Air whooshed from her lungs as she landed on her ass with a solid smack. Nastasia groaned, drawing a knee to her chest and letting her arm hang over it while she caught her breath. Her sword, Morana, lay discarded a few feet away. A booted foot slipped beneath the blade and kicked it up into her opponent's waiting palm.

    "You always forget to watch your feet, Nasi," Nikolai chuckled, sheathing his own sword. He switched her blade to his other palm and offered her his hand. Nastasia begrudgingly accepted and he pulled her to her feet.

    "I don't forget. You just attack them when my attention is otherwise occupied," she retorted.

    "If your attention is already focused on me, how do you fail to notice when I move towards your feet?"

    Nastasia pursed her lips and jerked her pale hand from his darker one. "I consider your sword to be a greater threat than your boots."

    Nikolai laughed again, the three perfect curls of dark hair that hung across his brow shaking as he did so. "I don't think General Nikita would be very pleased if he knew how frequently you lose that beautiful sword he gave you."

    "A sword that you're supposed to be teaching me how to use." Nastasia pulled her moon-white hair back into a ponytail and secured it with a strap of leather. Nikolai said nothing, but watched her, their gazes locking.

    Nastasia smiled at that and Nikolai returned it. He was one of the only people in the palace who would ever look her in the eye, besides her parents and younger brother. Everyone else thought her eyes were...no, thought she was unnatural. And they were right. She was unnatural. She had been brought back from the brink of death by the Two-Faced Goddess.

    She knew her own story well. Her parents had made sure that she grew up knowing what she was, and even if they hadn't, her namesake would've confirmed any suspicions she had. She was Moon Blessed, a phenomenon that had last occurred in Nyctoli 300 years ago.

    As a babe, she had been born prematurely and was very weak. Healers swore she wouldn't make it, but having lost five infants before her, her parents decided to seek other help. Her father sought out the three greatest Mages in the land and beseeched them to help in whatever way they could. Their solution was to pray to one half of the Two-Faced Goddess, the half that controlled the night and all that dwelled within it, and ask her to use her gentle powers to give the babe life.

    The ritual was performed and the Goddess heeded her parents' plight. As a result, Nastasia lived, but became Moon Blessed. Her hair and lashes were whiter than freshly fallen snow. Her skin was so pale that it was practically colorless. And her eyes... Her parents had thought her blind when she first opened them, but her sight was clear. What gave her pupil-less silver eyes such a blind look was the fact that they perfectly reflected the moon.

    Along with her unusual looks had come strange powers, gifts bestowed upon every Moon Blessed by the Goddess. Nastasia hadn't experimented with her own very much, but she knew that she could see extraordinarily well in darkness, and starlight and shadows bent to her will.

    All of this combined made people wary and in awe of her. Many already worshipped her as a Saint of the Goddess, as all of her predecessors had been dubbed. There had only been seven Moon Blessed before her, all of which were hallowed as Saints and led lives ending in martyrdom.

    That fact had stuck with her parents from the moment the Goddess blessed her, and every day reflected it. Nastasia had grown up cloistered away behind the palace walls. She was not allowed to do anything that might bring her harm. She was not allowed to interact with anyone who was unfamiliar unless someone trustworthy was present. She wasn't even supposed to use her own magic or learn how to fight.

    That was where Nikolai and her brother were her saviors. Both of them took efforts to teach her how to defend herself and how to wield her magic. Alexei was often researching the Moon Blessed Saints of old, discovering what powers they had and how they used them.

    Nikolai oversaw her combat training. He had been trained by the best himself. His father had once been Captain of the Royal Guard and held the highest rank in Nyctoli's Order of Knights. Now, his elder brother was Captain of the Royal Guard, and though he did not hold such a high rank in the Order of Knights, he was still a member.

    Nastasia didn't know why Nikolai hadn't pursued the same path, especially since it was a family tradition dating back generations, but she hadn't asked. If he wanted her to know, he would tell her. For now, he was seemingly content to work as a stablehand and an errand boy for his mother, who ran the Royal Household.

    "Maybe you should practice your magic," Nikolai said, abruptly looking away.

    "I would agree, but there's a very important Council meeting about to happen that you might want to listen in on," a familiar voice cut in before Nastasia had the chance to reply. They both turned to face Alexei as he pranced into the training room, wavy blond hair bouncing around his face.

    "Aren't you supposed to be at your lessons?" Nastasia asked, arching a brow.

    "Aren't you?" Alexei stuck his tongue out and Nastasia returned the gesture, disliking the fact that he was nearly as tall as her. She was rather short for her age and Alexei was rather tall for his. "We were going over boring old political things again."

    "Hm," she grunted. "Then I suppose I don't blame you for skipping out."

    Alexei sighed. "I still have to go to the meeting. The joys of being Crown Prince." He rolled his blue eyes and pushed hair out of his face.

    Nastasia tugged her ponytail over her shoulder and began to toy with it absentmindedly. Despite being nine years younger than her, Alexei was next in line for the throne, as the Nyctolian crown passed to the firstborn male heir.

    At twenty-two years old herself, Nastasia wasn't sure what her purpose in life was going to be. Hopefully she could avoid the dismal fate of her fellow Moon Blessed, but she couldn't live out the rest of her days being worshipped as a living Saint, could she?

    "If you're going to listen in, you should go now," Alexei added, already heading back to the exit. "Mother, Father, and Master Galina seem very agitated." Nastasia and Nikolai exchanged glances and hurried after him.

•༻᯽༺•

    Nikolai stuck close to Nastasia as she led the way through a dark passageway. It was one of hundreds that wound through the palace walls, and he and Nastasia had discovered them all. It was how they used to evade governesses and nannies when they didn't want to be found. It was how they now snuck down to the training room so Nastasia could practice with weapons and magic. It was how they listened in on private meetings and held conferences of their own.

    The passage was narrowing up ahead. It wouldn't be long before they were forced to crawl into a too small alcove on their hands and knees. As children, it had been the perfect size for both of them. Now, it was cramped and uncomfortable.

    Well, it was for him anyway. Nastasia still fit comfortably, but Nikolai was several feet taller than he had been as a boy. Nastasia only stood up to his chest when she was wearing heels, and there had been a time when she was taller than him.

    They reached the short and narrow opening and Nastasia dropped onto her hands and knees, dragging herself through the shaft. Nikolai followed suit. "I'll have to wash my hair after this," Nastasia griped. "Mother will be sure to notice even one speck of dust left in it."

    "At least you're wearing trousers and not a gown," Nikolai replied.

    "True." Nastasia kept crawling and gradually, Nikolai noticed a faint silvery glow emanating from her pale skin.

    For a moment, he said nothing about it. He merely admired how beautifully she shone, like a star against a blackened sky. "You're glowing again," he said at last.

    Nastasia paused, glancing at herself. "I'm not sure why this happens. I'm not trying to do it."

    "It's just another aspect of your gift," Nikolai replied. "The Mages did say you'd gain more abilities as you grew older."

    She simply hummed in reply and pulled herself into the alcove. Nikolai crawled in behind her and propped himself up against a wall. Nastasia sat down between his legs and leaned back against his chest. She kept her knees bent so her feet didn't press against the opposite wall and he did likewise. Nastasia rested her elbow on his knee and peered through the small metal grate that overlooked the conference room.

    The meeting was already underway and nearly every seat at the table was filled. "That's unusual," Nikolai whispered. "The Ambassadors usually aren't here for meetings." Nastasia nodded but said nothing.

    As they watched, the Master of Foreign Relations, Galina, stood to address the assembly. Her shrewd gaze was evident even from here, and her sleek black hair, tied up in a pristine bun, only added to her sharp look.

    "Your Majesties, I'm afraid I have bad news to report today. Ambassador Yakov," she gestured to an elderly red-headed man at her side, "has returned from Andrian and confirmed the circulating rumors. Emperor Kazimir is contemplating extending Andrian's borders. He is hoping to push further into Seena and Eldon, and there are whispers of an advancement into our kingdom."

    Nikolai glanced at Nastasia as her mother began to speak. Queen Serafima did not rise, but addressed the gathering from where she sat. "If our people learn about this, their unrest will grow."

    "The people have already begun questioning your Majesties' interest in them," another man said, standing. Spymaster Vasili bowed his head to his King and Queen. "My intelligence reports the people are concerned that you worry only for the Princess, not for them. In fact, they are beginning to question if Princess Nastasia even exists. They haven't laid eyes on her since her birth. Nor have they witnessed any miracles or holy gifts from the Two-Faced Goddess, as were seen in the days of the former Saints."

    Nastasia stiffened against his chest. Nikolai knit his brows and touched her shoulder. She folded her hand over his, but still remained silent. Ambassador Yakov had risen when Nikolai next looked back.

    "Your Majesties, Emperor Kazimir has expressed a desire to find a wife," he began hesitantly. Nastasia's hand tightened around Nikolai's. "Perhaps, in light of his plans and our own peoples' unrest, we should consider a marriage alliance between the Emperor and the Princess."

    "It would keep Nyctoli safe from any Andrian attack," Master Galina agreed. "And the people would not feel as though the Royals have abandoned them."

    "On the contrary," Vasili protested. "A marriage between Emperor Kazimir and Princess Nastasia would give him a foothold in Nyctoli. He might choose to conquer us first to annex our forces into his."

    General Nikita spoke next. "Not to mention the fact that the Princess is Moon Blessed. Allowing Emperor Kazimir to wed the first Saint in 300 years might encourage him. He could perceive it as a sign from the Goddess to act upon his ambitions."

    Nastasia's breaths were rapid and shallow. Wispy shadows flickered at her fingertips. Her throat bobbed and Nikolai quickly wrapped his arms around her. He knew what this behavior indicated. "Deep breaths, Moonlight," he whispered beside her ear. "Deep breaths."

    Nastasia gripped his arms tightly, drawing a few shuddering breaths. Nikolai tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, ignoring the sweet scent of hoarfrost and mint that clung to it, and began to massage the base of her neck with one hand. Nastasia's shoulders relaxed and her next breath came easier. Nikolai kept working even as he listened once more.

    "Enough." King Gavriil rose at last. Everyone at the table stood as well. Nikolai spotted Alexei at the King's right. The Prince's face was pinched with anger. "We will convene later to discuss this proposal in further depth. I will ask the twelve Lords to attend. We need the entire Council's input for this decision. And," his deep voice took on a hard tone, "do your best to come up with another solution. I will not force my only daughter into marriage with a tyrant unless we have no other choice."

    Nastasia made a small sound and Nikolai hugged her tighter. They didn't move even when the conference room was vacated only moments later. They remained hidden in the alcove, silent and tense.