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Chapter one

Erendrial

T he dark court whispered around me as I made my way towards the line of contestants for the princess’s hand in marriage. The other three challengers, Soddram, Therosi, and Avalon, stared at me as if they would strike at any moment. I knew if I didn’t win, my head would be on the chopping block regardless of which contender won.

I was born low class, which meant I had no right to enter this tournament. Yet here I was, risking everything I had worked for, to win the hand of a female who currently despised me. After the tournament, I needed to get my head examined. That was … if I made it out alive.

I was confident about the first challenge. It tested our intellect. I was far more competent than any of these idiots. The second challenge would test our combat skills. I was good, but so were Therosi and Soddram. They would surely team up to eliminate me. The third challenge tested our willpower. That category was up in the air. I didn’t know what to expect.

The tournament master, Ravion Sterling, who had assisted the king in designing the challenges, was an artist when it came to the mind. He was what we called a Visitor. He could enter another’s mind to see both memories and current circumstances. I had never seen him work in this capacity, so I was, yet again, at a disadvantage.

I looked up at Princess Genevieve; the reason I had completely lost my mind. Her beautiful white lace dress hugged her small, desirable figure perfectly. Her soft dark curls framed her face as they fell from the updo. Her green eyes stared down at me from her flawless face with rage. An emotion I was getting used to seeing when she looked at me. I would fix this. I would win this thing for her and for myself.

I couldn’t bear the thought of her marrying another. After everything we had been through, we deserved a second chance. I would break through the walls she created after those demons tortured her while taking my form. I would comfort her as we mourned the loss of our child. I would care for and protect her for the rest of my life. I just needed a way in, and this was it.

“If there are no more entries into the tournament,” said the king, “I will now turn the floor over to Ravion Sterling to begin the first category. Good luck, lords … ambassador.”

Ravion stepped forward while the sound of excitement erupted from the crowd. He was a short alfar with long black hair and pale cream eyes. His face was round, and his brow was defined.

He looked at each of us and bowed respectfully. “Lords and ladies,” he began, “welcome to the tournament. It has been my honor to assist King Drezmore while designing the three challenges that will test our contenders’ natural gifts and abilities to determine who will have the honor of becoming the next King of Doonak.

“The first category will test each of your intellectual strengths. This challenge was designed to assess your knowledge of our Princess Genevieve. For this test, you will visit three simulations. Your mission is to find the true princess. Once you are certain she is the real one, you will take the marker that is attached to her dress.

“If you choose the correct princess, the marker will teleport you to the next simulation. If you choose incorrectly, you will be forced out of the challenge. Whoever can find the three princesses first will be our victor. The court will be able to watch your movements through mind projection, but the contestants will not be able to see the court or the royals. Are there any questions?”

None of us made a sound. I could win this with little effort. Out of all of us, I knew her best.

“Excellent.” Ravion smiled. “Let the tournament begin!” He raised his hands; his eyes rolled into the back of his head, only leaving the whites visible. The room around us began to tilt and turn, causing the four of us to lose balance and fall to the floor. The gold marble surface of the throne room rippled as we slid down the cold stone, trying to grab onto anything we could. The court members and the royals faded away before we plummeted into darkness.

Bam ! I hit the ground hard. My body vibrated with pain from the impact. I looked down to see dirt and rocks, before slowly standing to my feet. I was outside surrounded by tall hedges. There were paths leading multiple directions.

Great, a labyrinth . The sky above was blue with white, sparse clouds. Birds chirped and wind rustled through the leaves of the greenery. The other three contestants were nowhere to be seen.

I took a deep breath and chose a path, walking hesitantly through the maze. Around each corner I expected to see Gen, but there was nothing. For the next twenty minutes I searched while the sun beat down on me. To prevent myself from going in circles, I took off my jacket and began tearing it apart for markers, tying the pieces of fabric on the hedge every few feet.

The maze led me around a long, curved path that opened into a circular courtyard. Finally, something different. The courtyard revealed three separate paths. In the center sat Gen. She was wearing a beautiful green gown. Her hair was loose, and her cheeks were pink from the sun. She lay on the ground playing with flowers that surrounded her.

I stopped before approaching closer. It couldn’t be this easy. Ravion said there’d be more than one princess. He was trying to trick us. I had to make sure she was the right one. Soddram rushed around the corner of the path in front of me. He stopped abruptly at the sight of her. Out of breath, he looked at her and then at me. He hesitated, then took a step forward.

The princess sat up and locked eyes with him. She smiled, reaching out while she laughed with happiness. I stepped closer. Soddram darted towards the princess, grabbing the black marker that hung from her waist. As he pulled it from her dress, the sky went dark and the ground around her began to shake.

The princess’s skin turned white as snow, revealing blue veins that spread through her body. Her beautiful face elongated, and her mouth filled with sharp, flesh-ripping teeth. Nails sprang from under her skin before she launched towards Soddram, tearing and ripping through his shirt and flesh.

His screams were filled with pain as blood and meat saturated the courtyard. Soddram lay lifeless, his remains spread throughout the green grass. His remnants began to fade away just before she turned towards me, locking her eyes onto mine. I knew I was next. I took off running back through the labyrinth as she hunted.

I could hear her slashing and growling closely behind me. The sky began to change back to blue. The winds calmed and the ground settled. I stopped, checking behind me to see if she was still in pursuit, but she was gone. I bent over and took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. I went on, now fully aware what my fate would be if I chose the wrong princess.

After another ten minutes of wandering aimlessly, I came across an open space shaped in a hexagon. There was a large tree in the center of the landscape surrounded by lavender plants. A dozen princesses surrounded the tree, lying lazily among the herbs. They saw me approach. In unison, each one sat up, smiles on their faces. It was as if my deepest fantasy had come to life. Stop it, Eren, I thought. Get your head in the game .

I walked through the group while they reached for me eagerly. I bent down to one of them, taking her face in my hand. She turned into my touch, the way I remembered her doing the first night I had put her to sleep with my gift. She was warm and soft. She rubbed her lips across the palm of my hand. I stood up, going to another look-alike.

This princess reached for me, dragging her fingers across my cheek and down my neck. I closed my eyes, basking in the feeling. Azeer, how I longed for her touch. I looked back at her, but something wasn’t right. She wasn’t the real Gen.

I stood up and exhaled with frustration, then took a deep breath to calm myself as the smell of lavender and … sandalwood filled my nostrils. I looked around to see where the combination came from.

That was it. I was going to find the right princess by her scent: lavender and sandalwood. I moved through the group of them, taking large whiffs as I passed each one. She had to be around here somewhere. Avalon came around the corner and stopped, looking at the group of clones. I got towards the last three behind the tree before the scent got stronger.

My eyes locked on the princess the smell was emanating from. She looked back at me and giggled. I smiled, reaching for her. Suddenly, the sky went dark as the ground began to shake. I turned to see Avalon holding the wrong marker in his hand. All the look-alikes turned on him. Their beautiful faces morphed before they lunged for their pound of flesh. I turned back to my Gen just in time to see her taking off into the maze.

I ran after her as fast as I could, trying to catch her before the horde caught up with me. She turned back as her long black hair flowed in the wind. She laughed, her nose scrunching while her eyes sparkled. She was the one.

The horde of look-alikes began chasing me through the maze. They crawled on the sides of the hedges, jumping and snarling towards me as they inched closer. I ran as fast as I could towards my Gen. She turned and swerved throughout the maze while the others slashed and screeched behind me.

The maze had begun to break apart. The ground a few yards in front split just as my Gen made it across. A huge pit now stood between her and I, but that wasn’t going to stop me. The hedges fell away as the others yelled and screamed, hurtling forward.

Just as I went to jump across the pit, one of the creatures slashed at my leg, cutting a deep gash into my calf. I flew through the air, barely making it to the other side. I fell to the ground, reaching for my wounded leg. Pushing the pain out of my mind, I stood up, looking for my Gen. The sky faded to blue as the creatures from the other side rescinded back into the labyrinth.

I made my way into the clearing when she appeared in front of me. She smiled at me, reaching out and caressing the side of my face. I leaned into her warm touch, breathing deeply. Lavender and sandalwood. This had to be her. I held my breath and pulled the marker from her dress. She laughed, stepping back into a bright light.

The labyrinth faded and the sky around me began to spin faster and faster until I was forced to the ground. Finally, the room stopped. I opened my eyes, greeted by the throne room. The court was laughing and dancing while music flooded through the air. I stood up and looked around, trying to find Gen. The princess waltzed in the middle of the dance floor, laughing in a beautiful light blue dress. The same dress she wore the night after I made love to her. She had looked breathtaking that evening. I wanted to take her back into her room and strip the dress from her body, but my stubbornness and arrogance prevented me from doing so.

I moved forward, but stopped. There’d be more than one Gen here, just like in the maze. Think, Lyklor . You’re back in the court. Her home.

The only other person left in this challenge was Therosi. He knew her scent and would have figured out which one was really her back in the labyrinth, but he didn’t know her like I did.

I stood for one more moment, taking in the sight of her smile while she spun across the floor, before I left the throne room. She loved the library. She loved to fly. Azeer, she could be anywhere. Wait, it was dinner time. The court was dancing after dinner, which meant it was night, which meant … the stars.

I rushed to her room as quickly as I could. I flung the doors open and went to her balcony. Gen stood under the stars. The wind blew the loose strands of hair around her face. As I approached, she turned towards me and smiled. She gestured for me to join her. I walked hesitantly, still unsure if she was the right one. Her eyes lit from the light of the stars, each green iris sparkling.

“Aren’t they beautiful?” she asked softly. I didn’t say a word. “Do you know why I love them so much?”

“Because they remind you of your freedom,” I replied.

She smiled and nodded. “No matter where I am, I can look up at the stars and they will always be the same. They’re my constant. Reminding me that no matter where I am, I’m always free,” she said, turning towards me. “Will you dance with me?”

“Of course,” I replied, reaching around her waist. She took my hand and placed her other on my shoulder. I pressed my head against hers, gently gliding around the balcony. I could have stayed like this forever, feeling her safely in my arms, being this close to her. It was all I wanted, but she wasn’t my Gen. I had to get back to her, even though I never wanted this moment to end.

I tugged the marker from her dress, pulling away so I could look upon her face one last time. She grinned before she dissipated into a million twinkling stars. A massive force of air slammed into me, sending me off the edge of the balcony, plummeting to the ground. I screamed and flailed as everything went black.

I opened my eyes and found myself sitting on a bench in The Frey. Humans walked through the marketplace, gathering bread and goods. Children played with streamers in the air. The buildings were old and dilapidated, but they still used them as storefronts for their businesses. I stood, realizing I was in Gen’s old town.

Okay, think, Eren. Her favorite place in town. Where is it? She loves her family. The church. She would be at the church. I took off towards the Christian temple, barreling down the stairs into the basement. I flung open the door to a large, poorly lit room. Eight thin mattresses with tattered blankets sprawled across the floor. A table sat off in the corner with a pitcher of water, a loaf of bread, and a jar of strawberry preserves. There was a vanity with a broken mirror in the back.

This was how she had lived for the past eleven years. She had nothing, and yet she found a reason to live. She found people to love, and she put them first. At the vanity, Gen giggled and smiled as Lily brushed her hair. She turned to her sister, her eyes so full of love. She whispered something, causing Lily to burst into another fit of laughter.

I smiled, taking a step towards them. That was my Gen. It had to be. Lily was the person she loved the most. She laced a headband around Gen’s head, covering the tips of her little pointed ears.

I stopped. Something about this didn’t seem right. The church was gone. It had burned. It shouldn’t be here. It was no longer her favorite place, and Lily was no longer the person she loved most.

I headed back out of the church and followed a dirt road towards an old, rundown house. There was a small bench in front of the structure. There, Gen sat peacefully, looking out into the field. I sat next to her, following her gaze to where four children played in front of us.

Gen grinned, taking in the joy of the children. She wore a simple black dress and held a small jacket. Her hair was half-up, away from her face. She wore her star pendant, but no other jewelry

She turned to me and smiled with surprise. “I didn’t think you were going to be able to get away from court,” she said softly.

I didn’t know how to respond. I smirked, trying to play along. “They didn’t need me anymore,” I replied.

“Well, I am glad you were able to escape. She is going to be so excited to see you,” Gen said, turning back to the children.

“Who?” I asked.

Gen opened her arms just as a little girl, no older than four, came barreling into her. Gen smiled, wrapping her arms around the child. The little girl giggled, holding onto Gen tightly, her nose crinkling as she flung back her curly head of black hair. Gen kissed her on the cheek over and over again.

The girl wore a black dress with white and silver stars sewn throughout. She opened her eyes and peered at me. Silver irises swirled around her pupils … just like mine. She had my eyes, Gen’s hair, her nose, and my smile and dimples. The girl’s eyes widened with happiness before she leaped into my lap, wrapping her little arms around me.

“Daddy! You came!” she said in the sweetest voice. She pulled back, taking my fingers into her tiny hands. I tightened my grip around her small, tender hand. The memory of Gen’s dead body laying in that cave came rushing back like a tidal wave. In that moment, when I realized I had become a father, yet lost the child before I ever knew of it, a level of grief I didn’t know I possessed overwhelmed me. The loss of a life I hadn’t known I wanted was almost too much to bear. Tears began to fall down my face as I looked at the daughter I would never know.

“I’m here, sweetheart,” I was barely able to say.

She wiped away my tears and kissed me softly on the cheek. Ever so slowly, she brought her little lips to my ear before whispering, “I love you, daddy.”

I closed my eyes, holding onto her as tightly as I could. I reached for Gen’s dress and tore the marker from her, still grasping onto my daughter’s body, committing the feeling to memory. Everything around me faded as I kept my eyes closed, holding my daughter’s beautiful little face in the forefront of my mind.

The dark court reappeared in front of me. I stood with tears still running down my cheeks. How did Ravion know about the child? He must have seen her in Gen’s memory, which meant her father knew as well. I couldn’t bring my eyes up to look at Gen or her father. I held my head down, not wanting the memory to fade from behind my eyes.

“What happened?” asked Therosi. “His visual went dark. Did he complete the challenge?”

I looked up. They hadn’t seen the last few moments, which meant neither had Gen.

“It must have been a glitch in my projection. Apologies to the court,” replied Ravion.

I took a deep breath, gathering myself. I would draw her sweet little face after, but for now, I had to get ready for whatever came next.