Chapter 2

Yuna was already up, humming as she brushed her hair in front of the small mirror. "You're awake! Good. First day of classes. Everyone's going to be staring at you, so wear something that makes you look like you belong."

Aria pulled on her uniform, the fabric still stiff and new. The Cassiopeia pin felt heavy on her collar. "I don't need to look like I belong. I just need to find my brother."

"And you will. But until then, you have to survive the politics." Yuna handed her a cup of tea. "The Crown Prince's attention is a double-edged sword. It puts you on a pedestal, but it also makes you a target."

Aria took the tea, the warmth seeping into her palms. "I didn't ask for his attention."

"Doesn't matter. You have it."

Their first class was History of the Empire, held in a lecture hall with vaulted ceilings and stained-glass windows that cast colored light across the rows of desks. Aria found a seat near the middle, Yuna beside her. The room filled quickly, students whispering and stealing glances in her direction.

Professor Han, a stern woman with silver-streaked hair, began her lecture on the founding of the empire. Aria tried to focus, but her mind kept drifting to the midnight meeting. Who was Kim Jae-won? And what did he know about Leo?

The door at the back of the hall opened, and a ripple of attention shifted. Crown Prince Kang Min-hyuk entered, his presence commanding even in silence. He didn't look at anyone as he took a seat in the front row, two seats away from the professor's podium.

Aria forced her eyes back to her notes. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of staring.

But when the lecture ended and students began to file out, a shadow fell over her desk. She looked up to find the Crown Prince standing there, his expression unreadable.

"Miss Chen. I trust your first morning has been productive."

His voice was smooth, measured. Aria stood, refusing to be intimidated by his height. "It has, Your Highness. Thank you for asking."

"I noticed you were distracted during the lecture. Is something on your mind?"

Her heart skipped. How had he noticed? He hadn't even turned around. "I was just thinking about the material. It's a lot to absorb."

"Of course." His lips curved slightly, not quite a smile. "Perhaps you'd benefit from a study session. I often lead informal gatherings in the library. You'd be welcome."

Yuna's elbow dug into Aria's ribs. Aria ignored it. "I'll consider it, Your Highness. Thank you."

He inclined his head and walked away, leaving a trail of whispers in his wake.

"He invited you to his study group," Yuna hissed as they left the hall. "Do you have any idea how rare that is? People would kill for that invitation."

"I'm not interested in his study group. I'm interested in finding Leo."

"Then use it. The library's where information flows. If anyone knows something about your brother, it's the Crown Prince's inner circle."

Aria considered this. Yuna had a point. But the idea of getting closer to Kang Min-hyuk made her skin prickle. There was something behind his eyes—a calculation she couldn't read.

They had a break before the next class, and Aria used it to explore the academy grounds. The campus was a maze of stone buildings, manicured gardens, and hidden courtyards. She found the east garden, where she was supposed to meet Kim Jae-won, and memorized the path: past the fountain, through the arched trellis, to a bench under a willow tree.

At lunch, the dining hall buzzed with energy. Aria and Yuna found a table near the window, away from the main crowd. But the crowd found her anyway.

A boy from House Draco approached, his pin gleaming. "Miss Chen. The Crown Prince requests your presence at his table."

Yuna's eyes went wide. Aria's stomach dropped. "Tell His Highness I appreciate the invitation, but I've already made plans to eat with my roommate."

The boy's expression flickered with surprise, then annoyance. "He doesn't take rejection well."

"Then he'll have to learn."

The boy left, and Yuna buried her face in her hands. "You just declined the Crown Prince. In front of everyone."

Aria looked around. Sure enough, dozens of eyes were on her. Some curious, some hostile, some impressed. She picked up her chopsticks. "I'm not a trophy to be collected."

"You're brave. Or stupid. I haven't decided which."

"Maybe both."

The afternoon passed in a blur of classes. Aria's mind was elsewhere, counting the hours until midnight. She met Yuna in the dormitory after dinner, claiming exhaustion, and waited until her roommate's breathing evened out.

At eleven-thirty, she slipped out of bed, pulled on a dark jacket, and crept into the night.

The east garden was bathed in silver moonlight. The willow tree's branches swayed in the cool breeze, casting dancing shadows on the grass. Aria approached the bench, her heart pounding.

He was already there, leaning against the tree trunk, his face half-hidden in shadow. Kim Jae-won straightened as she approached.

"You came." His voice was soft, almost gentle.

"You said you had information about my brother."

"I do. But first, I need to know I can trust you."

Aria crossed her arms. "Trust goes both ways. You approached me in the dark. You could be anyone."

"Fair enough." He stepped into the moonlight, and she saw his face clearly for the first time. He was handsome, with sharp cheekbones and dark eyes that held a glint of intelligence. "I'm Kim Jae-won, second son of House Lyra. My family has ties to the academy's administration. I heard rumors about a student who disappeared last semester. A transfer student. From the northern kingdom."

Her breath caught. "Leo."

"I don't know if that's his name. But I know he was asking questions about the Crown Prince's family. About something that happened years ago."

"What kind of questions?"

Jae-won hesitated. "That's all I have. But I can help you find more. I have access to records that most students don't."

"Why would you help me?"

He smiled, and there was a hint of sadness in it. "Let's just say I have my own reasons for wanting to know what the Crown Prince is hiding."

Aria studied him. He seemed sincere, but she had learned long ago that sincerity could be a mask. "What do you want in return?"

"Your trust. And your promise that when you find the truth, you'll share it with me."

She thought of Leo, of the last letter he had sent her before going silent. The words echoed in her mind: I've found something dangerous. If anything happens to me, don't stop looking.

"Deal," she said.

Jae-won extended his hand. She shook it. His grip was firm, warm.

"Meet me here again tomorrow night. I'll have more for you by then. And Aria?" He paused, his gaze intense. "Be careful around the Crown Prince. He's not what he seems."

Before she could ask what he meant, he turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving her alone under the willow tree.

Aria stood there for a long moment, the night air cool against her skin. Two princes had entered her life in the span of a single day. One offered power. The other offered answers.

She didn't know which one to trust.

But she knew one thing for certain: Leo's disappearance was not a simple mystery. It was a door, and she was about to open it.

A twig snapped behind her.

She spun around, her heart leaping into her throat. A figure stood at the edge of the garden, silhouetted against the faint glow of the academy's lights.

The figure stepped forward, and moonlight revealed a familiar face.

Crown Prince Kang Min-hyuk.

"Miss Chen," he said, his voice carrying a note of cold amusement. "I see you've made a new friend."

Aria's blood ran cold. How long had he been watching?

"Your Highness," she managed, her voice steady despite the fear coiling in her chest. "I was just taking a walk."

"At midnight? In the east garden? Alone with Kim Jae-won?" He took another step closer, and she saw the hard edge in his eyes. "I don't believe in coincidences, Miss Chen. And I don't like being lied to."

She lifted her chin. "I'm not lying. I was just... getting some air."

"Then let me give you some advice." He stopped inches from her, close enough that she could smell the cedar and sandalwood of his cologne. "Be careful who you trust. Not everyone at this academy has your best interests at heart."

"Are you including yourself in that statement?"

A flicker of surprise crossed his face, quickly masked. "I'm including everyone."

He held her gaze for a moment longer, then turned and walked away, his footsteps echoing on the stone path.

Aria let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Her hands were shaking.

The game had begun. And she had just made herself a player.