A vibrant world of brightpetals and lush greenery came to life before me. I pressed my fingers to the petals, watching as they gave way and bloomed brighter, smiling as I sprinted a little farther into the palace gardens, the emblem of the Red Phoenix hanging between the pillars, swaying lightly in the warm tropical breeze, the sun casting everything in a golden haze.
A tiny azure hummingbird caught my attention. It had joined me each day this week and was particularly friendly, darting around me in playful circles, as if it were trying to speak.
I smirked, shaking my head and shooing it playfully, before letting it settle next to me by the pond. Its shimmering feathers glinted in the sunlight, a jewel against the bright green of the leaves.
Suddenly, the birds in the trees went silent, and even the wind seemed to hold its breath. A sound shattered the eerie quiet.
A low, guttural growl.
Emerging from the underbrush, its scales glinting with an oily sheen, was a massive creature with a body that looked like a cross between a lion and a reptile, its scales slick and black, its serpentine tail thrashing violently behind it. Its head was crowned with jagged horns, and its glowing, molten red eyes locked onto me with predatory hunger. Long, sharp teeth protruded from its jaws, and as it snarled, smoke curled from its nostrils.
A Nian. I had only heard of them in myths.
Fear tightened my chest as the Nian crept closer. Its growl vibrated through the air, low and menacing.
I stepped back instinctively, my heart racing, but I knew there was no outrunning it.
Before I could make a move, a shimmer of light flickered beside me. The tiny hummingbird transformed. Before I could comprehend what was happening, the hummingbird that had flitted around me had morphed into a half-grown puma.
It landed protectively between me and the advancing beast, baring its fangs with a snarl that echoed through the garden.
But even as it stood its ground, I wasn’t defenseless. My wings, fiery and powerful, unfurled from my back. I’d just grown them last year when I turned twelve, my first zodiac year.
Without a second thought, I leapt into the air, beating themhard, rising above the threat below. The air was filled with heat and magic, and I hovered, my heart pounding as I watched the standoff unfold.
The Nian growled in frustration, its crimson eyes darting between me and the puma.
The puma looked up toward me, its gaze wide with disbelief.
We stared at each other for a breathless moment when the Nian let out a deafening roar, lunging forward with its serpentine tail lashing through the air. My secret protector leapt forward to meet it, its growl just as fierce.
The Nian bolted into the shadows, its heavy paws crashing through the underbrush. I gently touched down on the ground, my wings folding away against my back and disappearing.
The puma shimmered again, shifting.
The most beautiful boy I had ever seen stood before me, his eyes a soft brown that seemed to hold all the warmth of the sun.
His hair was pure azure blue. Hewasan Azure.
I was startled, frozen in place, but he smiled gently, as if he had been waiting for this moment.
I didn’t return his smile. As the crown princess of my dominion, I’d been taught from a young age about the dangers of treachery. I was heavily veiled at any public function, and often a body double took my place.
“Who are you?” Suspicion laced my words. “Why are you here? Are you a spy?” I asked, my gaze narrowing. I crossed my arms.
He blinked in surprise, his eyes widening at the accusation. For a moment, there was silence. Then a playful smile tugged at the corners of his lips, breaking the tension.
“No,” he said, his voice disarming. “I’m no spy.”
I wanted to believe him. Part of me already did. But the part of me that had been trained in the art of suspicion wasn’t so easily convinced.
“Your mother invited me,” he said.
“Sure she did,” I said disbelievingly. “What do you know of my mother?”
“The Red Queen. She’s famous and beautiful.” He grinned, sauntering closer, hands clasped behind his back. His eyes looked mischievous closer up, and my cheeks heated under his attention. “One of the most powerful nulls ever born. A little eccentric.”
My brow furrowed. “Okay, that’s her. Why would she ask you?”
