I collapsed back on my bed, worn out from my lessons throughout the day. 

It had been a week since I was reborn in this world, a week filled with history and language lessons to help me seem like a native to Aesatia’s world. While Arlathan was a good teacher, there was only so much he could do to make such dry material interesting. I had also been introduced to more members of the Royal Court, all eager to see the new demon who Kozani had chosen to be his heir. I knew right away that most of them were trying to figure out how they could use me, but I remained polite and pretended to be naive. Years of being manipulated by my mother had taught me what to look for from others and I sat up slowly as my thoughts drifted to my previous life.

Other than at meals, when I ate with the entire royal family, I never saw Queen Nisha in the palace. Lucilla, who often fled her nanny to interrupt my lessons, said that Mother spent most of her time alone since she suffered from awful headaches. A part of me wondered if it had something to do with the visions that made Kozani summon me in the first place, but even Arlathan admitted he didn’t know. She seemed to simply be a mysterious presence in the Palace, one that only appeared at meals and royal events. 

“Hmmm,” I hummed to myself, staring at the carpet as I thought. Luckily, Rael was assigned as my personal servant instead of Darian, whom I learned served the royal pair directly and Rael seemed eager to prove his usefulness. He often did my hair in the mornings, although I did ask about getting it cut. Rael revealed that would be difficult to achieve until after I was tested for magic, since there was a common superstition that it was bad luck to cut one’s hair before a major ceremony.

And apparently it would be quite the ceremony. It was always a big deal when a new demon was tested for magic, but with me being named the heir, there was interest from everyone who knew of my existence. Even the servants had started whispering about it and I stood, stretching as I did so.

“Thirsty,” I muttered, deciding I wanted to get something to drink. As I reached my door however, I hesitated, my heart pounding in my chest. Would I get in trouble for wandering around in the middle of the night? Rael escorted me to all my meals, and Arlathan came to my room to give me my lessons. I had never been allowed to roam the halls alone and the anxiety froze me for what felt like an eternity.

“It's just a quick drink,” I told myself, opening the door quietly as I peered into the dark hall. “I know where the servant’s kitchen is and it's closer than going to the main hall. I'll be back and asleep before anyone knows I left.”

Feeling more confident, I stepped out of my room, leaving my door cracked open as I made my way down the corridor. Rael had pointed out the servant's kitchen one day when I asked him where the servants slept, and I was glad for my own curiosity as I carefully pushed open the simple door.

As expected, there was no one about and I quickly helped myself to a glass of water. It felt heavenly and cool as I drank and I sighed with happiness as I finished. Now, all I had to do was sneak back to my own room and no one would even know I had left. I was careful to leave no evidence of my presence, deciding to take the cup with me and figure out another chance to return it to the kitchen. 

As I slowly stepped back out into the hall, I was startled by a soft voice behind me.

“Javier?” I turned to see Valerian in the hall, our eyes meeting as I froze with my hand on the door. He seemed confused by my presence and I was equally confused to see him. Rael had told me that all of the Royal Court and their families lived outside of the palace, so why was Valerian here? 

“I-I-I–” I struggled to find the words as my heart pounded and my hands started to shake as I finished closing the door, still clutching the cup. Valerian laughed quietly, shaking his head. 

“Don't worry, I'm not going to tell on you. I'd be getting myself in trouble if I did,” he chuckled and I sighed, relaxing a bit as I fully turned to face him. “More confused why you're in the servant's quarters.”

“Wh-why are you in the palace at all?” I managed to ask, trying to calm my still racing heart. Valerian’s smile grew and he held his finger to his lips. 

“Well, if your Highness can keep a secret, I’ll show you,” he offered and I frowned, not liking the way his eyes lit up. I hadn't seen him since my first day in the palace, but something about him still seemed off to me. Not dangerous, but definitely different. “If not, then we can just go our separate ways and pretend we didn't see each other.” 

I hesitated for a moment, torn between curiosity and caution. Valerian’s offer was tempting, but the thought of getting caught sneaking around the palace sent a shiver down my spine. Yet, there was an air of mystery around him that intrigued me and he definitely seemed to know his way around better than I did.

Taking a deep breath, I nodded slowly. "Alright, I can keep a secret."

Valerian grinned mischievously, gesturing for me to follow him down the dimly lit corridor. As we walked, he moved with a confidence that seemed to come naturally, his footsteps echoing softly against the polished stone floor. I couldn’t help but marvel at the contrast between his easy demeanor and my own nervousness.

We eventually came to a nondescript section of the palace, far from the opulent halls of the palace that I was getting used to. Valerian stopped in front of a seemingly ordinary wall, his gaze intense as he scanned its surface. With a sly grin, he pressed on a hidden panel, causing the wall to slide open noiselessly, revealing a concealed passage beyond.

I couldn’t help but gasp in astonishment as Valerian beckoned me forward, his expression alight with anticipation. Without hesitation, I followed him into the hidden passageway, the air growing cooler as we descended into darkness. Valerian moved with a sense of purpose, his footsteps echoing softly in the dimly lit corridor. I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were trespassing on forbidden ground, but the thrill of the unknown kept me moving forward.

“And here we are!” Valerian said triumphantly as we reached the end of the passage. He pushed open a heavy wooden door, revealing a small chamber bathed in soft candlelight. My eyes swept across the room, taking in the ancient tapestries adorning the walls and the intricate designs etched into the stone floor.

But what truly caught my attention was the object sitting at the center of the room; a half-restored mirror, its surface marred by cracks and missing shards. Despite its damaged state, there was an undeniable aura of magic emanating from it, sending a shiver down my spine.

“This,” Valerian declared, his voice tinged with excitement, “is the reason I come to the palace at night. I can’t manage every night, but I come as often as I can.”

I set the cup down and approached the mirror cautiously, my fingers grazing its cool surface. It felt alive beneath my touch, pulsing with a faint energy that seemed to beckon me closer.

“What is it?” I asked, unable to tear my gaze away from the mirror’s fractured reflection.

“It’s a mirror obviously,” Valerian chuckled, and I frowned as I turned back to look at him. “To be honest, I’m not really sure where it came from or what it’s meant for, but I can feel the magic it produces, even broken as it is.”

“Magic…” I repeated, turning back to face the broken mirror. I could see the carefully stacked pile of shards Valerian had recovered and the clean tools and glue he was using to repair it, piece by piece. “How did you find this?”

“I have a bit of skill dealing with magical objects. I felt the pull of magic when I was walking through the palace a few years ago, and eventually, curiosity got the better of me,” Valerian shrugged, a playful smirk dancing on his lips. "I followed the trail until I stumbled upon this hidden chamber. It took some time to figure out how to open the passage, but once I did, I couldn't stay away."

I nodded, understanding his fascination. Despite its damaged state, there was something undeniably captivating about the mirror. “And what do you hope to find?” 

“Don’t know. I’m just kinda fixing it,” Valerian admitted, his smirk turning into a more thoughtful expression. “Once it’s finished, I plan to give it to the Emperor. It’ll be up to him to figure out what to do with it.

“Well, I’m not gonna work tonight, so let’s get you back to your room before someone notices,” Valerian chuckled, and I followed as we slowly left the room, making our way back into the dark hallway. As we walked, I stared at Valerian’s back, trying to decide what I thought about him. The strange aura he had that was so different from the other demons around me was still confusing but otherwise than he seemed… fine. Curious and definitely a jokester, but an alright guy otherwise. I felt my heart start to pound again as I remembered how he kissed my hand, my cheeks starting to flush. If I had been reborn into this world as a princess instead of a prince, would he have tried to court me?

As I was thinking this, a sudden noise echoed through the corridor, causing both Valerian and me to freeze in our tracks. It was a soft but unmistakable sound of a voice and panic surged through me. Valerian quickly grabbed my arm, squeezing us into a gap that existed between the stones that lined the hallway. My heart hammered in my chest, each beat resonating in the stillness of the corridor. The voice drew nearer, accompanied by the steady rhythm of footsteps echoing against the stone walls and I couldn’t help my surprise as I saw who it was. 

It was Empress Nisha.