*Ana* “But Maddie,” I start again, returning to the door. “I’m not that sleepy. I can still stay up, and,” I yawn. When I yawn, I find the taste of the blue frosting on my tongue. How do I still have cake in my mouth? The party is over now, and we are back in my room, but somehow, I still taste it. It’s sweet but doesn’t taste as good now. The sugar tastes more salty, as if it's off. But I still swallow it down. “What’s that now?” Maddie, meanwhile, smirks after me. “You say you're not sleepy? Are you sure about that?”She then shakes her head and looks at the clock. “Even if you say so, it is late to everyone else. Everyone is going to be in bed.” Maddie rolls her eyes. “What do you think you’ll be doing so late?” “It’s not that late.” I try again. “And I’m not that tired. And I’m sure Nicoli is too-” “The Prince should be asleep even more than you are now.” Maddie goes, cutting me down with a look. “Ana, you can’t win this over on me. Plead and beg all you want, but it is tim
Chapter 78 Silent Mourning *Ana* What a strange dream! I flutter my eyes. Surprisingly, I feel well-rested. I needed more sleep than I realized. “I thought Nicoli came in here.” I start with a look to my side. Of course, it is empty, not that I was expecting him to be here still. It’s just my wishful thinking that someone would still be sleeping there. Of course not. I laugh at my only silliness. It’s just a dream. Why would he come to my room? The idea was too far-fetched, even for me. I want to see him, that is all. I dismiss with an easy smile, even in my dreams. “It was a nice dream, though.” I shift to the side of my pillow to see my silver hair stretch out. I touch it absently. It’s smooth but cold, like the room. I drop my hand to stare at it. Sometimes, it doesn’t feel like it's a part of me. It feels odd how something like that comes from me as my own. The color is just so strange. My hair seems to cause more harm than good. It brings pain and isolation. I shift my he
Chapter 79 The Morning Wail (reviewed & edited 4/17/24) *Ana* As the courtroom doors come into view, I can hear something. Someone is crying. No, it's not just crying; they are sobbing deep, shaking sobs. And they sound young. Who’s crying? My chest tightens as we come closer. The sobs echo and have a lingering pull of desperation to them. Whoever is crying, it must be for something important or something terrible. Someone starts to speak. I recognize it instantly because it sends a shiver down my back. Only one person can initiate such a reaction of fear from me. I feel my breath catch as we stop to open the door. “This is not about a break of customs. This is about trust.” Queen Belinda turns her head when the doors open. There is no announcement, but everyone is waiting for me because they look over at once. Immediately, I can feel the air freeze. Eyes upon eyes are watching me. The crowd roams eyes over me and my uncovered hair distantly. It's like I am something foreign.
*Ana* Who is screaming? I vaguely recognize it. Someone was screaming. The voice was high and shook. It sounded horrified and unhinged. Make it stop. The screaming is too loud. It hurts my ears. Why won’t anyone make her stop screaming? I cover my ears, but it does nothing. It still sounds so loud. My hands can barely block the sound. It’s muffled, but like I put my head underwater. "Ana-" The scream suddenly stops when a hand wraps over my mouth. I feel their other hand circle my waist and pull me in. The arm tightens, and I shudder. I looked up and found it was Mykhol. He’s looking down at me. “Cousin,” My voice is soft and almost lost as a broken whimper shakes my chest. My legs lose form, and I lean against him as my eyes turn back. “No, don’t look,” Mykhol tries to cover my eyes now, but moving from my mouth just gives me the chance to scream again. “Ah!” I scream. I scream from the very bottom of my stomach as tears flow down my cheeks. I don’t need to see it because t
Chapter 81 CRESCENDO*Ana*“No, it-” My voice falls as something in my throat makes breathing hard. And in that moment, the kitten's still and lifeless eyes flash back at me.Suddenly, the eyes change. The dead, cold eyes are now a bright blue. Two beautiful eyes look back at me from the box.They are Nicoli’s eyes. I choke and cover my mouth.“Your Empress! “ Abina turns back to me, still pleading for help. “Please, no-” and reaches for my dress. “I didn’t-”“What have you done?” I step back, almost sick to my stomach. I can’t even bring my eyes to look at Abina. I’m angry with her, but I’m also angry with myself. It could be Nicoli looking at me from the box, Nicoli’s beautiful blue eyes. I might as well have been the one to kill the kitten. I shudder and suck my tongue to the roof of my mouth to stop a scream. “Take her away." Queen Belinda’s words cut through like breaking ice. “What, wait?” Abina lets go, but her eyes flash from me to the guards who move for her. “Wait, no- li
Chapter 82 Mute*ANA*“Why is my cat here?” I can’t stop myself from looking back. What compensation? I am confused. And the kitten only makes me feel lost. What is he doing here? When I left, he was in my room. He looked so warm and happy there. But now, the kitten seems anything but happy.“Cousin?” I feel Mykhol’s arm. He is oddly tense, as if aware of something I am not. And Abina cowers closer to his legs.“What is going on?” I ask, but Mykhol does not mean my eyes. He is looking straight ahead.“Mew!” Nicoli II shifted uncomfortably in the maid's hands. His tail flips from side to side. And his ears are sideways as he leans away from the other maid with the bucket.“The bucket?” What is that for? I look after the maid. But before I can even think of asking, Stepmother continues. “I respect your wish to handle your servant.” Queen Belinda starts up again, and I force myself to look back at her. She has a sharp smile on her face.“But the fact remains that our crown prince was wi
*King Alexander?*Damn it. King Alexander never felt an urge to scream more than now. But he couldn't; he could only stand by as his wife sentenced a child’s pet to death.“No!” Ana, meanwhile, cried out. “Please, you can’t.” her hands clenched for the air, but Mykhol held her back. “Ana-” The teen managed to keep her, but barely. Ana was putting up a good fight. “I said no! It is too much, Your Majesty- Father!” And Ana turned from Belinda to meet Alexander's eyes. “Please, you can’t!”But King Alexander only looked back at her, helpless. His hands were tied. He knew it, and so did Belinda.Damn it all. Alexander cursed again, looking back at his wife.“This is too severe,” Alexander growled under his breath. He knew Belinda did not like the child, but he never dreamed it would go this far. She was only a child. “Too severe, you say?” “Yes,” Alexander hissed through his teeth. “It’s gone too far.”“You think this is too far?” Belinda quickly looked over the room with purpose. She
Chapter 84 On Deaf Ears(reviewed & edited 5.27.24)*Mykhol*Mykhol stood by as the royal family passed them. Queen Belinda met his eye but no more. But he didn’t expect there to be any reaction. Our business is over. Mykhol thought. They both got what they wanted. They wouldn't need each other anymore.It was fun while it lasted. Mykhol had to admit. Mykhol thought he was good. But Queen Belinda's performance was unworldly. I shouldn’t ever make an enemy out of that woman. Mykhol had to shiver. She was formidable.Even for humans, Mykhol had to give credit. But it was a comfort to know that that wouldn’t happen now. Their work here was done. It was now just a matter of tying off the stray pieces.Speaking of which, Mykhol looked over at Ana. She was still kneeling. And her hair was a mess of wild curls.It was jarring to see all that silver where red should be. Mykhol wanted to reach out and grab a fistful. But again, Mykhol also wanted to curl the strands around his fingers.In t
*Ana*My body freezes, every muscle locked in place as Nicoli leans in closer. His face is inches from mine, and I feel my breath catch, a whirlwind of confusion and anticipation racing through my mind. What is he doing? Is…he going to kiss me?But we can’t—we shouldn’t. We aren’t children anymore.As children, it was innocent. Nicoli used to kiss me on the lips, but it was always affectionate—nothing more, just like when he would hold my hand or offer a playful hug. It was natural to him, something that didn’t feel strange, something I expected from him without question. But that was then.Now, we’re adults. And that changes everything.We can’t– I try to tell myself that, but something in me hesitates, unsure whether I want him to stop or... not. I’m paralyzed, my heart beating so loudly I can hear it in my ears. As his face nears mine, I feel the world shrinks, the air around us thick with tension. A strange eagerness stirs in my chest—a warmth I don’t understand. It coils through
*Ana*“Nicoli–” He’s going the wrong way again. I shake my head, the soft chime of my gold chains punctuating my amusement. But he insists on leading, judging by the stubborn set of his shoulders. He’s determined to get somewhere despite having absolutely no idea where that is.For the past twenty minutes, Nicoli has forged ahead with all the confidence in the world, only to crumble in confusion when we inevitably hit another dead end or loop back to the same hall. Left, then right, then left again. Each turn is taken with steadfast determination — and each time, I have to stifle a new laugh as we encounter yet another wall.“Nicoli, just let me show you–” I try, though I’m already bracing for him to ignore me. It would be far easier if he let me lead, though. This is my palace, after all. I know the twists and turns, the subtle variations in the endless white corridors. But he seems lost in his resolve. As if doing this out of spite at the challenge and not wanting it to get the bett
*Hidi*“But, what about me–” For once in Hidi’s life, her voice was too soft to hear—lost, swallowed under the sound of laughter. Their laughter. Hidi froze, her breath caught in her chest, her words useless in the space they left behind. Her eyes only widened as she stared after them, watching–watching, but not moving in disbelief.The two of them were running, laughing, hands clasped like children lost in their own world. And she was still standing here.She blinked. Did they really just… leave me?The air seemed too still while everything else moved too fast. Nicoli had been right there. Right there. She could have reached out, close enough to brush her fingers against his sleeve. But he hadn’t even looked at her. Didn’t even voice a hello.Not once.His sapphire-blue eyes had locked onto Ana, and nothing else had mattered.For the second time.A cool flick of irritation ran beneath her ribs, lodging itself somewhere deep inside her. She knew this was their grand reunion, knew th
*Ana*Standing between my aunt and uncle in the banquet hall, I must appreciate everyone’s hard work for the party. They really put in a lot of effort.The banquet hall is beautifully decorated with blue and gold streamers cascading down to the center of the high ceiling. Each arched window features a garland of fir and pine, filling the room with a clean yet sweet reminder of the winter outside. The candelabras are all set and lit with fresh beeswax candles, brightening the room and causing the windows to fog up slightly. The tables that line the walls are adorned with an assortment of cakes, meats, and double boilers filled with various types of blood for those who prefer.It’s everything I could have hoped for. And I swell with pride. So far, I think my first real celebration is going well. I gaze over the steady stream of new guests. Once again, I have to note that most of those arriving are unaccompanied men I spot yet another group. They put on a show by bowing or smiling at m
*Nicoli*“So… this is Nochten,” Nicoli whispered, his breath barely stirring the cold air. He paused at the threshold, eyes sweeping across the grand lobby. He wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was certainly different from home.His gaze traveled upward, taking in the domed ceiling overhead, the polished stone walls that gleamed in the candlelight. Beneath his feet, a mosaic of a bat soaring toward the moon—Nochten’s national symbol—stood in sharp contrast against the pristine white stone. The palace lacked the excessive paintings and portraits he was used to. Instead of gold trim and plush fabric, there was only carved stone and painted walls. Even the flooring was a departure from what he knew. No wood, only cold, solid stone.Nicoli's eyes caught the mosaic again, its intricate details holding him transfixed. Slowly, a small smile pulled at his lips.It suits her. He thought. Yes, it most definitely did. This was most definitely Ana’s home. But, where was Ana?He stepped further
*King Alexander*Alexander and Bratha walked down the side path leading to the gardens. It took him a moment to realize it, but when he did, he couldn’t help but smile a little. Even after all these years, it felt natural to take this path. The habit was still there after all this time.We always used to meet here.The memory stirred something deep within him—afternoons sprawled on soft blankets, the scent of wildflowers thick in the air, laughter curling between the hedges like vines. If he closed his eyes, he could hear it still—such wonderful times all together. Belidnda, Bratha, Parsul, himself–But when he opened them, all that remained was frost and silence.Now, the garden lay barren, stripped bare by winter. No vibrant petals, no soft grass, only brittle leaves crunching beneath their boots. And between them, a silence stretched too long.It had to be him who spoke first. Bratha would not. Her sense of morality dictated that burden to him.After all, he committed the greatest
*Hidi*Hidi stood off to the side, her eyes fixed on the doorway. Each time a new arrival was announced, she held her breath, only to sigh in disappointment moments later. It wasn’t him.None of them are, Hidi scanned the room, watching as wave after wave of red-haired vampires entered. She was beginning to grow sick of it.“I’m bored.” Hidi rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. It was becoming a real struggle not to slump to the floor in frustration.“So bored,” She huffed, loud enough for a few nearby vampires to take notice. Some observed her with curiosity, never having seen a giant before. Others, like Sir Celbest, however, seemed eager to make her acquaintance as the Queen of Almony. But Hidi didn’t buy it for one second to be good-willed.Almony was a rich country, and Hidi had long since learned to recognize opportunists. And She met their stares with a hard, flat look, and just like that, their attention turned elsewhere.If only Ana were here. At least then, she’d have someone
*Nicoli* The sudden jolt of the carriage nearly knocked Nicoli out of his seat. If not for his father's firm hand on his shoulder. He would have.Nicoli blinked a few times, swallowing as he steadied himself and slid back onto the velvet bench.“When did I fall asleep?” He asked, glancing at his father, somewhat surprised. Though he shouldn’t have. He barely slept at all until now, determined not to miss a single moment of his first journey beyond the kingdom. He wanted to commit every detail to memory, to recount them later when he finally saw her.He just hoped he didn’t miss too much.“I’d say shortly after we crossed the mountains of Almony, Your Royal Highness,” Johan replied matter-of-factly. His father smiled and pulled his fleece tighter against the cold. “Yes, you were out like a light,” he mused, gazing out the window. Yet, despite his relaxed posture, his blue eyes still held the same restless energy as before.“What? I missed the border?” Nicoli groaned, running a hand t
*Pendwick*As soon as his grandfather took to forming his circle of friends to talk, Pendwick tucked to one side of the domed lobby. There, he took his chance to look around unnoticed. Hoping eagerly to catch where the petite Empress could be. But he didn’t see her. Did I miss her? Pendwick sank, yet again losing a chance to talk to her again today. It seemed so long since the two could.Ever since his confession, the two had not had a moment together alone. What with Ana busy with Chief Amul- she had her hands full as it was.And as for Pendwick, well, he had to deal with his grandfather.It came as no surprise that his grandfather was not happy with the results the days before. Pendwick failed yet again. And last night, his grandfather made sure to drive home the point that FAILURE was not an option. Leaving him with bruises so deep, that even vampiric healing couldn’t heal fast enough before the following morning. Thus, Pendwick had to acquire and apply camouflage to cover up hi