The Princess Trials

CHAPTER 1: PRINCESS ASTRAEA

RAEA’S POV

I sat completely still, staring blankly at my tutor on fantasy arts and pretending to pay rapt attention. In hindsight, I really should’ve just stayed in the stifling etiquette lesson room. But no, I had to go and get caught by Mrs. bloody Peters and be forced to attend this nightmare instead, all because my regular etiquette tutor had the audacity to take a sick leave.

I glanced again at the ornate clock hanging on the heavy stone wall, wondering why on earth three minutes could feel this incredibly long. The slow, rhythmic tick-tick-tick was actual torture. Why I was being forced to learn about stupid fantasy creatures, their ancient races, their weird cultures, and all other sorts of useless bullshit was still entirely beyond me. Everyone in the world is a damn human. There are no fairytales, and there are absolutely no fantasy creatures, so I really didn’t get the point of all this. I’d begged Mom to let me drop the class, but she just insisted it was “important.” Because sure, memorizing the behavioral patterns of mythical beasts is a highly essential life skill.

Language, love, Thalia’s voice echoed in my head, smooth and calm as always.

Yes, I know. I don’t believe in fantasy, and yet here I am, living with two distinct voices inside my own skull. They call themselves Thalia and Lumen, naming themselves after my middle and last names. Personally, I’m entirely convinced I’m going insane. No one in the history of the world has ever talked about hearing friendly roommate voices in their head unless they were seriously mentally disturbed—a fact I have slowly and gracefully come to accept. Naturally, I haven’t told a soul, and I probably never will. I don’t exactly plan on spending the rest of my life locked inside a sterile psychiatric ward.

I looked back at the clock. Only sixty seconds left. Grinning at my tutor, I started the final countdown in my head. Mrs. Peters knew exactly how much I detested this subject, but she harbored a deep, personal hatred for me too, and she absolutely lived for any opportunity to torment me.

You broke a teacup on her daughter’s head!!! Thalia yelled, her voice vibrating behind my temples.

She totally deserved it, I shot back mentally. She was running her mouth, claiming I was sleeping with Rowen. I mean, he’s basically like my dad. Ugh. I shivered slightly at the sheer disgust of the rumor.

I still say we should’ve thrown the whole ceramic jug at her, Lumen piped up, her tone dripping with dark, casual mischief.

You see? I directed back to Thalia. Lumen gets it.

That’s because she’s a psychopath, Raea. No offense, Lu.

None taken, Lumen replied breezily. And Rae, you might want to respond to your tutor now. She’s been trying to get your attention for a while.

Shit. Thanks.

I quickly snapped my eyes back to Mrs. Peters. The polite, fake smile she usually wore had vanished entirely. When she realized I was finally paying actual attention to her, she tried to force her mouth back into a pleasant curve, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. If looks could kill, I’d have been dead seven hundred times over, pureed, and then molded into putty with the sheer force of the glare she was leveling at me. She stood there in her stiff, high-collared dress, looking like a disapproving vulture.

“My princess,” she said, her voice laced with thin, sugary sweetness, “I’ve been trying to get your attention for the past five minutes, but it seems you were rather preoccupied with your own thoughts.”

I offered her my most dazzling, gracious royal smile. “My apologies, Mrs. Peters. I was just thinking deeply about… the, uh, the order of the mate stage. The whole fated mate topic, you know?”

Mrs. Peters’ eyes gleamed. “Yes, it is a rather fascinating topic. And seeing as you have developed such a sudden, passionate interest in it, I would like you to do some thorough research of your own on the subject and—”

“Oh, I don’t think that’s necessary,” I interrupted smoothly. “I’m completely fine with just listening to your wonderful lectures. Besides, doing independent research seems like it would just put extra, unnecessary work on you to grade it…”

“Princess, please. I insist,” she said, her smile turning thoroughly smug as she cornered me.

I clenched my jaw but kept the smile plastered on my face. “Of course. I’ll see you next tomorrow then.”

She smiled triumphantly, curtsied low—almost mockingly—and muttered, “My Princess.” Without even waiting for my formal acknowledgement, she turned on her heel and swept out of the room. I glared at the back of her tightly pinned hair until the heavy wooden door finally clicked shut behind her.

I want to bash her face in. Graghhh!

To be honest, you kinda walked right into that one, Thalia pointed out dryly.

No one asked you, Thalia!

I actually have some suggestions on how to make sure she doesn’t see the sun tomorrow… Lumen offered.

Never mind, ladies. Thanks, though, I said, projecting a warm mental smile to them both. I know what you’re thinking—but since I’m already certified insane, I might as well indulge in the company.

I looked toward the door and pushed myself up from my seat. The glorious, saving grace of this awful morning was that I had absolutely no other classes scheduled for the rest of the day.

Wasting no time, I threw open the classroom doors and bolted out into the grand hallway without waiting for my guard detail—Rowen, Elias, or Kai. Within seconds, I heard the rapid, heavy thud of combat boots echoing on the polished stone floors behind me, accompanied by my name being bellowed down the corridor.

I looked back over my shoulder, offering my chasing guardians a cheerful thumbs-up and blowing them flying kisses. They glared at me in return, running hard, though Kai managed to wink at me. He frantically nodded his head toward something directly in my path—which I realized, a fraction of a second too late, was a massive, priceless porcelain vase.

*SMASH!*

“Oops!” I didn’t even slow down. They were going to catch me eventually, but I was determined to reach the sanctuary of the kitchens before they tackled me.

I flew down another spiraling flight of stone stairs and whipped a sharp left, bursting through the double doors of the kitchen and sliding to a halt. The air was thick and heavenly, smelling of fresh yeast, vanilla, and warm, melted butter. Standing near the massive prep tables was our head cook, Madame Louvre—whom everyone affectionately called Mama—in her usual flour-dusted apron, thoroughly scolding Pippa.

I grinned, shaking my head. Pippa, my youngest personal maid, had messy brown curls and a knack for mischief; she and trouble attracted each other like high-powered magnets and metal.

Stealthily, I tiptoed up behind Mama’s stout, comforting frame and wrapped my arms around her in a sudden, tight bear hug.

She gasped, turning around to face me, her stern expression instantly melting into a warm smile. Just as she opened her mouth to greet me, the heavy kitchen doors burst open, and the guys finally caught up, practically skidding onto the tiled floor.

I spun around to face them, resting my hands on my hips and smirking as they tried to catch their breath. “Slow pokes.”

Mama shook her head, turning a formidable scowl onto the three breathless guards. “How many times have I told you boys not to come running into my kitchen?” she scolded, raising a wooden spoon.

“We were chasing after Raea!” Kai argued, pointing an accusing finger at me, his chest still heaving. “She ran in here first!”

I turned my head slightly, flashing the boys a wicked, teasing grin that Mama couldn’t see, before instantly morphing my face into an expression of pure, wide-eyed innocence for her. “Did I run in here, Mama?”

Mama patted my arm protectively and glared at the trio. “No, she did not. But you boys certainly did.”

The guards finally got their breathing under control, straightening their postures. Rowen, my oldest and most experienced guard, stood broad-shouldered and rugged, glaring down at me with a look that was incredibly stern but betrayed by the soft, fond crinkles around his eyes. Elias stood next to him, as silent and still as a statue. He was staring at the freshly baked pastries laid out on the center table with such intense, dark-eyed focus that it looked like he expected the croissants to grow teeth and attack us. Kai, on the other hand, was way too stubborn to let me win.

“We were chasing her,” Kai insisted, crossing his arms. “She suddenly bolted out of her lesson room like she was possessed, and we had to sprint just to keep eyes on her.”

“Not true at all. I walked here,” I lied smoothly. “Pippa, did you see me running in?”

Pippa caught my eye, flashed a sneaky smirk at Kai, and shook her head side-to-side in a firm no.

I was just about to gloat and rub my victory in Kai’s face when the kitchen doors swung open again. Lyra, my head maid and absolute best friend, came rushing in, her cheeks flushed. Mama opened her mouth, ready to lecture her about the running rule too, but Lyra beat her to the punch, gasping for air.

“Princess,” Lyra panted, her eyes wide with urgency. “Her Majesty and His Highness request your immediate presence in the throne room.”

My playful mood vanished, replaced by a sudden spike of curiosity. “Alright. Thanks, Lyra.”

I turned back to my guards and gave them a sharp nod. Instantly, the playfulness evaporated from them too. They fell into a perfect, protective line right behind me, and together, we began the long, silent march toward the throne room.