I was trampled by a spooked horse, my body left broken on the cobblestones. The two men who had sworn to protect me with their lives didn't even turn their heads. One was busy solving riddles at a festival stall, all to win the lotus-blossom lantern that Princess Seraphina admired. The other was waiting in line for two hours to buy her favorite rosewater tarts. A stranger helped me to the healer’s ward. It was a miracle I survived. Three days later, Seraphina came to my chambers, swinging the lantern triumphantly. "Aveline, darling," she cooed, "I told them you'd like this lantern too, but they insisted on giving it to me. Do you want it now?" I looked at her, my gaze as cold as ash. "No." And the two of them? I was done with them, too. For more than a decade, they had been my shadows, my sworn protectors, my closest friends. Drake and Brishen. They promised their lives for my safety. And I, like a fool, had believed them. I thought I couldn't live without them. But that was before Princess Seraphina arrived. That was before I realized how tragically wrong I had been. Limping, I returned to my father’s estate and finally relented to my mother's incessant pressure. "I will do it," I told her. "I will marry the Crown Prince." 1 My mother’s head snapped up, her eyes wide with disbelieving joy. "Aveline? You truly mean it?" "Oh, my dear girl! I've been telling you for years, you are the perfect choice for Crown Princess! When Prince Alistair ascends the throne, you will be the Queen, a mother to the entire kingdom." Her voice was a flurry of excitement. "Why have you been wasting your time with those two? One is a Duke's son, the other a General's heir, but how can they possibly compare to the Crown Prince?" "Now that you've agreed, I'll start arranging your dowry at once! You will have the most magnificent wedding this city has ever seen!" Just as I nodded, two figures appeared in the doorway. Drake and Brishen exchanged a look, a shared, arrogant smirk playing on their lips. "Aveline," Brishen drawled, "who did you just say was getting married?" I had no intention of lying. My face was a placid mask. "I am." "Ha! Lady Aveline has always been such a good, quiet girl. Since when did you learn to tell such fanciful tales?" Brishen let out a short, mocking laugh. Drake, ever the more serious of the two, still didn't believe me. "There's no point in lying, Aveline. Is this because we've been distant lately? Are you jealous of Seraphina? Is this your little ploy to get our attention?" I remained silent, my only wish for them to leave. But then, they produced a lantern from behind their backs. "Surprise!" "We know we lost track of you at the festival, that you snuck back home on your own, but we still brought you a lantern!" Brishen said with a grin, tossing a battered, sad-looking thing at me. I recognized it instantly. It wasn't a gift they had chosen for me. It was the one Seraphina had paraded around with three days ago, the one she'd grown tired of and discarded. How thoughtful of them to pick up her trash for me. I didn't reach for it. My voice was ice. "I'm not feeling well. Please, leave." Drake and Brishen glanced at each other, but made no move to go. Instead, Brishen stepped forward and gave my shoulder a hard, playful shove. "Ah!" The blow landed directly on my barely-healed injury. A sharp cry of pain escaped my lips. Brishen looked at me, bewildered. "What are you playing at? Acting like you're seriously hurt? It's not a good look, Aveline." He scoffed. "If Seraphina were here, even if she were truly wounded, she wouldn't make such a fuss. The difference between you two is like night and day." Drake nodded in agreement. "He's right. Seraphina would never be so petty." A cold, bitter laugh welled up inside me. They truly thought this was about jealousy. They thought I couldn't stand Seraphina. They had no idea I had already given up on them entirely. "Then go find your precious Seraphina," I said, my voice dangerously calm. "She was a princess of the old court, raised in a palace. Naturally, she's far superior to a provincial girl like me." With that, I gestured for my lady's maid to help me, and I turned my back on them. I could feel their bewildered eyes on my limping form. "When did Aveline become like this?" Brishen's voice followed me, laced with disdain. "So small-minded, and such a flair for the dramatic. She should join a traveling theater troupe!" Drake sighed in disappointment. "If she doesn't want our company, then it's her loss. This hibiscus cake was a gift from the Prince's own kitchens. Let's take it to Seraphina instead." 2 Three days later, it was my birthday. Unlike previous years, my mother personally oversaw the preparations, inviting the wives and daughters of the kingdom's most powerful noble families. I glanced at the guest list and felt it was far too grand. "Mother, perhaps something simpler would be better?" She waved away my concern. "Nonsense, Aveline. You are the daughter of the Lord Chancellor. For years, you've let those two boys throw you paltry celebrations. They were hardly fit for our station! Now that you are to be the Crown Princess, your birthday must be celebrated with the dignity it deserves." With that, she bustled off to continue her arrangements. I stood by the window, lost in thought. As fate would have it, Seraphina and I shared a birthday. Before she came into our lives, Drake and Brishen's world revolved around me. They would scour the entire capital, spending fortunes just to find a gift they knew I would love. They fretted over every detail of my birthday, terrified of disappointing me, ready to pluck the stars from the sky if I asked. But everything changed last year, when Princess Seraphina, of the deposed royal line, was granted a pardon. For her service in exposing traitors to the new crown, she was given a title and an estate. It was I who had taken pity on her lonely state, introducing her to my two dearest friends, asking them to look after her. I never imagined her ambition ran so deep, that she would methodically, piece by piece, steal my place in their lives. Especially when they learned her birthday was the same as mine. From then on, all their efforts were bent on pleasing her. Last year, they gave her a pair of priceless jade bracelets. I received nothing. So this year, I expected nothing. The next morning, my lady's maid, Elara, ran to me, her eyes red from crying. "My lady, I went to invite Lord Drake and Lord Brishen, just as I do every year. They both refused to come! They said they were going to Princess Seraphina's estate!" Her voice trembled with indignation. "All these years, they only ever came to your celebration! How could they? Men's hearts are so fickle." I listened quietly, my own heart a placid lake. "Don't speak of this again," I said softly. I dressed and joined my mother in the grand hall to receive our guests. They were all powerful figures, and upon learning I was to be the Crown Princess, they fawned over me with compliments and gifts. Of course, there were whispers. "Didn't she used to be inseparable from the heirs of House Thorne and House Valerius?" "Everyone assumed she would marry one of them. Who would have thought she'd land the Crown Prince!" "Hmph. A woman of such loose morals, and the Prince still wants her?" "She spent years cavorting with two other men. Who knows if she's even... untouched?" "Hush, lower your voice!" Elara, bristling with anger, made to confront them, but I placed a gentle hand on her arm. "It's not worth our breath." It was only then that I realized how skewed the world's perception of me had become. After the last guest had departed, I was about to retire when I heard a noise from my private courtyard. The main gates were closed. Someone had climbed the wall. My hand flew to the dagger hidden in my sleeve, thinking it was a thief. But the figures standing before me were Drake and Brishen. And behind them, a smiling Seraphina. "Aveline! We've been waiting for you for ages!" Seraphina chirped. "We waited for your guests to leave so we could celebrate with you properly!" "Look! The boys made me this birthday cake, but it's far too big for me to eat alone, so I brought it to share!" From beneath her cloak, Seraphina produced half of a leftover cake, marred with bite marks and the imprint of teeth. 3 I stared at her, saying nothing. Beside me, Elara was seething. "My lady would never eat someone's leftovers! This is an insult!" Seraphina's face instantly hardened. Her eyes flashed as she raised a hand and slapped Elara across the cheek. "I am speaking to your mistress! How dare a servant interrupt?!" Seeing Elara struck, a roar filled my ears. My own hand shot out, striking Seraphina with twice the force. "My lady's maid," I hissed, "is not for others to discipline." I pulled Elara behind me, my heart aching at the red mark blooming on her face. My anger surged. The last time we met, I had made it clear that it was the end, that we should not see each other again. But they thought I was throwing a childish tantrum. They didn't believe me. And now they show up at my door, insulting me with a half-eaten cake and striking my maid? This, I could not endure. Drake and Brishen were instantly enraged. "Aveline! How could you strike her?" "Seraphina is delicate! A blow like that could seriously injure her!" They fussed over her, cooing and soothing. Seraphina, clutching her cheek, began to sob prettily. "Brishen, Drake, my darlings," she whimpered. "I told you Aveline would be too proud for my little cake. See? Now she's truly angry." "It's all my fault. Perhaps I should go to the West End now, wait in line, and buy her a new one!" She said the words, but made no move to leave. Drake frowned. "Don't be silly. It's too late. A lady like you shouldn't be out buying cakes at this hour." Brishen readily agreed. "A half-cake is still a cake! Aveline, can you stop being so spoiled for once? Seraphina's heart was in the right place, bringing us here. Don't ruin the evening for everyone!" I couldn't help but laugh, a cold, sharp sound. As if I had begged them to come. "I will say this one last time. I am to be married soon. I ask the three of you to conduct yourselves with some dignity. The gate is that way." I took Elara's arm, intending to take her back inside to tend to her face. But they were shameless. Even after all I'd said, they refused to leave. Drake's voice followed me, thick with disappointment. "Aveline, when did you become so small-minded? So we missed the festival with you a few days ago. We already explained. That day, Seraphina was overcome with memories of her past, of the fallen kingdom. We were busy comforting her. We didn't notice you'd gone." "You were never this petty before. Are you really going to hold a grudge this long? To use lies about getting married just to push us away?" Brishen, however, was undeterred. He grabbed Seraphina's hand and made to push past me into my private chambers. "It's fine. Aveline will be angry for a few days, and then she'll get over it. She's never been able to live without us. What's there to be afraid of?" Seraphina tossed the half-eaten cake at my feet and, with a triumphant little smirk, swept into my room. But she wasn't watching where she was going. She had only taken a few steps when her foot caught on a dark wooden chest. "Ah! Help me!" Brishen and Drake's faces paled. "Seraphina!" They rushed to her side, helping her up with worried expressions. Seraphina had only bumped her arm on the floor, leaving a small red mark. But to see it, you'd think she'd broken a bone. The two of them looked at me, their faces cold with accusation. "Aveline, what is wrong with you?" "Did you leave this chest here on purpose? Did you want Seraphina to fall?" "I get it now. You've always been jealous that she's prettier than you. You wanted her to fall and ruin her face, didn't you? That would make you happy!" The accusations rained down on me, so absurd they were almost laughable. I had been trying to get them to leave from the very beginning. They were the ones who had forced their way in, and now they were blaming me. Seraphina, ever the master of false sincerity, chimed in. "Oh, don't blame Aveline! It was my own clumsiness. Aveline, darling, it was all my fault, please don't be upset." "We only came to celebrate your birthday. Even though we've seen everything there is to see here, we're such good friends, we had to at least stop by!" Her tone was a sickening mix of condescension and pride, as if I should be grateful for their charity. I was about to deliver a scathing reply when Seraphina's eyes lit up, her gaze falling on the various chests and boxes piled in my room. "Aveline, what is all this? Why are you hoarding so many treasures? Didn't you tell us you had no money?" The small chest she had tripped over was one of many that hadn't yet been put away. Inside it, and in the others, were gifts from the Crown Prince, Alistair. His betrothal gifts. There were so many that the treasury storerooms were full, and the overflow had to be kept in my chambers. I had planned to have them sorted after my birthday. I never imagined these three would invite themselves in. Seraphina began to rummage through them with unabashed curiosity. "Don't touch those," I said, my voice sharp. She ignored me, even beckoning her two companions to join her. Brishen opened one at random. It was filled with priceless jewels. His jaw dropped. "Aveline, you told us you were poor! How could you hide all this from us? That's not what friends do!" Drake, too, was mesmerized by the glittering gems. "Aveline, the other day Seraphina admired that one simple hairpin of yours, and you refused to give it to her. And all this time you were hiding this." Seraphina’s eyes were wide with greed. She clutched a whole chest of jewelry to her chest. "Aveline, I love these so much! Can you give them to me?" Seeing my silence, Brishen frowned and came to persuade me. "Aveline, Seraphina has always looked up to you like an older sister. Don't be a stranger. What's one chest of jewels? You have so many." He turned to Drake. "Isn't that right?" Drake nodded. "If you refuse to give them to Seraphina today, it only proves that you are petty and jealous, and unworthy of your station." Seraphina put on her sweet, innocent act again. "Oh, don't be so harsh! Aveline is so good to me, I'm sure she'll give them to me. Right, Aveline?" I laughed. "Let's see if you have the nerve to take them." These were personally selected by the Crown Prince for his future bride. Every piece bore the royal sigil. Even if I dared to give them away, did Seraphina have the courage to wear them in public? Seraphina smiled smugly. "Then I thank you in advance, Aveline! Brishen, Drake, my dears, you'll help me carry this chest out later, won't you?" Before she finished, her gaze shifted again, landing on the magnificent scarlet gown hanging on a screen. "Heavens, what a beautiful dress! Isn't this the legendary Sunbird Gown? The one the finest royal seamstress of the old kingdom spent two years embroidering with threads of pure gold?" "This gown alone is worth a king's ransom! After the old kingdom fell, it was thought to be lost forever." "Aveline, how did it end up here?" I was exhausted, weary down to my bones. I wanted this to be over. I told them the truth. "It was a gift from the Crown Prince." But none of them believed me. "Aveline is just the Chancellor's daughter. How could she obtain such a priceless gown? It's probably a replica." "Today is her birthday. Some wealthy noble must have given it to her as a gift. Seraphina, if you like it, just have Aveline give it to you as well." The sheer audacity of it all. Seeing the way they coddled her, a wave of disgust washed over me. Seraphina stroked the fabric with a look of pure longing. "Aveline, we're sisters, what's mine is yours. This gown is too beautiful. Just let me try it on?" "No." My refusal was cold and absolute. But Drake and Brishen grabbed my arms, dragging me away from the screen. "Why are you being so selfish? Seraphina just wants to try it on. She won't damage it!" Brishen produced a flask of wine from somewhere. "It's your birthday, after all," he said, moving toward me. "And you can't have a birthday without a drink!" "This is a wine that Seraphina brewed herself. A rare treat! Come on, have a taste!" I struggled against them. "The royal physician said I cannot drink any alcohol!" When I fell from the horse, I had injured not just my shoulder, but a bone in my leg. With the wedding approaching, the physician had given me a powerful medicine to speed my recovery. He had specifically warned me not to touch a single drop of wine. But my words were met with scorn. "Who are you trying to fool, Aveline? You used to be able to drink us all under the table. What's a single flask of wine to you?" "If you don't drink today, you're disrespecting Seraphina, and you're disrespecting us!" They exchanged a look. One forced my jaw open while the other poured the wine down my throat. The strong, cloying taste of it made me choke, tears streaming from my eyes. They just laughed. "See? You can handle it just fine." I tried desperately to spit the wine out, but an unnatural heat was already spreading through my body. Something was terribly wrong. I clutched at my throat, stumbling toward the door. "Help me..." "Honestly, Aveline's acting is getting better and better. It's just a flask of wine, is it really necessary to put on such a show..." Brishen and Drake watched me go, their voices dripping with amusement. My whole body began to tremble. Their voices faded. The world spun, and then everything went black. As I collapsed, their expressions finally changed. "Aveline!"
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