Princess Blind's Sight

GOOD FOR NOTHING PRINCESS

**Kyrah (POV) **

[Kaarmanet, Academy]

As I strolled through the dimly lit pathways of the academy grounds, the rustle of dry leaves underfoot echoed in the night air. The soft caress of the cool monsoon breeze sent shivers down my spine, raising goosebumps on my exposed skin. It was late, far past the hour when most students and faculty had retired to their chambers. Yet, despite the late hour and the eerie stillness that enveloped the campus, I pressed on. I knew it was a risky endeavor, venturing out alone in the dead of night. But it was the only time when I could train in solitude, free from prying eyes and whispered rumors.

Behind me, the telltale crunch of footsteps on dried leaves signaled the presence of another. I didn't need confirmation of their identity. It could only be one person: Romick Woodwind. A constant thorn in my side, he had made it his personal mission to torment me at every turn.

When Romick walked into the dining hall that evening, a moon ago, I could tell from the way Helen acted that she was gearing up to spin the situation in her favor. And boy, did she succeed. Ever since then, Romick has been treating me like sh*t. He pulled sneaky moves to convince the professors that he needed to be by my side in class, all in the name of "helping" me. But it was all just a facade.

Instead of lending a hand, he'd jab his claws into my arm while I tried to take notes or whisper nasty abuses in my ear during lectures, making me want to crawl under the desk in embarrassment. And the worst part? I had to keep quiet through it all, which only seemed to piss him off even more.

"What, don't you wanna run like a mouse to Prof. Dasha or your entitled cousins, now?" He asked during the last class that morning, but I stayed silent, refusing to play his game.

Then, out of nowhere, he shoved my head against the desk. And you know what's crazy? He acted like it was some kind of accident like he didn't mean to do it. But I knew better. It was just another move in his twisted little game.

"Why the chaos, do you let him do that to you?" Vivan inquired, gritting his teeth as we left the classes at the end of the day.

"Vivan, I've told you on multiple occasions, let him be!" I stated plainly, "You need to have more trust in me, I can handle myself."

"I do trust you, but how do you expect me to just stand by when you keep getting hurt? And I don't understand why neither your parents nor Dasha say anything, either," Vivan grumbled in frustration.

"You told my parents?" I asked incredulously.

"What did you expect?" He defended his ridiculous actions.

"And what is the response you got?" I probed, knowingly.

"Uncle Vaan said you're capable of handling these things yourself and that I shouldn't involve them with the academy business." He murmured defeated. "Aunty C looked at me like I'd grown ten horns on my head!" He added, making me burst into a fit of laughter.

"Yet, you don't seem to get the message," I squeezed in between my laughs, "Let me put it plainly, I never do anything without good reason! Unlike you, I do not act on impulse. So, let Romick do what he wants to, and let me handle it the way I want to."

"Do you know it is frustrating to be a good friend and a cousin to you!" He huffed, picking up his pace, and leaving me to walk myself to my dorm room.

I knew deep down that Vivan and Divit were right about reporting Helen and Romick's bullying. I mean, bullying is just plain wrong, no two ways about it. But instead of speaking up, I chose to keep quiet. Why? Because I wanted to etch every moment of their cruelty into my mind and heart. I wanted to have every reason to hate Romick so that when he eventually rejected me, it wouldn't hurt as much.

It's not something I can talk about with anyone. My parents drilled it into my head from day one: never spill the beans about my gift to anyone except them and Dasha. Even though the grown-ups are in on the secret, we all pretend like it doesn't exist. It's like this unspoken rule we all follow, and I'm no exception.

Every night, like clockwork, I'd slip out onto the grounds for my secret training sessions. It was my sanctuary, my escape from the chaos of daily life. But that night, for some unknown reason, Romick decided to tail me. I thought about trying to stall him, but something deep within me whispered that it wouldn't be necessary. Little did I know what was about to unfold would freeze me in my tracks, halting my steps in an involuntary pause.

"Happy Birthday to us, Rom!" A deep, husky voice resonated through my head, sending shivers down my spine and tugging at my heartstrings. It was a voice that both intrigued and confounded me, stirring up a whirlwind of emotions within. Yet, to my bewilderment, I couldn't sense anyone else's presence but Romick's.

Where had this mysterious voice come from? Before I could dwell on it any further, Romick's response pierced through my head, snapping me back to reality.

"Is it today?" His voice wavered with uncertainty, casting a shadow of doubt over his words. Yet, strangely, it felt like there was something more to it like he wasn't really speaking the words I heard, rather thinking them.

Could it be that I was hearing his thoughts? I mean, Mom and Dad had that ability, but only after they completed their fate-bond. And that, definitely, wasn't the case here.

"That smell!" The mysterious voice came again. "It is doing unspeakable things to me.!"

"Arsa, can you focus, for fu*k's sake? I need to teach this entitled bit*h a lesson for life!" Romick seethed.

Arsa... was that his wolf? Oh heck! I was hearing his thoughts, more like his mind-link with his wolf. But how was that possible?

"Mate!" Arsa all but yelled, giving me a migraine. How did Romick manage Arsa's extreme enthusiasm?

"WHO?" Romick panicked.

"Kyrah..." The way Arsa said my name sent a jolt through me, making my knees wobble and my breath catch in my throat. As I struggled to steady myself, a heavy thud echoed in the air, breaking the silence as Romick's bulk of muscles fell to the ground.

"NO! IT CAN'T BE HER!"

"But it is her!"

"NO, MY MATE CAN'T BE THIS GOOD FOR NOTHING PRINCESS!"

Despite bracing myself for the inevitable rejection, his words still felt like a sledgehammer to my heart, shattering it into a million pieces once again. Tears welled up in my eyes, and just as I struggled to regain my composure, a piercing howl sliced through the air, followed by the thunderous rhythm of paws pounding against the ground, rapidly closing in on my position.