Chapter 2 The mission

The first time she saw him, he was surrounded by flames. The blood-red sky cast a crimson glow over his silhouette as the sun sank below the horizon. She couldn't clearly see his eyes, but his gaze seemed to burn wherever it lingered on her skin.

As his blazing aura threatened to reduce her to ashes, memories of the terrifying beasts from her childhood stories flashed through her mind. Surely, if those legendary creatures had ever truly existed, he would be one of them.

One of the dragons.

---

Concentrate.

Anna heard the old man's voice in her mind as she drew the bowstring back until it reached her nose. She closed her eyes as a familiar prickling sensation began to build in her chest. Silently, she urged the sensation down her arm and toward the finger holding the arrow firmly against the bow.

Hold it.

The man's voice echoed through her mind once more.

I'm trying.

Anna grunted internally, scrunching her eyes shut as the uncomfortable sensation swirled around her finger. She slowly exhaled, counting the seconds.

Now.

Her eyes snapped open as she released the bowstring. The arrow flew toward the old stump in front of her.

Flames eagerly engulfed the dead wood the moment the arrow struck its mark.

"You're getting better."

Anna flinched at the unexpected voice. She quickly spun around to face her friend.

"I didn't realize anyone was here," she muttered, glancing sheepishly at the burning stump.

"You're lucky it was me." Dash smirked as he grabbed the bucket of water beside her and splashed it over the flames. "Be more careful next time, yeah?"

"What's the big deal anyway?" Anna pouted as she took the singed arrow Dash held out to her.

"Maybe the fact that you can create fire with your mind?" he scoffed.

He reached out and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"Speaking of secrets, you should probably do a better job of keeping this hair of yours out of sight, too."

Anna playfully slapped his hand away.

"Enough with your nagging!"

The pair exchanged a few more lighthearted jabs before Dash suddenly fell silent, his gaze dropping to the ground.

"It's really happening today, isn't it?" he said quietly.

As soldiers serving under the Mevani King, they were accustomed to dangerous missions and long periods spent away from home. This mission, however, was far more dangerous than usual.

Whether they succeeded or failed, the chances of them returning safely to their homeland were slim. And even if they did manage to survive, they might not see each other again for years.

"What are you pouting about?" Anna tried to force a laugh. "You'll be by my side for a while longer, right?"

"I just wish..." Dash's voice trailed off.

He shook his head before suddenly throwing an arm around Anna's shoulders and rubbing his knuckles against the top of her head with his other hand.

"I guess I'm the one who'll face the most danger trying to protect you, Your Highness," he said with a sarcastic smirk, grinding his knuckles against her forehead.

"Were you about to say you wish it was the real princess instead?" Anna teased, tugging his arm away.

Most of the palace guards were hopelessly smitten with the princess, and Anna enjoyed teasing Dash about it whenever she got the chance.

The two of them had grown up together, training under Dash's uncle to become palace guards. Dash had family connections, but Anna, a peasant and orphan, had only been fortunate enough to be taken into the palace because of her identical hair color to the princess and her unique ability to control fire.

She had grown up training to become Princess Adriell's body double, while Dash trained to become her personal guard.

Princess Adriell, famed for her unmatched beauty and unusual golden hair, had spent her childhood alongside the two of them as the only child in the palace close to their age.

The three of them had grown so close that they were practically siblings.

"I wish neither of you had to make this difficult journey," Dash said. He hesitated before continuing. "But I'm glad you're strong enough to handle whatever you find out there."

Anna grinned in response.

Since Dash's uncle had passed away, he was the only person left who knew just how strong she truly was. She had secretly trained with the old man for years, learning to refine her fire abilities, but she had never even scratched the surface of the power she could feel flowing through her veins.

Uncle had always stressed that keeping her abilities hidden was more important than learning to control them.

"The skills will come with time. Be patient and discreet," Uncle had always reminded her.

Four years ago, when Anna was fourteen and Dash was sixteen, Uncle had disappeared while on patrol near the Serin border.

It was around that same time that the Serin Empire declared its intention to conquer the rest of the continent. Countless soldiers were lost during the conflict, and few bodies were ever recovered.

Most grieving families were forced to bury empty coffins.

Dash and Anna were among them.

Straightening up and adjusting the quiver over her shoulder, Anna gave Dash one final slap on the back.

"Well, I'll be heading inside to get ready. See you at the final briefing," she said.

She turned toward the palace. Dash gave her a nod before heading toward the barracks.

As soon as Anna reached her room, she tossed her gear onto the floor and removed her headband. Slowly, she unwound her tightly tied hair, allowing golden waves to cascade down her back.

Thanks to years of princess-level treatments, her hair still shimmered beautifully, even after being thoroughly coated in dirt and sweat.

She removed her leather armor and glanced at the luggage already packed and waiting on her bed.

She didn't need to open the bags to know what they contained.

Frilly dresses.

Sparkling jewelry.

She had been permitted to wear more comfortable riding clothes during the journey, but once they arrived in Pandreia, she would have to force herself into those suffocating outfits.

Trying to ignore the butterflies fluttering in her stomach at the thought of Pandreia, Anna quickly finished undressing and climbed into the wooden tub of warm water waiting for her.

There would be plenty of time to worry later.

For now, she would focus on preparing for the most important mission of her life.

A sudden knock on the door startled her.

"Miss Keliyah, are you ready?" a shrill voice called from outside.

The maids had arrived.

Why had she been worrying about Pandreia anyway?

Surely nothing in the large coastal kingdom could be more frightening than the hours of scrubbing, brushing, and pulling that awaited her.

Anna took a deep breath.

"Come in."

---

Later, sparkling from head to toe, Anna found herself standing before the large, ornate doors that concealed the king's audience chamber.

She remembered the first time she had been summoned here.

It had been less than a year since an old man claiming to be Dash's uncle had found the two of them on the streets and invited them to the palace to learn swordsmanship.

Under the old man's direction, Anna had dressed as a boy and cut her hair short.

She hadn't understood why at the time.

That changed the day she received a summons from the king.

At eight years old, she had suddenly found herself standing before those enormous doors.

They had seemed much larger and far more terrifying back then.

Even a street-born orphan like Anna knew that receiving a summons from the king was an honor very few people were granted in their lifetime.

She had swallowed nervously as two armor-clad guards pushed open the grand wooden doors and announced her arrival.

The thoughts racing through her mind came to an abrupt stop when she saw a girl sitting in the middle of the room.

The girl looked a few years older than Anna, with long golden hair and fair skin.

Anna subconsciously brushed a hand over her tanned cheek and short hair as she stared at the girl's beauty.

Although they shared the same hair color, Anna doubted that her once-unkempt golden hair could ever have resembled the girl's long, silky locks.

"Welcome, Anna of the guards," a deep voice called.

Anna turned toward the speaker and saw a large man with sharp features and graying hair sitting in an elegant chair at the head of the room.

"Your Majesty." She bowed clumsily before looking up. "I go by Anna, sir."

The corners of the man's mouth twitched with amusement.

"Anna, is it?" he asked.

"Ah, yes, sir," Anna replied, raising her head.

"Come and sit down." The king gestured toward an empty chair beside the girl with the beautiful hair.

Anna nodded and hastily scurried to her seat.

That was the first time she met Adriell and the king.

That day, she learned that she would receive additional education to become the princess's double alongside her regular soldier training.

She was to keep her identity secret at all times.

Most importantly, she had to keep her hair hidden.

Since then, Anna had visited this room countless times.

It was here that she received and reported on missions, sometimes as a soldier and other times as Adriell's double.

Although the routine was familiar, she couldn't shake the feeling that this time was different.

Whether she succeeded or failed, she might never stand before these doors again.

Anna cleared her throat and nodded to the guards.

They dipped their heads politely before slowly pushing the enormous doors open.