Chapter 1

          I 

An Unpleasant Encounter 

Mira Solice

Mira woke up disoriented with a throbbing pain at the center of her forehead. She squinted as her grey eyes adjusted to the brightness in the room, staring up at the ceiling and slowly realizing she was not in her home. Paintings of baby cherubs and clouds filled her vision. Where was she? Someone’s foot was right next to her face and Mira pulled her long hair free as she attempted not to disturb the other girls. 

Last night, Amora had invited her friends over to celebrate Nadine’s recent engagement in the most avant-guarde and niche way possible, filled with spectacles of performers from all over the kingdom from fire dancers, puppeteers, storytellers, and masked singers. Mira had blacked out shortly before dessert had been served and didn’t remember much after that. 

With a stifled yawn, she slipped down the side of the bed as she plodded off to Amora’s peculiar bathroom. The decor looked like it had been painted by a clown, with vibrant greens, pinks, and yellows splattered across the walls. Framed paintings of cute flying animals decorated the walls and Mira couldn’t help but notice that her friend had actually rotated out the old paintings in favor of new ones. Mira looked at her disheveled reflection in the mirror, her hair was all tangled up and her face looked paler than usual. She leaned over the basin and splashed some cold water on her face. She could hear the sounds of birds chirping outside, it was probably sometime around early morning. 

Trying to avoid waking up her friends, Mira walked over to Amora’s closet and slipped on the easiest dress she could find along, something comfortable and a pair of slippers. As Mira tip-toed out the double doors she carefully closed them as softly as she could. 

***

It was breezy outside causing her hair to flutter against the wind as she strolled through the gardens. Although the flowers weren’t in bloom yet, the landscapers had done a great job with the shrubs and gravel paths. Mira was hoping that a morning walk would help her get rid of the unsettling feeling in her stomach. The girl was just rounding a corner of the maze when someone yanked her by the wrist. Mira almost tripped backward as she spun to face the person who had grabbed her. 

“What are you doing here?” demanded a male voice. 

The girl blinked in confusion, looking up at the boy. Unsure what she was doing wrong that warranted this type of treatment, followed by a sense of frustration that her pleasant morning was suddenly being interrupted. She scoffed and met his eyes. His features were similar to Amora and Damian, the Lee twins, but his face had harder features, and certainly a more intimidating gaze. Unsure of who he was, she maintained her guard. Just as Zenovia had warned her. Mira couldn’t afford to make any enemies yet. 

“Do we know each other or something? Because you don’t seem like someone I’d want to remember,” she said pulling her arm away from his grasp. 

“Are you a spy? Working for an enemy country perhaps?” His arms were crossed over his chest. “I’ve never seen you around here before.” 

Mira let out a dry laugh and pointed at herself in disbelief. “You think I’m a spy?” A red hue crept up her face as she was quickly getting agitated by the man. She was steeling herself to say a spew of curses toward him, but her thoughts were interrupted again by his matter-of-fact tone. 

“I saw you talking to her last night,” he continued. “The Veleno woman. Reyna. How do you know her?”

“She’s a friend of my mother's. I suppose you haven’t heard of her either?” 

“Who?”

“Zenovia Solice. That ring a bell for you?” 

He gave her a suspicious gaze. “Zenovia doesn’t have any children. She never wed.” 

“And because of that, you believe I’m a spy?” Mira’s cheeks were burning hot and she closed the distance between the two of them, shoving him back with a jab of her finger. “Seriously, who do you think you are? I’ve never seen you around either but I don’t go around harassing people and demanding who and what they are doing.” 

His hand reached for the hilt of his sword and she immediately paled. Her eyes quickly darting between the weapon at his side and any possible route she could take to run away and call for help. 

“I’ll ask again,” he said calmly, his grip on the hilt of the sword tightening. He looked down at her once more. “What are you doing here?” 

She nervously glanced down at his weapon. “Don’t.” Her voice came out fainter than she expected it to. Or maybe her racing heartbeat was the loudest thing she could hear. “I’m friends with Amora and Nadine–I was invited to the engagement party and then the three of us had a sleepover, we met during the last years of the royal academy–” she explained quickly. “I was the first one to wake up and thought to take a stroll.” She gulped and looked around. Hopefully, he bought her explanation or else she might have to defend herself and risk exposure. 

“I see,” he nodded. His hand removed itself from his sword and instead, he tugged at his shirt collar. An awkward silence passed between the two. “I’m sorry for scaring you,” he said after a moment, glancing over at her. “You’re wearing my cousin’s clothes so I don’t think you’re lying about that.”

Mira looked down at the dress she borrowed from Amora. “Cousins? I’ve never seen you before.”

He scratched the back of his head and looked up at the morning sky. “I was sent to the city for magic defense training two years ago. I just returned last night.” 

Mira studied his face closely. While he had a striking resemblance to the Lees, his face looked worn, as if he had spent most of his time outdoors fighting to survive than getting pampered or doted on by staff. He was handsome. His frame was tall and muscular as expected of a soldier, but he carried himself with a dignified aura. His understanding of noblemen and their families also indicated that he was someone of high status. 

“And you are?” he asked raising a brow. 

“Mira Solice.”

“You’re lying.”

“Excuse me?” 

“I recall Zenovia, your ‘mother’ never marrying or having children before I left.” He placed his hands behind his back as if he was in deep thought. “So how does she suddenly have a daughter that’s your age? A bit odd if you ask me.” 

She clenched her fists at her side. He looked only a year older than her, not that it mattered, but part of her felt insulted. Her nineteenth birthday was coming up in a few months and that meant she wasn’t even of age in society yet. “My father was a distant relative and after he drank himself to death, Zenovia took me in as her own daughter. She named me her heir only last year.”

“Your house is a small one.” He noted, “Solices don’t live very long.”

“Oh, so you know a lot about other family’s histories.” 

“No.” He scrunched his brows for a moment, thinking about something before studying her again. He almost looked amused. “I’m Kyro. You might know my father, Alan Zhang.”

Mira said nothing except nod. She wasn’t about to say anything that would raise his suspicions further. She wondered how long this interaction would be maybe she could snake away from this conversation. 

“He remarried Reyna Veleno recently, although I don’t like that woman very much.” Kyro said, watching her reaction closely.

“Sounds like you have mommy issues,” she quipped. 

This time, his lips turned into a smile. Although his eyes were still scrutinizing her. “Perhaps you're right.. But what did you talk to that woman about?”

“I wish I could enlighten you Mr. Zhang, but frankly I don’t know you, nor do I care enough about your issues to entertain them. Good day.” Mira turned her foot to leave and got a few steps in before she felt a tug at her sleeve.

“Do you really not know who I am?” He asked. 

She did. The Zhangs produced the best combat and magic defense soldiers in the kingdom. People who hunted and killed Tainted for generations. One of the most difficult houses to fight against. Zenovia had spent hours having Mira memorize the most influential members. Those with the most political power or others with a talent for fighting and defending themselves against magic users. When he mentioned his name to her, she remembered reading through his academic records, all the training notes his instructors put on his file, and how many Tainted he’s killed. “No,” she responded with a blink. “I guess your stepmother forgot to mention you.” 

Another lie. Although, she wasn’t too sure he’d fall for it. “Actually,” she said, scratching at her head. “Now that I think about it… Amora mentioned some of her cousins would show up for the prince’s wedding. You must be one of them.”

He nodded. “We do have a lot of family members. Sorry about earlier. I’m not well versed in the affairs of the other houses.”

She could tell he was only telling a partial truth, but she returned his nod and extended her hand. “No offense taken.”

He shook her hand. “Good. I’ll see you around then,” he said before walking off. 

Mira watched him leave, swiping her hand on her dress.