Chapter One — THE FIRST STEP

The gardens of House Vaelis were beautiful.

At least, that was what everyone told Eryx.

He had heard it from visiting nobles, from merchants who occasionally came to the estate, from his mother's friends, and even from servants who had worked in the house for decades.

The most beautiful gardens in Elyndria.

Eryx wasn't sure how he was supposed to judge that.

He had never seen another garden.

Still, he liked this one.

It was quiet.

That was enough.

He sat beneath an old flowering tree, a small basket resting beside him as he carefully trimmed the stems of the roses he'd picked that morning.

One.

Two.

Three.

He added another flower to the basket.

"You're coming with me."

He spoke quietly to the rose before placing it with the others.

There were already far too many.

His mother would probably complain when she saw them.

Again.

Eryx could already imagine her expression.

Eryx, what are you going to do with all of those?

His answer would probably be the same as always.

Look at them.

He smiled.

The garden stretched far beyond where he was sitting. Rose bushes covered entire sections of it, mixed with lavender, lilies, and other flowers whose names Eryx had forgotten.

A marble fountain stood at the center, its water running constantly.

Beyond the trees were the walls.

Huge, pale stone walls surrounded the entire Vaelis estate.

Eryx had known those walls his entire life.

He knew every gate.

Every path.

Every guard post.

Every place where the walls were covered in vines.

He knew which servants worked during the day and which knights patrolled at night.

He knew all of it.

Because there wasn't much else for him to know.

Eryx leaned back against the tree and looked toward the distant city.

Elyndria.

Even from the estate, he could see the tallest towers.

The city looked almost unreal from this distance.

White buildings.

Golden rooftops.

The faint movement of people.

Smoke rising from chimneys.

Somewhere beyond those buildings was the harbor.

And beyond the harbor was the sea.

And beyond the sea—

Everything else.

Other countries.

Other cities.

Other people.

A whole world he'd only ever seen through books.

Sometimes Eryx wondered what it would feel like to simply walk through the streets.

No guards.

No servants.

No one watching him.

He wanted to know what the markets smelled like.

He wanted to taste food from a street vendor.

He wanted to see a festival.

He wanted to get lost somewhere and have to figure out how to find his way back.

It sounded stupid.

But he wanted it.

He wanted something that belonged only to him.

Not to House Vaelis.

Not to Aphrodite's bloodline.

Not to his curse.

Just him.

A voice suddenly broke through his thoughts.

"Young Master Eryx?"

He froze.

He knew that voice.

Another voice called from somewhere behind the hedges.

"Young Master?"

Eryx sighed.

Of course.

He looked down at the roses in his hands.

Then toward the sound.

Maybe if he stayed quiet, they would leave.

"Young Master Eryx, are you in the garden?"

He closed his eyes.

"Unfortunately."

The footsteps stopped.

There was a pause.

"...Young Master?"

Eryx smiled.

"That was a joke."

"Oh."

The servant sounded genuinely confused.

Eryx shook his head.

He reached into the small pouch attached to his belt.

First came the cloth.

He unfolded it and carefully tied it around his eyes.

Then he took out the veil.

It was thin and pale, made from a material so light that it moved with the slightest breeze.

He wrapped it around his face and secured it behind his head.

Only after making sure nothing was exposed did he stand.

Two servants were waiting at the end of the garden path.

Their eyes immediately lowered.

They knew better than to look.

"Forgive us for disturbing you, young master."

"You didn't."

"Lunch is ready."

Eryx looked toward the manor.

"Already?"

"It's nearly noon."

He looked down at the basket of roses.

"I'll be there."

"Would you like us to carry those?"

"No."

The servants bowed.

Eryx walked past them.

They followed several steps behind.

Always several steps.

Never closer.

Eryx hated that distance.

He understood it.

But he hated it anyway.

---

The dining hall was already occupied when Eryx arrived.

Cael was sitting in his usual chair, looking bored.

Elya and Elyr were whispering to each other.

His mother was speaking to his father.

Cael looked up first.

"There he is."

Eryx stopped.

"Was I missing?"

"Yes."

"For how long?"

"Seven minutes."

"You're dramatic."

"I was starving."

"You ate breakfast two hours ago."

"That was two hours ago."

Eryx shook his head and sat down.

Elya immediately pointed at the basket.

"You brought roses again."

"Yes."

"Can I have one?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because you asked."

Elyr laughed.

"That's not a reason."

"It is to me."

Their mother sighed.

"You four haven't changed."

"That's because we're perfect," Eryx said.

Cael snorted.

"You?"

"Especially me."

Their mother laughed softly.

For a few minutes, it felt normal.

Just a family having lunch.

Then his father looked toward the servants.

"Leave us."

The servants immediately stopped.

They bowed and began clearing the table.

Eryx watched them leave.

The doors closed.

A lock clicked.

Only then did Eryx reach up and remove the cloth from his eyes.

He pulled the veil away.

His family looked at him normally.

No fear.

No hesitation.

No lowered eyes.

It was the only place where Eryx could show his face without worrying.

He placed the veil beside his plate.

His mother smiled.

"There you are."

Eryx smiled back.

"Was I hiding?"

"Something like that."

Lunch began.

The conversation moved from one subject to another.

Cael complained about a meeting he'd attended.

Elya complained about her studies.

Elyr complained about Elya.

Elya complained about Elyr complaining.

Eryx listened.

Then Cael casually mentioned something.

"The Spring Festival is next week."

Eryx looked up.

"What?"

Cael glanced at him.

"The Spring Festival."

"I heard you."

"Then why did you ask?"

"I didn't know there was one."

Elya stared at him.

"We told you."

"You told each other."

"You were sitting right there."

"I was reading."

"Exactly."

Eryx frowned.

"That doesn't count."

"It absolutely counts."

Eryx ignored her.

He looked toward his father.

"Are we going?"

Silence.

Eryx immediately knew.

His father didn't even need to answer.

"No."

Eryx's expression fell.

"Why?"

His mother looked at him.

"Eryx..."

"I just asked."

"You know why."

There it was again.

Those words.

You know why.

Eryx put down his fork.

"No, I don't."

His father's expression hardened slightly.

"You know what happens if someone sees you."

"I know."

"Then you know why."

"I know what everyone keeps telling me."

He looked around the table.

"But nobody actually answers me."

Cael stopped eating.

Eryx continued.

"Why can't I go?"

"You can't," his father said.

"That's not an answer."

"It's the answer you're getting."

Eryx stared at him.

He felt the familiar frustration rising in his chest.

"I've been here my entire life."

"Eryx."

"I mean it."

His voice grew louder.

"I'm nineteen."

His father said nothing.

"I'm nineteen years old and I've never been to the city."

His mother looked down.

"I've never been to a festival."

His voice shook.

"I've never traveled outside Asterra."

Cael looked away.

"You have."

Cael looked back at him.

"I know."

"And you've seen the capital."

"Yes."

"The northern mountains."

"Yes."

"The sea."

"Yes."

Eryx laughed bitterly.

"You've seen more of the world than I have."

Cael didn't answer.

Eryx looked toward his mother.

"You've traveled."

She nodded slowly.

His father had too.

Even the twins had been outside the estate.

They were thirteen.

Eryx was nineteen.

And somehow they had seen more than he had.

"Everyone gets to leave."

His voice became quieter.

"Except me."

His father stood.

"Eryx."

"No."

"Eryx, you don't understand."

"Then explain it."

"You could hurt someone."

"I know."

"You could die."

Eryx fell silent.

His father continued.

"We aren't keeping you here because we want to punish you."

"I know."

"Then why are you acting like we are?"

"Because I'm tired!"

The words burst out of him.

The room fell silent.

Eryx's breathing was uneven.

He looked at his family.

"I know you're trying to protect me."

His voice dropped.

"I know."

He swallowed.

"But this isn't living."

Nobody spoke.

"I want to see the world."

His eyes burned.

"I want to know what it's like outside these walls."

His father shook his head.

"No."

Eryx stared at him.

"You're not even going to think about it?"

"No."

"Not even once?"

"No."

Something in Eryx broke.

He pushed his chair back.

"Fine."

His mother stood.

"Eryx."

He grabbed his veil.

"If none of you can find a way..."

He tied it around his face.

"...then I'll do it myself."

He turned and walked out.

"Eryx!"

He didn't stop.

The dining hall doors slammed shut behind him.

---

Eryx didn't go far.

He walked straight to his room.

He shut the door.

Then he locked it.

He stood there for a moment, staring at nothing.

His anger slowly disappeared.

What replaced it was worse.

Sadness.

He sat on the edge of his bed.

Outside his window, the sky gradually changed colors.

Afternoon became evening.

The sun disappeared behind the horizon.

Eryx didn't leave his room.

Not when his mother knocked.

Not when Cael knocked later.

Not when one of the twins whispered something outside his door and ran away when he didn't answer.

He didn't want to talk.

He didn't want to explain.

He didn't want to hear another you know why.

At dinner, a servant left a tray outside his door.

"Young Master?"

No answer.

"I've left your dinner here."

Still nothing.

The servant waited.

Then quietly walked away.

The smell of warm food slowly faded into the hallway.

Eryx never touched it.

---

Midnight came.

The estate was quiet.

Eryx sat on his bed, staring at the moonlight spilling across the floor.

He had been thinking for hours.

He knew his father wouldn't change his mind.

He knew his mother wouldn't go against him.

Cael would probably try to talk him out of it.

The twins would probably tell him he was insane.

Maybe they were right.

Eryx looked toward his bedroom door.

Then toward the window.

Then back at the door.

He stood.

His heart started beating faster.

"Okay."

He whispered.

He didn't know who he was talking to.

Maybe himself.

Maybe the universe.

He walked toward the door.

Very slowly, he turned the handle.

Click.

He froze.

Nothing.

Eryx opened the door a few centimeters.

He poked his head through the gap.

He looked left.

Nothing.

He looked right.

Nothing.

The hallway was empty.

He opened the door a little farther.

Still nothing.

Eryx stepped outside.

He closed the door behind him as quietly as possible.

Then he stood there.

He was doing it.

He was actually doing it.

A stupid grin appeared on his face.

He quickly covered his mouth.

Don't laugh.

Someone might hear.

He started walking.

Tiptoe.

One step.

Another.

He passed the portraits lining the hallway.

Passed the staircase.

Stopped whenever he heard a sound.

Once, he nearly jumped out of his skin when a suit of armor shifted slightly in the draft.

He stared at it.

"Don't do that."

The armor, thankfully, did not answer.

Eryx continued.

He knew the estate well.

Too well.

He avoided the main corridors because guards usually passed through them.

Instead, he took the servant's halls.

He went down one staircase.

Then another.

The kitchen was just ahead.

Beyond it was a small back entrance used by servants to bring deliveries into the estate.

And beyond that—

The outside.

Freedom.

Eryx's heart raced.

He pushed open the kitchen door.

It was dark.

Everyone was asleep.

He could see the back door at the end of the room.

Almost there.

He took another step.

Then another.

His hand reached for the handle.

A voice came from behind him.

"Where are you going out this late, young master?"

Eryx froze.

His hand remained on the door.

Very slowly, he turned his head.

A knight stood in the doorway.

Eryx stared at him.

The knight stared back.

Neither spoke.

Eryx's mind went completely blank.

Then one thought finally managed to make its way through.

Shit.