"Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory."
-Dr. Seuss

I stood there, clinging to the Queen of all supernatural beings like she was a lifeline. If it bothered her, she didn't let it show. Instead, she held me close, gently rubbing my head and whispering soothing words to keep me calm. It was too much information to process on so little sleep—being woken to find out someone wanted to steal me. (Because technically, it's not kidnapping when you're considered property, right?) Then, discovered it was all because my birth mother had a significant past while I lived a simple, ignorant life as a human. Another wave of panic surged through me. A powerful, pure-blood vampire wanted me for his own.

It was only a matter of time. The thought made bile rise in my throat just as the study door slammed open with such force that the walls seemed to vibrate.

"What's got Dad's panties in a bunch this—" The voice abruptly cut off as a younger man strode into the room, the embodiment of mischief. His hair was short and boyishly swept to the side, looking like it required little effort. It had the same glossy brown with gold highlights as the Queen's. His eyes roamed over me, but not with personal interest—more like he was taking stock. That's when I realized how much of a mess I must've looked—still in my silk sleeping shirt and panties, suffering through an emotional breakdown that had been brewing for most of my life.

"Ah! So that's why he's been barking orders at everyone cleaning up!" The man strode over to me, flashing a huge grin as he extended his hand. "Hi there, I'm Blane, and I'm very obviously the more attractive Prince."

I took his hand for a quick shake, but before I could react, he tugged me forward, wrapping his arms around me in an unexpected hug. The Queen let out a soft chuckle, likely amused by the startled expression frozen on my face. I forced myself to laugh politely before stepping back, creating distance between us. Before I could respond, the Queen cleared her throat, drawing both of our attention.

"I believe Maddie is quite exhausted," she said gently. "You're excused, dear. You have the day off, as does most of the staff. Volunteers are being taken to clean up the Manor, but I neither expect nor want you to help. Perhaps you should try to get some rest."

Nodding absentmindedly, I took a step toward the door. The Queen approached and pulled me into another quick hug, her voice soft as she said I should come to her if I ever needed anything. Before my thoughts could spiral into another round of questions about who my mother indeed was and why such a powerful being would go to such lengths to protect her child, I gently pulled away.

She let go, and I hurried out of the room, closing the door behind me. I stood in the hallway, unsure of what to do with myself. I should have returned to my room and tried to sleep, but I knew it would be pointless. With the pace of my mind racing, there was no way I could quiet it enough to rest.

I quickly detoured to my room for a shower, hoping the hot water would help soothe my nerves. However, it only seemed to encourage my thoughts to spiral further out of control. Afterward, I changed into a warm sweater, but my body still shivered, resisting my attempts to calm down. I needed to move, to do something to reign in the chaos inside my head.

I wandered outside into the gardens, hoping the fresh air might help clear my thoughts or provide a distraction. As if the wind had answered my silent plea, I stumbled across Becca. She was sitting in a circle with Harley, Draven, Evan, and the tiny woman I had seen earlier that morning. They were all seated cross-legged, passing cards around.

Laughter filled the air, most directed at a very stoic Draven sitting in front of a messy pile of cards. I couldn't help but smile slightly as I continued walking toward them. Draven's eyes flicked up, catching sight of me as I approached.

His eyes narrowed for a brief second before Becca looked up and spotted me. A smile lit up her face, and just seeing it made the jitters inside me ease a little.

"Maddie! Hi! Come join us," she called out, her tone warm and welcoming. "I'm sure you need some company. We all did."

I walked the rest of the way over when the petite woman spoke up. Her voice was soft yet clear: "My name is Annie. I'm sorry I didn't get the chance to introduce myself before this morning. How are you feeling?"

I attempted to smile, but I knew it didn't quite reach my eyes. "I'm struggling to get my mind under control, but otherwise, I'm okay. Thank you for being willing to protect someone you didn't know."

She waved it off like it was nothing, but to me, it was baffling. Even if I was deeply grateful, the selflessness still surprised me.

I sat down in their circle, watching them play a game I hadn't seen since childhood. They excitedly called out cards, shouting at each other to "go fish." It was simple enough, but I declined their offer to join. Just being there, soaking up their laughter, helped alleviate some of the tension in my mind and shoulders.

After three games of Becca winning and Draven growing increasingly frustrated, convinced she was somehow cheating, the cards were eventually forgotten. Annie perked up, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

"I know! Let's play Truth or Dare!" she exclaimed. "Remember the last time we played? You got so drunk you ended up kissing Evan!"

Becca's face flushed so red that it seemed like her whole body was heating up from embarrassment while Evan coughed and nervously straightened his spine. Intrigued, I thought this might be exactly what I needed to distract myself and join in their joy after such a terrible morning.

"I'd like to play," I said, a hint of excitement creeping into my voice. "I haven't since middle school."

Annie grinned, clearly pleased with my decision. "Great! We can use the cards. Quick rules rundown so no one is confused. Everyone picks a card, and whoever is closest to mine—same suit and closest number—goes first. I'll ask them 'truth or dare,' they pick, and then I either ask a question they have to answer honestly—which I'll know because I can detect lies—or give them a dare they have to do. They can skip and be out of the game if they don't want to do either."

Annie started shuffling the deck, but I was stuck on one detail: Did she just admit she could detect lies?

Harley stood up, brushing off his pants. "Thanks for the offer, but I think I'll opt-out. I'm going to check on the clean-up."

We all waved goodbye as he made his way out of the gardens. Annie began passing out the cards, and a flutter of nerves clenched my stomach. There were so many truths I had never wanted to reveal, and the thought of being forced into an embarrassing dare made me uneasy. All of these helped me begin to forget about the events from earlier, which was my plan.

"Okay, I have the three of hearts! Does anyone have a heart card?" Annie called out, her enthusiasm infectious.

I glanced at my card and let out a small breath of relief; it was far from hers.

Becca groaned beside me, "I have the two of hearts."

Draven snickered, and Evan shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Annie's eyes sparkled with mischief as she turned to Becca. "Truth or dare, darling?"

"Let's make this interesting right off the bat. Dare."

"Okay then. I dare you—" Her gaze flickered toward Evan momentarily before she shook her head slightly. "I dare you to strip down to just your panties and bra and play the entire game like that."

"Are you kidding?! It's freezing out!" Becca protested, glancing at her clothes.

Annie waved dismissively at her concerns. Reluctantly, Becca groaned but stood up, first kicking off her boots. She peeled off her layers one by one until all that remained was a simple purple bra adorned with little bows. A shiver coursed through her as she sat back down on the ground. "Shit, Annie, this is ridiculous. You may not be human, but I am! You're going to freeze me to death!"

Everyone laughed at Becca's boldness as she requested the deck of cards from Annie. Becca dealt them out just like before. "Okay, everyone! I have the ten of spades."

I flinched when I looked at my card. I had a spade, but it was only the four. Draven let out a quiet curse. "I have the seven of spades."

"Yes! Draven! Oh, this makes my lack of clothes so much better," Becca exclaimed, clapping her hands together and doing a little happy wiggle. "Truth or dare?"

His eyes flicked toward me before he shrugged. "Why not go with the truth?"

"Okay then. Annie, you ready?" Becca asked, and Annie nodded, a smile playing on her lips. Becca put her hand on her chin, pretending to be deep in thought. "Why do you hate Maddie so much?"

Shock lit up Draven's eyes. "What do you mean? I don't hate Maddie at all."

Annie's eyes widened. "He's telling the truth, Becca. He doesn't hate her."

"Then why is it that whenever she walks into a room, you look like someone shoved a lemon down your throat?" Becca accused, wagging her finger in Draven's face.

This time, Draven met my gaze fully before looking down in shame. "Because she makes me remember what I lost."

Evan reached over and placed a sympathetic hand on Draven's shoulder. We sat in silence for a moment as I contemplated his words. Even after all these years, he still felt such raw pain from my mother's death. Having a constant reminder to walk the same halls must be challenging. I reached out to him but hesitated when he glanced up at me. Instead, he smiled softly and lifted his hand to meet mine.

Becca didn't say anything as she passed the deck to Draven. We continued playing, a mix of silly dares and a few heart-wrenching truths sprinkled in between. At one point, I ended up sitting on Becca's lap while she remained stripped down, and I had to stay like that for at least ten minutes. Surprisingly, it was pleasant; she wrapped her arms around me, keeping me warm.

As we neared the end of the deck, Annie passed out the cards again. It was finally my turn, and a surge of courage coursed through me for the first time that day. I decided to ask for the truth.

Annie focused her gaze above my head, her expression serious. "So, Maddie, why are you interested in discovering everything about the Prince?"

Shock coursed through my system, rendering me speechless. I knew she could tell if I was lying, and the thought of admitting something I wasn't ready to confront paralyzed me. I blinked a few times, trying to gather my thoughts. When the feeling finally returned to my body, I realized that my defenses were down; nothing horrible was going to happen to me. In an impulsive rush, I stood up as quickly as I could, ignoring Becca's shout of protest as I propelled myself forward, moving faster than I thought possible.

Of course, that question came up. I should have seen it coming; walking away had only made everyone more suspicious—and likely worried. But what was I supposed to say? That something felt off about the Prince, my (for all intents and purposes) Master? It wasn't any of my business. I shouldn't have any feelings toward him except for common decency. Yet I couldn't shake it. There was something about Jaxon that sent tingles down my skin, but I couldn't tell if it was a delightful sensation or a warning.

To make matters worse, that shouldn't have been my primary concern. I had so many other pressing issues to focus on. For instance, my mother was a leader among supernatural beings who helped hunt down other supernaturals. A mighty Lord—second only to the royal family—wanted to capture me, and his intentions were still unknown. Not to mention the King; just that morning, he had me pinned against a wall, cutting off my air supply. I should have been worried about ever facing him again. What would happen the next time I found myself in a room with him? Would he try it again?

My head spun with an inner dialogue that streamed through my mind like a movie trailer of the worst moments of my life. As I ran out of issues that warranted my stress more than an iffy feeling toward a Prince, my thoughts shifted to the horrifying experiences at the Academy—memories I would likely never recover from, even if I had a lifetime to try.

I realized I was farther in the maze than I had ever been. The trees were beginning to turn their leaves as the new season approached, signaling that the sun was setting much faster than I had anticipated. With this realization, I decided to turn around instead of trying to navigate my way back to the main path, wondering how long that might take. Becca had mentioned that the maze alone spanned over six hundred acres.

It took only a few steps for the sun to set abnormally fast, casting sinister shadows behind every tree. Goosebumps prickled my skin, and my entire body felt electrified. The wind turned icy, slicing through me like my clothes were a figment of imagination. I tried to move faster, but my feet stumbled over themselves, betraying my panic. Adrenaline surged in my veins, making the shadows dance wildly around me. My breath escaped in hushed pants. Since when had I become afraid of the dark? The darkness seemed trivial compared to the nightmares that usually haunted my sleep.

As I began to scold myself for being so ridiculous, something blurred across the pathway in front of me, so close that I could have touched it if I had dared to reach out. I froze. Every muscle in my body refused to budge. A scream built in my throat, but it was lodged there, stuck.

As I remained paralyzed by fear, a sudden rush of air whooshed behind me. Right before I whipped my head around, a sharp sting radiated through the crown of my skull, accompanied by a loud thwack. The next moment, I was lying on the icy cold ground, staring at a fading vision—an angelic halo of blonde hair framed by blackened, hollow eyes. My vision faded to black as a twisted smile curled across pale lips.

Hello everyone! I've had such a rough two months, between sickness cycling it's way through the house and then the holidays! Phew! But I'm working my way back and more ready than ever to publish this story. I'm continuing with weekly updates starting this Wednesday and going to bring back uploading to my TikTok. I'm so excited to be back! 

As an apology for being gone for a while, I'm uploading the next two chapters after this!