Another boring day… well, it was until he saw her. Jayden Alaric Thorne Lucian Valen Stormveil, the youngest prince of the Royal Stormveil family, the Heartbreaker, the Lover Boy. He was known by many names, some good, some bad. He runs his fingers through his black-blue hair, always perfectly styled, adding to his air of confident superiority. I’m stuck in lessons while my brothers get to train. So unfair. If I stay here one more second, I’m going to explode! Sable, Jay’s fox familiar, whimpered at his feet, bored as well. The professor (Jay could never remember their name, and with the way they looked, you couldn’t tell if they were a boy or girl) droned on and on. “Excuse me, I need to use the restroom.” Jay gives a tight smile as he stands from his olive desk and leaves the room, Sable right on his heels. When he’s out of the room, he turns left instead of right, heading to the training ground instead of the restroom. The white and gold walls of the palace columns shine, the marble floor of the palace so shiny you can see your reflection. As Jay walks, he sees all of this; he grew up with this, but it never truly felt like home. His dark blue coat with black embroidery slightly drags on the floor.

  Finally, he reaches the training ground. His two brothers, Kaelan and Aelar, are in a training battle, their familiars at their side. Kaelan, the eldest, uses his shapeshifting power to shift intoan eagle to avoid Aelar’s water blast. Each son has three magical abilities. Jay has control manipulation, water and ice manipulation, and water breathing. Kaelan has storm manipulation, shapeshifting, and psychometry (the ability to tell if an item is magical or not with physical touch). Aelar has the voice of doubt, emotion control, and water manipulation. Jay watches his brothers battle. Aelar tries to use his voice of doubt, but it fails because Kaelan rushes at him in the form of a wolf; his bear familiar, Hawthorn, close behind him. Nyx, Aelar’s familiar, tries to create an illusion of multiple Aelars, but she is too late; Kaelan has Aelar pinned.

  “Looks like I win, little brother,” says Kaelan.

  “I’ll win the next round,” Aelar says as he stands up and brushes himself off.

  “Maybe if I let you!” Kaelan laughs, his long blond hair bouncing a little. Jay walks over to his brother, clapping.

  “That was a wonderful battle, shame I only saw the ending.” Sable goes to say ‘hi’ to Hawthorn and Nyx; Hawthorn greets Sable with kindness, but Nyx just does a snake-tongue flicker and slithers away to Aelar.

  “We didn’t see you on the sidelines, Jayden. We would have put on a better show!” says Kaelan. “Assuming Aelar CAN do better.”

  Aelar bends down and picks up Nyx, and puts her on his shoulder.

  “You seem to put lots of your power just to defeat me, brother. Could it be YOU who is using all your power?” Aelar says, his eyes narrowing like a snake. Jay sees the tension growing in the air.

  “Maybe I could go next?” Jay says with a smirk.

  Kaelan laughs, “And have you miss your fun lesson with Miss Cecilia?”

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  Aelar looks at him in confusion, “Is THAT her name?”

  Jay laughs, “I thought she was an old tree spirit or maybe a withered goblin!”

  “Miss Cecilia is one of Dad’s old teachers,” says Kaelan.

  “How old is she!?” Aelar exclaims as they laugh. At this moment, Jay felt at home, as he almost always did with his brothers. “Have you heard that Father is having a summons?” Aelar says. “No, with who?” Jay says. “Some girl from the middle class, Valen something?” Aelar says with a bored look. “He always has a reason, but the real question is will Mother be there?” says Kaelan. “Yes, but maybe it’s just for a complaint. Or some other boring thing,” Aelar says. But then a messenger comes.

  “Hello, my princes, your presence is requested by the king and queen.”

  “What do Mother and Father want us for?” says Aelar.

  “It is because of the visitor, my prince,” says the messenger.

  “What is the visitor here for?” says Jay.

  “I’m not sure, my prince. I was only allowed the information that they were simply here,” says the messenger. “Now will you please follow me to the throne room?”

  “We are well aware of where the throne room is,” Aelar says coldly.

  “O-of course, my prince, I meant no disrespect!” The messenger says, bowing and walking away.

  “Did you use your power on him?” Kaelan says.

  “Yes, people need to understand their place,” Aelar says. “Now let’s go see who this person is.”

  As the three brothers walk, Kaelan in front, Jay’s mind wonders why in the world a middle-class person would be called to the high palace.

  As they greet the throne room, he sees his father, King Elysian, on his throne, with his crown made of silver and several precious stones. His pale blue drake, who is blind, is behind his throne. His father is dressed in his formal wear: a white coat with pins and ribbons of accomplishment and dark blue pants. Next to him is his mother. Mother is half siren, and she definitely looks like it. Long, flowing silver-white hair cascades down her back, her eyes a shimmering soft aqua evoking the clarity of a serene lake. A keen, perceptive quality allows her to see through deception and understand the true intentions of those around her. Her skin is fair and smooth, with a porcelain-like quality that enhances her ethereal beauty. She bears a few elegant tattoos representing her lineage and connection to sirens, like the one of a stream on her neck. She is wearing elegant gowns made of shimmering white and blue fabrics that seem to flow like water, layered with intricate patterns resembling smooth streams. She also wears a flowing cloak that trails behind her. When she was just fourteen, she tamed a kelpie named Nereus, forging a bond that would last a lifetime. Nereus comes and goes as he pleases, but whenever the queen needs him, he’s right there.

  And then Jay sees her. The visitor. The “unimportant one.” The one who looks like she was sent from Venus.

  “Hello, my sons,” says Mother, her voice a calming wave. “Come meet Miss Valeria.” Valeria. Miss Valeria…. “She is top of her class at Embridge,” says Alaric. Jay is slightly startled because he didn’t see him in the room. “Embridge?” Aelar says in disgust. “You mean she truly is middle class?” Valeria glares at the prince.

  “Yes. I am,” she says, trying to act polite but failing. Aelar scoffs. Who WAS this girl? She had beautiful hair, long and slightly wavy, deep black with subtle red undertones, as if embers glowed beneath. Her eyes are red-hazel, sharp and intense, with a warm, fiery gleam. She is dressed in a dark red cloak with a high collar, and black pants with flame designs on the sides, with a single dark gemstone earring on her left ear to top it off… not only was she gorgeous, but she was also strong-willed? I think I’m in love, Jay thought.

  “Why is she here?” said Kaelan.

  “She’s going to be Jay’s new protector and a member of the Scarlet Guild,” says Mother.

  Valeria sticks her tongue out at Aelar.