Chapter 1

-Katherine-

I watched from a short distance as the beautiful tents were erected, their poles and strings adorned with flowers and charming decorations. The grand Festival of Elements was once again upon us. Every fifth year, witches from all corners gather to celebrate the gifts bestowed upon us and our connection with the many elements that surround us.

I observed the preparations with a smile, assisting where needed and instructing the workers. It certainly helped that our powers could assist us in many ways.

“No, not there!” I called out quickly as some workers were about to place the large torch, which would be lit later in the evening, in the wrong spot.

I hurried over to them, directing them to the prepared platform elevated above the soft grass, and indicated where the torch should be placed. The torch featured a long, thick pole with a bowl-shaped top.

“That’s better,” I said, nodding approvingly as I admired the beautiful torch. Thanks to Acan’s powers, it would burn so brightly that it could be seen almost throughout all of Adorna.

I was about to head to my designated spot to oversee everything, but just as I stepped down from the platform, a bear lumbered into my path and let out a soft growl, clearly annoyed at my intrusion. Thick baskets filled with fruit hung around him. I chuckled, shaking my head and apologizing to the bear before another witch appeared beside me, panting slightly and offering an apologetic glance.

“I’m sorry, my queen. He refuses to wait for me,” she said.

“No, it’s quite all right. I should have been more mindful of my path, as he clearly indicated,” I replied.

She smiled and quickly followed after the bear, and I shook my head with a soft chuckle. I returned to my spot, surveying the scene with satisfaction. Everything was coming together beautifully, fueling my excitement for the festival.

Suddenly, a group of children dashed by, waving sticks with small, colorful flags and laughing as they played. I watched them, feeling a pang of sadness. Despite the years, Acan and I had not been able to have a child.

“Watch out!”

I turned just in time to see a large pole descending toward me. The workers had lost their grip on it, and it was falling rapidly. I froze, unable to move, but then a gentle grip grasped my arm and pulled me back, away from danger. The pole landed in front of me instead of on top of me.

“Your Majesty!” people exclaimed, rushing over to check if I was alright and to apologize for the incident.

I shook off the shock, reassuring them that I was fine and that it was alright.

“It’s alright, just an accident, no need to worry,” I assured them all, seeing the look of fear on their faces.

“How did you get out of the way in time, Your Majesty?” someone asked, making me glance behind me, but I saw no one there. A smile spread across my lips as I realized what had occurred. This wasn’t the first time I had been saved from a perilous situation or received assistance in a time of need, without anyone else knowing.

“I guess I was just lucky,” I replied.

They all looked a bit confused.

“Your Majesty, are you sure?” one of the workers asked again, clearly still concerned that I might have been hurt. According to the law, any injury could result in severe consequences.

“I’m sure,” I said. “I’m perfectly fine. Now, let’s get back to work.”

I tried to divert their worried thoughts with a new task, and it seemed to work, as they all returned to their duties.

“You can come out now. No one’s here to see my actual hero,” I chuckled, watching as the workers returned to their tasks.

It took a moment, but then I felt his presence. I always seemed to sense when he was near.

“You should hire better workers,” Darius remarked.

He didn’t look at me but instead kept his gaze on the workers, his arms crossed. Dressed entirely in dark clothes, he resembled more of an assassin ready to strike than a prince. But despite the somber color, it was clear his attire was of fine material.

“They are excellent workers,” I said with a smile, defending them. He glanced at me. “Mistakes happen.”

“Mistakes that could have killed you because none of them reacted quickly enough.”

“Then it’s fortunate you did,” I said, teasingly smiling at him as I noticed his dark eyes seemed to grow even darker.

“It was, but I cannot be here all the time.”

“Do not worry. I can protect myself,” I teased, then took his sword from its scabbard, holding the tip toward him.

It’s not common for a lady to know how to fight with a sword, and his was too heavy for me to wield effectively, but he had taught me a few things. Often, when I felt down, he would come to see me.

“I’m trembling,” he said dryly, though I saw the amusement in his eyes.

“Yes, you should be scared, sir. This queen knows a trick or two.”

“Oh, and who could have taught you that?”

“That’s a secret.”

“Really?”

“No one can know about him, or how I sneak out to see him behind my husband’s back,” I teased, causing the corner of his mouth to almost curl into a smile.

I could count on one hand the number of times I had seen him smile, so when he did, it felt special.

“Better put that down before Acan sees you with it,” Darius scolded, though there was no real seriousness in his tone.

“But I’m proving my skills as a fighter.”

“That’s already been proven. Now don’t cut yourself.”

I stuck out my tongue playfully before handing him the heavy sword. Just as he took it, I noticed someone approaching. He had a broad smile on his lips and looked striking in his red and gold attire. People bowed as he walked by, but his gaze was fixed on me.

“Acan!”