Page 5 of The Princess and Her Grand King

King Orestus had turned the entire kingdom upside down looking for her. They found her two days later at the great mountains, the natural border separated their lands from the Urekai territories.

By the time they reached her, she was dehydrated, unconscious, and almost dead. That place had almost swallowed her whole.

That had been two years ago.

Since then, Emeriel had gone… numb.

As time passed, she stopped crying over him, stopped asking for him, stopped letting the memories claw at her. The more she ate and ventured outside, the more she buried the grand king and everything Urekai.

Now Emeriel was a ball of icy anger. A force no one could break through.

And she had become reckless. Throwing herself into dangerous pursuits without a second thought. Hunting games, fight arenas, anything that could provide a thrill or a challenge.

Emeriel had always been someone who felt everythingtoo much,but to survive now, she had learned to feel almostnothing. She was stronger. Harder. Empty.

Aekeira couldn't say she regretted how things had turned out. Emerielhadto survive. It was that or let the Soulbond'sagony swallow her whole and spit out her carcass.

But still, there were moments… quiet, heart-wrenching moments where she missed her sister. The one who used to laugh. Used to care. To live.

She missedherEm, the one who didn’t shield herself behind a wall of ice and anger.

This Emeriel didn’t even like to be calledEm.

Aekeira glanced at her sister, standing cold and distant in the moonlit garden. Aekeira wondered if she would ever see that side of Emeriel again.

But at least she was alive.

That had to be enough.

Chapter two

THE MESSAGE, AND THE HAPPY RULER.

Leavesrustledbehindthemas two soldiers appeared. "Your Highnesses," one intoned, "forgive my intrusion, but the King requests your presence in his study."

"Come on." Emeriel turned and followed them.

Aekeira pushed her saddening thoughts away and trailed behind.

King Orestus sat alone in his study, reading glasses perched on the bridge of his nose. His desk was cluttered with scrolls, while he scribbled on a parchment. At their arrival, he raised his head, his gaze settling on Emeriel first.

"You’re here." He set the quill aside. "I heard about the hunt. You caught the biggest kill again, Emeriel. Good job."

Emeriel bowed stiffly. "Your Majesty."

"Word has reached me that you were trying to join the tournaments for tomorrow."

"Yes, Your Majesty. But the spaces were filled. I should have asked earlier."

Aekeira bit the inside of her cheek until she tasted the metallic tang of blood. Last year Emeriel had taken second place but returned with countless bruises and a fever so severe it took days to break.

At its peak, she had cried out for the grand king, her delirious sobs echoing through the halls. The fever had broken, leaving only the bitter memories.

"The scholars will be here tomorrow." King Orestus looked to Aekeira. "Is your noon free? If it’s not, I can arrange for a postponement—"

"Why do you treat us so?" Emeriel's voice cut through, asking the very question plaguing Aekeira immensely.

"Which way, dear?"

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