FINDING LUNA

Chapter 1

MIRA

"Mira, that one. The one next to that green one. Yes!" Arcas is the loudest among the three children guiding me up a mango tree and to its ripest branches. They all squeal with joy when four more yellowing oval-shaped fruits fall at their feet.

We aren't supposed to be in the orchard. Not because it's forbidden or anything but because the farmer is a bit sensitive about his mangoes being stolen in broad daylight.

"I'm coming down," I announce to the group but they're greedy for more and won't give me permission. "Prince Arcas, this is no way to treat your bodyguard."

He giggles at my reprimand but before he is able to respond, a sharper reprimand singes us all as Chandni barrels through the underbrush, poking holes in damp earth with her staff and glaring at everything in her line of sight with her mercurial eyes.

"Mira." She hisses upon reaching the root of the mango tree, tilting her silver head all the way, squinting into the sunlight. From up here, she looks like a blob of pearly white lacquer. "Get down here at once."

I obey and as soon as I hit the ground, all three kids – two boys and a girl – cling to me in an attempt to protect me from the old croon.

"It wasn't her fault." Arcas, the forever brave is the first one to speak. "I made her go up there."

"My Prince." Chandni almost kneels even though her gaze instantly darts back to my face. "She is old enough to know better. Now, you go back to the village gardens with Raven." She turns her head slightly and a slim figure steps out of the bushes.

A cute smile on her face, Raven wipes her palms over her apron, smelling of garlic and cumin today, and extends her hand for the children to take. Arcas fidgets to rebel but I squeeze his shoulder, warning him to do as told. Sass-mouthing a sage never earned anyone any points in this village. He resigns, picks up his mangoes, and walks towards Raven. The other children follow their future king and commander and it's a few minutes before this group of four disappears inside a thriving forest.

That's when Chandni turns to me, looking at me down her nose even though I'm about three heads taller than her.

"Protecting the heir to the throne is no fun and games, young witch. Playing right at the edge of Monwa is not safe."

"It's literally the edge of the world, Chandni." I point to the ground that falls right beyond the tree into a mighty river that pours over a waterfall. If the landscape wasn't helpful enough, Chandni has made sure her spells secure the area with a forcefield that keeps us hidden from the world, and anything that comes into contact with it, burns.

No one is ever going to attack us from this edge. Or the forest. Or the sky.

She jabs a finger in my face. "Your job is to keep him safe at all times. That is your job, little witch."

"Then I must follow him." I start to take a step forward, but she grabs and pulls me back by my elbow.

"Luna Syra wishes to see you, so we go to her right now," she says digging her claw-like nails in my skin. "If you say something or do something even a hair disrespectful–"

"I know, I know, you'll have my head." How many times has she threatened me with that since the day I was born? Bet even she can't remember that.

She gives me a nod. Once. Then stabbing the ground with her staff as if checking it for any lethal creatures, she walks on ahead. I follow, keeping my head down to appear obedient but then I see Raffa. He is standing under the archway to the imperial hut, perhaps to attend council with Luna. He flashes me a smile and my cheeks burn. Of course, Chandni catches all that and disapproves.