Page 1 of Null & Void

CHAPTER ONE

Ikick over the wooden chair with a growl, not caring if I look like a child having a tantrum. This isn’t like being told I can’t have any more cake or candy: I’m being sold as a slave to a foreign country.

“There is nothing I can do. The council has already voted.” Jaena’s icy calm voice rises from behind her enormous wooden desk, so at odds with the furious heat radiating from me.

“Why was it even an option? I’m a Null!” I protest.

A frozen finger skips down my spine. Only one king in the Divine world has a proclivity for Nulls. “I will not be a doxy, Jaena.” I pitch my voice dangerously low. “I will not be King Oferdu’s sex slave.”

“Oh Mika, for Divine’s sake! Nemoris asked for the Silent Assassin,” Jaena replies, sounding exasperated and finally revealing more than her calculated demeanor.

I grip the righted chair with white knuckles as I speak through gritted teeth. “The Silent Assassin retired Jaena.” Jaena’s eyes narrow dangerously. “Why me? Why an assassin at all?”

“You know your reputation precedes you, Mika. They want a sneak who can fight. The Princess Ofnemoris has been kidnapped.” Shrugging, she adds with an edge of menace, “And it is not like I can put you on assignment anymore, can I?”

My rage takes over, and I slam the chair into the nearest wall. Jaena must have a sound barrier around us because her personal guards don’t come running in. This is ridiculous. I don’t rescue, I’m a killer. A fucking retired killer!

“I’m not going, Jae—” I don’t have time to finish before my air is choked off and I’m unable to move. It seems Jaena has decided to create a Mika-shaped barrier that’s just a little too tight.

“That is President Jaena, and yes, you will be going. You would do well to remember who saved your life more than a decade past, Mika. You have not been executed because of the protection I have afforded you.” She stands slowly to her feet and looks down her nose at me, violet eyes glowing in barely contained fury. “They will be back to collect you in five days. You are dismissed.”

The barrier drops, and I collapse onto the ground, quietly gasping for breath.

Jaena sits back down as she smooths non-existent escaped hairs from her tight gray-blonde bun, looking younger than her fifty-six revolutions but every bit as sharp. “Guards,” she calls, with practiced disinterest.

Two of Jaena’s guards file in and stand on either side of the door, their violet eyes not revealing what their Gift might be. Jaena gives me a pointed look.

I smirk. “You know two guards can’t stop me.”

A barrier briefly closes around my throat in warning as she looks down and starts reading as further dismissal. I stand and stalk through the door with my head held high and rage swirling in my stomach. At least her guards have the decency to look afraid of me.

I take the long way back to my rooms, needing the battering Osraed wind in my hair. I keep it short for this exact reason—long enough to tie my unruly, white-golden blonde hair back when I want to, but short enough to leave it free and be ruffled by the breeze.

I’ll miss the wind. Nemoris isn’t very windy, the entire country is little more than dense forest surrounded by beaches. At least it stays cold like Osraed. I’m not sure I would’ve survived if I’d been purchased by Sadori with their never-ending seasons of heat.

Unfortunately, the wind does nothing to calm me, and my rage continues to build. It’s my earliest memory, rage. The fluttering bird in my chest became a full-grown firecat clawing to get out. As a child, I was unable to control myself when it took over, so Jaena took me under her wing, assuming my violent outbursts were a sign of my Gift manifesting.

How disappointed she was when I was finally branded Null & Void with no Gift.

I arrive at the training grounds not realizing my destination, too focused on the crunch of my feet on the loose stone path in an attempt to calm my rage. Unsurprisingly, I see Leian inside, tidying up the mess of practice weapons. The Laguzborn man—the closest thing to a friend I have—is yet to notice my arrival.

Leian keeps his black hair cropped short and face cleanly shaven. He has square features and full lips, but unlike others from the sixteen main islands that make up Laguz, Leian’s skin is not the darkened bronze of his fellow Laguzborn.

Though I’m a revolution older, we grew up together, both suffering through similar cruel taunts from our peers. Me, because I looked dirty—I am no pristine Mievaborn—and Leian because his skin was not a dark enough brown. We both went unsold at our coming-of-age and got to know each other more during the last few revs.

Leian is a Junky, Gifted with calm and patience…kind of. What that really means is his heart rate never increases above resting. He never gets overwhelmed with confusion or irrational decision-making. He can remain steady in his emotions because his heart doesn’t race for any reason—not even physical exertion.

It occurs to me that Leian’s Gift is the complete opposite of my rage, and I audibly snort at the irony that he’s the one here tonight.

“Mika,” Leian says with a startled smile, his violet Patron eyes popping up to where I stand in the doorway.

“Evening Leian. Are you packing up to go home, or…” I let the words trail off as I grab a bo staff.

He grins. “I was packing up but would never miss an opportunity to spar with the best.”

Not bothering to warm up, I wait for Leian in the barn that’s used as a training area. “Probably the last time we’ll do this, Leian,” I mention as we settle into fighting stances.

Leian stops and stands up straight with a querying look, but I charge him with no warning.

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