Their Hidden Princess (Zora) novel Chapter 15

**Where Sleeping Rivers Dream We Follow Trails Toward Tomorrow by Evan Miles Cade**

As the sun dipped low in the sky, the remainder of the day unfolded without a hitch. Whatever mysterious intervention Valentin had conjured seemed to have successfully deterred the wolves from pursuing me any further. With a sense of relief washing over me, I slipped into slumber that night, feeling a flicker of hope that perhaps my first week at this daunting new school wouldn’t be as unbearable as I had initially anticipated.

However, that fleeting optimism evaporated like morning mist on the fourth day of school—a Thursday—when Loren and I ambled toward our sole shared class, Introduction to High Magicks. Loren was practically vibrating with enthusiasm, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

“High Magicks are so fun!” she exclaimed, her voice bubbling over with joy. “Unless, of course, you’re not a High Wolf. Then it’s just a cruel tease.” My brow furrowed at her words, and Loren mirrored my frown for a brief moment. But just as quickly, her cheerful grin returned. “Maybe you’re a secret High super-magical Alpha!” she suggested, her tone light and teasing.

“Maybe,” I muttered, my voice lacking conviction.

“Entirely,” my inner voice chimed in, an echo of doubt that I chose to ignore. I cast my gaze across the campus, taking in the scene. Students milled about, seemingly indifferent to Loren and me. For once, it felt liberating to blend into the shadows rather than stand out as a target. That sense of calm was short-lived, however, as a familiar blonde wolf abruptly invaded my line of sight. Her golden eyes locked onto me with an intensity that sent a shiver down my spine.

It was the same wolf who had cornered me during the first day of the hunt, and she appeared to be hunting again. I nudged Loren, and we instinctively quickened our pace. The wolf and her entourage followed suit, and soon we were all racing across the campus toward the Magicks building. With a burst of adrenaline, Loren and I flung ourselves through the doors, slamming them shut behind us.

The snarls of the wolves echoed ominously from outside. I let out a heavy sigh, realizing that the protective veil Valentin had woven around me had been shattered.

“Um, Zora,” Loren began, her voice tinged with apprehension. I lifted my head slowly, and my breath caught in my throat at the sight that greeted me.

My face was plastered all over the hallway. Somehow, someone had managed to dig up my high school yearbook photo. There I was, a younger version of myself, complete with pigtails and braces, grinning widely. But the images on the walls were marred by large, red “X” marks, as if someone had put a bounty on my head and was broadcasting it across the school.

“Kairos,” I spat, my anger igniting like a flame. I stormed down the hall, Loren trailing behind me, her protests falling on deaf ears.

“Zora, let’s be rational!” she urged, her tone frantic.

“There’s no rationality in this man,” I shot back, my frustration boiling over. “Why should I extend him the courtesy of rational thought?”

My eyes swept across the classroom, and there he was—Kairos—sitting at the highest level of the atrium, flanked by Maxius, Thorne, Peytr, and a burly wolf I had yet to meet, whose dark red hair and piercing brown-gold eyes made him look formidable.

Ignoring Loren’s anxious whispers, I climbed the steps of the atrium, positioning myself directly in front of Kairos. My hands found their way to my hips as I glared down at him, determined to make my presence known. It took him a moment, but eventually, Peytr nudged him, drawing his attention.

With a languid roll of his neck, Kairos glanced at me, his expression a mix of boredom and annoyance. He snapped a piece of gum between his teeth, the sound echoing in my ears like a mocking reminder of my own frustration.

“Yes?” he drawled, snapping his gum once more.

“Don’t ‘yes’ me, you asshole,” I hissed, my voice low and threatening. Maximus looked at me as if I had just shot Kairos, while Thorne remained utterly indifferent. So much for my knight-in-shining-armor fantasy. I pressed on, undeterred. “I don’t know where the hell you got that picture of me, but I demand you take it down!”

“Demand?” Maximus shot back, a sneer curling his lips. “Who crowned you princess?”

Apparently, your ancestors, my inner voice retorted, a hint of sarcasm dripping from its tone.

You’re the least helpful in these situations, I countered, irritation bubbling beneath the surface. You do realize that, right?

I could almost hear my inner voice shrugging in response.

“And here I was thinking you’d finally come to apologize,” Kairos said, his tone dripping with mockery.

“Apologize?!” My voice cracked under the weight of my fury. “You nearly beat me to a pulp! You’ve got half the school running around like wild animals trying to kill me. What on earth should I apologize for?”

“Probably my death,” I whispered back, my tone laced with dark humor. “But at least I’ll go out with a bang.”

That night, after classes had concluded, I stealthily made my way to the gym. Valentin had sent me a note containing the code to the lock outside, offering me a chance to practice while he was otherwise occupied. I spent three grueling hours in the gym, pushing myself to the limit.

I attempted the run again, and while I still fell short, I was closer to completing fifteen laps than I had ever been before. Fueled by a mix of exhaustion and simmering anger, I threw punch after punch at a boxing dummy, each strike a cathartic release of pent-up frustration. In the final thirty minutes, I focused on strengthening my core, knowing that I needed to absorb the impact of any blows that might come my way. I had to be quick and resilient on my feet; if Kairos landed a punch in my current state, I would undoubtedly be sent sprawling across the room.

Finally, around eleven-thirty, I locked up the gym and pulled my hoodie over my head, making my way back to my dorm. My eyes darted around, scanning the area for any sign of the blonde wolf who seemed to have taken a particular interest in me. Several times, the sound of a distant howl sent my heart racing, prompting me to break into a half-sprint.

I arrived back at the dorm just as someone else was approaching. They too had their hoodie pulled up, and when they lowered it, I instantly recognized the cropped black hair—Maximus. He leaned casually against the doorframe, one foot propped inside, waiting for me.

I rolled my eyes as I approached him. “I have my own key, you know.”

“I know,” he replied, a hint of amusement in his voice. “Just wanted to make sure you didn’t pass out on my steps again.”

I blinked in surprise, my mind racing. “You were there for that?”

“I was the one who caught you and stopped your head from bouncing off the concrete,” he snorted, a smirk playing on his lips. “You’re welcome, by the way.”

My breath hitched in my throat. I had thought it was Valentin who had caught me. Looking back up at Maximus, I realized that this revelation added an entirely new layer of complexity to our interactions.

This certainly made things interesting.