Cursed Princess

Elise’s POV

The journey to the Royal Academy took over a month.

The first week was nothing but snow. By the second week, the roads had narrowed into endless forests.

Then the third week came, and everything changed.

The kingdom’s banners disappeared. Travelers spoke languages I didn’t understand, and some weren’t even human.

My fingers tightened around the edge of the carriage window as a young man with pointed ears rode past beside a woman with a long silver tail.

“Maya.”

“Yes, Your Highness?”

“Did you see that?”

Maya leaned toward the window. Her eyes widened.

“I did.”

Growing up in the Cold Palace had taught me about loneliness, hunger, and bitter winter nights. Sneaking into the streets had shown me a little more of the world.

But beyond our kingdom?

I knew nothing.

Another carriage passed, pulled by beasts twice the size of ordinary horses. A little girl poked her head out of its window, revealing two small horns before quickly disappearing again.

“She has horns,” I whispered.

“She does, Your Highness.”

For the first time in my life, I wasn’t the strangest person on the road.

I smiled. “Perhaps the Academy won’t be so bad after all.”

“I think so too.” Maya giggled.

By the time the academy came into view, that tiny hope had begun to grow.

Massive gates stood atop a hill, protecting towers that seemed to pierce the clouds.

“That’s the Academy?” Maya breathed.

The closer we came, the larger it became. Statues lined both sides of the gates, each depicting a different race.

Wolves.

Vampires.

Faes.

Dragons.

Humans.

My eyes stopped on the human statue. Vines covered its body, and half its face had crumbled away.

“How reassuring,” I whispered.

Carriages crowded the road ahead. Some were covered in gold, while others were large enough to carry entire households.

As soon as we passed through the gates, noise erupted around us. Servants unloaded trunks while students greeted old acquaintances and attendants shouted directions.

Our carriage stopped before the main grounds.

“We have arrived, Your Highness,” the coachman announced.

The moment I heard those words, my excitement vanished.

After more than a month on the road, I was finally here.

I stepped down and immediately felt several eyes turn toward me.

A group of students nearby stared at my rounded ears before noticing the crest on my cloak. One whispered something, and the others laughed.

So much for no longer being the strangest person around.

Maya climbed down behind me. “Your Highness—”

“Not so loudly,” I whispered. “Remember? Live quietly.”

Her face paled, her expression twisting with apology. “I’m sorry.”

“From now on, call me Elise.”

“I couldn’t possibly.”

“You used to call me a stubborn little mule whenever I stole food from the kitchen.”

“That was before I knew you were hiding beneath the table.”

“And yet you continued afterward.”

Before she could answer, a blue-skinned attendant approached us.

“Students must proceed to the Hall of Admission,” he said. “Servants and coachmen are not permitted within the inner grounds.”

Maya stiffened. “So soon?”

But the attendant had already moved on to the next carriage.

Hundreds of students streamed through a second set of gates. Once I crossed them, Maya couldn’t follow.

Fear tightened around my chest. I didn’t know what awaited me beyond those gates. All I knew was that I wanted a peaceful education.

Maya took my hand. “Your Highness.”

“You’ll be alright,” I said.

“No, I’m worried about you.”

“Then I’ll be alright,” I repeated, glancing around just in case.

When I looked back, her expression softened.

“Elise,” she reluctantly corrected herself. “Please stay away from trouble.”

“I’ve never gone looking for trouble.”

Maya gave me a knowing look.

So I added, “Trouble simply has an unhealthy attachment to me.”

“That is exactly what worries me,” she said with a sigh.

I squeezed her hand before pulling away. “I’ll be alright. I’ll see you this weekend.”

Reluctance was clear in her eyes, but she still nodded. 

With that, I turned and followed the other students through the inner gates.

And just like that, I was alone.

I tightened my grip on my satchel.

“Live quietly and avoid trouble,” I whispered. “Graduate without anyone remembering my name.”

Simple.

All I had to do was reach the Hall of Admission without attracting attention.

I had taken no more than twenty steps when someone slammed into my shoulder. The impact sent me stumbling sideways. My satchel fell open, scattering my documents across the stone path.

“Watch where you’re going,” someone snapped.

I spun around. “Me? You were the one—”

But the student had already disappeared into the crowd.

I clenched my jaw.

“Quiet life,” I reminded myself. “Quiet enough to make a dead rat look noisy.”

I forced a smile, something I wasn’t truly used to doing. Then I crouched to retrieve my documents. Before I could reach the nearest one, a boot nearly came down on my hand.

Fortunately, someone caught the approaching student by the arm.

I looked up. The student appeared ready to complain—until she saw who had stopped her.

“Careful,” a calm, gentle voice said.

The student blushed, making me wince a little.

“My apologies,” she murmured before scrambling away.

“What a strange fellow,” I mumbled.

Then a hand appeared before me.

“You should stand,” the same calm voice said. “Unless you intend to spend your first day beneath everyone’s feet.”

I looked up.

The young man had light green eyes and hair the color of lush leaves. His uniform was immaculate, and the cloak around his shoulders bore a crest I didn’t recognize.

He smiled. Not the mocking kind I knew too well, but a real one.

“I can manage,” I said.

He lowered his hand and crouched beside me.

“I can see that.” Then he began gathering my documents. “But being capable of doing something alone doesn’t mean you must.”

My lips parted, but no words came out. How was I supposed to respond to that? Kindness without being asked was new to me.

He picked up the final document, only to pause at the royal seal stamped across it.

“Elise Artlion,” he read.

Hearing my name slip past his lips snapped me out of my thoughts. My stomach sank, and I panicked, snatching the document from him.

“Thank you,” I said as I shoved everything into my satchel.

“You’re welcome.”

When we stood, I forced another smile.

It was a good thing he hadn’t run away. Maya always said my smile could scare children. That was why she kept nagging me to practice.

But as I turned, I noticed several students watching us.

My brows furrowed. Some looked shocked, while others appeared openly displeased.

“Why is everyone staring?” I asked.

The green-haired stranger glanced around. “They’re probably curious.”

“About what?”

I looked back at him, studying his gorgeous face.

Right then and there, I realized they were probably curious about such a handsome young man.

How could someone with such a perfect face exist?

I would be curious too.

Just then, a bell rang from inside the academy. I instinctively looked up.

“You should hurry,” he said. “The Hall of Admission closes after the third bell.”

My eyes widened. “What?”

He merely shrugged.

“Which building is it?” I blurted out.

He pointed toward the largest tower across the courtyard.

I took a hurried step, then stopped and looked back at him.

“What happens if I’m late?”

His expression remained perfectly pleasant. “You’re rejected.”

I stared at him for a second… then I ran as fast as a horse. 

“Damn it!”

*****

Evander’s POV

I smiled as I watched the little human sprint toward the distant tower. The students’ whispers buzzed around me, but I paid them no mind.

“I hope she makes it,” I murmured. “She seems quite colorful.”

As I turned and walked away, I heard the students whispering.

“Is that really Prince Evander?” one gasped. “The crown prince of the Faes?”

I shut out the voices, using my ability to mute everything around me.

“Elise Artlion,” I muttered, the corners of my mouth lifting. “The supposedly cursed princess of Artlion.”

I glanced toward the tower.

“Well, I suppose this year won’t be so dull after all.”