4: The Charming Prince

~ Kaia ~

The first thing I felt when I woke up was pain. The second was panic.

I shot upright, my hand flying straight to my pocket before I was fully awake. The bottle was still there. Three pills. Still three. I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.

"You're losing it," I muttered to myself.

After yesterday's training, I probably deserved to. Every muscle in my body protested as I climbed out of bed — shoulders aching, thighs burning, even my hands sore from gripping my stick for hours. Ryker Pierce hadn't simply trained me. He'd dismantled me.

I caught my reflection in the dorm mirror while buttoning my academy shirt. Dark circles beneath my eyes. Hair tucked carefully beneath my cap. Binder secure. Voice low. Kai Blackwood stared back at me.

Good. Kaia could stay hidden a little longer.

The morning classes blurred together — Introduction to Supernatural History, Combat Theory, Pack Politics. Apparently every class at Crescent Moon assumed you'd one day be responsible for ruling someone. I spent most of it pretending I belonged. No one questioned me. No one looked twice. For once, blending in actually worked.

Then Biology happened. Or rather, *finding* Biology.

I stood in the middle of a stone courtyard, turning the academy map upside down for the tenth time. "This thing is lying."

"You've been staring at that map for five minutes."

I nearly jumped out of my skin. Luca Pierce stood a few feet away, hands tucked casually into his jacket pockets, grinning like this was the best part of his day.

"You look like you're trying to solve an ancient prophecy," he said.

"I think the map hates me."

He leaned in, pretending to inspect it. "No."

"What?"

"It definitely hates you."

I snorted before I could stop myself. Great. Less than twenty-four hours and he was already making me laugh.

"I need Biology."

"Wrong building. You're on the opposite side of campus."

"Seriously?"

"Very. And it gets worse."

"Worse?"

"We haven't even reached the underground tunnels yet."

"The what?"

He winced. "Maybe I wasn't supposed to tell freshmen about those."

"You enjoy confusing people, don't you?"

"A little."

"I noticed."

"Come on." He nodded toward the far end of campus. "I'll show you."

Walking beside Luca turned out to be a mistake — not because of him, because of everyone else. Students moved aside before we reached them. Conversations stopped. Heads turned.

"They're looking at you," I muttered.

"Really?" Luca glanced around, all fake innocence. "They're probably wondering why the terrifying Captain Luca Pierce is walking around with a first year."

"Terrifying?"

"I have a reputation."

"You smile too much to be terrifying."

"I'll work on that."

"You don't have to." I rolled my eyes.

His smile softened. "You'll fit in here."

"What makes you think that?"

"You skate like you belong."

Nobody had ever put it that way before. Not talented. Not gifted. *Belonged.* The warmth behind my ribs flickered again, and this time it didn't hurt.

We crossed an arched bridge overlooking another rink.

"Six hockey teams," Luca explained. "Freshmen start in Wolves. Ravens are defensive specialists. Falcons focus on speed. The Titans—" he winced "—hit first and apologize never."

"I'll remember not to annoy them."

"Good plan." He pointed toward a building overlooking the campus like a palace. "Royal Wing. Where I live."

"You say that like it's a prison."

"It has my brothers."

I laughed. "They're always this serious?"

"Ryker's been serious since birth. Elias reads books for fun." His smile faded slightly. "And Van..."

"What?"

He looked toward the athletic fields. "I've never seen him act the way he did yesterday."

My heartbeat stumbled. "What do you mean?"

"He doesn't lose control. He shoved someone across the ice. He never does that."

"I probably just got in the way."

Luca didn't answer right away. When he did, his voice had gone quieter. "No. I think something about you got in *his* way."

A chill slipped down my spine. Before I could ask what that meant, the bell rang, and the courtyard dissolved into noise and motion around us.

High above the walkway, someone was watching us. I felt it — that prickling awareness at the back of my neck — and looked up.

Van. Even from this distance, those golden eyes found mine instantly. He wasn't looking at the crowd. Not at Luca. Just me. His jaw flexed, one hand curling slowly into a fist against the railing.

"What is he doing?" I whispered.

Luca followed my gaze. His smile disappeared. For the first time since we'd met, he looked uneasy.

Then Ryker stepped onto the balcony beside his brother. He didn't look at me. He looked at Van — just once, no words, no gesture — and something invisible passed between them anyway. Van's shoulders stiffened, then unclenched. He turned and walked away without another glance.

"What was that?" I asked.

"I honestly don't know," Luca said, and that answer unsettled me more than if he'd had one.

He shook himself out of it. "Come on. Your Biology class is in there."

"Thanks."

"Anytime." I'd made it three steps before he called after me. "Hey, Kai. Where's home?"

Everything inside me froze.

*Blackwood Estate.* No. Too dangerous. Dad had warned me.

Think. Think.

"My family lives..."