?laugh,? ?and? ?I? ?see? ?Caspian? ?leaning? ?against? ?a? ?building,? ?arms? ?crossed? and? ?a? ?smile? ?on? ?his? ?face.? ? Suddenly I want nothing more than for him to be just as happy as I am. I? ?face? ?him,? ?holding? ?out? ?my? ?hands.? ?He? ?gives? ?a? ?quick? ?shake? ?of? ?his? ?head,? ?gesturing? ?for? ?me? to? ?continue? ?having? ?fun? ?without? ?him.? ?In? ?response? ?I? ?pout,? ?taking? ?a? ?step? ?toward? ?him,? ?arms? ?still? ?outstretched.? ? ? He? ?sighs,? ?and? ?then? ?he? ?takes? ?a? ?step? ?toward? ?me? ?and? ?my? ?face? ?lights? ?up? ?once? ?again.? Caspian? ?laughs,? ?taking? ?my? ?hands? ?and? ?pulling? ?me? ?against? ?him.? ?My? ?heart? ?immediately? ?slams? ?in? ?my? ?chest? ?at? ?his? ?smile.? ?It stretches across his face, lighting up his eyes and I am entranced. I? ?tug? ?my? ?hands? ?out? ?of? ?his,? ?reaching? ?up? ?to? ?cup? ?his? ?cheeks.? ?I notice his dimples, and I can''t help but brush my thumbs over them. "You''re? ?pretty? ?when? ?you? ?smile."? ? ? Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Caspian ?leans? ?in. His? ?mouth? is ?near? ?my? ?ear? ?so? ?I? ?can? ?hear? ?him? ?over? ?the? ?music. "No? ?more? ?alcohol? ?for? ?you,? ?Dove."? ? "I? ?didn''t? ?even? ?drink? ?that? ?much.? And you? ??haven''t? ?had? ?enough."? ? "I''ve? ?had? more than ?enough? ?thank? ?you."? ? ? I? take a step back,? ?grin? ?on? ?my? ?face.? ?Another? ?step? ?back? ?and? ?I? ?dip? ?in? ?a? ?small? ?curtsy, giggling.? ?Caspian? ?watches? ?curiously? ?as? ?I? ?dance? ?around? ?him,? ?twirling? ?until? ?I''m? ?breathless.? He? ?holds? ?out? ?a? ?hand,? ?waiting? ?until? ?I? ?take? ?it? ?before? ?spinning? ?me? ?and? ?pulling? ?me? ?flush? ?against? ?him.? ?My? ?heart? ?thumps? ?again? ?and? ?I''m? ?sure? ?he? ?can? ?feel? ?it? ?this? ?time.? ?An? ?arm? ?snakes? ?around? my? ?waist.? ?His? ?other? ?hand? ?is? ?still? ?holding? ?one? ?of? ?mine,? ?fingers? ?laced? ?together.? ? ? "Thank? ?you? ?for? ?bringing? ?me? ?here."? ? "Even? ?you? ?deserve? ?to? ?have? ?some? ?fun,? ?Dove."? ? ? "Are? ?you? ?having? ?fun?"? ? Caspian? ?tightens? ?his? ?hold? ?for? ?just? ?a? ?moment.? ?"How? ?could? ?I? ?not? ?have? ?fun? ?watching? ?you? ?be? ?so? ?adorable?"? ?As he speaks he reaches up to pull my hood over my head once more. ?"Go,? ?enjoy? ?your? ?night? ?Princess.? ?Come? ?look? ?for? ?me? ?when? ?you? ?tire? ?out? ?and? ?I? ?will? ?carry? ?you? ?home."? As the alcohol courses through me, and my energy levels begin to wane I make my way back over to Caspian, collapsing into his arms. He lifts me easily, eyebrow raised. ¡°Ready to go home?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± I nod, resting my head against his chest. He doesn¡¯t let me go, even after entering the carriage and I doze for the majority of the ride home, waking briefly as he carries me to his room. The coolness of the sheets wakes me even more, and I blink up at Caspian who helps me sit up. ¡°You need to get changed.¡± He says, tapping my back gently. My response is to groan and attempt to flop back onto the bed, too drunk and sleepy to care about changing clothes. Besides, we were in his room and it was likely far too late to call for Daphne to bring me my sleeping gown. Caspian simply tsks, pulling me back up. ¡°C¡¯mon Dove. Sleeping in a dress surely cannot be comfortable.¡± ¡°Nooo.¡± I whine, weakly pushing him away. Thankfully he doesn¡¯t seem annoyed. In fact, there is amusement in his voice as he says, ¡°If you don¡¯t get changed I¡¯ll have to undress you myself.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care! Sleep.¡± He chuckles, tucking my hair behind my shoulder and leaves me to go to his closet. A moment later he returns, pushing a shirt of his into my hands. His scent invades my senses and I pout up at him, wanting nothing more than to curl into the smell and sleep. ¡°C¡¯mon.¡± Caspian pulls me out of bed, making sure I am steady on my feet before quickly undressing me quickly and tugging the shirt over my head. It falls to my thighs, making me look as if I am playing dress-up. His scent washes over me and I am in his bed before I know it, burrowing into his covers. He disappears into his closet, presumably to change clothes himself, and seems surprised when he comes back out to see I am still awake. ¡°You need to sleep, Dove.¡± I hold out my arms, and he watches me for a moment before shaking his head. "I will sleep on the couch." A frown forms on my lips at his rejection. My arms suddenly feel heavy and I let them fall to bed, gripping his covers. "Please?" I whisper, no longer looking at him. Caspian gives a soft "fine" and I can''t help the content sigh when he climbs onto the bed and pulls me against him. Though I fall asleep fairly quickly, I don¡¯t stay asleep for long. For the third time I am having the nightmare. I seem to jump straight into the worst of it, already surrounded by flames. My chest hurts, the smoke invading my lungs and forcing me to try and cough it out to no avail. Once more I am searching for an exit, trying my hardest to ignore Philip¡¯s taunting voice. The smoke brings tears to my eyes, and me to my knees, and I can only pray I wake up quickly. Then the dream turns into something different. Caspian¡¯s voice rings out, bringing fresh panic into my chest. He¡¯s yelling something, it¡¯s hard to make out exactly what. What I can hear, though, is my name, over and over. There is a fresh panic. And uncertainty of whether Caspian is in the cabin with me, or on the outside. This time I am being shaken awake, my eyes flying open to meet Caspian¡¯s worried face. Despite the dream being cut short that feeling of terror is heavy on me. ¡°Outside.¡± I gasp, reaching out to grip Caspian¡¯s shirt. ¡°Please.¡± Without a word Caspian gathers me in his arms, lifting me out of bed. I don¡¯t realize I¡¯m crying until the cold air hits my cheeks. Caspian holds me close and I press my face into his chest, taking deep breaths. ¡°That same nightmare as before?¡± Caspian¡¯s voice is gentle. ¡°Yes. You were there this time, though. I couldn¡¯t see you but I could hear you. I didn¡¯t know if you were burning with me or...or¡­¡± ¡°You think I would set you on fire?¡± ¡°No.¡± While that had been a fear of mine, hearing him ask that, and the resolution with which I answered solidified that I trusted Caspian. He would do nothing to harm me. I look up at him, and he bumps his forehead against mine. ¡°Have you told your grandmother about these dreams?¡± ¡°No.¡± I shake my head. ¡°I figured they were just bad dreams. Stress or nerves or something.¡± Caspian is carrying me back into the room, setting me on the bed before going back to close the balcony doors. ¡°It may be worth talking to her about, Dove. You have witch blood in you. The dreams may not just be dreams.¡± ¡°You mean they could be premonitions?¡± ¡°It is a possibility.¡± Caspian returns to the bed, wrapping his arms around me once more, his hand resting on the small of my back. My heart is thundering in my chest at the thought of someone, of Philip, not only trapping me in a room with no way out but trying to set me on fire. ¡°Someone wants me dead.¡± ¡°You are next in line for the throne, it is a high possibility. Calm down, Dove.¡± He is rubbing my back. ¡°If the wolfsbane is anything to go by, they have already tried once. I hope that one attempt is the end of it but we cannot be sure.¡± I play with the buttons on Caspian''s shirt, frown on my lips. He is right, whoever wanted me gone had already attempted once with the wolfsbane. I sincerely hope my dreams were just that, dreams, and not a vision of the future. Burning to death isn''t something I''m too keen on happening. Caspian''s hand on mine stills my fidgeting and interrupts my thoughts. "Is this going to become a habit?" I look up at him, confused. "What do you mean?" He gestures with his free hand toward the bed. "You, sleeping in my bed." "Wha--" I feel my face grow hot. "You brought me here!" "I had every intention of sleeping on my couch. You insisted I lay here with you." "That''s not fair I was drunk!" I protest, attempting to pull away from him. He''s laughing, though he releases his hold on my hand. "Should I go now that you are sober?" "No." I huff, gripping his shirt once more. Aside from the fact that I actually enjoy having his warmth next to me while I sleep, I feel much less panicked when I wake from a nightmare with him beside me. I am unsure if it will become a habit, but I do know it''s one I don''t mind having. Caspian rolls onto his side, throwing an arm around my waist and pulling me against him. He''s still chuckling as he says, "get some rest, Dove." If at First You Dont Succeed The next time I wake it is to Caspian''s side of the bed being empty. After a brief moment of panic I realize it is still quite warm, and a few moments later the door is being opened. Caspian has a tray of food in hand and I sit up, stretching and yawning. I smile at him as he approaches the bed. "If I didn''t know any better I''d think you actually like me." He chuckles, sitting next to me and balancing the tray on his lap. "I''ve shared my bed with you for several nights now, Dove. I think you would be safe in assuming I like you. Here." He doesn''t give me a chance to respond, not that I would know what to say to that anyway. A plate is being pushed into my hands. "Eat before it gets cold." After a thankfully uneventful morning, we are joined by Ronan and Gemma for lunch. Instead of the dining room, we eat at the gazebo once more. Though they aren¡¯t quite feeding each other yet, Gem and Ronan play their part of lovey-dovey couple impressively well. She is sitting so close to him she may as well be in his lap. Though the same can be said for Caspian, who hasn¡¯t left my side since breakfast. And as much as I don¡¯t mind the attention, it is admittedly too new to me. Gemma, of course, notices and jumps to her feet. ¡°Let¡¯s go take a walk Love Dove.¡± Ronan pouts at Gemma, who rubs his chin and grins. ¡°We¡¯ll still be in the garden Ro. No need to worry.¡± ¡°Ro?¡± Caspian raises an eyebrow. Ronan huffs, crossing his arms. ¡°What? It¡¯s cute. You¡¯re just jealous because your girlfriend doesn¡¯t call you cute names.¡± His pout only deepens when Caspian begins laughing. He stands abruptly, stomping off in a random direction. Caspian stands as well, following after him. ¡°Hey Ro wait up!¡± ¡°Piss off!¡± Gemma laughs, looping her arm through mine. We begin walking, and a glance in her direction shows she¡¯s giving me a look. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Caspian didn¡¯t deny you being his girlfriend.¡± ¡°We¡¯re engaged, Gem. We¡¯ve kinda skipped past the whole boyfriend/girlfriend stage.¡± She hums, patting my hand. That¡¯s when I notice the new ring on her finger. I stop walking immediately, taking her hand in mine and holding it up to my face. ¡°And what is this?¡± ¡°Oh. Right.¡± ¡°Oh right? Gemma!¡± I hit her arm, dropping her hand with a scoff. By the grin on her face, she was all too excited about the news. ¡°So that means you agreed to the mating? When¡¯s the wedding? Oh Gem, this is so exciting.¡± ¡°I dunno yet. Ronan wants to have it soon. Start a family and all.¡± ¡°Family? You? With kids?¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Gemma takes my arm again, pulling me behind her. ¡°I¡¯m good with kids. Besides, our kids would be super cute.¡± She pokes my side, causing me to flinch away from her. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°What about me?¡± ¡°You and Caspian thinking about kids yet?¡± We in fact have not broached the subject of children. Obviously we would have to have at least one, I couldn¡¯t sit on the throne forever. But we were just starting to get to know each other, and talk of starting a family in the midst of my learning everything else was a bit too much on my table. I don¡¯t answer right away, and we eventually make it back to where Ronan and Caspian ran off to, slowing to a stop when we notice Caspian has Ronan on the ground, twisted and in a headlock. ¡°What the¡­¡± Gemma lets out a sharp, almost unbelieving laugh and even I have to shake my head. ¡°Okay okay I give! Let me go!¡± Ronan shouts. Caspian releases him immediately, standing and brushing off his pants before reaching a hand out to help Ronan up. Gemma and I watch in amusement as Ronan takes Caspian¡¯s hand, immediately yanking him back down to the ground and pouncing on him. There is a shout of laughter and they are back to wrestling. I once again find myself alone. Gemma and Ronan have returned to the Pack and Caspian is off catching up on work he didn¡¯t do during the day. Sleep does not come easily to me tonight. After almost an hour of tossing and turning I finally decide to slide my slippers on and shuffle to the dining hall. The trek is quiet, halls are eerily empty this time of night, and surprisingly dark. I make my way quickly through the Palace, not wanting to linger longer than necessary. Like the hallways the hall is pretty empty as well. I make my way to the kitchen, intent on grabbing a snack. The door swinging open startles me. Daphne nearly collides with me. She also seems startled by my presence. ¡°Oh! Princess, what are you doing awake so late?¡± ¡°I was just coming for a glass of water. I¡¯m having a hard time sleeping.¡± ¡°Oh, alright. Well, there''s a bottle in the refrigerator already chilled if you''d like.¡± I thank her, heading into the kitchen. Finding the bottle is easy enough, and I grab a glass from the cabinets. I hadn¡¯t noticed anything off about the water, but about halfway through my throat begins to burn. A wave of dizziness hits me. The last thing I hear is the glass shattering before my vision goes dark. When I wake, it is to Rosedriah and Gemma hovering over me. It takes me a moment to come to fully, and even then I feel groggy. ¡°Someone tried to poison you again.¡± Rosedriah says before I can ask. ¡°Silver nitrate this time. Do you remember anything?¡± I shake my head. The last thing I remember is going to the kitchen for something because I couldn¡¯t sleep. Rosedriah mutters something I can¡¯t understand moving away from me. Gemma pulls the cover so it¡¯s tucked under my chin, clicking her tongue. ¡°How many times are you going to almost die?¡± This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. I let out a half laugh, shifting so I can sit up a bit. It would be nice if this were the last time but I now know whoever is after me will not stop until they succeed. Though I am in his room, Caspian is suspiciously absent. ¡°Where¡¯s Cas?¡± Gemma snorts, sitting on the bed next to me. I don¡¯t understand why she seems so amused until she says, ¡°He¡¯s currently storming the castle. Looking for who poisoned you. He was pissed when Daphne found you unconscious, and after bringing you here left right away.¡± ¡°Pandora, when were you going to mention these troubling dreams?¡± Rosedriah asks, catching my attention. ¡°How did you know about those?¡± ¡°Caspian mentioned them. And he¡¯s right, you could very well be having premonitions. Especially since you¡¯ve been poisoned twice now, we can only assume these dreams are telling of a possible future.¡± My heart slams in my chest. Knowing someone wanted me dead has me wishing I had stayed back in the human realm. Back when I wasn¡¯t the target of someone angry at me for simply existing. ¡°Pandora!¡± Rosedriah¡¯s sharp call breaks me out of my thoughts. ¡°What happens in your dreams? You need to tell me so I know how to help.¡± I take a deep breath. After a moment I finally tell Rosedriah in detail about what happens in my dreams. From waking up in the cabin to hearing Philip¡¯s voice and it ending in a fire. She seems concerned by the end of my speech. She seems to think about what I said, wordlessly dropping the book on elementals into my lap. ¡°Study this. Honing your skills may come in handy faster than I thought. In the meantime, I am going to see if perhaps I can trigger the same vision you had.¡± Rosedriah leaves not too long after, leaving me and Gemma alone. ¡°Ro is worried about you.¡± Gemma says, patting my hand. ¡°He nearly stormed the castle along with Caspian, bless his heart.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe he got so angry.¡± Gemma stares at me, disbelief written all over her face. She hits me on the arm with a huff. ¡°Are you kidding me? The man¡¯s practically in love with you!¡± ¡°What? No. Caspian doesn¡¯t love me. Like me maybe, but he¡¯s just being so nice because we¡¯re getting married.¡± Still in disbelief Gemma huffs a ¡°whatever¡± before standing. ¡°I should go back sure Ronan isn¡¯t throwing a fit. We¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± Once Gemma has left I open the book Rosedriah left with me. The stone is tucked between the cover and the first page. I pick it up, watching as the otherwise clear stone begins shining multiple colors. I keep it in my hand, rolling it between my fingers as I begin to read. I don¡¯t realize I¡¯m dozing until the book is plucked from my hands. Capian pushes me onto my back, telling me to rest. Instead of complying I shift on to my side, watching as he begins undressing. ¡°Where were you?¡± ¡°Looking for any clues. I want to get to the bottom of who thinks it¡¯s acceptable to poison you. So far I¡¯ve got no leads.¡± He lets out a sharp sigh, brows knit together. ¡°I heard you were storming the castle.¡± Caspian laughs. ¡°Who did you hear that from?¡± ¡°Gemma.¡± Still laughing, Caspian disappears into his closet I assume to finish changing. He returns to bed not too long after, immediately pulling me against him. ¡°Gemma has quite the imagination.¡± ¡°Tell me about it.¡± I grumble. I shift a bit, getting more comfortable against his side. He wraps both arms around me the moment I finally settle, rolling us so I am mostly on top of him, my head now on his shoulder. I feel my face heat up at the new position. This is more of an intimate position than we¡¯d ever been in. Even though we¡¯ve been sharing a bed for several days now I can¡¯t help but be embarrassed. Unfortunately, my attempt at moving away is met with his hands flat on my back, pressing me against him. ¡°From now on you will have someone with you at all times. Ideally it will be me but in the event I cannot you will be appointed a knight.¡± I am able to sit up this time, practically straddling him. My hands are on his chest, his falling to my hips. I try not to think about the position I''ve just placed us in. ¡°I have to have a bodyguard?¡± Caspian raises an eyebrow at the pout on my face. ¡°Someone has tried to poison you, Dove. Twice. If you hadn¡¯t been found in time, who knows what would happen. Your options are a bodyguard or I¡¯m locking you in my room all day.¡± I bite my lip. ¡°That might not be a bad idea.¡± There is silence for a moment before Caspian presses his hands to the middle of my back, pushing me so I¡¯m forced to lay on him once more. His voice low as he says, ¡°Be careful, princess, I might misunderstand you.¡± I try to sit up in an attempt to ask him what he means but he doesn¡¯t let me budge. Instead his arms are once again wrapped around me, and he tells me to sleep. Much to my relief, the next couple of weeks go by fairly quickly. The next sparring match with Ronan after the attempt is 90% him gushing about how glad he is I¡¯m okay and me assuring him that we can train as normal. Less enthusiastically but still very much concerned, Dmitri and Sereifa both express how they are relieved this second attempt was not successful. Dmitri in particular seems fascinated by the idea that I am immune to poisons and I almost expect him to begin testing my reactions to various poisons during our future lessons. In fact I''m positive the only thing stopping him is the fact that Caspian would more than likely murder the vampire if he tried. My lessons with Nathaniel have been going as normal as well. The lesson last week was a review of the cities found in Sedalia, which I did not do very well in memorizing. This lesson has us going over my family tree. I will admit I expected my family to be bigger for how long we¡¯ve supposedly been in power. Altair VonMerlyn, despite having lived nearly two thousand years ago, is only my great-great-great grandfather. I suppose being mixed with the blood of vampires means we live longer than normal. Something that catches my attention as I¡¯m re-reading the family tree is that it seems each heir has only had one child. Willow is Altair¡¯s only daughter, and she in turn had Faelan. He and his Queen had grandpa Julian, who then had my father Claudio. As far as I am aware I have no siblings. ¡°Hey Nathaniel?¡± ¡°Call me Nate, Princess.¡± ¡°Nate...why has there only been one birth per generation?¡± ¡°Each heir has only ever been capable of having one child.¡± ¡°Wait, what?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Nathaniel sits at the table next to me, looking at the family tree stretched in front of me. ¡°It is believed that there has been a curse on the VonMerlyn bloodline from the beginning, one that only allows one birth per generation. Attempts at having more than one result in stillbirths, miscarriages or just the inability to become pregnant after the first birth.¡± I look at Caspian, who has been sitting off to the side since the start of the lesson. He meets my eye. His expression is neutral, making it hard to tell how he feels about this newfound information, and even harder to wrap my mind around it. What would happen if the baby didn¡¯t survive the birth? Did that mean the end of the VonMerlyn line? Was there a cure, or a way to break the curse? Just like that, I feel as if life has been incredibly unfair to me. The lesson ends shortly after, and Caspian holds his hand out, waiting for me to take it. ¡°Does the knowledge of only being able to have one child bother you?¡± He asks as we leave the library. ¡°Kinda. I mean, I¡¯ve always wanted a big family. Finding out that¡¯s never been a possibility for me kind of sucks.¡± Caspian looks down at me, seeming to mull over my words for a moment. He seems surprised, though I don¡¯t understand why until he asks, ¡°You still considered having a large family after being engaged to me?¡± I stop walking right when we get to the doors of the dining hall. Caspian¡¯s eyes are focused on me as I tap my chin thoughtfully, pretending to think hard about his question. At the prolonged silence his hand tightens around mine. I grin up at him, pulling him into the dining hall. ¡°Why not? I think we¡¯d make cute babies.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s making cute babies?¡± I am not surprised to see Gemma and Ronan sitting in the kitchen, already helping themselves to dinner. If I didn¡¯t know any better I would think they lived here with how often the pair show up unexpectedly and unannounced. Not that I mind. ¡°Nobody, Gem. What are you guys doing here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not allowed to see my best friend?¡± Gemma pouts. I raise an eyebrow at her theatrics, taking a seat across from her. ¡°We came to tell you something.¡± ¡°What are you pregnant?¡± ¡°No! At least I don¡¯t think so.¡± Ronan¡¯s head snaps in her direction, and I can¡¯t help but snort at his expression. Aside from the obvious excitement dancing in his eyes, he seems shocked too. His imaginary tail is wagging as well. ¡°I¡¯m not pregnant.¡± Gemma reiterates. She kicks me under the table. ¡°Anyway Ronan¡¯s pack has this annual ball coming up. We wanted to invite you guys in person.¡± ¡°Every year my Alpha throws a birthday party, and tends to way overdo it. Actually, Casipan comes every year but he usually comes with--¡± Ronan stops talking abruptly, and I look to see Caspian all but glaring at him. ¡°We¡¯ll be there.¡± Caspian says simply, returning to his meal. Came Here to Have a Good Time While the conversation shifts to Gemma excitedly saying how I¡¯ll need a new dress, but I am only half paying attention. I can¡¯t help but wonder if the person Ronan was going to mention is the same woman I saw with Caspian in the garden those weeks ago. I¡¯d figured the woman meant something to Capian but in the time we¡¯ve been spending together, he never mentioned her, though why would he? If she were a past fling it wouldn¡¯t make sense for him to talk about her. I know if it were me and I had a boyfriend before being whisked to Sedalia I wouldn¡¯t mention him. But if they were a thing, did that mean she would be at the ball too? I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll take too kindly to me showing up with Caspian. ¡°Panda!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I look at Gemma, who¡¯s frowning at me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, did you say something Gem?¡± ¡°Shopping tomorrow? What¡¯s wrong? Someone try to poison you again?¡± I glance over at Caspian, who gives me a small nod. ¡°We¡¯ll make a day of it.¡± Letting out a small breath I stand, suddenly no longer having an appetite. At everyone¡¯s questioning gaze I tell them that I¡¯m tired and am going to bed early. My feet barely cross the threshold of the dining hall before my hand is grabbed and I am pulled to a stop. ¡°Why are you running?¡± Caspian questions and I find I don¡¯t have an answer. Why am I running? Why is the thought of him having had a regular partner bothering me so much? I hate that this is bothering me so much. I¡¯ve never been the jealous type. And we¡¯re engaged. Something he at least seems to be okay with. ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± I finally reply, attempting to pull my hand away. Caspian looks wholly unconvinced, taking the lead and pulling me toward our room. He finally releases my hand once the door is shut. I linger near it, my hands betraying my nervousness. Caspian is watching me, arms crossed. ¡°Is this because of Eden?¡± The name sends a rush of annoyance through me and I fight to quell it. ¡°Eden?¡± ¡°The woman Ronan started to mention. She was my go-to for events, but that stopped the moment I learned we were to be engaged. Nothing has ever, or is happening between us.¡± My voice is clipped as I say, ¡°I never said there was.¡± He crosses the room too quickly for me to react, backing me flush against the door. I keep my eyes stubbornly on my feet. ¡°Look at me.¡± He sighs, and I refuse. ¡°Pandora.¡± The way he calls my name has my eyes meeting his almost immediately. He¡¯s never called me Pandora, and if the feeling in the pit of my stomach is anything to go by I don¡¯t like the word coming from his lips. ¡°Are you angry?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Jealous, then?¡± ¡°Of course not! What do I have to be jealous about?¡± I attempt to push past him, only to be stopped by a hand on my hip. The hands that were on his chest are now trapped between the two of us. Caspian grabs one in his hand. ¡°Pandora.¡± This time his voice is softer. It causes a different reaction in my stomach. One I¡¯m not sure if I should like or not. I meet his eyes again and he chuckles when he sees the frown on my face. ¡°I am not involved with Eden.¡± ¡°I know.¡± And I do know. I trust Caspian. He¡¯s done absolutely nothing for me to think otherwise. I try to push past him again but he doesn¡¯t budge. It isn¡¯t until his lips are hovering just over mine that I realize he¡¯s leaned down, and then he closes the gap between us. I freeze, my mind going blank. Caspian pulls away and I immediately duck my head. He kissed me. He...kissed me. He-- ¡°You kissed me.¡± ¡°Yes I suppose I did. I thought it would be okay for me to kiss my fianc¨¦e, especially when said fianc¨¦e is being jealous over nothing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not--!¡± When I look up it is to Caspian smiling at me, amusement dancing in his eyes. ¡°It isn¡¯t funny.¡± I grumble. He simply leans down, kissing me again. My heart is thumping against my chest. Never in my life have I reacted to a simple kiss like this, and quite frankly it¡¯s embarrassing. ¡°Still trying to run?¡± Caspian asks as I fight to get my hands free once more. At my silence he takes my chin in his free hand, brushing a thumb against my lips. The action causes my struggle to falter. ¡°I quite like jealous you. It tells me that you like me.¡± ¡°I thought that much was obvious!¡± Now that I say it outloud, I realize it is painfully obvious. Suddenly everything makes so much sense. I groan, to which Caspian laughs. He now has his arm around my waist, pulling me against him and kissing me for a third time. My bodyguard for the last several weeks has been an Elf named Riol. He apparently came with Caspian when he moved from Eiland. He¡¯s nice enough, but pretty quiet and only gives minimal replies whenever I try to make conversation with him, which lately hasn¡¯t been very often. He wears a mask as well, covering the lower half of his face. I¡¯ve asked Caspian about it but he says Riol has worn it since they were young and never explained why. Unfortunately, Riol has work elsewhere tonight, so a different guard will be with me at the Ball tonight. Even though Caspian will be around, there is no guarantee he will be able to be by my side the entire night and wants a Knight as a precaution. I don¡¯t know anything about him aside from the fact that his name is Titus and only recently joined the Guard. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Caspian enters the bedroom as I¡¯m slipping my shoes on. When I don¡¯t hear the door close I glance up to see he¡¯s stopped in his tracks, staring at me. There is a smile on his face as he takes in my appearance, obviously pleased with the way I look. In an effort to hide my embarrassment as his obvious approval of the dress Gemma forced me to buy I quickly walk over to him, pushing him out of the room. He takes my hand, bringing it to his lips. ¡°You look beautiful, Dove.¡± ¡°Thank you. Can we go now?¡± Caspian simply laughs, lacing his fingers through mine and leading the way. Immediately upon arriving at Ronan''s packhouse, we are led to our seats. Because I am the Crowned Princess we are seated next to the Alpha, whose name I learn is Leon Wells. His last name sounds familiar to me, though it takes me far too long to realize I recognize it from my family tree. My great-grandmother was a werewolf named Mei Wells, before she married Faelan VonMerlyn. I wasn¡¯t expecting to meet family, especially considering I¡¯d only been told of my father¡¯s side of the family since coming to Sedalia. Maybe this means I have other family members out there as well? Leon seems excited to learn we¡¯re family, even going as far as to give me a hug when I mention Mei to him. We spend the next hour or so with him telling me as much as he can remember about Mei, and before I know it the dancing has begun. Leon whisks his mate away with a smile, and to my dismay Caspian stands, holding a hand out to me. ¡°I don¡¯t know any of these fancy dances,¡± I grumble. He laughs, taking my hand and pulling my reluctant form from my seat to the dance floor. My worries turn out to be for nothing, though, as Caspian turns out to be an amazing dancer and hides my flaws with ease. ¡°You¡¯re doing perfectly fine.¡± He says as he twirls me around. I¡¯m pulled back against his chest, rolling my eyes. ¡°You¡¯re doing perfectly fine. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve stepped on your foot at least three times.¡± ¡°That is quite alright. I will gladly endure you stepping on my foot a thousand times if it means getting to be with you like this.¡± Unfortunately, Ronan cuts in, wanting to dance with me and my perfect dance partner obliges, taking a few steps back. ¡°Don¡¯t look so happy to see me. I¡¯m not that bad of a dance partner.¡± Ronan pouts when he sees a similar look on my own face. I look at him, smiling apologetically. ¡°It¡¯s not that. It¡¯s just that I''m that bad of a dance partner. Caspian was making me look good.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everyone here knows I¡¯m a terrible dancer. We can look bad together.¡± Ronan laughs, bumping my forehead with his. I laugh as well, grinning at him. ¡°Deal.¡± As if sensing my separation from Caspian, or the good mood, the woman from the garden invades our happy bubble. Caspian¡¯s smile immediately drops, and even Ronan¡¯s hold on my tightens for just a moment. The woman, who I am assuming is Eden, latches herself onto Caspian¡¯s arm. A pang of annoyance settles in my chest. It only grows when a pout touches her lips. ¡°Where have you been? I''ve been waiting for you!¡± Caspian pulls his arm away, taking a step away from her. He looks at me. ¡°Dancing with my fiancee.¡± Eden looks me up and down, disgust on her face before she turns back to Caspian, face pouty once again. The urge to punch her in the face is strong, and Ronan lets out a sharp breath, pulling me back half a step, perhaps in an attempt to keep me from doing just that. ¡°Come dance with me.¡± Her whine grates on my ears. Luckily, Gemma flounces over, locking arms with Caspian and pulling him towards her and effectively out of Eden¡¯s hold. ¡°Dance with me, Cas.¡± ¡°Gemma.¡± He agrees immediately, wrapping an arm around her waist and leading her away. Eden shoots me a glare before stalking away as well, and both Ronan and I relax. "I thought you were going to pounce on her." He chuckles. "If Gemma hadn''t come over I just might have." During the dance with Ronan the unease I felt during the interaction with Eden doesn¡¯t go away. In fact, it only grows worse. I can¡¯t tell why, until Adrien Visconti cuts in, asking to dance with me. I meet Ronan¡¯s eye, silently begging him to refuse but at the same time Gemma flounces over, wanting her mate back. Ronan has the good sense to look apologetic, but it doesn¡¯t last as he takes Gemma into his arms. Not seeing Caspian anywhere, and not wanting to look rude I take Adrien¡¯s outstretched hand. ¡°I do believe this is our first time formally meeting.¡± ¡°I believe you¡¯re right.¡± My voice is clipped, forcing a polite tone despite the fact that I would rather be anywhere but in his presence. ¡°No need to be nervous, Princess, I don¡¯t bite.¡± I hold in a shiver of disgust, praying my face isn¡¯t betraying my desire to vomit. Not only is his voice rubbing me the wrong way, but his touch makes my skin crawl. His hold is much rougher than it needs to be, as if preventing me from running. ¡°So how has it been, adjusting to the royal life? If I remember correctly, you were raised as a commoner, yes?¡± ¡°I was raised human, yes.¡± ¡°It cannot be easy, learning how to run a kingdom in such a short amount of time.¡± This time I can¡¯t keep the frown off my face. ¡°It has been a bit stressful but I believe I am getting used to--¡± ¡°It makes more sense for someone more qualified to be on the throne, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°What?¡± His grip tightens painfully. ¡°You should have stayed where you belong.¡± Gemma seems to have a sixth sense, once more coming to my rescue, looping an arm through mine and pulling me away from Adrien. ¡°Excuse us.¡± She says before leading me away. I can feel his eyes on me as we make our way outside. The moment the cool air touches me I take a deep breath, thanking Gemma for saving me for the second time that night. ¡°What was that all about?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I think he was threatening me. He told me I should have stayed where I belong.¡± ¡°That¡¯s...scary. Almost as scary as your bodyguard, how long has he been following us?¡± I glance behind us to see Titus has indeed followed us outside. He is scary looking, towering over the both of us. His face seems to be stuck in a permanent frown, and I¡¯m sure he hasn¡¯t spoken a word this whole night. ¡°Riol had another job that needed his attention, so Titus is his replacement guard. I¡¯ve only just met him tonight and he hasn¡¯t said anything to me or Caspian.¡± ¡°Kinda overkill to have a bodyguard at a birthday party for a werewolf?¡± ¡°Talk to my fiance about that.¡± I¡¯d had the exact argument with Caspian just yesterday but he refused to budge. ¡°It¡¯s still so weird that you need a bodyguard at all.¡± ¡°We¡¯re at a birthday party for a werewolf alpha. Literally nothing has been normal since we¡¯ve come here. Also, did you know Leon is my cousin because I didn¡¯t.¡± Gemma looks at me, surprise on her face for a split second before she begins laughing. ¡°Can you believe we¡¯ve already been here almost two months? So much has changed so quickly.¡± ¡°Yeah. Who would have thought you¡¯d be the first to settle down?¡± We walk for a few more minutes, coming across what looks like a lake. Gemma says she likes to come here to swim, and I can see why. It is clear why she picked this particular spot. The water is clear giving a clear reflection of the moon above. It is also a secluded spot so she won¡¯t have to worry about sharing with others. We¡¯re only at the lake for a few minutes when Ronan comes bounding towards us. He¡¯s barely slowed to a stop before Gemma is being scooped into his arms. ¡°Hey guys, Alpha Leon is getting ready to give a speech. Let¡¯s head back to the packhouse.¡± She hits him on the shoulder, huffing at him. ¡°Put me down, I can walk back with Panda.¡± Ronan pouts in response, earning a kiss from Gemma. He nuzzles against her neck with a whine. Finally he puts her down when I fake gag at their display of affection. After one more kiss he turns and heads back toward the packhouse. Gemma and I begin walking back to the packhouse, but I notice pretty quickly a missing presence. I pause, turning in the direction we¡¯d come from. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Love Dove?¡± ¡°Titus seems to have disappeared.¡± ¡°How can you tell?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Even though he¡¯d only been around me for the last few hours, I could feel his presence. Just like I can feel Riol watching over me. The fact that his presence, and such an imposing presence especially, has seemingly disappeared is a bit worrying. I take another step backward. Something latches onto my ankle the second I get within arms reach of the lake and I am being dragged into the water. I manage to take a deep breath before I am fully submerged. Honestly Feeling So Attacked Whatever is holding my ankle has a tight grip. No matter how much I kick, it refuses to relinquish it¡¯s hold. I manage to at the very least keep myself from getting dragged further down but the fight is making my legs grow tired quickly. I get one of my hands above water, and someone grabs, attempting to pull me back up. The grip on my ankle tugs sharply though, and I am tugged deeper down. Whoever was trying to pull me to safety is pulled into the water with a splash, and I realize with horror that it¡¯s Gemma. Despite also being on the swim team with me back in high school and college, I know Gemma can¡¯t hold her breath for as long as I can. Gemma is trying her hardest to help me back to shore but the more we struggle the further down the force pulls me. I don¡¯t know how long we¡¯ve been underwater, but my lungs are starting to burn. And Gemma is beginning to grow slack, no doubt running out of air. I push her away from me, noticing her eyes flutter. I¡¯m running out of time, and I can¡¯t swim her to safety. I wrack my brain for something, anything to help her, and that¡¯s when I remember the elemental book. There is a chapter about controlling air, creating air bubbles. Though I¡¯ve never practiced it, I go over the steps in my mind. The air bubble I manage to create around Gemma won¡¯t last long, but it will be enough to get her back to shore. I push her up, watching as she disappears from my sight. A sharp tug on my leg brings me back to my predicament. I can¡¯t pry it off with my hands. In fact the more I try the tighter it gets. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s cut off circulation by now. I think back to the book once more. Aside from air bubbles there is a way to use the elements as an offense. I cup my hands together, aiming at my trapped ankle and shooting an air bullet. It hits my ankle sharply, causing me to wince but more importantly releasing whatever was holding me down. I swim back to shore as quickly as my legs will push me, finally breaking the surface. I suck in the air, coughing up a bit of water as I drag myself onto the dry ground. A pair of shoes fill my vision, and I look up to see Titus glaring down at me, holding an unconscious Gemma. He seems less than thrilled to see I survived, and my stomach drops as I realize he must be behind the attack. ¡°Let her go.¡± I cough, standing shakily. My ankle is screaming and I force myself not to show just how much pain I¡¯m in. Titus does let Gemma go, dropping her with a thud onto the ground. His face morphs into a snarl as he growls, ¡°it¡¯s not her he wants.¡± He lunges at me without another word and I scream, bringing my hands in front of me and shooting another gust of air that knocks him away from me. I take the opportunity to sprint for the packhouse. It has just reached my line of sight when I am dragged to the ground hard. My head slams on the ground, my vision temporarily going dark from the impact. He drags me back towards the trees by my injured ankle and I scream. His grip is painfully tight, unyielding even as I fight to get away. He growls at the noise, yanking sharply and sending another wave of pain through my leg. I scream again and Titus curses. ¡°Would you shut up?¡± Titus flings me further away from the packhouse. I manage to think quick enough to create an air bubble so I don¡¯t hit the ground hard. It isn¡¯t as big of a bubble as I want, still landing with a thud. My shoulder throbs, screaming in protest as I use it to push myself off the ground. Too quickly for me to react Titus is once more in front of me. He has his hands around my throat in an instant, squeezing tight. Spots are beginning to dance in front of my eyes. I reach out, grasping at his sleeve and setting it ablaze. He lets out a howl, yanking away from me as the flames begin to lick down his arms. The fire doesn¡¯t last nearly as long as I hope it does and Titus lifts me by the top of my dress, tossing me into a nearby tree. I let out a gasp as the pain radiates from my back through the rest of my body. I force myself onto my knees, but Titus has me by the throat again. He presses me against the tree, the bark scraping my back as he lifts me to eye level. ¡°Be a good little Princess and die quietly.¡± My head is starting to grow light, the world around me tilting in a way that would make me vomit were I not being strangled. I can¡¯t concentrate enough to summon more fire. The panic is beginning to bubble in my chest, making it more and more difficult to fight to stay conscious. There is a snarl, and then I am dropped to the ground as Titus is knocked away from me. He hits the ground with a thud, though I hardly notice, rolling onto my side and coughing. I hear several footsteps, and through the dizziness see large wolves rushing past me, surrounding Titus who has pushed himself to his knees. I hear another growl, and Ronan is beside me. He¡¯s mid-shift, claws out and eyes completely black. ¡°Gemma.¡± I cough when I realize what he¡¯s looking for. His eyes snap to mine and I wince at the strain in my voice. ¡°She¡¯s still back there.¡± Ronan is gone before I can say anything else. Suddenly I am being lifted off the ground. I let out another scream, fighting to get away from whoever is carrying me. A rush of nauseous courses through me as my vision pushes to steady itself. ¡°Stop, Dove it¡¯s me.¡± Caspian¡¯s voice causes my chest to tighten, and I don¡¯t know whether to hug him or cry. Or both. So instead I say, ¡°let me go, I''ll get your clothes wet.¡± The look he gives me would make me laugh if I weren¡¯t in so much pain. Leon bounds toward us, telling Caspian to follow him. He leads us into the packhouse, to a room where Caspian sets me on a bed. The Luna brings me a change of clothes, and has the pack doctor make sure I am okay. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Caspian hangs around the door to speak to Leon and Ronan, allowing the doctor to examine me. Luckily, because of the accelerated healing I get from both my werewolf and vampire ancestors, he determines my ankle should be okay within the week. My shoulder is bruised but nothing major, and there is no lasting damage from the strangulation as far as he can tell. Still, I am more or less on bed rest for at least a few days to give my body a chance to heal fully. Soon it is just the two of us in the room, and Caspian is looking at me expectantly. As I explain what happened, his expression slowly darkens. And then his eyes fall to my throat, and to the bruises that have inevitably begun to show. He¡¯s in front of me in an instant, on his knees, his fingers brushing against my throat gently. Though his face is calm I can see the anger and frustration raging in his eyes. ¡°This is getting out of hand.¡± His voice is quiet, almost scarily so. ¡°A direct attack is far too reckless. They are getting restless.¡± ¡°Cas.¡± ¡°We need to find out who keeps trying to end your life.¡± ¡°Caspian.¡± He continues on as if I hadn¡¯t spoken a word. ¡°I need to talk to Elroy, find out who hired Titus. And¨C¡± I reach out, covering his mouth. His rambling is making me dizzy. ¡°Calm down.¡± ¡°You need to rest your throat.¡± He scolds, taking my hands in his. ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± ¡°Pandora.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll figure out who¡¯s behind this but not if you stress yourself to death. For now let¡¯s just wait for Ronan to come back with Gemma and then we can talk about this.¡± ¡°Okay, alright. Just stop talking.¡± He sighs. ¡°Maybe we should just nix the guard thing altogether and you¡¯ll just be by my side until we can know for certain you are no longer in any danger.¡± ¡°But I like Riol.¡± A glare from Caspian has me smiling. I take his face in my hands. Caspian gives me another sigh, leaning forward to press a kiss to my forehead and trailing down my nose before landing on my mouth. I hum into the kiss, reluctantly pulling away when I hear the door open. Ronan and Leon enter the room, the former looking pissed and the latter worried. ¡°We have good news and bad news.¡± Leon says in a way that leads me to believe none of the news is ¡°good¡± news. ¡°The good news is we captured Titus and you won¡¯t have to worry about him going after you anymore. The bad news is whoever sent him must have put a spell on him because he died before we were able to question him.¡± His face falls, letting out a heavy breath. ¡°I apologize I can¡¯t do more to help.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve done more than enough, Leon. Thank you.¡± Soon it¡¯s just me, Caspian and Ronan left in the room. Ronan hasn¡¯t stopped pacing the entire time he¡¯s been in here. ¡°How¡¯s Gemma?¡± I finally ask when the silence wanes too long. He turns to me, his eyes though now closer to his normal blue are still much darker than I¡¯m used to. My eyes fall to his hands, which are clenching and unclenching at his sides. His claws are still out and his palms have reddened from blood. ¡°She¡¯ll be okay. Whatever you did saved her life.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have had to if there wasn¡¯t a bounty on my head.¡± ¡°We need to find who did this. And we need to amp up your training.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± Caspian crosses his arms. ¡°Leon said Titus was under a spell, which means either a witch is behind this or at the very least someone who knows a witch. I need to talk to Rosedriah.¡± Talks with Rosedriah has resulted in all of my training being increased. Within a few weeks I have improved far more than I thought I ever would. I have learned to control my elemental powers better. Ronan has increased our training as well. I¡¯ve gained muscle, toned up and can hold my own in a sparring match with him. With Dimitri we¡¯ve discovered that I am immune to his mind manipulation, which means I can manipulate the mind, though we still aren¡¯t sure the extent of my abilities, or how to tap into them. It is turning out to be a bit more difficult than we anticipated. Sereifa has begun teaching me a siren song. She says I will still develop one of my own as time goes on but it never hurts to borrow one. Even better, I¡¯ve learned how to manipulate the water in ways the book won¡¯t teach me. Even Riol has joined in the training, starting me on swordplay. Surprisingly, he is a very patient teacher. We practice every day after my regular training, and before the day I am with Dimitri. Unfortunately for him, despite the fact that I did sports during school, learning to use a sword seems to be beyond my capabilities. There are several moments where he has to repeat instructions multiple times for me to understand, and even then it¡¯s been hit or miss. ¡°Concentrate Princess. You need to always focus.¡± ¡°Maybe I¡¯m not cut out to learn swordplay.¡± ¡°Nonsense. Your father was a master swordsman before he ran off, and King Julian could hold his own as well. It¡¯s in your blood. Now, let¡¯s run the exercise one more time.¡± By the end of the day I find myself too tired to think, let alone properly prepare for bed. It takes everything I have to even make it to the room, and even then I am collapsed onto the bed by the time Caspian comes into the room. It has become somewhat of a routine for him to help me into the bath so my body isn¡¯t too sore the next morning. He¡¯s helped me into my pajamas, which at this point is still just a shirt of his, and is towel drying my hair. ¡°Hey Cas, what is it you do when you¡¯re not with me?¡± ¡°Planning our wedding.¡± ¡°Wait really?¡± I tilt my head back to see him smiling at me. He nods before straightening my head so he can finish drying my hair. ¡°I figured you¡¯d be off doing something else.¡± The actions in my hair stop and he¡¯s in front of me, flicking my nose. ¡°One of us has to do it, and you¡¯re a bit preoccupied learning now to not die before you are officially crowned Queen.¡± ¡°Can I see what you¡¯ve got so far?¡± If I¡¯m perfectly honest, it has never dawned on me before that we would have to plan the wedding. Actually, I am glad Caspian is the one doing it. I¡¯ve never been good at party planning, or planning anything really. Gemma is always the one picking the places when we go out, and forcing me out for either of our birthdays. Putting an entire wedding together would be way too daunting. Caspian gestures for me to sit on the bed, waiting for me to do so before going over to his desk and pulling out a large planner. He sits next to me, balancing the planner on his lap. I am in awe as he flips through the pages. They are filled with decoration ideas, scraps of fabric, dates scribbled in the margins. The one thing that catches my eye, though, is a sketch of a wedding dress. I reach out to touch the page in order to prevent him from continuing. ¡°This...?¡± ¡°Do you like it?¡± I nod, running my fingers over the sketch. I¡¯d never thought too much about getting married or having a wedding, so naturally I never had a dream dress. However, looking at this dress, I know for a fact it is something I would choose for myself. ¡°It¡¯s so pretty.¡± ¡°I think it will suit you.¡± He closes the book, setting it aside and lifting me into his lap. There is a brief moment of quiet as he runs his finger along the edge of my shirt. ¡°I¡¯ll have to send for someone to get your measurements at some point.¡± ¡°My...did you design that dress?¡± "I did." Caspian laughs. His fingers go from the edge of my shirt to my bare thigh. It reminds me that I''ve been sleeping in Caspian''s clothes since I''ve been sleeping in his room and that poor Daphne has had to bring me dresses from mine every day. ¡°We should get my clothes from my room.¡± ¡°Your room?¡± Caspian scoffs. ¡°As if you haven¡¯t moved into mine? Besides, I quite like the look of you in my clothes.¡± ¡°What if I want to wear my own clothes?¡± ¡°I suppose we can grab your things, if you truly wish to do so.¡± I smile at the pout in his voice, patting his cheek. ¡°I at least have to get my regular clothes. It wouldn¡¯t be acceptable for me to go out in public wearing your shirts.¡± ¡°You will be queen. You can decide what is and is not acceptable.¡± I snort, running my hands through his hair. They snag on the ponytail holder so I pull it out, watching with a smile as his hair falls around his shoulders. He leans forward to kiss me. ¡°I¡¯m sleepy.¡± I hum when he pulls away. ¡°Then let¡¯s sleep.¡± A Reoccuring Mess ¡°We need to start planning your commencement ceremony.¡± Are the first words out of Nathaniel¡¯s mouth during our next lesson. I respond with a groan, dropping my head onto the table. I thought I had escaped planning anything, but once I expressed interest in Caspian¡¯s plans for our wedding he started involving me bit by bit. Not that I mind. Actually I like the fact that he seems excited to share details with me. However, on top of that, now Nathaniel is telling me there¡¯s yet something else I¡¯ll have to plan. And this time I¡¯ll be more involved. The thought of having to decide nearly everything myself, plus the wedding is daunting to say the least. But with the increase in assassination attempts, Nathaniel and Rosedriah feel it¡¯s best to move my crowning, and our wedding up as quickly as possible. It makes sense. That doesn¡¯t mean I have to like it. As if that weren¡¯t enough, I¡¯ve now got actual responsibilities. A good chunk of my time with Nathaniel is him getting me into the groove of looking over finances, and learning all of the staff in the palace. It is stressful, but despite that it feels natural. I¡¯m not complaining about it, too much at least, but I am finding it increasingly overwhelming with everything being thrown at me at once. Not that I thought I would be able to avoid them. I have gotten comfortable with my routine, and the additional work is throwing a wrench in that. Still, Rosedriah is taking care of the majority of work until I am crowned Queen and will take over officially, a thing I am exceedingly grateful for. She is not my only support, however. Nathaniel has been incredibly patient with me as I learn more about my role, playing the part of advisor very well. I suppose he should, though, since he was Grandfather Julian¡¯s advisor, and meant to be my father¡¯s as well. Though he has not told me exactly how old he is, I know from my studies that Elves live much longer than most other species. Considering the fact that Nathaniel knew Julian since he was a teenager, and Julian lived to be almost 200, Nathaniel has to be a few hundred years old. It is still hard for me to wrap my mind around, especially considering he looks as if he is at most 80 years old, gray hair and beard standing out against his dark skin. It¡¯s always been believed that with age comes wisdom, and that much is very clear to see with Nathaniel. He taps on the book in front of me to gain my attention. ¡°Tell me who the Head Maid is again.¡± A smile crosses his lips at my groan. ¡°Come now, Princess. We¡¯ve been over this a few times now, you should remember.¡± I groan again, letting my head fall back. The action earns laughter from Nathaniel. I¡¯ve learned to stop being surprised when I wake up in the little shack. Once you have the same dream more than once a week you start to expect it. What I wasn¡¯t expecting, however, is to open my eyes to trees instead of the four inescapable walls. The trees I am surrounded by are abnormally tall, towering over me and blocking out the sun. Despite it still being warm during the days there is a chill in the air. It is quiet. Unnervingly so. I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m here but that all-too familiar dread is sitting in the pit of my stomach. And though I don¡¯t know what, something feels wrong. The sound of a branch snapping and a low growl proves that feeling right. Against everything screaming at me not to, I turn. A large wolf stands just feet away, teeth bared. The growls are coming from it, sending a chill down my spine. I take a step back and that small movement sets it off, the wolf lunging for me. Somehow I manage to move fast enough to dodge by disappearing and reappearing in a plume of smoke several feet away. I don¡¯t have time to figure out how I just did that, nor do I want to hang around to find out. The second I reorient myself I spin and take off away from the wolf. Though it feels as though I am somewhere near the castle, not being able to get my bearings makes it impossible to tell where I¡¯m going. On top of that I can hear the wolf behind me, and gaining ground quickly. At this rate it won¡¯t be long before it catches up to me. Despite the fact that I am full sprinting, I know realistically I can¡¯t outrun a wolf. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. So, I take a deep breath. Try to purposefully teleport again. Dimitri told me in a lesson some weeks ago that it was as easy as imagining where you want to be and allowing your body to take you there. And right now I want to be anywhere that isn¡¯t here. I manage to teleport a few more feet ahead, putting some distance between me and the wolf again. It isn¡¯t enough though, so I try again. This time when I reappear I can no longer hear the wolf behind me. My relief is short lived, as I jump out of the frying pan and directly into the fire. A vampire is standing within arms length, deep red eyes greeting me with a glare. He reaches out immediately, grabbing me by the throat and throwing me against a tree. I don¡¯t have the chance to stand as he is in front of me. Once again I find myself in the air as he lifts me with ease. I feel the tree shatter when he slams me full force against it, blood splattering on his sleeve as I cough from the impact. He has me by the throat again and beneath the panic I am instantly irritated. I¡¯m getting sick and tired of being choked. I grab his wrists, feeling my insides warm as my anger rises. The heat builds in my palms until the vampire drops me with a hiss. Scrambling to my feet, I use his distraction to teleport away once more. My stomach drops when I open my eyes and realize I¡¯ve teleported into that oh-so familiar closed in shack. ¡°No. No no no no no!¡± Knowing full well it won¡¯t make a difference, I run to a wall, searching in vain for some sort of way out. The heat beginning to rise and the flames licking up the walls tells me this nightmare is going to end the same way as always. Sure enough just as the flames begin to consume me I am awake, and still very much alone. I¡¯ve gotten so used to Caspian¡¯s presence that the fact that he is gone bothers me more than I expect. I slide out of bed, pulling a robe over the shirt I¡¯m wearing and head outside. Even though he¡¯s quiet, I am very much aware of Riol following behind, somewhere out of sight. It¡¯s easy to forget he¡¯s there sometimes since he¡¯s so quiet but right now I¡¯m grateful for his presence. My destination is the gazebo. It¡¯s become the place I spend the majority of my time now when I can¡¯t sleep. The cold washes over me, helping to calm my racing heart. I¡¯ve calmed enough to think I may be able to go back to sleep, but a noise catches my attention. At first I think it might be Riol, but that sense of dread drops in my stomach when I see it¡¯s instead Adrien walking toward me. Though running briefly crosses my mind I know it¡¯s too late as he begins to climb the stairs. He takes a seat across from me, smile on his face. ¡°Can¡¯t sleep?¡± He questions. I suppress a shudder. Just like at the birthday celebration, his voice rubs me the wrong way. Actually, everything about him just feels off, though it¡¯s hard for me to pinpoint exactly what. ¡°Something like that.¡± Adrien doesn¡¯t seem to accept that answer, giving me a knowing look. He reaches out, grasping my wrist. A chill crawls down my spine and I try to pull away to no avail. His grip is tight. ¡°Sometimes, princess, dreams are more telling than you¡¯d think.¡± ¡°Let me go.¡± His grip only tightens to an uncomfortable level, causing me to gasp. Adrien¡¯s hand is ripped from mine and I look up to see Riol glowering down at him. ¡°I believe the Princess told you to let go.¡± Adrien snatches his arm away, turning to me with a glare. The change is so sudden I blink, just to be sure I¡¯m not imagining it. ¡°Be careful, Princess.¡± Before I can reply I am lifted into Riol¡¯s arms. ¡°You should be careful, Visconti.¡± His words are quiet, clipped, but the intent behind them is clear. Without waiting for a reply he turns and begins to walk toward the palace. ¡°What does he want with you?¡± ¡°Other than me out of the picture so his father can remain in charge and he can inherit the throne?¡± Riol offers a grunt at that, muttering, ¡°I¡¯ll have to tell Caspian about Visconti.¡± ¡°Where is Cas anyway?¡± He¡¯s been gone for a few days now. I didn¡¯t typically worry about where he is but he¡¯d disappeared with barely an explanation this time. ¡°Lord Caspian had some business to attend to back home.¡± ¡°Do you miss it? Your homeland?¡± ¡°Sometimes. Sedalia, in all its beauty, is nothing compared to Eiland. You will have to ask Lord Caspian to take you sometime.¡± We are back inside now, the warmth of my room chasing the last bits of chill from the outside away. He sits me on the bed, taking a few steps back and crossing his arm. ¡°You¡¯ll have to come too. We can¡¯t visit your home and not bring you along.¡± Riol¡¯s eyes crinkle as he smiles and he pats me on the head. I pout at the action, swatting his hand away. ¡°Why do you guys do that? Cas does it too.¡± ¡°I guess it¡¯s just a habit us old men have.¡± ¡°Old¡­how old are you? How old is Cas?¡± I¡¯ll admit I never gave much thought to how old my fiance could be. He looked to be around the same age as me and that was good enough. But I¡¯m very swiftly learning that nothing is as it appears in Sedalia. ¡°That is something you will have to ask Lord Caspian yourself. Just know that I am quite a few years older than him.¡± I know I shouldn¡¯t be surprised, especially considering it seems my ancestors have lived for thousands of years themselves. Which reminds me to ask Rosedriah if that means I will age differently as well or if my human blood changes things. It is that thought that follows me as I finally drift back to sleep. Three is a Magic Number ¡°What did you see this time?¡± Are the first words out of Rosedriah¡¯s mouth at our lesson the following morning. I don¡¯t respond right away. Are there bags under my eyes from my lack of sleep? That¡¯s my first thought, but then I remember Rosedriah is a witch. It shouldn¡¯t surprise me that she just knows things. And I know I will not be able to keep my dream from her so I tell her everything. Her brow furrows as I tell her that my dream started out different than normal. The concern on her face makes me even more anxious about my dream. I know that it is more than likely a premonition, both Rose and Caspian have said that several times. But that means I am in for an even worse time than I anticipated. The idea of being hunted down by a werewolf and a vampire fills me with dread. And even worse feeling than knowing I¡¯ll be trapped in an inescapable burning building. ¡°Have you told anything about this?¡± The urgency in Rosedriah¡¯s voice brings my attention back to her. She has her arms crossed as she waits for my answer. ¡°No. No one other than you and Caspian.¡± ¡°Good. Keep it that way. You cannot be certain someone won¡¯t use your dreams against you.¡± She pauses and then says, ¡°Remember, Pandora, premonitions are not set in stone. They are simply a telling of a future that is possible. The future can always be changed. Now, let¡¯s get to work.¡± Work is the last thing on my mind but I know it is important to learn to use my powers as much as possible. I¡¯m not good at conjuring anything in my dreams, it took me far too long to generate heat in my hands, and even when Titus attacked me it took until it was almost too late to remember how to make an air bubble. Life and death situations? Not the best time to flounder. With that in mind I take a deep breath, flexing my fingers. The first thing I attempt is manipulating air. While I was able to create air bubbles, and gusts of air that had been during an attack I couldn¡¯t do anything more than that. I hold my arms out, base of my palms pressed together and my hands cupped. The air between my hands begins to swirl, until the mini tornado becomes too big and I release it. Rosedriah takes a step back, eyes widened as the tornado grows, whipping the grass and leaves around it. There is a slight strain from trying to control the tornado but not nearly as bad as when I attempted this exact thing a week ago. Though I know it is risky, I slowly warm my body temperature until I can feel it concentrated in my left hand. When the heat becomes almost unbearable I shoot a fireball directly towards the still spinning tornado, setting it ablaze. That may have been a bit too much, though, as the entire thing dissipates almost immediately. Rosedriah lifts her arms to shield herself from the heat. I let out a sigh, rolling my shoulders to try and alleviate some of the discomfort. ¡°You are growing stronger my dear.¡± I follow her gaze to the palm of her hand, wincing when I see I didn¡¯t have as much control as I would have liked. ¡°I¡¯m not good at keeping it in check though.¡± We walk over to a small pond and I take her wrist, gently pulling her hand into the cool water. One of the first things I learned is that water has healing properties. Though I¡¯d never had a chance to put it to use, I am pleased when the burn marks on Rosedriah¡¯s hand begin to fade. ¡°You will learn to control it. You have already learned so much in so little time.¡± She stands, brushing her hand off on her dress. ¡°Alright, now¨C¡± Rosedriah stops abruptly, turning towards the castle. It doesn¡¯t take long for that feeling of dread to settle in the pit of my stomach. The alarm bells are louder than when Adrien approaches me, and soon I see why. Strolling toward us is Philip Visconti. I¡¯d only seen him one other time, when Grandmother introduced me to the Council. Whatever I felt then is nothing compared to the way my stomach is churning now. Even Rosedriah looks displeased, taking a small step toward me. ¡°Queen Rosedriah.¡± Philip bows. His voice gives me the same gross feeling Adrien¡¯s does and I force myself not to show my disgust. ¡°Princess Pandora.¡± ¡°Philip.¡± I notice a slight change in his face at Rosedriah¡¯s greeting, though it smoothes back into a cool demeanor. ¡°What brings you all the way out here?¡± ¡°There is a matter that requires your attention. It has to do with Princess Pandora¡¯s coronation.¡± He glances at me and I shift weight from one leg to the other in an attempt to keep myself from bolting. Even now I can feel the earth beneath me rumble in my struggle to keep myself grounded. Glancing at both Philip and Rosedriah tells me neither of them can feel it, though, and I let out a slow breath, willing the rumbling to stop. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Rosedriah glances at me before nodding. ¡°Pandora, dear, we will continue next week.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± I watch as the two walk away, unable to shake the unease. The rest of the week seems to fly by, and before I know it the weekend is here. That unease never fully leaves, a nagging feeling in the back of my mind. Visiting with Gemma always makes me feel better, and that fact hasn¡¯t changed now. In fact, her presence is probably more needed now than when we were back on Earth. I am with her now, my head resting on her lap as we chat on her bed. She doesn¡¯t seem any worse for wear, still as animated as ever despite the attack. Part of me was worried she¡¯d be too shaken up to want company, but the exact opposite is the case. Actually I''m more concerned that she isn''t more shaken up. Ronan has all but locked her in her room, too anxious to allow her out. She doesn¡¯t sound upset at the prospect of not being able to roam around freely. He bends over backward to make her happy, catering to whatever she wants and needs. It is clear the two have fallen in love with each other, regardless of the mate bond. ¡°You guys need to hurry up and get married.¡± I scoff. Gemma¡¯s hand, which had been playing in my hair, taps me on the shoulder. She bounces her knee, urging me to sit up. As soon as I do she points to her neck. The mark isn¡¯t easy to see right away but the second I spot it I scream, hitting Gemma on the arm. She winces, though I don¡¯t give her a chance to say anything as I screech, ¡°Oh my God Gemma! What? When did this happen? When is the ceremony?¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t decided yet. We know you have a lot on your plate with your own wedding and commencement and all that, so it probably won¡¯t be until sometime after.¡± ¡°This is so exciting!¡± Gemma simply nods, growing quiet for a while before nudging me once more. ¡°Also.¡± I drop my gaze to where she has a hand resting on her belly. The silence wanes on as I look from her hand to her face, and then back to her stomach, understanding dawning on me. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Gemma! Oh my God. When did you find out?¡± ¡°After the attack, when the pack doctor looked me over.¡± ¡°Does Ronan know?¡± ¡°No. I would never be able to leave the room.¡± She falls onto her back with a sigh and I follow, unable to keep myself from patting her still flat stomach. Gemma lets out a small laugh. ¡°I want to tell him soon, I just don¡¯t want him to freak out on me. I think¡­maybe at dinner. Maybe he¡¯ll be calmer with you around.¡± I snort. ¡°Have you met Ronan?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± She giggles. I am unsure what to expect by the time dinner time rolls around but I am excited nonetheless. Even Gemma is on edge, practically shooting out of her seat when Ronan walks into the dining room. He makes a beeline to her, kissing her on the forehead. ¡°Hi.¡± She breathes. ¡°Hi mate.¡± Ronan sits next to her. ¡°Hi.¡± Ronan chuckles, touching a finger to her chin and kissing her. It was hard to believe Ronan couldn¡¯t feel the nerves practically oozing from Gemma. He looks over at me, a grin on his face. ¡°Are you gunna move in with us, Pandora? You seem to be here an awful lot.¡± ¡°You gonna have a problem if I do? Your Alpha is my cousin you know, I think I¡¯d be allowed to move in.¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯ve got no problem with you staying here. The more the merrier!¡± He holds up his hands when I stick my tongue out at him. His attention doesn¡¯t stay on me for very long. The food is brought out. While my food fills up my plate, both Gemma and Ronan¡¯s resemble mini mountains. Ronan notices as well. ¡°You know, you¡¯re more than welcome to stay but Gemma has picked up quite the appetite lately. There may not be enough food for you.¡± ¡°Well I am eating for two now.¡± Her words are so quiet, it was easy to miss them. However, Ronan visibly freezes, staring at Gemma as if she¡¯d suddenly sprouted two heads. I can¡¯t help but shift when the silence wanes on for longer than I anticipated, and even Gemma seems worried. Ronan opens and closes his mouth several times, though it seems to take effort for him to mutter ¡°wait¡­¡± Gemma gives a hesitant smile as she reaches over to take Ronan¡¯s hand and place it on her belly. ¡°I¡¯m pregnant.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Are you¡­¡± Gemma drops his hand, looking even more unsure of herself. She has always been so confident, but in this moment it''s clear to see she isn¡¯t sure whether Ronan would be happy about this news. Ronan notices as well, as a giant grin stretches across his face. Gemma barely has time to react before Ronan¡¯s chair is toppled over with his sudden movement, and then she is in his arms. He spins her around and she lets out a surprised squeal. ¡°So you¡¯re happy?¡± ¡°Happy? Of course I¡¯m happy! My mate, you are giving me a pup!¡± The excitement is contagious, and I feel a smile stretch on my face as Ronan continues to cuddle Gemma close to him. Of the two of us, I¡¯d never imagined Gemma would be the first to have kids. Actually, her settling down at all is surprising to me. Not that I thought she¡¯d be wild forever. But she¡¯s barely a year older than me, and showed no signs of slowing down before we came to Sedalia. However, underneath the excitement, I can¡¯t help but feel jealous. The two will more than likely have a large family. Though Gemma had been undecided about how many kids she wanted, it was easy to tell Ronan would want as many kids as she would allow. Meanwhile I was limited to just one. I knew it wasn¡¯t either of their faults, but I couldn¡¯t help but feel that it¡¯s unfair. It is an annoying feeling that¡¯s crept on me without me realizing, and I take a small breath in an attempt to push it down. Ronan goes to kiss Gemma and I fake a gag. ¡°Should I leave, then?¡± Gemma slaps Ronan¡¯s arms until he sets her back on the ground. She rushes over to me, throwing her arms around my shoulders. ¡°Of course the auntie of our baby should celebrate with us!¡± This time it¡¯s me who squeals when I am suddenly lifted in the air. Ronan has wrapped his arms around the two of us, spinning us around. Any jealousy is now in the back of my mind listening to Gemma¡¯s giggles and Ronan¡¯s laughter. Age Is But A Number I am not expecting Caspian to be home when I return to Aikyam Palace the following evening. So when I walk into our room to see him unbuttoning a shirt, I can''t help but gasp loudly. ¡°You''re home!¡± His head snaps up at my gasp, barely having enough time to catch me as I launch myself into his arms. ¡°Oof.¡± He stumbles back from the force, wrapping his arms around my waist as he steadies us. I hadn¡¯t realized just how much I missed him until now. Any heaviness I¡¯d felt immediately dissipates as his familiar scent surrounds me. I press my face into his chest, breathing him in. ¡°Did you miss me?¡± He chuckles, patting my head gently. ¡°Of course I missed you.¡± I pull away enough to frown up at him. Caspian leans down to kiss me. He touches a hand to my cheek, trailing it down to my chin to kiss me again. That small action is enough to tell me he feels the same. Nearly two weeks apart, the longest we¡¯d gone since knowing each other. He returns my grin with a soft smile of his own, tucking a loc behind my ear. ¡°I heard you spent your weekend with Ronan and Gemma. Did you enjoy your time?¡± ¡°I always do. Between the two of them, there''s never a dull moment." "Ronan by himself is enough to not have a dull moment. Or a quiet one." Caspian steps away from me in order to finish changing, pulling off the shirt he''s wearing and pulling on his pajama shirt. I follow suit, changing as quickly as possible and meeting Caspian in the bedroom once more. "Did anything interesting happen while I was gone?" "Interesting? Not real...Oh! Gemma! She¡¯s pregnant!¡± Caspian hums, leading me to the bed. ¡°That does not surprise me. I thought it would happen sooner to be honest. Werewolves are not ones to wait very long to begin having pups.¡± He settles me onto his lap, arms wrapped around me. His chin is tucked against the crook of my shoulder. ¡°How do you feel about it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m excited for her,¡± I answer honestly, playing with his fingers. ¡°I¡¯m jealous too though. I know it¡¯s stupid but¡­they¡¯ll be able to have many babies as they want. Knowing how happy Ronan is it wouldn¡¯t shock me if they have a big family. Meanwhile, I can only have one baby. It doesn¡¯t feel fair.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay to feel that way. Have you talked to Gemma about it?¡± ¡°No. I don¡¯t want to make her feel bad.¡± I sigh, shifting so I can rest my head on his shoulder. ¡°I wonder if there¡¯s a cure.¡± ¡°A cure? You mean a way to break the curse?¡± I nod wordlessly and Caspian hums again. ¡°Perhaps. That is something we will have to ask someone more versed in curses. Is it something you wish to do now, or after you are crowned Queen?¡± My answer is a shrug. I¡¯d always thought I wanted to at least start having kids before reaching 30, but knowing I¡¯m limited, I¡¯m not sure if I should wait longer before trying for a baby. Besides, knowing my lifespan is different from what I originally thought means I don¡¯t need to rush to have a child anyway. That thought reminds me of my conversation with Riol and I snap my head up, startling Caspian who looks at me questioningly. ¡°What is it?¡± "How old are you?" His hands, which had been trailing very lightly on my thighs, pause. I wonder if I made a mistake asking. "Why do you ask?" "Is it something I shouldn''t know? Riol told me to ask." Caspian grips my thigh lightly before standing, setting me gently on the bed. He strides over to the door, yanking it open. Riol is on the other side, eyes dancing in amusement. "Don''t want your wife to know how much of an old man you are?" Caspian scoffs, gesturing for Riol to enter the room. "Did you tell her you are a good 100 years older than me?" One hundred? One hundred? I know the lifespans in Sedalia are different, but Riol barely looks thirty. To say he has a full century on Caspian! Did that mean Riol is over two hundred years old? Three hundred? And how old did that make Caspian? He doesn''t look much younger than Riol. Was he over one hundred as well? Why was I just now asking about this? This feels like something Rosedriah or someone should have told me months ago! If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. "I think you''ve broken the poor princess." I hear Riol chuckle. Caspian is in front of me, taking my face lightly in his hands. "Dove. I am not old enough to be your father if that counts for anything." "That wasn''t a concern of mine before now!" I squeak, prompting a shout of laughter from Riol. "I have yet to hit forty. I''ve only recently celebrated my 35th birthday." ¡°Only? That¡¯s still such a big age gap!¡± Riol¡¯s laughter grows even louder, though I don¡¯t pay him much attention, still trying to wrap my mind around Caspian¡¯s age. I haven¡¯t reached my 25th birthday yet. Eleven years may not be a huge deal in Sedalia but I wouldn¡¯t even consider dating someone that much older than me back on Earth. ¡°An age difference of a few decades is not unheard of, Dove, and we''re not even half that.¡± Caspian brushes his thumbs against my cheeks, bringing my eyes to his once more. ¡°I will live for several hundred years. You will live for at least a few hundred. Our age difference will mean very little in the grand scheme of things.¡± The fact that Riol¡¯s laughter is no longer ringing in the background doesn¡¯t occur to me right away. I frown up at Caspian, mulling over what he just said. ¡°My human blood means I most likely will have a shortened life span.¡± Caspian sits next to me, lifting me into his lap once more. ¡°Your human blood is only a small part of you, Dove. You will have an extended lifespan. At the very least you will live to be at least 200.¡± ¡°Two hundred? I was expecting to croak out at 90.¡± His arms wrap around my waist and he pulls me so we are laying on the bed. ¡°Ninety is far too short. I would sooner search for a way to lengthen your lifespan than lose you so early.¡± I feel my breath catch in my throat. I frown again. ¡°I¡¯ll be old and wrinkly by then.¡± ¡°I think you are severely underestimating how slow you will visibly age.¡± He cups my cheek, tilting my head up with a gentle chuckle at my persistent frown. ¡°It is much slower than you are expecting. Try not to worry about it too much.¡± That¡¯s easier said than done but I let out a sigh anyway, nodding. He was right that it wouldn''t matter in the grand scheme of things. We are already set to be married. Whether he''s eleven years or a hundred years older than me wouldn''t change that fact. But this knowledge now has me wondering about his family. From what I assume he went home to see them. Did his parents have an age gap too? They probably also look young for how old they most likely are. ¡°How was your trip back home?¡± ¡°Hm? It was alright. Mostly work. My sister needed a favor.¡± I sit up so I am leaning on one arm, looking down at him. ¡°You have a sister?¡± ¡°I have four siblings.¡± ¡°Four?!¡± I sit up fully and Caspian clicks his tongue, reaching for me and pulling me back against his side. I wiggle until he relents enough to let me move away from him a bit. ¡°What are their names? What are they like? Do they look like you?¡± Caspian chuckles, seeming amused at my questions. ¡°There are three above me, two brothers and a sister, and I have a younger sister as well.¡± At my silent stare he smiles. ¡°Venn is the oldest, and obviously next in line for the throne.¡± That throws me off guard. For some reason the idea of Caspian being a prince never even crossed my mind. It made sense that Rosedriah would choose someone of royalty to marry me. ¡°Caerwyn is the next oldest. He is over all of Eiland¡¯s military, and as such I don¡¯t spend as much time with him as I do my other siblings. Under him is my sister Fiona. She¡­actually I am not entirely sure what she does, other than work in health. She may be the head of the Kingdom¡¯s healthcare system but I¡¯ve never asked her specifics. I just know she is always busy. ¡°Then we have me, who you should know quite well by now. And under me is the youngest, Elvi. She is still too young to have a job so she spends her days learning. I am actually unsure if she knows what it is she wishes to do just yet, but there is no rush. She is still a child by Elvish standards, not yet twenty years old.¡± ¡°Is she the one who needed the favor?¡± Caspian nods. ¡°When I was still home, I was the go to for planning celebrations, balls and the like. Elvi¡¯s birthday is coming up, and she gets overwhelmed quite easily. I was asked to go back home and help her.¡± That explains why he¡¯s so comfortable with planning our wedding. Maybe I could get him to help with the coronation too. ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re going back to attend?¡± ¡°We are going to attend.¡± I sit up once more and Caspian makes no move to stop me, though he has a hand resting on my hip. ¡°We?¡± ¡°Did you think I was going without you?¡± I shrug. ¡°Kind of.¡± Caspian stares at me for a moment before once again pulling me down, tucking me against him. ¡°Dove, why wouldn¡¯t I bring you with me? We are going to be married. I think it¡¯s only appropriate for my fianc¨¦e to be with me.¡± It feels silly, thinking that he would be going alone. There is no logical reason why I would even think something like that. We are a couple, for all intents and purposes. It made sense that I would have to meet his family sooner or later. Knowing he wanted me there, though, made this relationship feel that much more real. Not that it wasn¡¯t real before. But now I can¡¯t help but feel a little dumb, especially considering the fact that he¡¯s more or confessed to me on multiple occasions. I play with the collar of his shirt, trying to ignore the fact that he¡¯s brushing his fingers along my lower back. Taking a deep breath, I let it out in a long, soft sigh before saying, ¡°So when are we leaving?¡± ¡°Next week. I¡¯ve already taken the liberty of explaining to your teachers that you will be gone for the week.¡± Beneath the sudden nerves at meeting Caspian¡¯s family, I can¡¯t help but be excited to travel. Other than the trip to Leon¡¯s birthday, I haven¡¯t had a chance to leave Sedalia. From the way both Caspian and Riol describe it, Eiland promises to be breathtakingly beautiful. Not only that, but it¡¯s a chance to see where Caspian grew up. Next week can¡¯t get here fast enough.