Two Years Ago...

Hattie met the other half of her soul on a warm, syrupy spring day. The flowers and trees in the palace's royal menagerie were in full bloom, filling the air with pollen and sweet scent. Hattie barely took notice because what felt like every insect for miles was attracted to the sweat on the back of her neck. Even riding side-saddle took strength and poise. It was hard work. Doubly so on one of the palace's pegasi, where one slip in the air would be fatal.

She hated riding side-saddle. Especially when the noble teenage boys, who took classes with her, were able to mount astride. They were allowed to race each other and do tricks in the air. Being a well-bred noble girl, Hattie had to settle for sitting with the grace and delicacy that befit her station.

Now, with the afternoon riding lesson finally over, Hattie longed to retire back to her rooms and her bath. Gloomily, she watched the small herd of pegasi led away by the palace grooms–wing hobbles placed across their backs, and the beasts tossing their sharply pointed heads in anticipation for dinner. These pegasi were unbonded Kin, not linked to a human companion. As such, they did not particularly care about their rider's comfort in the air. On top of the sweat, Hattie's rump would be sore for the rest of the day.

It would be so much easier if she were allowed to sit the saddle like a boy. It would also cause a minor scandal.

Maya, who was Hattie's best friend and another noble daughter, let out a long sigh. "I wish I could be taken in for a grooming. My hair is a travesty."

She wasn't wrong. The wind had frizzed Maya's naturally curly black hair into a halo around her head. Hattie had been wise enough to direct her own maid to fix her long, red hair up in a tight knot this morning. It had brought some side-long looks—the current fashion for unmarried young noblewomen was to keep hair at waist length, or longer. Rumor said Prince Kassen liked long hair. So that was what any girl with good sense did. Now, however, Hattie was grateful for her foresight.

"You leave first," Hattie muttered, low enough for only Maya to hear. "I'll be right behind you."

Maya gave Hattie a sarcastic smile in return. They couldn't quit the field before Prince Kassen did, and he was leaning against the fence and having an animated discussion with his friends. Maya's father would give her a whipping, sixteen-years-old or no, if she was rude enough to depart before the Prince gave them leave. Hattie's mother would have an apoplexy.

Every moment since Hattie had become old enough for betrothal, at the tender age of twelve, she had vied with every other young noble lady for Prince Kassen's attention. It was something she had been prepped for since she was old enough to be told of what marriage and duty were.

Not that she minded. Prince Kassen wasn’t bad to look at. Nearly fourteen-years-old—he and Hattie were the same age to the exact day, which was surely a propitious sign—he had blond hair that fell across his startlingly blue eyes. Dashing and athletic, he shared his father's hawkish nose and wide mouth. Hattie liked to think he would become more handsome with age.

It was easy to imagine him riding into battle with the soulless ones across the border. The girls just knew that Kassen would win every battle, and finally end this interminable war. In her quiet moments, Hattie imagined herself as the faithful queen by his side.

Now, however, marriage and the power that came with it was far from her thoughts. The sun was high in the sky, and Hattie longed for a cold glass of juice to wet her parched throat.

It would insult the Prince to leave, but if she were forced to stand around in her riding dress much longer, the insult might be worth it.

Prince Kassen wasn't paying the girls the slightest attention. All his focus was for his friends. Hattie was too far away to hear his conversation, but his body language was excited. The pack of noble boys who followed Kassen like dogs laughed at something he said and shoved at one another. Whatever they were discussing, they were all having a good time about it.

Hattie sighed and linked her arm with Maya. "Come on. We should at least see what has got our Prince so worked up, that he is determined to keep us from lunch."

Maya giggled, but then lifted her chin in a parody of decorum. Together, they made their stately way forward.

A few other noble girls had drifted close to Kassen's group and were listening, as well. One brunette had her hand covering her mouth as if in horror.

"—and it is my right," Kassen said as Hattie drew closer. "Only an idiot wouldn't think this wasn't a sign of favor."

"I don't know, Kass. My Lumess found me. Not the other way around," said one of Kassen's friends doubtfully. His name was Regin, a tall and almost painfully slight boy who wore a badge of a pegasus on his right shoulder. All pegasus-bonded were light of bone. The easier for their Kin to carry them. Hattie's mother was as thin and delicate as a glass doll, though nowadays her pegasus rarely flew from the house paddocks and was getting quite fat.

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Regin had been the object of much interest six months ago when he'd bonded with his Kin, a newborn from the palace stables. While there had been others in their age-group who had also found their other halves since then, Regin was the first, so he was considered the wisest about it.

Sure enough, Regin launched with the story Hattie had heard over a dozen times by now. They'd had asked him to tell and retell it at first, but six months on, the tale had staled.

"I jumped straight out of bed from a dead sleep. It felt like something was pulling me to the stables, and I ran out of my house so fast, I didn't have pants on—"

"We know," another one of Kassen's friends cut in. "The grooms are still laughing about it."

Regin ignored him. "It felt like there was a fishhook in my gut, pulling me along. Kassen, you say you only heard of his arrival this morning? I mean no offense, but it doesn't sound likely. He can't be yours. He might not be anyone's."

Kassen pushed off the fencepost, dropping his arms to his sides. "My father found his Kin when she was already full grown and powerful. It's in my blood. I'm almost fourteen—it's the prime age to meet my soul."

This wasn't entirely true. Most people had to the age of twenty to find their soul, before the body withered and the blight of the Soulless sank in. But fourteen and fifteen were the peak ages to bond.

Although living in the palace, surrounded by the Royal Menagerie, which was the greatest collection of Kin assembled in the kingdom, Kassen would surely have no trouble finding his soul.

Confused, Hattie exchanged glances with Maya. Her friend shook her head. She didn't know what they were talking about, either.

Hattie looked around until she spotted Octavian, who was one of the older boys, but usually kind to the girls. Dropping Maya's arm, Hattie slid up to him. "What's going on?" she asked in an undertone.

Octavian's lips pinched. He didn't look happy, but then again he was a newly minted Hellhound Kin. His face had already taken on a craggy look since he'd bonded with his puppy a few weeks back. Soon, he'd leave the nobles behind to attend officer's school to train for war against the soulless. As he could be counted on as an ally in the ever-shifting noble politics, Hattie wasn't looking forward to his leaving.

"A new stallion has been spotted in the wet paddock. They say he's a massive beast. A real sight to behold," Octavian added dryly. "Naturally, our prince thinks the stallion has come for him."

The wet paddock? Oh, Gods. Now Hattie had her own fingers covering her lips. "Let me guess: Kassen is determined to test the new stallion to see if he's his Kin?"

"He can't," Maya gasped.

Octavian gave them an amused look. "Have you ever tried to talk Prince Kassen out of anything he didn't want to do?"

Hattie winced. Kassen had been born into a princely role, and naturally required royal respect from those ranked under him…which was everybody. It was his birthright, but when Kassen challenged the tutors in the classes he took with the rest of the nobles, it made her feel uncomfortable.

"Enough of this," Kassen said, loudly enough for all to hear. "If it is a test, then it's a test of bravery, and I am going to pass. Besides," he threw a jaunty smile around, "there's no real harm in looking, is there?"

Looking, possibly. Touching, absolutely.

Each of the Royal Menagerie's paddocks and enclosures were tailored for their Kin's specific needs: Pegasus Kin contained stalls that had access to the open sky, the Hellhound kennels were littered with sharp, glassy rock to roll around in to scrub their thick hides, and Golden Owls were kept near the granaries so the Kin could hunt the mice.

The wet paddock was a swampy marsh planted with sea grass and dotted with deep ponds. The Kelpie Kin lived there, and they were not kind to visitors.

Kelpie were War Kin. Like Hellhounds, they aligned themselves with warrior personalities. But while Hellhounds could learn to heel and obey (even as they literally burned to fight), the Kelpie were of the most bloodthirsty and cruel. They drowned trespassers for pleasure, and they specifically liked to eat children. The younger and more tender, the better.

Worse, Octavian said this one had arrived, full grown. Most Kin were born, or hatched, like mortal creatures. One that had emerged, fully mature, into the herds would be a powerful beast. Perhaps even gifted with special magic over and above the others. After all, it was sprung from the Creation. The fires of the First Kin, the mythical Royal Dragon, the first to ever to enlighten humans with a soul. It was said that such Kin were a direct link back to the very First Bonding.

It was no wonder that Prince Kassen hoped the new stallion was for him. But, a king with a Kelpie soul would be… Hattie didn't have the words. His reign would be monstrous.

"Kassen, see reason—" Regin tried.

Kassen swung around to the other boy. "I don't care if you're scared," he sneered. "Fly away if you want, Pegasus-Kin. This is a test for a brave soul."

With that, he turned and strode out of the open paddock and down the east road where the river and the low wet ground lay, fed from the lake.

A knot of noble boys followed, though most of the other girls stayed back, watching in shock. Hattie didn't blame them. They were surely feeling the same pressure as Hattie was to attract Kassen's attention, but Kelpie-Kin were the creatures of nightmares. The type nursemaids threatened when a child misbehaved.

Maya shook her head. "I can't believe he's going to attempt this."

The sad thing? Hattie could.

Perhaps Hattie had grown used to the day's sweaty discomfort, or she wanted to see if Kassen actually met his bonded today—that would be a story to tell her grandchildren. And wouldn't he finally notice her if she were brave enough to follow…?

Or just maybe, a small part of her wanted to see the arrogant prince humiliated. Yes, he was handsome but his faults... well. No one spoke of his faults in polite company.

She turned to Maya. "I'll see you in the palace later?"

Maya's eyebrows drew together in polite confusion. They were normally of one mind, like sisters. "You're not actually going with him, are you?"

Hattie smiled. "I want to see this."

"Why?"

Because something is going to happen. She knew it, bone deep, though she wasn't sure how. So, instead of an answer, she drew Maya into a quick embrace. "We'll speak later," she promised. "I'll tell you everything that happens." Then she turned and quickened her step to catch the departing group.

Her last memory of Maya, before Hattie's childhood ended, was of her friend's hurt and confused expression.