R-rrring!

Wren rolled over in her bed, murmuring in her sleep. Her pillow was surprisingly soft.

The alarm continued ringing. Wren had no idea when she had an alarm but ignored it and continued sleeping.

After a few minutes of snoozing, a knock sounded on her door. 'Wren, dear, you must be tired!'

Wren let out an 'mm'. She sat up in bed drowsily, wiping the drool from her chin with the back of her hand. She blinked, not knowing where she was at the moment. Then she remembered.

In the past 24 hours, she had run away from home, been introduced to a magical world, told that she was a princess, and found out the fact she had a queen as a sister.

Not just any queen.

A magical queen.

Wren let herself slip into her thoughts for a minute or two when the door to her room opened. 'Morning, sleepyhead!' called Odyssey. 'It's already seven, and your bath's a-bubbling! Do you want to have breakfast in bed or in the hall, Wren?'

Wren perked up. Breakfast in bed? Back home, Uncle Hunter would have never allowed anything like that. 'Yes, please!' she shouted. She clambered out of her bed, accidentally tripping over her bed sheets. She rubbed her bruise knee and limped to the bathroom. 'Uh - what did you say about my shower?'

'Shower? Don't be silly.' Odyssey's voice said. The door opened to its full width. 'Your bath's a-bubbling! Tell me, do you always get up this late? Or was it just a pleasant dream?'

'But - but you said it's seven,' protested Wren. Odyssey was already well-dressed, with makeup and she had a frilly dress on. Wren slumped against her bedchamber's pillar. 'Hell, no,' she muttered. 'Don't tell me I have to dress up and play pretty again.'

Odyssey gasped. 'Don't swear so! It's not a princess-like thing to do.'

'I didn't actually swear - fine. Can I just wear my jeans and shirt?'

'Do you not wear dresses?' demanded Odyssey.

'Hell, no.'

'Mind your words, Wren. Do not go saying horrible things like that in public. You're supposed to go to school today. Your uniform is laid on the chair.'

'Got it,' Wren said, rubbing her eyes. She sat up straight in her bed. 'Um. Alright. I'll jump straight to it.'

Odyssey tilted her head, frowning slightly. 'Whatever do you mean?'

'Look,' said Wren, 'I just got kidnapped yesterday, and my -'

'- well, I wouldn't call it kidnapped -'

'- my intentions are to find out about my past, heritage and my parents. And I need everyone to bear that in mind.' Odyssey looked surprised at her sudden desire to talk.

'Wren, I'm sure we can -'

'I may be a princess,' Wren interrupted, talking over Odyssey, 'but just so you know, I'm not one in heart. I want to know everything, Odyssey. Every single detail. What the hell happened to me and what the hell happened to my parents.'

'Our parents,' corrected Odyssey.

'It'll be a long time for me to remember using the term "our" because I've always been a single child until yesterday, I suddenly had a sister.'

'Understood,' said Odyssey calmly, 'but here's the thing, Wren. Our parents were murdered. End of story.'

Wren stared at her for a silent minute. She stared back through her pale blue eyes. Wren grimaced and cracked her head.

'I didn't come here for nothing, sister. How are you so sure they died?'

'Everyone believes so!' trilled Odyssey. 'No one's had any luck finding them at all for centuries. What makes you think you have any chance of finding them?'

Wren inhaled sharply. 'Because I think that they aren't dead -'

'Well, I'm sorry, Wren, but your thoughts don't matter,' said Odyssey. 'Look. You can try, Wren, but don't be disappointed when you have no luck at all. Now get dressed. You have to get to school.'

And with that, Odyssey turned and left the room, footsteps fading slowly. Wren scowled at the door after her.

Unlike her sister, she wasn't going to give up that easily. After all, her arrival to Argonian was to discover what really happened. She was where she belonged. She was where she was meant to be. She was supposed to be free.

But she couldn't help the fact that this freedom tasted like ashes.

Wren stretched and went to the bathroom, looking at herself in the mirror. Her red hair was frizzled and tangled, dark circles were underneath her eyes and she felt like collapsing on her remarkably soft bed again. She stripped off all her clothes before sinking into the bathtub.

She groaned in pleasure. If this was her new life as a princess, she could certainly get used to it. She swam around the hot tub, popping every bubble and holding her breath, and going underwater. At long last, after Wren had finished popping every bath bubble, she got out of the bath, dried herself, and stepped out in her bathrobe. She put on her uniform. The skirt was a sleek black fabric that flowed gracefully around her knees, and the coat was a dark blue with black stripes, adding a touch of formality to her attire. On the left breast of the coat was the embroidered emblem of her academy, a large letter E surrounded by intricate swirls and patterns. The emblem was a deep shade of gold, contrasting beautifully against the black fabric of the coat. At the bottom of the emblem were the words "EVERHIGH ACADEMY OF WIZARDRY" in small, capital letters. At last, her name was sewn on the right breast of the coat, reading "Wren Carezby". Wren straightened her collar, feeling smart.

Once she made it down the stairs, she found that breakfast was already laid on the table. She sat down at the table, biting into an apple from the fruit-bowl. The grand doors to the palace thrust open loudly Wren almost dropped her apple. Ladislaya and Jake entered.

'Behold!' Jake trilled. 'The mighty Gagneus is here!' he trumpeted, blowing an imaginary horn.

'Time for school!' Ladislaya said cheerily. 'We wanted to accompany you there.'

Jake snorted. 'It was her idea. I told her that Wren didn't need accompaniment to a school.'

Ladislaya scowled. Wren tried to cheer them up. 'Thanks for coming,' she said gratefully, hopping off her chair. 'Do I need books or something? You know, for classes.'

'Oh, the teachers will provide them for you,' Ladislaya said. She slung her bag over her shoulder. 'C'mon. School starts at half past eight, so we've got enough time to show you around.'

Wren walked with Ladislaya and Jake. She was half-dreading school, for she knew she was kind of a big deal back in normal middle school. People thought her weird. As if reading her mind, Jake told her, 'Don't worry if you won't fit in. You're just like us. Everyone else is just like you.'

Or at least, Wren hoped so.

As they walked through the gates, Wren couldn't help but stare at the massive signboard that towered over them. The letters were carved in bold, golden fonts that shimmered under the sun's rays. The sign read 'EVERHIGH ACADEMY OF WIZARDRY'. The school grounds were bustling with students, each of them adorned in the same black skirt and blue striped coat as Wren. As she walked further into the school, Wren noticed the vibrant colours of the trees. They were a mix of red, yellow, white, and black, each more magnificent than the other. They surrounded an S-shaped bench in the middle of the school compound, adding an ethereal touch to the already magical surroundings. In the very middle of the school grounds, somewhere closer to the academy, stood a statue of a dragon emblazoning real fire.

'The Statue of Fire,' Jake told Wren, 'a dragon's our school mascot, you see.'

'That's Luxe Valqar,' Ladislaya said, pointing to a blonde-haired girl who was grinning excitedly and bouncing around. 'she's in our class, and she's a very ...'

'Enthusiastic kind of person,' Jake finished for her. Ladislaya nodded vigorously. 'Her ability's

'Plus, she can transfer her power to anyone she wants,' Ladislaya said. 'Say, if I want to switch powers with her, she can do it. She's still very enthusiastic though'

'Looks like it,' Wren said, glancing over to Luxe. Her short blonde hair was dyed blue at the tips, and she had huge brown eyes. Before Wren knew it, Luxe was bouncing over to them, waving merrily.

'Hey, Ladislaya! Hi Jake! This must be Princess Wren Carezby!' Luxe curtseyed. 'Hello, Princess. I'm Luxe Valqar, fourteen years old, probably in the same grade as you are.'

'We are,' Wren said, smiling politely. 'And it's fine to just call me Wren. I'm not used to the title yet.'

Luxe looked concerned. 'Oh? Well, that's new! Most princesses or members of the royal family make sure they're addressed by their title. Well, Wren, it's nice to meet you!'

'Nice to meet you too,' Wren said. Before she could open her mouth to say some more, Jake dragged her away. 'We'll catch up with you later, Luxe!' he shouted.

When they got away, Ladislaya sighed in relief. 'Finally. Once that girl starts talking, she'll never stop. C'mon.'

She pointed in a certain direction. 'That's Duncan Archambeau. A clumsy one.'

Wren looked at where they were pointing. A black-haired boy with a pale face and round glasses was scratching his head, talking to his friends surrounding him.

'Is he in our class as well?' she asked.

'Yup,' Jake said. 'We're introducing you to our classmates. It'll take ages for you to know the whole school!'

Apart from Luxe and Duncan, Wren got to know a girl called Calaena who had a power Wren was dying to have. Whoever Calaena touched, their power would become hers for no more than five minutes.

'That's so cool,' Wren breathed. 'What did you say my ability was again?'

To her surprise, Ladislaya and Jake both laughed. 'No, it doesn't work like that,' Jake told her, chuckling. 'You've gotta find out on your own. The time will come.'

There was a girl named Malina. She had curly, platinum blonde hair that reached to her waist and she didn't seem very down-to-earth.

Next was a girl named Corinne Hiroji. She had a great taste for fashion and always dressed in the most outstanding clothes. She had long black hair that was always tied in a messy bun and almond-shaped eyes and had an older brother, Kai. Their parents were Japanese, but they moved to London, so that was the reason why they were here.

Corinne proved to be a very friendly girl. She didn't talk too much and yet didn't let the silence grow itself too loudly. She smiled all the time and liked to see the bright side of things.

But, there was another girl quite the opposite of Corinne. Estella Ivy. She seemed to have no feelings whatsoever and always had her arms folded. Though she may be enigmatic and unfeeling, she seemed to do no harm.

'She's just your typical teenage girl, really - just the sad, lonely, angry version,' Jake told Wren. 'Locks herself in her room on Saturdays, playing her violin or something. And she has no roommate. Like, the rest of us have roommates in our dorms, but she claims she doesn't want "disturbances" disturbing her. Her ability is that she's got the power to silence anyone she wants. Scary, right? Ah - now that's Jared Levisay.'

Jared Levisay was a golden-haired boy with hair that fell down to his eyes like a fringe. To Wren, he looked like a typical teenage boy - not wearing the school uniform robes but instead an orange shirt and shorts and was playing with his baseball cap. Beside him was a shorter boy named -

'Tyler,' Jake confirmed. 'The loudest, most annoying human being on the planet. Give this guy an award for shouting at absolutely nothing and having a bad sense of humour.

'That's his buddy, Theodore. Theo, Tyler and Jared are like three peas in a pod. Can't go anywhere without each other, and almost have everything in common. Only thing they don't have in common is that Jared and Theo aren't loud, and Tyler is.'

Wren got to know another classmate named Aurora Nightshade. Aurora was a strikingly beautiful girl with wavy, honey-colored hair that cascaded down her back. Her deep brown eyes held a certain warmth and kindness that seemed to radiate from within. However, there was something about the way she carried herself that made Wren feel as if there was something more to her than met the eye. It was as if Aurora was hiding something beneath her sweet exterior, something that made Wren's intuition tingle.

'What's Aurora's ability?' Wren asked Ladislaya and Jake.

'We're not sure,' Ladislaya said. 'Aurora hasn't displayed her powers ... yet. But we all know she has an ability - she's just shy to expose herself.'

'That's Lucian Ailwood,' Jake said in a snarling sort of voice as he pointed to a messy blonde-haired boy with sparkling blue eyes who was sitting on a bench, laughing and sniggering with a group of other boys. 'He thinks just because he's the favourite of Professor Alastair Xandon, he owns the place.'

'Professor who?' Wren asked unthinkingly.

'Alastair Xandon,' Jake said, disgusted. 'He's the worst human being ever. He picks on me all the bloody time just because I don't know how to conduct a potion properly. Technically, he's obsessed with Lucian and his mates.'

'High and mighty, that Lucian is,' Ladislaya said.

'He's Ladislaya's cousin,' Jake told Wren in a low voice. Unfortunately, Ladislaya heard. She glared at Jake.

'Shut up!'

'I meant, very distant cousin!' Jake said hastily, trying to cover up for his mistake.

'What?' Wren said.

'Ladislaya doesn't like to be reminded that Lucian's her cousin,' informed Jake. When Ladislaya looked on the verge of punching Jake, he added, 'but they're very distant cousins, and even though the whole school knows their relationship, they forget they're cousins because of how they hate each other so very much.'

Wren had suddenly just realised the blonde-haired boy had clearly noticed her and was making his way towards her. Jake sighed.

'Here we go,' he said, pressing his hands to his face.

'Hey!' shouted Lucian Ailwood, slinging his bag over his shoulder. Ladislaya folded her arms as Lucian approached them.

'Why the long faces?' he said, grinning, his dimples showing. More like a mock-grin, Wren thought. Then he glanced at Wren.

'So it's you,' he said. 'The honourable long-lost princess of Argonian. I'm Lucian. Lucian Ailwood.' He held out his hand. 'I bet you we're in the same year so you might as well make new friends.'

Wren didn't shake his hand. 'I do have friends,' she said.

'Not the wrong sort of people, I hope?' said Lucian Ailwood, raising his eyebrows.

'I don't think so,' said Wren coolly. 'I hope you're not, say, the wrong sort yourself, are you?'

Lucian turned pink. Jake made a funny kind of noise that sounded like swallowing his laughter.

'What do we have here?' he said, sneering, walking over to Jake. 'Jake Gagneus. Still here, aren't you?'

'Let him go,' snapped Ladislaya, standing up straight.

'See if you can do anything about it,' said Lucian, smirking. He started walking away, backwards. 'See ya, shatteries!'

As he disappeared out of sight, Wren turned to Jake and Ladislaya. 'Shatteries? What kind of name is that?'

'It's what he calls me - us - Ladislaya and I - and you, now,' said Jake, who was still scowling after Lucian.'Stupid great prat, Lucian is. Just ignore him.'

Wren was introduced to a bushy-haired girl named Faelyn who had teeth that looked like fangs, and two ears poking out of her hair.

'What have we got here, a newbie?' Faelyn said as Jake, Ladislaya and Wren walked over to her. She flipped her hair over her shoulder. 'Never was fond of newcomers.'

'This,' Jake said, 'is Princess Wren Carezby.' He emphasized the word "princess".

Faelyn, unlike anyone else, didn't flinch in surprise. 'Mhm. The lost princess I see here, eh? I'd say, you'd been lost for quite a while, Princess.'

'Obviously,' Wren said, not quite liking the tone of Faelyn's voice. She couldn't help staring at her ears. 'I'm sorry, but is that normal?' she asked politely.

Suddenly, without warning, Faelyn let out a menacing growl, her canines bared as she fixed her intense gaze on Wren. Wren's own eyes flinched and a faint glow erupted within them, a tell-tale sign of her rising emotions - whenever Wren got excited or angry. It only lasted a few seconds, but it was enough to startle Faelyn, who had never seen such a display of power from the young girl before.

'What are you?' she spat rudely. 'What's with those eyes, outcast?'

Ladislaya lurched forward, getting her hands on Faelyn, glaring so intently into her eyes Jake had to hold her back to keep her from attacking. Ladislaya was only a few inches away from Faelyn's face. 'Say one more word of outcasts, and you're done for,' she breathed.

Faelyn shot her a menacing look. 'What do you know of outcasts?'

'What do you know of outcasts that are supposed to be anywhere but here!' Ladislaya yelled. Jake gripped her tightly, holding her back. Somehow, he was glowering at Faelyn as well.

Faelyn took a step closer towards Ladislaya so closely Ladislaya could count her freckles. 'Do not speak of me that way,' she whispered dangerously.

Ladislaya looked daggers at her. 'You aren't needed here, and never was. So don't pry into other people whenever you feel like something is off - because what's off is you.'

Faelyn let out a low, guttural growl, baring her teeth at Ladislaya. Her ears flattened against her head, and her eyes blazed with anger. She took a few steps forward, her muscles tensed and ready to pounce. Her fingernails transformed into claws; Ladislaya's eyes widened in surprise as she realized what was happening, but before she could react, Faelyn lunged forward, aiming for her chest. Ladislaya rolled out of the way before Faelyn could attack.

'What is your problem?' Jake yelled.

'Oh I've got a lot of problems, I don't know which one you're talking about,' Faelyn snarled. She turned to a startled Wren, baring her teeth once again. 'Coward! Call yourself a princess!'

Within seconds, Wren's fists clenched tightly at her sides, her body stiffening as anger began to fire through her. Her eyes, which had been bright and lively moments before, now narrowed into hard, cold slits. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself, but it only made her angrier. The world around her seemed to dim as she focused all of her energy on controlling the rage that threatened to consume her. She grasped Faelyn's neck, breathing heavily. 'No one,' she whispered dangerously, 'calls me coward.'

Faelyn fought a sagged breath before hissing, 'Well, I am now.'

Wren felt like smacking the girl across the face. Before she lost control of herself, she found Jake dragging her away, Ladislaya behind them with a sullen face and folded arms.

'What were you thinking?' Jake wheezed. 'Never do that again. What came over you Ladislaya? Was it necessary to act so violent?'

'I wasn't the one who touched her first!' Ladislaya yelped. Jake sighed.

'Ugh. Bad decision, you two.'

'What's with the ears anyway?' Wren said, still in a rather bad mood.

Jake sighed again. 'She's a werewolf. Half werewolf, half human anyway. That's what makes her an outcast among others. She can't fully turn into a werewolf when the full moon comes. She can't wolf out. Werewolves who can't wolf out are known to be extremely dangerous. They're called Rieka. Riekas, plural. But don't worry,' he added quickly, 'she's had had the injection.'

'The what?' Wren repeated.

'The injection. The vaccine they use for Riekas to lower the level of being dangerous towards other species,' Jake said. 'Somehow, Faelyn has to do another injection.'

'Why?'

'It's probably because she's not like most Riekas. She's wilder - fiercer.'

'Which explains why she's in a bad mood all the time and why she behaves like a person who came out from a jungle and was exposed to sunlight just yesterday,' Ladislaya said scornfully. 'She's hiding something, I tell you. There's always something off about her. She's always lurking in the shadows and coming up with some lame excuse whenever people see her.'

'Hey - Jake!'

The three of them whipped around, the topic of Faelyn dropped. Wren saw a tall, slender boy with a sharp nose emerge from the bushes. He hurried up to them.

'What were you doing, with Faelyn just now?'

'She's mad,' Jake told him.

'Like I don't know that,' said the boy, raking his hand through his white-blonde hair. Wren had the impression he looked a little like Lucian Ailwood, except for the haughty demeanour that Lucian carried around. His glance fell on Wren. His icy blue eyes stopped on her for a moment.

'Your ... eyes,' was what came out of his mouth.

Wren wasn't quite sure what to say. 'Er -'

'Matteo, this is Wren Carezby,' said Jake loudly. 'You know, the lost princess. Odyssey's sister. Heir of the throne. Carrots - Wren, this is Matteo Sternflair.'

'Pleasure,' said Wren.

'Oh, I heard Luxe talk about her earlier on,' he said, wincing but smiling at the same time, looking quite like he'd swallowed a passing fly. Then quickly, as if he had just noticed he was standing in front of the princess of Argonian, he recovered himself. 'Sorry, should I -'

'Oh no, don't,' said Wren quickly before he could even ask. His lips lifted into a light smile and his gaze flitted back to Jake. 'Well, you three might want to get to Dark Arts. It's the first lesson today. Dark way to start a Monday.' he grinned and strode away, winking at Wren.

'Alright, he's right, we should get going,' said Jake, snapping Wren out of her thoughts. 'Dark Arts though ... first thing in the morning ...'

Wren had her first lesson. It was Dark Arts. 'Dark way to start a Monday morning,' Jake whispered to her in class. Wren was seated next to him, and Ladislaya was in the very front of the classroom beside a plump boy named Teddy Troderotter.

The whole point of the Dark Arts classes was for students to have a general, basic foundation in the dark arts (the name speaks for itself) before moving on to the bigger, deeper stuff, as Jake referred it as. Fifteen-year-olds studied Necromancy, a branch of the Dark Arts studies and if a student was able to move on to Darker Arts, they would study a darker branch of art, Invocation.

'It's only for a select number of students, Invocation,' Ladislaya told Wren. 'Can't have everyone doing it. Dangerous, really.' she shuddered as their Dark Arts professor, Haldes, showed them how to make potions.

'It is the first and most basic part of the basic Dark Arts,' he said in his growly voice. 'Do not forget to add the Terraria and Waterbloom. And the pinch of beetroot powder.'

Wren knew what beetroot powder was, but she wasn't so sure of the Terraria and Waterbloom. She opened her mouth to whisper to Jake, but Jake had his hand shot in the air. 'Sir, what's beetroot powder got to do with the Dark Arts?'

'Shut up Gagneus, and read the textbook!' snarled Professor Haldes. Wren flinched. Haldes recovered himself and continued, 'Beetroot powder is one of the most essential ingredients of the potion. Just a teaspoon of it will do.'

'W-what about the orange juice, Sir?' Jake asked quietly.

'There is no orange juice included in any Dark Art potions!' roared Haldes, pounding on the teacher's table so hard Jake jumped in surprise. 'Read the textbook!'

'But, sir - the textbook said we had to squirt orange juice out of the orange and squirt it into the potion right after the beetroot powder is added,' Jake protested nonchalantly.

Haldes stopped shouting and stared into empty air. 'Oh, really?' he said in his dull, monotonous voice. 'Okay. I didn't read the textbook. You know what, forget it. I don't care. Just squirt the orange juice.'

The next period was Astronomy. The Astronomy teacher was better than Haldes - she was a nice old lady named Professor Alvina. She taught in a cheery voice and did not cause the class to sleep.

'Come on, it's Alchemy,' Jake said to Wren and Ladislaya. 'I hope Sir Tauruz's got something good in store for us ... unlike Dark Arts.'

'What's Alchemy like?' asked Wren, but her question was never answered. Jake's face fell when Lucian Ailwood drifted to the three of them, his white-blonde hair making him look extra menacing. He peered at Jake through his piercing icy blue eyes.

'Well, hello there, Gagneus,' he drawled.

'Go away, Lucian,' Jake said through clenched teeth. 'I haven't got time to bother with you now. Back off please.'

'How kind of you to ask,' Lucian sneered. He turned to Wren. 'I suppose this is our famous lost princess? Nice to see you again, princess.'

Wren scowled. 'I'm not lost.'

'But you are a princess,' said Lucian. 'You don't mind if I don't curtsy, do you?' he said in a falsely anxious voice. He returned to his normal voice. 'You can trace my family back for generations and find my great-great-great-grandfather is actually Viscount of the Kingdom of Xequix. You might want to mix with the right sort of people,' he said rather smugly.

'I think I can differentiate the right and wrong sort for myself, thanks,' said Wren coolly.

A deep scarlet rose in Lucian Ailwood's cheeks. He regained himself, straightening up and walked away without another word haughtily.

'That boy,' said Jake angrily. 'Gets on my nerves every second! Can't pass a day without banging into him ...'

'He's still trying to be my friend?' muttered Wren. 'Unbelievable. After our first encounter, too.'

With Jake cursing and muttering things about Lucian like 'dirty little bloodrotter' and 'trash, what does he think he is?', they walked into Alchemy class.

They opened the door to find that everyone was already in the room, including Lucian Ailwood. Sir Tauruz gestrured them to come in.

'Now, now, what's the matter?' he said. He was a short, stout little man with hardly any hair and a white beard. 'Can't be late everytime now, can we? Mr Jake Gagneus, it's the third time you're late this week. Unless you want another detention of course -'

Behind them, Lucian Ailwood and his gang sniggered. Wren fought the impulse to throw her Alchemy book in his stupid face.

' - and Miss Ladislaya Rocquel here - wouldn't want to break your perfect record, would you?' Sir Taurux said, beaming. Ladislaya beamed back.

Jake was rather moody through the whole of Alchemy class. It turned out, Alchemy was something like philosophy, but of Elryzian.

'Silent reading please,' commanded Sir Tauruz, waving his wand in mid-air, 'I want everyone to turn to Page 67 and read until Page 71.'

Jake had started whispering to Matteo Sternflair who was sitting behind him. There was an amount of chuckling and Sir Tauruz had to make Wren and Jake switch places.

When the class settled down into silence, Wren nudged Jake and whispered, 'Where can I get one of those?' she jerked her head to Sir Tauruz's wand, which was now floating in the air all by itself.

'Are you crazy?' Jake whispered back. 'You can only have a wand when you come of age! That is, when you're seventeen,' he said. 'I can't wait to get one of those. They're always super cool! Dominic's got one of those and he doesn't let me borrow it,' he said jealously. 'Wish he did.' Then he returned back to his silent reading.'

Once, Jake had told Wren all about his huge family at home. He had five brothers and three sisters. Three of his brothers were in the Academy; they were Conner, with the age of fifteen, Asten, with the age of sixteen, and Dominic with the age of seventeen. Two of Jake's other brothers - Theo and Edward, who both already had jobs to do.

Jake's other three sisters were also in the Academy - Eilieve, who was the youngest and eleven years old, Lusrye who was fifteen and Jordi who was fifteen - a few months older than Conner.

If Wren hadn't done her math wrong, Jake's parents had nine children - including Jake. It was a huge family - unlike Ladislaya's. Ladislaya had an older sister named Avorlaya who was eighteen and was out of the Academy and working.

'Avs told me we were supposed to have a younger brother,' she had said to Wren and Jake sadly. 'But he died along with mum.'

Neither Wren nor Jake had wanted to pressure her by asking how her mum died. So it had been utter silence for a few minutes that felt like centuries until at last Ladislaya got up and out of the room without another word.

'Miss Wren Carezby!' Sir Tauruz's shout floated over to Wren. She was so shocked her elbow slid off her desk and two of her books fell to the ground.

'Y-yes, sir?' stammered Wren.

'Oh it's nothing,' Tauruz said cheerfully. 'Just checking.'

Wren had the strong desire to say, 'For what?' but she bent down and picked her books up, not wanting to have a long conversation with Sir Tauruz, for he could go on and on for hours.

Soon, it was lunch. Wren had lunch in the school hall with the other kids. Wren was sitting next to Ladislaya and a boy in their class named Tyler, who kept slurping on his mushroom soup loudly and exclaiming.

'Tyler,' Wren said, 'could you keep it down please?'

But Tyler hadn't seemed to have heard her. It turned out that Wren wasn't the only one agitated with listening to Tyler's shouting - a few others were, too. Jared and Theo were looking moody, and Ladislaya had a prim expression on her face that read 'I'M ANNOYED'.

'Well, hello Jake,' said a tall girl with red hair. She was strikingly pretty and she looked around fifteen.

'Go away, Jordi,' said Jake sourly.

This must be Jordi, thought Wren, helping herself to more soup. Jake's fifteen-year-old sister.

Jordi sat down on the seat opposite Jake. 'What's with the long face, brother? I hear you aren't very well in classes - what's up with your homework record?'

Jake waggled a finger under her nose threateningly. 'I swear, if you -'

'Tell Mum? Good idea,' Jordi flashed a wicked grin. Jake stuck his fork into Wren's hand accidentally and Wren felt a jab of pain rush through her head before yelling out.

'Watch it!' she said crossly, massaging her hand. Jake looked at her apologetically.

'Hello, Princess,' said Jordi. Wren was strongly reminded of Lucian Ailwood who called her Princess wherever she went.

'Please, just call me Wren,' she said hastily.

Jordi raised her eyebrows. 'Should I -'

'No, don't,' said Wren at once. Jordi shot her a grin and Wren thought she was rather fun. Jake, on the other hand, thought otherwise and kept shooting his sister furtive glances all the way though lunch. He accidentally jabbed his fork on Calaena's palm every now and then and at last, she stalked off without glaring at him.

Afterwards, Ladislaya and Jake hung around with Wren for a bit, telling her the surroundings in Argonian.

'That's the Forbidden Forest,' Ladislaya said to Wren. 'No one's allowed to go in there. That's why it's called the Forbidden Forest.'

'Why? What's inside?'

Jake shrugged. 'No one knows. It's part of the Argonian mystery. Who knows how many more secrets lurk outside.'

'Secrets, eh?' Wren said. 'Sounds interesting ...'

'Whoa,' Jake said, raising his eyebrows. 'Before you get any wild ideas, it's way more dangerous outside. I know you're probably craving adventure, considering you've been raised in a normal, boring world. But you won't think it's fun once you really are in danger.'

'Well, don't you feel like dying to know what's in the Forbidden Forest?' Wren asked excitedly. 'You might even find something interesting there. I don't know ... something you've always wanted to know, probably. Like when I ran away from my home.'

'It was reckless,' Ladislaya informed her.

'Yes it was, but look where I am now!'

Jake looked around. 'Argonian?'

Wren sighed. 'I came here to find out more about my parents. What happened to them. I want to know.'

'What is there to know?' Jake said. 'No offense, but they're - er - known to be dead.'

Wren winced. 'None taken,' she said, although she was slightly offended. 'But the point is - them being dead is a theory. You said that there were more secrets lurking outside. You don't know what. That's what I'm gonna do. Figure 'em out.'

'Okay, if you want, but you know you've gotta stay inside the palace right?' Ladislaya said. 'We have to stay safe. We have to stay inside Argonian. We can go anywhere we want - to the shops, the village, the apothecary - anywhere but places that are forbidden for people to go to.'

'And what - can't we go outside Argonian?' Wren said, raising her eyebrows. 'Tanner said Argonian is kind of like a state in the magical world Elryzian. Can't we go visit other states?'

'We sure can, but we can't go alone,' Ladislaya said as if the idea was ridiculous. 'We need the guides, guards, stuff like that to accompany us.'

Wren sighed. 'How old are we?'

Jake shrugged. 'This is called security.'

'Leave these secrets to the security,' Ladislaya said. 'Let them deal with it. Anyway, do you want to come with us to visit the shops and buy something?' she asked, changing the topic.

'No, I'm good,' Wren said, thinking fast. 'I'm just gonna head to the Palace. I'll see you guys tomorrow. Are you gonna come tomorrow morning?'

'Yeah, if you want us to,' Jake said, fist-bumping her. 'C'mon, Ladislaya. I got the money. Wren, you want anything from the shops?'

'No, it's fine,' Wren said, heading to the palace's direction. 'See you guys tomorrow!'

'Bye!' Jake shouted over his shoulder. 'Don't get in trouble!' Ladislaya added.

Wren walked back to the Palace. The guards bowed down to her as they opened the grand doors. Wren walked through the Grand Hall and went upstairs, meaning to explore the huge magnificent Palace.

She walked through a door. Inside was a tall, winding room with a long table and chairs. She had no idea what the room was for since it didn't look like a bar or a library. It was just the long table, chairs, and a few cupboards. She headed to the next room.

It was a chapel. As soon as Wren walked in, the scent and the soft glow of flickering candles greeted her. The walls were made of a pale, creamy stone, and the high, vaulted ceilings were adorned with intricate, golden designs that glittered in the light. The pews were made of dark, polished wood, and plush cushions provided comfort to those who came to pray. At the front of the chapel was a stunning stained glass window, depicting the palace's patron goddess in all her glory, with streams of light cascading through the colorful glass panes and painting the chapel in a kaleidoscope of vibrant colors. Pillars lined the walls.

Wren went out, heading to the next room. It was the bathroom. The bathroom was magnificent - there was even a chandelier on the ceiling. Wren stopped herself from admiring the bathroom and reminded herself she was there to explore and familiarize herself with the Palace's surroundings.

Wren opened the next door. The room was spacious, with a high ceiling adorned with intricate designs that seemed to glow in the light of the candles. The walls were painted a soft shade of lilac, which complemented the white marble floors and the ivory furnishings. The room had a large pink four-poster bed in the center, with silk drapes in the same lilac shade. The bed was covered in plush pillows and a thick duvet, giving it a luxurious look. There was also a vanity table with a large mirror framed in gold and a plush stool with lilac velvet upholstery. On the table, there were various jars filled with cosmetics, brushes, and combs. The room also had a large armoire, where Odyssey kept her elegant gowns and dresses. The air in the room was filled with the scent of lavender and sandalwood, making it a peaceful and calming sanctuary. The scent of candles wafted to Wren's nose. The room she had walked into was -

'Wren!' Odyssey's voice cried out. 'What are you doing here?'

Wren realised Odyssey was lying in her four-poster bed, camouflaged in it, since she was wearing pink. Odyssey had a face mask on, and she was sprawled contentedly on her bed.

'Sorry. I didn't know it was your room,' Wren said apologetically. 'I was exploring.'

'Exploring fiddlesticks! My room is next to your room. Go and take a shower, Wren. You're dirty, and I can literally smell the sweat on you. Off you scoot. It is my spa time now. And you should be in bed as well, with a face mask on.'

'Yeah, I'll be off. Bye.' Wren closed the door silently, not realising that her room was right next to Odyssey's. She skipped to the next floor.

She went up the staircase and found that there were very few rooms on the third floor. She opened the two huge doors (which were the only doors on that floor) and she was swallowed into a library.

The doors clung shut behind her. Wren marvelled at the sight of books. The palace library was a grandiose room with towering shelves of books, reaching up to high ceilings. The room was dimly lit, with a few flickering candles scattered throughout the space, adding to the warm and cozy atmosphere. The scent of old parchment and leather-bound books filled the air. Wren sighed contentedly. It wouldn't hurt to just sit and read for a few minutes.

She trailed her finger along the many books. Some were too tall she couldn't reach them. She pulled a book out, put it back in, and did the same thing to almost every other book. She found a large wooden table at the center of the room, where several books were stacked on it.

She pulled out the wooden chair. She pulled out a thick volume from the stack. The title read "The Dark Truth: Hidden Dangers in the Magical Realm". It sounded interesting. Would it talk about the Forbidden Forest - or her parents again? Wren begun reading.

Instead, she didn't understand a word of what she was reading. No word of Eana or Tristan was in there. Nothing of the Forbidden Forest either. Wren rubbed her eyes and began reading from the top once again.

"The downfall of Zena Valdis's kingdom was one of the most dangerous in history," the passage read. "This evil witch seeks to destroy the royal family of Argonian. She claims it was them, the reason, the cause that forced her kingdom to fall. Anyone standing her way is in great danger. Her power is great, and her desire of revenge is stronger than any spell. Be on your guard, for she will stop at nothing to achieve her goals."

Next paragraph:

"The Faerie Queen has been known to hunt down the lost princess of Argonian, Wren Carezby. Countless times has Zena Valdis tried to kill the young girl, but has failed to connect with her mind. Humans who've stepped foot in her kingdom shall be hunted down and destroyed. Be reminded: The Faerie Queen is powerful and dangerous, and the end of her downfall is only the beginning."

Wren's heart took a double-take. She read the first paragraph again.

As for as Wren understood, there was a Faerie Queen named Zena Valdis that was on the run to destroy the royal family of Argonian. Didn't that mean Odyssey and Wren? Wren's hands shook as she clutched the book tightly, her mind racing with the implications of what she had just read. Could it be true? Was Zena really after her and her family? And if so, what could she do to stop her? Wren knew she had to act quickly, but the weight of the knowledge she had just gained felt like a heavy burden on her shoulders.

She raced out of the library, slamming the doors shut loudly behind her. Her intention of exploring the Palace vanished and she rushed to Odyssey's door, 99% of her ready to pound, ready to shout on what she had just read. But that 1% took over her stronger. If you pounded, the voice in her head said, they might ignore you. Security will take over. They'll tell you everything is okay when it's not.

Exactly, Wren thought. Wasn't that was Ladislaya said? Leave these secrets to the security. Let them deal with it.

But this wasn't a matter for the security to deal with. It seemed Wren's happiness in the Palace, in Elryzian, would be short-lived. It was only the beginning.

Sometimes, not all things are what they seem to be ...