“Selina is not at the border.”
My eyes widened in alarm. “Are you sure?”
“Yes! I just checked with the border patrol. Her carriage was nowhere in sight.” Henry paced back and forth in front of me, biting one thumb and fiddling with his phone with the other. A classic telltale sign: he was worried sick. “I can’t contact Selina!”
“When was the last time you heard from her?”
“At one o’clock this afternoon,” Henry answered, pressing his mobile phone to his ear again, attempting to call his fiancé.
A missing royal, especially one of her importance, was never a good thing. This could spark civil discontent among the nobility and subjects… or perhaps cold war, between the kingdom of Rozenberg and the Empire. Everyone knew that Volfenheim was unrivaled in terms of power, but that kingdom, little as it was, was too valuable to cut off. We relied on that little archipelago for its agricultural exports. The Crown was also deeply indebted to them, monetary speaking. If Selina died in our territory… no one will ever trust Henry or his judgment ever again. And the innocent will bear the brunt of it all.
“Okay, what else?”
“She said she was with her stepmother.”
“Isn’t that queen heavily pregnant? Maybe that’s what causes the delay.”
“It could be. Selina said they had to drive as gently as possible because of her. But I have a bad feeling...”
“Send some of your soldiers to check on her, then.”
“Is that wise? They’re traveling through Lupine Pass.”
I cursed under my breath. It’s that Grand Duke’s territory. We never found out why, but that old man has always despised the empire. He wouldn't openly disrespect or declare war on us, but he would do everything he could to inconvenience us. The only person who could talk to him was me, but that was because the old duke had a hidden agenda. He was always vocal about the Old World, when Occults ruled. He coveted occult abilities, especially the Lycans’. He wished to create a master race directly from his line—humans with Lycan abilities. As the only remaining pureblooded on the mainland, I couldn't count how many times he insisted on me marrying Princesses Sofia and Sara, his adolescent daughters. When I declined, he asked to marry Jade or Jet. It did not matter who. That day, I nearly ripped him apart. I've turned down his invitations ever since. I only went there when absolutely necessary, such as when they refused to let our import through or when a Volfenheimer crossed the border illegally.
“You should’ve fetched her in a chopper or a jet,” I couldn’t help but scold Henry. “It would’ve saved us a lot of trouble.”
“You’re right, I should have.”
I glared at the monarch’s expression. Henry was never one to pull rank to get what he wanted, but he seemed to be trying to guilt-trip me by looking helpless and hopeful at me. It always worked.
I rolled my eyes in annoyance. “Fine, I’ll go.”
“Really?” The young monarch beamed. “I appreciate it, Jay!”
“You owe me.” I tussled the hair on top of his head before walking away.
“Always,” Henry said, following me. “I think I should go with you. See Selina for a few, at least.”
“I think you’re out of your mind. You know what’s out there. We established these lockdowns for a reason. Besides, your mom would surely kill us both if something happened to you… and the princess.”
I could see the worry burning in my friend’s eyes again, “But Selina…”
“I know you’re afraid of her,” I said in mock sympathy, teasing him. It gave me a childish pleasure to see the young monarch squirm and sputter in response. “But we don’t know if I could find her in time for the lockdown. I can’t protect both you and your girlfriend at the same time. Jade and Jet will accompany you to the estate where you should stay.”
I saw Henry’s cheeks turn pink. “But I don’t want to trouble them.”
“I wish you would extend the same courtesy to me.”
“But you’re my best friend. I’m supposed to annoy and bother the heck out of you.”
I scoffed. “He curses.”
“Sorry.”
I rolled my eyes again, stopping before we reached the elevator at the end of the hallway. I moistened my lips before blowing on them hard, producing a long, high-pitched whistle.
“Gods, all right!” Jade walked out of her laboratory with her fingers jammed on her ears. “I heard you, enough already.”
‘We can mind link for a reason, Jasper.’ Boy, was she pissed.
“I’m not going to the estate with Henry,” I told my sister as soon as she joined us.
“Why? Is something wrong?” Jade looked alarmed. As she should. It was always my responsibility to accompany the king wherever he went, especially during lockdowns.
“You can fill her in,” I told Henry before walking past them and entering the elevator.
“You know what she looked like, right?” Henry asked, already scrolling through his phone.
“Yeah, she’s the one with the crown.”
I went to the rooftop of the university’s science building, where an inconspicuous black helicopter was waiting with the engine running idly. We were going to use it to go to the border to meet the princess.
“Is everything in order, Your Grace?” asked the man who was waiting for me by the door. I only nodded awkwardly in assent. “This way, Sir.”
He must be new, I thought to myself. Nobody addresses me like that around here.
I pushed the sleeves of my dress shirt up to my elbows. Even though I’d been doing it for years, I never grew fond of wearing formal attire, even if it was just a shirt. It made me feel confined. Not because of the fit, but because of what they represented. I regretted not changing my clothes after the council meeting I had attended that afternoon.
“I’m Mitchell,” the man told me, shaking my hand. “His Majesty asked us to take you to the southwest border.”
“Yes, if you please,” I told the co-pilot, eyeing the rotating blades anxiously. I already regretted agreeing to the plan. We ducked inside the vehicle, and I wore my seatbelt first before begrudgingly donning the noise-canceling headset they provided. I hated all kinds of vehicles, and I detested helicopters the most. These aviation headsets were useless to me. My ears will still bleed from the noise.
We arrived at the aforementioned border in under forty-five minutes. The border patrols informed us that the Princess Royal of Rozenberg and her entourage were still missing.
“We do not have permission to enter Florin airspace, Sir,” the pilot said as we circled the border.
“It’s alright,” I said, immediately taking control of the situation. “I’ll go to Grand Duke Archton to explain after this. We should focus on our mission first. According to Hen—His Majesty — the princess was passing through the valley. She could be anywhere near here. We have to check.”
“Yes, Your Grace,” the pilot answered before maneuvering towards the Lupine Pass.
Florin Mountain was always a sight to behold, regardless of the time of year. Nobody can look at its beautiful green hills, turquoise rivers, and rainbow meadows without falling in love with it. It’s a shame I couldn’t enjoy looking at it as of the moment. My brows furrowed when I remembered the reason I was there. Traveling on a night like this is always dangerous. Everyone knew werewolves shift during the full moon and go insane. How irresponsible… and cocky. Just because their family invented the infamous Black Herb Poison doesn’t mean they’re invincible. The rogue wolves who claimed Lupine Pass as their territory were particularly ruthless. If left to their own devices, the aristocrat and her convoy will be dead-meat… or worse.
“There!” I called through the microphone on my headset. Both the pilot and co-pilot looked at the small, white moving object I pointed to in the middle of the Lupine Pass.
They maneuvered the helicopter towards the pass and, upon closer inspection, we noticed that the horse-drawn carriage was not alone. Seven horsemen guarded it, all of them unaware of a group of bandits—possibly rogues — hidden by large boulders and were about to ambush them.
“Get closer.”
“But, Sir, the bandits may notice our presence,” Mitchell protested, eyeing the scene below us. “We should go back to the border and—”
“They already know we’re here.” I removed my shoes and unbuttoned my dress shirt before unbuckling my seatbelt. “Call for backup. I’ll help keep the bandits at bay until they arrive.”
I knew there was a manic grin on my face as both pilots looked at me, concerned.
“Sir?”
I tossed the aviator headphones to the empty seat next to me and opened the door of the helicopter despite the pilots’ screams of protest.
I rolled my eyes. “Relax, I got this.”
I let out an exuberant whoop as I leaped from the vehicle; the wind slapping me in the face, tearing at my flimsy shirt, and unraveling my hair from its bun. Gravity aided my descent, and I landed on top of the carriage in a half-crouch, knee, and fist first, superhero-style. It looked cool, but I wouldn’t survive it if I were a normal human, and it would definitely shatter my femur and break every single thing in my body. It’s a good thing the roof was sturdy and empty of luggage as well. As soon as they saw me, the bandits jumped from their hiding spot and attacked the carriage. The impact and noises spooked the horses, causing them to jump sideways, attempting to flee. The vehicle swerved from side to side, speeding up.
“Whoa, boys!” The coachman and his assistant tried everything they could to keep the animals under control, but they were unsuccessful. The reins only burned their hands when they tried to pull on them.
“Here, let me help,” I said, extending out a hand, causing the coachman and his assistant to jump and the reins to slip. The sight of a man so close sent them into a fresh wave of panic.
The assistant drew out a silver dagger from his belt and waved it to my face. “Brigand!”
“No, wait!”
Before I could explain myself, the assistant climbed to where I was and lunged at me. We fought for the knife on top of the carriage.
“Calm down, I’m on your side!” I grabbed the man’s hands, but the coachman’s assistant refused to back down. He was surprisingly strong for a mere human. “I said…”
I growled at the assistant, sharp teeth showing and yellow eyes flashing dangerously. Shocked, the man backed off, lost his footing, and was flung from the racing carriage.
“Argh, what an idiot.” I rushed after him to keep him from hitting the roadside boulders. I wrapped my arms around the man as we rolled across the rugged terrain, shielding him from the rocks and thorns that would surely kill him.
“Stay,” I commanded the assistant as soon as I got up. I massaged my temples as a wave of dizziness hit me. “Is the Princess of Rozenberg in that carriage?”
I gazed down at the terrified man on the ground before noticing the silver blade embedded deep in my left iliac region. I casually removed the offending weapon, and the injury, like my other wounds and abrasions from the fall, healed almost instantly.
“Please, don’t kill me.” The man backed away slowly.
“I won’t,” I assured him. “I’m here for the princess. My name is Jasper, King Henry asked me to—”
I paused when my ears picked up at a distant crash. I hurried towards the sound, my heart thumping in my ribs, bracing myself for the worst. If the princess died today, it would devastate Henry. I shook that thought from my mind, focusing on my running. I discovered the coachman lying on the ground a few feet away from the carriage, unconscious. If the man jumped or was thrown from the carriage before the crash, I wasn’t sure. I could smell blood in the air, but it wasn’t overpowering as I expected, meaning no one was bleeding to death. Grabbing the back of the coachman’s uniform, I checked for injuries, but another scent distracted me from the task. I got to my feet as I noticed a girl stepping out of the partially wrecked carriage.
I could only stare in awe as the girl removed her white wide-brimmed hat and long blonde hair spilled to her shoulders and back in golden waves. When the wind blew past her, her delicious fruity-flowery aroma filled the air, drowning out the other scents. It was a mixture of roses, jasmine, orange, apple, and various berries. I breathe in her fragrance, never getting enough of it.
And then our eyes met. My heart skipped a beat. She resembled a porcelain doll. With her wide green eyes, pert nose, and small heart-shaped lips... she was breath-taking. I briefly wondered if she was the princess, but her simple pink travel cloak and beige-colored pumps made me doubt it. Princesses wore gowns and lavish jewelry. This one doesn’t. The real Selina must be inside the carriage, but I realized I didn’t care. Not now, anyway. I was never interested enough to find out who she was, or what she looked like. Aside from the fact that she wasn't allowed to be photographed and this was her first public appearance, other people’s partners do not pique my curiosity. Henry didn’t talk much about Selina except for the occasional question about how to impress her. Everything I knew about her I learnt against my will.
My gaze kept snapping back at the girl’s face in front of me, still in awe of how beautiful she was. The girl raised her hand, and I noticed she was holding a small revolver; she was shouting at me, but I was distracted and didn’t hear what she said. I assumed she was asking for the coachman, so I threw the man at her feet, amused by how fierce and feisty she was for such a small human woman. She must be the princess’ plainclothes security officer.
“... Who sent you?”
I was about to respond when I heard a low growl and realized the full moon had already risen. A chill ran down my spine. There was a fully shifted werewolf a few feet behind the girl, getting ready to maul her.
I acted on instinct and lunged for her.
“Watch out!”
_______
I squeezed the trigger on my handgun the moment the tramp in front of me moved. I was nimble, but the guy was much faster. Inhumanely so. Tried as I might to keep up with him, shooting at him, but my bullets were at least a millisecond slower, thus only hitting air and the soil surrounding us. When I had emptied my barrel, I knew it was futile to resist, so I closed my eyes, expecting a painful death that never came. There was growling, groaning, and scuffling behind me, like dogs fighting to the death. I opened my eyes, spun around, and took several steps back. On the ground, the guy was grappling with someone or something. It was thin, lanky, and dark. The head looked like a sickly, fur-less dog. My eyes widened in alarm as I realized, with the help of the large white moon, that it was a werewolf. I became acutely aware of my surroundings. I could hear growling and snarling from everywhere. The darkness of the Pass concealed them, but I knew we were surrounded. Hearing a pained yel
“What do you mean, he’s not there?” Everyone could hear the distraught in my voice, but I didn’t care. I was already cranky, tired, hungry, sweaty, my head hurt, and the mesh fabric of the lacy dress I was wearing was already clinging to my skin, making me itch all over. They don’t look like it, but I’m sure both Becca and Helena felt the same way. “For their own protection, we separate the royal family during this time of the month,” Mitchell answered. “Once the full moon lockdown is in effect—” “Full moon lockdown?” Becca piped up. “What is that?” I casted a sidelong glance at the other girl for interjecting in our chat, but I couldn’t blame her; lockdowns weren’t as common in Rozenberg as they were in Volfenheim. “It’s a safety precaution implemented during the full moon to prohibit people from leaving or entering the kingdom or other locations, Your Grace.” The pilot looked uncomfortable, pulling on his collar. “We’ve been doing this since the Occults came ten years ago. You w
I held my breath as I poured the black liquid from the pot onto my bone china cup, under the watchful eyes of Henry’s mother, Empress Camilla. The breakfast table was already set, but there were no servants to serve them, just like how the sovereign liked it. I then poured oat milk with practiced grace. To avoid spilling and touching the sides, I stirred my tea back and forth rather than in a circular motion. I took a small sip from my cup before resetting it on the saucer with barely a clink. It was the morning following the tense encounter with the werewolves at Lupine Pass. Camilla arranged for us to have breakfast in the garden, surrounded by fragrant pine trees and shrubbery, and warmed by the morning sun. It was lovely. But the air was tense and filled with nervous energy. I felt nauseous. My future mother-in-law was friendly, smiling, and a delightful host, but I couldn’t help but feel under intense scrutiny. Like everything was a test. Even Becca could feel it, and I was glad
“What’s with the interrogation?” We all turned to see a dark-haired boy blinking back at us. He was tall, slender, and had a fair complexion. Pretty brown freckles dotted his round face; his long, straight nose was giving him a snobby look, but his light blue eyes were shining with mischief. Dressed in a casual sweatshirt, jeans, and sneakers, he looked like a normal teenager. It was the empire’s 16-year-old spare heir. The king’s little brother, Frederick. “Freddy!” The empress jumped up to hug her son. You could tell she missed him. “Good morning, mom.” The boy wrapped his arm around his mother and closed his eyes, enjoying their embrace. It was refreshing to witness male royals being affectionate to their mothers. Helena touched her abdomen, as though yearning for my baby brother to be as loving as Frederick when he grew up. I smiled, hoping for the same for my future children. “Good morning, everyone,” another voice declared. We all stopped and looked, and it took everything I
“Can I help you?” came a voice from beside me, and I almost jumped in surprise. A woman was standing by the bookstore’s doorway, a few feet away from me. She had silver hair that looked flat and thin, like a grandma, but her skin was free of wrinkles. She must be in her mid to late twenties. “Oh, no, I’m just looking while waiting for my fiancée,” I replied. “Be careful with the book. It’s ancient.” “Excuse me?” The woman stared at her for a few more seconds before vanishing inside the store without a word. “Rude,” I muttered under my breath as I leafed through the book again before slamming it close. I was about to place it back on the shelf when I noticed I was holding an old leather-bound volume. The embossed golden letters on the cover read: Grimoire. I let out a little shriek and dropped the item as if it burned me. “Ew, ew, ew!” I wagged my hands in front of me as if getting rid of something revolting in my hands. What was a witch’s bible doing in a place like this? “Becc
“Selina, I’d like you to meet Jade, president of the student council.” True to his word, Henry called his chauffeur to take us to the university. When we arrived, we stopped by the enormous wooden doors, by the bulletin board where a young woman was waiting. Henry excitedly approached her, both of them smiling and staring at each other for a few seconds before the king introduced us. I inspected the girl in front of me. She was pretty, looked a little older and was about Henry’s height. She was skinny, with a tawny, yellowish-brown complexion, clear brown eyes, an aquiline nose, high cheekbones, and full pink lips. Her jet-black hair was pulled in a hasty ponytail, and she was dressed casually in a university sweatshirt and dark skinny jeans. “Hi, it’s an honor to finally meet you, Princess Selina,” Jade said. She seemed friendly, but I could tell her smile was a little tight. “Henry told us so much about you.” “Did he?” I copied her tone. “All good things, I hope?” “Certainly. An
“Let us start the tour, shall we?” Henry took my hand in his and pushed his way to the front of the throng. Jasper and his younger sister stayed behind, quietly squabbling by the bulletin board. “Aldervolf University is one of the top universities in Volfenheim and in the world,” Jade was saying as we walked through halls and lecture rooms, museums, and other historic places inside the university. “It was home to the greatest scholars that ever lived, including Marion the Great, Lord Volfenheim’s first-born son and heir to the throne.” I was completely oblivious to the tour and the stories because I was too preoccupied with Henry, who had been holding my hand the entire time. He was listening to Jade intently, but he often smiled at me and asked if I was okay. He also introduced me to other students as his fiancée. It almost made every sacrifice and every pain worthwhile. Almost. “The University of Aldervolf’s mission and core values,” Jade continued, stopping at the center of the
“What about you?” I turned to see Julian walking towards me. He was scowling and was still red in the face. Humiliation and anger do that to people. When I looked over behind him, I saw the entire tour group was watching us. “You’re the future empress, but you look like you’re clueless about it, like the rest of us.” “Of course not.” I raised my chin in the air. “Henry told me about it all.” It was a lie, but they don’t need to know that. “So you approve of this?” I don’t, but my stepmother’s words rang in my ears. People loved Henry and his mother and they supported the Royal Family’s decisions. I needed them to love me, too. “The king does not need my approval to do anything. It’s his kingdom,” I said, earning several nods and murmurs from the group. “He knows it better than anyone. Now, if you’ll excuse me...” I left the quad, and as soon as I was far enough from the group, I made a turn to one of the buildings and hid there, trying to calm myself. Although I was born and rais