The Academy was different from what she remembered. Its halls were less filled with possibilities and more with opportunities.

Adeena had a dream the first night of settling in the dormitory.

The kingdom was aflame.

The king and queen were taken hostage by the nobles allying with her parents.

The prince’s betrayed eyes met hers.

Ice blue raging at her.

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An ice pick shredded her clothes as she ran from the mad artificer.

Everything falling apart around her.

She woke in a cold sweat.

Up with the sun, Adeena rose, not letting any of her fellow students see her hair mussed or her cheeks imprinted with the pattern of the pillow sleeve. Pinching her cheeks she brought color into them before going to the chest of drawers and taking out her uniform. Such an ugly thing, so ordinary but she would make do with a pretty silken blouse beneath the tunic-like dress, a leather belt to cinch her waist, and a little bit of beeswax with red tint on her lips. Her artifact sitting beneath the collar of her high-collared blouse. Hose tied at her thigh and dainty boots on her petite feet.

She hadn’t stayed in the dorms the last time around but neither had the prince.

Things had changed, but she wouldn’t allow them to change any further.

She would catch the prince’s eye, and they would have their happily ever after. Just like the tales the old queen of legend would tell. For she was born to be a princess…no…Adeena shook her head, she was born to be a queen.