Chapter 1

　　"Celene, what are you doing here? The burial ceremony is over." Her voice made my stomach twist with disgust. Everything this woman touched crumbled before my very eyes, and every word she said was a knife to the heart a thousand times over. I despised her so much. And now that my father was gone, my life was about to take a turn for the worse.

　　I stayed silent. I didn't want this despicable woman to ruin my last moments with him.

　　"In respect of your father's demise, I'll leave you to mourn. Be back home by nightfall." She spoke again, then turned around to walk away.

　　She took a few steps away from me, then stopped. "Oh, and Celene, there will be a few changes at the mansion. Be prepared," her voice sounded. I couldn't see it, but I knew for a fact that she had a satisfied smirk on her face.

　　A smile that meant doom for me and every little thing left to make me happy.

　　A while later, I walked steadily with a blank expression on my face to my stepmother's room, the clicking sound made by the sole of my flat-footed shoe echoing throughout the large passage. I stopped in front of her door, and pushed out a soft breath, knocking gently.

　　"Mother, you called?" I asked and waited for her reply, staring at the large wooden door. The door had beautiful, intricate patterns carved into it. The patterns spiraled around each corner and danced like water waves toward the center of the door, where they formed a beautiful sunflower.

　　"Come in." Her cold voice came. The sound of her vocals sent chills down my spine and, like a cold morning breeze, caused the hair on my skin to stand on end.

　　I pushed the door open, and it creaked like its hinges hadn't been oiled for months.

　　She sat on a throne-like chair in the middle of the room with her legs crossed. I dared not look at her face.

　　"Celene, I called to inform you that I have fired some of the servants in the mansion. The only few that remain will be the ones to assist me on my daily rounds; you will be in charge of cleaning and cooking; if you have any objections, I do not care," my stepmother declared with a calm but firm tone.

　　"But mother, you do realize how big this mansion is, right?" I asked—I was certainly not surprised at this cunning move of hers.

　　"Yes, I do, Celene, and I expect you to do a decent job maintaining its beauty and sophistication," she replied, completely nonchalant to my opinions, then waved her hand to dismiss me.

　　I let out a sigh, then turned around and walked away. No one could object to her authority now. She was the Queen of Andreia after all, and now that the King, my father, was dead, no one dared to defy her.

　　"Celene," Her voice sounded behind me, stopping my movements in an instant. I turned around slowly and, in response, asked, "Yes, mother?"

　　"Start with the toilets," she ordered abruptly, staring at me with disgust in her eyes.

　　"Yes, mother," I replied, then left the room.

　　The head maid's hand came down, landing on my face with a loud smack. I fell to the dusty ground and squealed in pain. The tears I had been holding back finally broke loose and ran down my cheeks.

　　"Are you crazy? Are you trying to kill me with all this dust? Your mother will hear about this, and you will pay for it." She hissed like a venomous snake, throwing insults that pierced through my heart like a long needle extending from her mouth to my chest.

　　As I pushed my right palm against my face, footsteps echoed through the large hall and silenced the head maid's harsh words in my mind. The steps made by metal boots echoed through the hall nonstop, and I just had to turn to see who it was.

　　My brows furrowed the moment I saw his face—the face of the king of Valtoria, king Japhet. His kingdom demolished our western city over three weeks ago. My sadness immediately turned into anger, but I dared not say a word as he had a party of knights behind him who were ready to kill anyone who dared to cross him.

　　I had hoped he would turn to me as he walked through the hall, so he would see in my eyes how much hatred I had for him, but unfortunately, he didn't.

　　Only one of his knights turned to me.

　　He wore armor colored a darker shade of grey than the rest and had marble-black eyes. He carried a cold look on his face, but his eyes almost seemed as if they were trying to send me a message.

　　He stared at me for a moment, then walked away.

　　He and the other knights walked past me and the head-maid, following their king into the next passage.

　　After they had disappeared into the next passage, I turned back to the head maid and found her on her knees with her eyes closed and her head lowered. She had her palms together, forming a triangle with her thumbs as the base. This was our way of greeting here in Andreia. It was customary for people of lower class to kneel before a king and form the symbol of their kingdom as a sign of respect.

　　I had no respect for the man who had just walked past me. He was a ruthless monster who knew nothing but to start wars and cause suffering. I was never going to be seen bowing to such a person.

　　I waited a moment to see if the head maid would get up, but she didn't. It almost seemed like her entire body had gone stiff. I used the opportunity to run toward the passage the king and his soldiers went through.

　　I followed them quietly, hiding in the shadows and behind walls until they reached a door—Sylvania's room. The other soldiers walked in different directions, while king Japhet knocked on the door.

　　The door opened and he stepped in.