LOGINSERENAI stood there staring at Lucien on his knee. The wind blew through the trees and made the leaves rustle. "Get up," I said quickly. "People do not kneel to me. I am nobody. Lucien rose slowly. He brushed the dirt from his pants like nothing big had happened. "You may not know who you are yet, but that does not change the truth. I will not explain more right now. It is not safe to talk about it here."I crossed my arms. "You cannot just kneel and then say nothing. What did you mean by that? Why did you call me my lady like I am some kind of royalty?"He started walking again and waved for me to follow. "We need to keep moving. There are eyes on us. Werewolf scouts have been moving through these woods since the execution. Talking too much will bring them right to us."I hurried to catch up. My mind was spinning. Princess. The word he did not say but I felt hanging in the air. Me? A princess? I grew up washing dishes and hiding from trouble. This was crazy.We walked side by sid
SERENAI held the knife tighter, even though I knew it probably would not do much against a vampire prince. His dark hair fell over his forehead, and those red-tinged eyes watched me like I was the most interesting thing he had seen in years."Put the knife down, little mage," he said softly. "I am not here to hurt you. Quite the opposite. I want to offer you protection on your way to Mooncrest Academy."I did not move. "Why should I trust you? I do not even know you. And how do you know where I am going?"He smiled again, showing just a hint of sharp teeth. "Your scent gives you away. Ancient power like yours is rare. It calls to those of us who can sense old blood. As for protection, well, the roads are dangerous right now. The Alpha King has men everywhere looking for a certain escaped witch. You would not want to run into them alone, would you?"My stomach twisted. He knew. Or at least he suspected exactly who I was. I took a small step back. "I can handle myself."Lucien glance
SERENA I left the old hunter’s cabin before the sun got too high. The fire had helped, but I could not stay in one place for long. Kael was looking for me. Those stupid assassins were probably still out there too. I needed to look like someone else. Someone boring. Someone no one would notice.I found some old traveler’s clothes in the cabin. A plain brown cloak, worn boots that were a little too big, and a hood that covered most of my face. I tied my hair back tight and rubbed dirt on my cheeks to look like a regular traveler. I even tore a piece of cloth and wrapped it around my neck like I had a cough. Just an ordinary mage heading to the academy for studies. The path through the mountains was rough. My feet hurt in the new boots, but I kept walking. Every now and then I checked the pendant. It stayed warm, like it was pointing me in the right direction. I did not know how, but I trusted it. Elara gave her life for this.After a few hours, strange things started happening. At
SERENAThe sun was fully up by the time I reached a small frozen stream. I knelt down and broke the thin ice with a rock so I could drink. The water was so cold it made my teeth hurt, but it helped clear my head. My knee still throbbed from the fall earlier, and my whole body felt heavy. I had been walking most of the night.I sat on a log and pulled the pendant out again. The letter was still there, with that dragon seal at the bottom. I could not stop thinking about it. Someone planned all of this before I was even born. It made me feel like a puppet in a big game I did not understand.A sound in the trees made me freeze. I tucked the pendant away fast and stayed very still. I hid behind the log and peeked out. Two men in traveling cloaks came down the path. They looked tired and dirty, like they had been walking for days too. One of them was talking in a low voice."...the execution grounds are still smoking. They say the witch grew dragon wings right before the fire took her. T
SERENA I stopped under a big pine tree that gave a little shelter. My hands shook as I pulled the pendant out again. This time the chain felt warm against my cold skin. I opened it the same way as before. The letter was still inside, glowing softly like it had its own light. I unfolded it carefully and the letter changed from what I had read earlier. I didn't care much then I started reading from the beginning. "Dear Serena Ashwood, If you are reading this, then the old witch has done her job and you have survived the first awakening. You were never meant to live as an ordinary orphan. Your blood carries power older than the kingdoms themselves. Mooncrest Academy is waiting for you. The headmaster already knows your true name. Show this letter to no one until you reach the gates. Trust the dragon inside you. It will protect you when the time comes. This letter was written on the third full moon of the winter cycle, eighteen years before your birth." I read that last part twi
SERENA The assassin who called me Your Majesty grabbed for me again, but I twisted away. My hands were still glowing hot. I pushed them out and another small burst of energy hit him in the shoulder. He yelled and stumbled back. Elara was breathing hard. Blood soaked the side of her dress, but she kept throwing spells. "Go, Serena!" she shouted. "The back tunnel. Now!" I did not want to leave her. She was the only person who had given me any answers, even if they were small ones. But the cave was shaking. Pieces of rock fell from the ceiling. The sanctuary was coming apart. "I cannot just leave you," I said, my voice cracking. She looked at me with fierce eyes. "You must. Find Mooncrest Academy. Survive. That is all that matters." One of the assassins laughed. "Neither of you is leaving." He threw a knife at Elara. She tried to block it with her magic, but it was too fast. The blade sank into her chest. She gasped and fell to her knees. "No!" I screamed. I ran to her side an







