I only get two steps before he responds, “I thought you knew better.” My steps falter, but I refuse to give him the satisfaction of turning around. “Don’t believe everything you hear.” Shame and annoyance prick my body as I storm away. Am I acting childish? Yes. Is he correct? Also yes. Do I want to apologize? Nope.
Ignoring him as best I can, I navigate toward the second-level classrooms, where holographic signs hover over each door, announcing which room is dedicated to each subject. The sounds of chatter and laughter echo off the walls, alerting me to my destination. Still, it’s the palpable tension between Anders and me that commands my focus—that and the storm brewing between us.
Down the long hall toward the back, I find the bridge to the Executive Hall almost instantly, thanks to the crowd, and make my way across, only to get stuck at the entrance. I can feel the heat of Anders at my back as we are met with a bottleneck of students from all three dorms shuffling into the same space.
The hall is bigger than any other Order’s. Arched windows make up the back wall, overlooking the forest behind it, with long, thick drapes running the height of the wall. There’s a dais located in front where professors are already gathering.
The room is shaped in a semi-circle broken into three colors. Veker is positioned to the right, featuring its deep forest green seats. Bragr is positioned to the left, with its light ivory seats, and the navy blue seats at the center of the room are reserved for Taeolyn.
“Raea,” Kellan waves from ahead. I shake off the strange buzz of energy and make my way over to him. “Hey, I saved us seats.” He wraps his arm around my shoulders as we turn up the stairs behind us into the Taeolyn section and find seats along the third row on the second level.
There’s a hum in the air as students trickle in and find their friends. Around the hall, the seats are filling up with juniors and seniors. I scan the crowd, taking in the sight of familiar faces and noting who has been placed where. It’s one of my favorite things about the first day back.
My kingdom is the largest, and as the sole heir, my parents keep me secluded when I’m not in school. I just want to fit in. I want the other women to like me, but it feels like I’m always the outsider. When I try to join in, everyone typically grows quiet, out of respect or annoyance, I’m not sure. So I watch. I watch, and I smile and remind myself I’m blessed to have the friends I do.
The hall grows louder while Kellan recounts his first meeting with his new dorm mate. It’s all I hear before his voice is muffled because, as much as I shouldn’t, I can’t keep my eyes off Anders, especially now that he’s not looking my way. It’s then that I reallynoticehim for the first time, or at least allow myself to.
Since I last saw him over a year ago, time has been kind to him–too kind, really. His face is carved into sharp angles, impossibly gorgeous, and his locks of dark brown hair, nearly black, are styled in a way that looks effortlessly perfect. I can’t help but fantasize about running my fingers through it, tousling those silky strands just enough to see his reaction. The thick, dark hair contrasts with his piercing blue eyes.
Anders’ complexion is a rich, sun-kissed olive shade, evidence of long days spent on sandy beaches at home, where his palace resides. As if this weren’t enough to enthrall me, the tattoo wrapping around his left arm catches my eye. It’s a blue and black octopus that is said to safeguard the Okenen kingdom. The design clings to his bulging biceps, stretching over his skin and peeking just above the edge of his collar, leaving me to question what other tattoos might be hidden beneath layers of clothes. His other arm bears the crest of his kingdom tattooed on his right bicep. I want to trace it with the tips of my fingers.
He stands tall, towering over most of the other students and staff around him, and it’s impossible to ignore the sheer strength radiating from him. Even in the all-black uniform, the outlines of his tonedmuscles are evident in the firm contours of his torso, the definition in his arms, and the powerful build of his thighs in his combat pants. An inappropriate desire spreads through me as I drink all of him in, imagining what it would be like to be pressed beneath his weight.
Anders is, without a doubt, the most attractive person I’ve ever met. It’s a shame that he doesn’t have a sparkling personality to match.
For a minuscule second, I allow the defenses of my mental shield that protects my Bond to open. I have been practicing over break to visualize and construct a white iron gate to conceal the Bond that flows aimlessly about. But when I let those gates open, I’m immediately overwhelmed by a surge of intense light so powerful that it has me gasping for air. Startled, I slam my mental gates closed, shutting him out. There’s no way I can entertain my Bond with him. Not now, not ever.
“Raea?” Kellan asks, breaking my gaze.
“What?” I ask, only now realizing I haven’t heard anything he has said for the last few minutes. Embarrassment washes over me.What the hell was that?My eyes snap back to Anders one last time, and I find him staring back, something dark lurking in the depths of those beautiful eyes despite his emotionless face.Did he feel it, too?
“I asked if you’ve received your schedule yet,” Kellan says, brows knitted together. Sweat begins to bead, pooling on my lower back, and I shift uncomfortably. They need to turn on the air.
“I think we get them in Divisions.”Why do I feel so breathless?The question is there on the tip of his tongue, but the projection of a voice cuts it off before he has the chance to ask.
“Attention. Attention!” Chancellor Xara calls out over the speaker, saving me from my flustered thoughts. My eyes swing to the dais, finding the Chancellor looking around the room. I exhale a breath I didn’t know I was holding, noting her vibrant amber eyes against her ebony skin, her jet-black hair braided into a tight crown. She is fierce and loyal, a leader I admire. The room falls silent as I settle into the comfortable seat. “Great, you all listen,” she chuckles alongside the students.
“Welcome back to another year of Drithm Academy. Most of you know each other. Some are transfers from other schools. I expect you all to act like the nobility you are. You are now in your dorms; next, you are assigned to your divisions. Seniors, you maintain your assigned divisions from last year.
“As Executives, you are the leaders, the oldest, the example for younger students, bearing the most responsibility. This year’s dorm leaders are as follows.” Only then do I notice other students mingling among the professors—all except Anders. His hands tuck into his pants, a look of pure boredom on his face, as if he has somewhere else to be. As a prince, he attends far worse meetings, yet he could at least try to appear happy.
As a royal, it’s ingrained in us that everyone watches. It’s unfair, a simple fact. Every movement is judged and scrutinized, and people wait for a slip-up. I know what one little mistake can mean—the media’s whispers of “spoiled princess,” “unstable heir.” Anders belongs up there, acting as Okenen’s future; heistheir future.
“Taeolyn, your dorm leader is Prince Anders Rykerson.”What?My heart stutters, a physical jolt. Only now do I realize how daft I am. Of course, he is. The sheer arrogance of his early stance, the way he commanded attention even then...it all clicks into place.His dorm.I huff a disbelieving laugh, leaning back as my thoughts flee.
Energy ripples up my spine, the jolt so quick I almost hiss. I bite into my bottom lip, reaching for Kellan, half expecting static to zap him. To my playful annoyance, nothing happens. Kellan’s brow lifts in question as I pout like a petulant child whose prank failed. He chuckles, snaking an arm around me, tugging me closer until my head rests on his shoulder. “You’re warm,” he whispers.
“It’s just hot in here.” He looks at me like I’ve lost my mind, but I settle onto his shoulder again, uncaring.
“Veker, your dorm leader is Lord Elex Morrison.” Elex, slender and impeccably dressed, steps forward. He looks ready for an intelligence meeting. “Bragr, your dorm leader is Lady Corine Cazl.” The tall redhead steps forward, arms behind her back, nodding like she accepts orders.
“For some of you, this is your final year as a senior Executive. You will take on leadership roles, working alongside our kingdoms to learn what awaits after graduation or begin transitioning into selected new roles. Your king makes the final choice.” She pauses, glancing around the room at the two hundred or so students. Her eyes connect with mine, a soft smile crossing her face. Though our relationship is not always smooth, she often puts my parents in their place when they overstep in the name of “protecting” me.
“As Executives, we brief you on current happenings; we do not shield you. So it is my duty to explain today’s events.” The room falls unnaturally quiet. “As we understand so far, the veil had a momentary loss of power, lasting no more than five minutes.” Whispers spread through the crowd. “During that time, a temporary loss in magic occurred throughout the system. Reports are still being assessed, but it appears that one of Terria’s volcanoes in Kadora has erupted, reaching a nearby village. Efforts are underway to recover survivors.” Gasps, then a cry, ripple through the room. My stomach sinks, my mind whirling with questions. We know the veil weakens, though even the best scientists and historians cannot fully explain why. “We will update you as more information comes in. Keep your tablet on you. Continuing on.”
After Chancellor Xara finishes introducing this year’s classes and professors, we are dismissed into our dorm halls. With Kellan at my side, we make our way to the top of the stadium seating, finding our places along the edge. The Taeolyn hall is smaller, its purpose the same, but now it is Anders’ territory.
I have spent years waiting for this moment. This is the height of excitement in my life, the closest I get to freedom. Once I graduate, I spend my days shadowing my mother, attending luncheons and events with a fixed smile. No more hiking forests, no more monitoring intelligence channels, no more piloting transports. I plan to make the most of these two years.
