Kezia Tisdor, a huntress from a small village, does her best to fit in the world prestigious Ryhar Academy with the scholarships she gets. But when a serial killer targets her in the academy, she is forced to accept the help of the Royals, something...
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He crossed his legs as he stared at the noble who was trying his best to appear composed before him. A cold breeze made its way into the study as it glanced at the reports and the documents before him. Feeling bored, it messed books and left.
The study was quite clean and big, but not as big as his father's back in Cirili. Even his own back home was larger than this. And it had the better colour combination.
Gold-rimmed windows let the grudging sunlight in. Had this Zoran coupled it with better colour, it would be good, but with the light green here, it gave him a headache just thinking about coming here.
But who cared about his headache and colour preferences? It was his duty to check on state affairs. A tonic would cure the headache for him.
"Prince Adrian!" Lord Maeron Risso said. "I can explain."
He threw the report he currently held in his hand on the table and stood up. "Explain what? The vanished taxes?"
The noble's face paled, but he could only look at him with a grievance. "It was not-"
Adrian pushed the chair behind him and took in a deep breath. The whispering petrichor calmed him a bit. "Not intended? Or not meant for my eyes? Either you are poor at collecting taxes," he said, giving him a long look. "Or you are questioning me. My sources say that you are fantastic at collecting them. Even Lord Egon mentioned that he had to learn it from you."
The Zoran collapsed to his knees. "Prince Adrian! I really don't know where the money had gone to!"
"Is this not your state?" he asked, his voice as hard and sharp as the blade he carried. "You can say this?"
Someone knocked on the door. That scent gave the other person away. Just like Maeron Risso's scent of fear and anxiety. Many had told him in the past how his powers would not aid him in ruling a country but would be beneficial to a hunter, but at times, his power as a tracker had helped him find things that many would miss.
"Come in!" he commanded.
The door creaked slightly as Cayden Lynos entered. The male's blond hair had grown in the semester holidays, which he had tied as a small pony. His green eyes, which he shared with his elder sister, were vivid and relaxed. As much as he appeared lively, his strength was a notch weaker than it was during the night. After all, he was an Astra, the creature of the night.
The court of Cirili had not accepted Cayden to be his second in command. Yalea was a country ruled by Zorans, and the hatred between Zorans and Astras was long imprinted in history that a mere friendship would not make it better. Even if Adrian's father had supported him, his uncle had not, and that lost Cayden the last vote. At the most, he could be a general in Yalea.
