*Ana*“The Military academy?!” I don’t know who is more shocked. It’s certainly the last thing I’d thought to hear today.“Now? Why?” I look to Mykhol and back to father before he plants back down. “But father-” I get an instant tap on the nose for using the wrong word. But Father winks at me before smiling. “Because Lord Mykhol said it himself, didn’t he?” Father goes and his servant Johan seems to step up.“His lordship has admitted inexperience,” Johan adds, be it more collected. “You did not finish schooling, if I am correct?” “That is-” Mykhol slightly shifts his lips as if trying to render the next word. But it never forms as someone explodes into laughter from the side. It’s Admiral Nugen, of all people. He is laughing so much that his face is pink.“The military academy?” He holds his sides still laughing. “Ah, this is too rich” Tears are in his eyes. And He continues to laugh so hard it shakes his whole body. “I can’t believe it.” He wheezes between another laugh. He seem
*Naska*“This can’t be happening,” Naska held herself tight as she made her way down the hall. Her feet moving fast as if speed could help something if not her turmoil.It just can’t. Naska shook her head as a painful stretch ran up her chest. It was too awful.Lord Mykhol was being sent away? Just like that? A single word from that brat and he has to go?“No, it just can’t.” Naska went. How was that fair? Surely it wasn’t, right? No, it couldn’t be.He can’t just go. Lord Mykhol was well-loved in court. No one would want him gone. They loved him almost as much as Naska.But what could she do? Naska had no power here. What about someone else? Wasn’t there something to stop Ana? Someone above even her, that could say no?Anyone who could stop this cruel twist of fate? Naska racked her brain for an answer. But the only people she could think of were the same ones with her now. And they were just as inconsolable as Naska opened the door to find Lady Funda a wreck.“We can’t let this happ
*Ana*“Cousin?” I start again finding his silence. Mykhol stiffens but his eyes remain on the door. I almost wish he would turn around and start yelling. But we just continue to stand in silence.“Are you upset?” “Does it matter?” Mykhol’s voice is so quiet that I almost miss it. “Cousin, I don’t want to fight.” I close my hands and take another moment to muster the courage. If I just explain things clearly, he won’t be upset. I’m sure if I explain myself. My reasoning, Mykhol will understand. He will understand. “Cousin, I want to explain myself.” I try again. “From a practical standpoint, you going back to school will be-”“Always so practically aren’t you?” Mykhol’s voice cuts through mine. “Almost to the point of being heartless.” His eyes are like fire. They burn and hurt as they stare down at me. “But I’m sure you’ve heard that one before, right?”I have to dart my eyes and swallow again.“Heartless?”I repeat as an awful memory resurfaces. The whispers and jarring stares
*Naska*“I will hold things down until you are back.” Naska managed to whisper, finally having that spare moment alone with Mykhol all morning.Otherwise, I’ll never get my chance. Naska gave a sharp glare behind her to the crowd. Somehow, word had spread overnight of Mykhol’s departure. Thus, why did so many come despite the early morning? They had come to bid their farewells.On any other day, Naska would have warmed at the sight. It demonstrated how many gave their support to him. She would have gloated, prideful at how much power Mykhol had by the display.But the high number of girls in the crowd kept her escalations at bay. The sight of so many in the audience cooled Naska down with their pained expressions and wanton eyes. Eyes, which were all directed at Mykhol, no less. Naska clenched her hand at the sight.Back off, he’s mine. Naska wished she could break away right there and start throttling them. Harm them and something more, that is, until she felt his cool finger graze
*Ana*Is this where I get my work ethic from? It’s fair to make the argument because I am surprised how immediate Father is to start as soon as we get back inside. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so seriously.But he is. And I can’t say I’m not glad about it. When he said get to work, he meant it. Immediately after Mykhol departed, one of the first and most important things Father sought to fix was the supply issue.He made it all look so simple. A new trade route was established going through the Almony mountains, not our desert. And secondly, Almony, not our Nocthen merchants, would be used going forward. This, of course, caused quite the outburst in court, not to have any Nochten’s but foreigners involved. I included. But Father assured me that they would be reliable thanks to his own experience. Even Hidi has vouched for them through letters, among other things. As for the other things, Hidi sounded peeved in her letter. Something about doing surprise visits instead of correspo
*Ana*Is it really time? Can I really do it at last? The thoughts swim in my head as I dash away from Father. The breeze lifts my shawl as I move.Can I write to Nicoli? I knew this day would come. But now that it’s here, I am almost overwhelmed.It doesn’t feel real to me. After going through so much, the first blood, the coronation, the trade problems, Mykhol’s departure, and countless other things. So much has happened since then. It just never felt like it would happen. But here I am, running. And it feels so unreal. Nothing does now. I can’t even feel the ground under my feet as I move. Everything seems to slow down, or I move even faster.I am only vaguely aware of the sound. It’s my heart. It hits against my chest like a drum and by the time I am back inside, a slight wave of dizziness is swimming over me.But I can’t stop. I won’t stop. I am driven like a moth to a flame. It is like I am floating through the halls. And my body feels weightless as I come to my door.“Naska!” I
*Julia*Julia was already out before the posthorse was even taken to the stable. And Like clockwork, she took her spot to stand and wait as the mail was delivered over to Postmaster Nettle. Her presence shocking no one. Why, it was such a common sight to see her now that Nettle nor the other servants even stirred. The silent old woman’s presence was nothing to them. She was simply a part of the process. And like always, she waited and watched for Nettle to approach with hawk-like precision. But regardless of her cold approach or silent pressure, Nettle still kept his own. He would not move faster, even for the queen’s handmaid. He only nodded to her in greeting.“Ah, Julia, I see you have ears like a cat.” he joked. “You arrived just in time. I’ve just received the post.”“PostMaster Nettle,” Julia returned stiffly, already looking past him. Her eyes scanned the letters on the golden tray in his hands. They immediately went to the return addresses. She already vying to see where th
*Nicoli*“It’s here, it’s here!” Nicoli’s elation only heightened the further he moved. His long legs take him in leaps and bounds leaving everyone behind.Why, he was already taking the stairs before he dared another glance down at his letters. He knew he shouldn’t, it wasn’t wise to be distracted when climbing the stairs. But Nicoli was more coordinated than most. And he trusted his balance and memory of the castle. Even if he didn’t, Nicoli would have caved to his excitement anyway. It happened each time he got another letter. Nicoli would lose his crafted mature and pleasant demeanor, which everyone loved so much, for that of an excited child in an instant. Ana just had that effect on him.And Nicoli would not restrain himself when it came to her. Not anymore, not after so many years. And so, his eyes freely roamed over the letters. Passing over Hidi’s careful cursive and yellow seal for the red seal. It was Ana’s letter that he wanted to read most. Hidi’s of course, would be r
“Hidi?” But before I can have a chance to ask any further, Hidi only taps my arm, her fingertips pressing just a fraction too firmly against my sleeve."But we will talk later, as for now—" Her green eyes immediately shift to Nicoli and brighten, like lamps suddenly lit from within. The strange expression suddenly disappeared again, replaced with a mask, so perfectly that I wondered if I had seen anything at all. Her smile is bright and full, with blunt white teeth again, but something about it feels rehearsed, a performance she's put on countless times. Her attention was solely on him, her body angling toward his like a flower turning to the sun."Nicoli, did you see that? Look how helpful I am to our dear Ana." She beams, as if nothing were wrong at all, stepping slightly closer to him than necessary, her arm brushing against his in a casual gesture that somehow feels deliberate. "Our dear Ana" sits strangely in my ears, as if I'm a shared possession rather than a friend. Her voice
Ana*“Please, everyone, if you would just-” But it's clear no one is listening. My voice is swallowed up by the cacophony of string instruments and the colliding conversations surging around us like crashing waves. The air thickens with perfumes and colognes—spiced amber, midnight jasmine, and something metallic that clings to the back of my throat. If I ever felt overwhelmed before a court of nobles shouting over each other after some new decree, it's nothing compared to the suffocating pressure closing in now. Actually, I think I'd prefer that over this.I don't even think my coronation was this bad. I recall that, being just a bit more orderly, the crowd maintained a respectful distance that allowed my lungs to fill properly. But then again, Mykhol was pushing them along so I could eat, right? It's a delayed shock of wisdom to realize that it was indeed helpful. I feel ashamed now that I ever thought he was being haughty at the time. He wasn't. His curt dismissals created a buffe
Naska stared at the cup instead of taking it, more shocked than surprised at the motion. Someone poured her drink? It was indeed a first. No one had ever done anything for her. She was so used to doing everything for herself. And glancing up, the sight of who did, only made her more confused.It was one of the veiled women—a Bulgeon, a human. Her eyes lined in that inky black shadow seemed to regard her in silence just as she did. Her hand lifted the cup, steady, as if she were still waiting. Naska, not knowing what else to do, took the cup. But her eyes remained glued to the woman. Because of the veil, she couldn’t know what expression the woman was making. Was it friendly? Bitter? What did her face even look like under the cloth?Watching her, the mysterious woman moved with grace. She poured another ladle of blood, not wine, to steam against the glass. Her thin fingers peeked out of her sleeve to swipe a slice of meat to dip in, and she moved to eat under the cloth. Naska raised
*Naska*“What a joke of a party,” Naska muttered, baring her fangs as she leaned against the wall. ”Mine will be so much better.” Her pale red eyes flickered over blue and gold streamers hanging from the center of the high ceiling with a sneer. Ugly colors, she immediately found it stupid. But not as stupid as having to sniffle every other minute. Her nose was irritated and starting to run from all the damn pine scent in the room. Each breath was like choking on a bottle of soap. From the platform near the far wall, the gentle strains of stringed instruments played a song too delicate and indistinct for her to recognize. It filled the air like perfume—pleasant to some, she supposed, but meaningless to her. Light laughter floated between the nobles, punctuated now and then by the sharp clink of crystal goblets. Beneath the noise, however, the pressure in the room was thick. Everyone waited for Her Empress to return. The tension curled under the music like smoke, unseen but unmistakab
*Johan*As he entered the banquet hall, Johan quickly noticed quite a few things. The first was that King Alexander was nowhere to be seen, though Johan expected that. He must have still been talking with Queen Bratha.What surprised him, though, was that others were missing—two, to be exact. The handsome brunette prince was not in the banquet hall as he thought he would be, considering he did not see him in the lobby or even the line. He was gone, and neither was Ana. Who he did see was just Hidi.The giant queen stood out among the partygoers- not just because of her size. Her very presence seemed to overpower anyone who dared draw near. Those who attempted to pass her either darted their eyes down or weakly bowed before hightailing it inside. Johan could see that even that old coot kept a safe distance if anyone wanted to try to talk to her, like the ever-eager Sir Celbest.The blonde was not pleased about something, and Johan could easily see it. The girl had never been one to hi
*Nicoli*Nicoli held onto Ana like a man gripping the edge of a cliff—tight, unyielding, unwilling to let go for even a second. The very idea of releasing her, even to their father, was absurd. No. Absolutely not.He had waited too long, ached too much, spent years longing for this moment. And now that she was finally by his side again, he refused to let anything—anyone—take her away. Not tonight. Not ever. So be it if he had to fight off the entire court to keep her close. Vampire, noble, or king, he didn’t care. He’d take them all on.She was his Anastasia. And now that they were together, everything felt right again.A rare, genuine grin tugged at his lips—one that wasn’t for show, unlike the practiced smiles he wore in Dawny. This was different. This was real.But as they moved through the white halls, his excitement warred with Ana’s slow, deliberate steps. Too slow. She still walked like an old lady.Nicoli’s muscles twitched with pent-up energy, his entire body screaming to mo
*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