Their Hidden Princess

“What happened?” I whispered. “You were doing well,” Valentin said back soft. “Then he got under up. Swiped your foot and had you on your back.” I nodded. I remembered that. Then everything got kind of fuzzy. Valentin sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “He threw you to the ground a few times…

“A mess, aren’t I?” I half-laughed, trying to break the tension. “Oh Gods,” Loren cried. “I knew it was bad but this is worse than I imagined.” “Don’t ever spar with Kairos,” I joked. I waved my air-cast. “Might break a wrist.” Loren said nothing but tenderly wrapped me in a hug. It was the…

“Thanks,” I said, dully. “Yeah,” Max replied, nodding his head. His hand went back to rub at his neck. “Look, I need to ask you something.” My face fell. I was not prepared to handle whatever he was about to throw my way. I pointed over my shoulder. “Basics is starting soon, ya know?” I…

“Oh, Heavens and Hells,” they whispered under their breath. They turned their head to look at their partner in the eyes. “Maja, we have a lot of work to do darling.” I rubbed my eyes again. “Sorry, can I help you?” “We’ve been sent to help you with preparations for the Mateball,” The person with…

Maja laughed again and I smiled softly to myself. I was beginning to think that maybe this wouldn’t be that awful. The car rolled up to the Auditorium, a large stone building covered in the moon phases, and came to a stop. Maja got out and opened the door for me but that’s as far…

“It’s okay!” she said, perky as ever. “I can still choose a mate. But that’s a whole different type of Mateball.” I nodded. “What happens then?” Petyr gestured towards the dancefloor with a smug smirk. “If you look there, you’ll see how the Chosen mates court one another,” he said. I looked over my shoulder…

I shook for only a moment before I felt fabric be draped across my skin. Then, a warm hand on my shoulder. I closed my eyes for the hundredth time that night and fell into a sleep that only seemed inevitable. When I woke up, I heard the familiar beeping that I associated with the…

“But it’s true,” Kairos went on. “There are four of us that the Queen picked for this mysterious princess. You, me, Max and fucking douche-bag Lunerly. Twenty-five percent chance that one of us gets her.” “Yeah,” Thorne mumbled. “Great.” “Your chance at happiness shouldn’t be twenty-five percent,” Kairos continued. “Probably less than that. What if…

I rolled my eyes then saluted him. “You got it, coach.” This is the worst flirting I’ve ever seen, my wolf chimed in as Valentin laughed at me. I rolled my eyes again and started back towards the locker room. It’s not flirting, I told her. Secretly, I kinda agreed but she didn’t need to…

Valentin’s eyes were still dark when I arrived at his office. His jaw was clenched as he pushed the rotary phone on his desk towards me. He said nothing as I picked it up and held the receiver to my ear. I ducked my eyes down, away from his white-hot gaze. “Hello?” I mumbled. “Well?!”…