"I do not want anyone entering this garden. If anyone asks for me, tell them I'm meditating and need peace and quiet," Aralyn said firmly, pointing at Paulina and Pearl. "Guard this place."
She stepped into the garden, sat cross-legged in her usual meditation pose, and pulled the codex from beneath her clothes. "Okay, book. You must teach me something today."
She tried to calm her breath, inhaling the fresh breeze, but her emotions were all over the place. Why doesn't my father care? Am I truly going to marry that demon? How do I escape this fate?
Her thoughts spiraled. She clenched her fists, and as frustration grew, she collapsed forward, her head landing on the codex.
"This isn't working," she whispered, eyes stinging. "But Mother said this book would help…" A tear slipped for her eye and dropped on the book.
Tightly shutting her eyes, Aralyn tried again, until a soft glow caught her attention. The fox symbol on the cover shimmered, light pulsing from its nine tails. Then came the rustling, pages flipping on their own.
Aralyn's eyes flew open as glowing letters began to write themselves across the page.
She began to read aloud.
"Aralyn, a direct descendant of the Nine-Tailed Empress, your first lesson shall be emotional clarity."
Aralyn raised a brow. How was emotional clarity supposed to help her right now?
Still, she kept reading.
"Do not run from your emotions. They are not your enemies, they are messengers. Every flicker of anger, every sting of jealousy, every deep ache of sadness… these are your inner world's way of speaking to you."
"Anchor your emotions into power. They are not meant to defy you, but to reveal what is broken, or what you truly desire. Emotional clarity does not mean being calm; it means being honest. Name what you feel. Understand it."
Then the book paused and asked,
"Do you feel rage?"
And she did. Anger was bubbling within her, sharp, raw, and undeniable. Suddenly, the lesson made sense.
"Most walk through life ruled by emotions they don't understand. They bury them. Numb them. But pain doesn't vanish, it transforms into coldness, bitterness, avoidance. But when you allow yourself to feel, without judgment, then you begin to see.That is emotional clarity." "The difference between reacting and choosing. Between surviving and growing. You cannot master your power until you master your heart, Aralyn. Because the strongest magic… comes from within."
Aralyn placed her hand over her chest.
So power comes from emotion...
She looked at the codex.
"Then what about someone without emotion?" she asked.
The book responded,
"One who feels nothing holds no emotion. It is dark. It is dangerous. Emotion is the pulse of life. Without it, a person becomes... nothing."
Aralyn fell into deep thought.
A memory kept resurfacing, a moment during the ball when she was dancing. She had locked eyes with the demon with golden eyes. And in those eyes… there was nothing. No anger, no passion. Just hollow silence.
She whispered, almost without realizing,
"They say the eye is the key to the soul... But when the soul is numb, the eye becomes a mirror of nothing."
Then, as if something stirred within her, another truth slipped from her lips:
"And nothing is not harmless. The most dangerous monsters aren't born from hatred... they're born from emptiness."
The words rolled out too smoothly. That's when she remembered, her mother had once said those very words.
Aralyn stood up slowly, a new sense of resolve building within her.
"I understand now... I can use my emotions as power. I can even fake emotions as a tool when needed. I'll be able to stay calm under pressure, see through emotional manipulation, and most importantly, emotional clarity will help me focus on my true goal."
She picked up the codex and asked, "How can I learn emotional clarity?"
The book responded,
"It is simple. Recognize your emotions. Only then can you anchor them."
That was the last thing it wrote. The pages turned on their own, and the book shut with a soft thud. Aralyn tried to open it again, but the pages were blank.
Suddenly, voices echoed from outside. Her stepmother.
Araleen quickly hid the codex beneath her clothes and stepped out.
"Mother, what brings you here?"
Her stepmother smiled sweetly.
*"Oh, Aralyn. I just wanted to apologize for what I said earlier."
Aralyn returned the smile politely.
"You don't have to, I know you want the best for me."
Her stepmother stepped closer.
"Of course I do, which is why I'd like us to talk privately... about your wedding." A knot twisted in Aralyn's stomach, but she kept her expression smooth.
Must this witch always come to disturb my peace? I was just beginning to feel empowered…
Still, she forced a warm smile.
"Sure."
They began to walk. Aralyn followed without knowing where they were going. Then her stepmother suddenly asked,
"Which date would you prefer your wedding to be? The sooner, the better, don't you think?"
Aralyn rolled her eyes internally.
Of course. This witch can't wait to get rid of me.
She's trying to rush the process.
But on her face, the smile remained. A mask.
Aralyn replied calmly, "I don't think I have a date in mind yet. They only just announced my suitor. A royal wedding takes at least a month to prepare." She said "a month" deliberately , she needed time to prepare.
"A month?" Irene scoffed. "Your father has already summoned your suitor to the castle tomorrow. He wants to discuss... plans. I told him this is the perfect time for the wedding. It will be three days from tomorrow."
Aralyn burst into laughter. "Ha! Mother, you're so funny. I'm sure you're joking."
Irene's expression didn't change. "Do I look like I'm joking?"
Aralyn went quiet, stunned.
"But… what about the governess you promised to hire? She won't even have time to teach me properly."
"Oh, you want to be a good wife?" Irene chuckled. "Don't worry. The one I'm hiring is very fast. She'll teach you all the 'vital' things quickly."
Aralyn forced a smile. She fought the urge to lash out. She needed emotional clarity , not more chaos.
"You must really hate seeing me in this castle," she muttered. "I'm the odd one, right?" "What was that, darling?" Irene asked sweetly, pretending not to hear.
"Nothing, Mother."
"And what if my suitor doesn't want the wedding so soon?"
"You're so naive, Aralyn. Who wouldn't want to marry a girl like you right away?" Irene replied, eyeing her sharply. Then she winked, a cruel, knowing gesture.
Aralyn got the message she was trying to pass.
"If that's all, I'd like to go now. I have things to attend to."
"No, no. There's still more I need to show you. But before that…" Irene narrowed her eyes. "Why have you been keeping your hands behind you like that?"
Aralyn chuckled nervously. She had been hiding the Codex, and if Irene saw it, she'd take it. It was too important.
As Irene approached, Aralyn instinctively stepped back.
"It's nothing. I just… felt like it."
Irene raised a brow. "Are you hiding something?" With a flick of her magic, she spun Aralyn around.
But there was nothing.
Aralyn had just teleported the Codex back to her room , a risky move. The meditation had already drained her energy, and now she felt the exhaustion weighing heavily on her body.
"Nothing, Mother. I just felt comfortable putting my hand like that."
Irene raised a brow but didn't press further. "Ah, well. I won't say anything. Your governess will start with you tomorrow. You're not a man, Aralyn , you're a woman. You ought to walk pretty."
Aralyn was tired. Tired of this woman's fake sweetness, her perfect smile that fooled the entire castle. Everyone thought Irene was the kindest stepmother alive. But Aralyn knew better. Beneath the soft voice and delicate gestures was pure, calculated evil.
"Okay, we're finally here," Irene announced.
Aralyn snapped out of her thoughts and looked up. An old man with round glasses bowed respectfully. "Your Highness," he greeted.
Before her stood a mannequin dressed in a wedding gown.
"What happened to my tailor?" Aureline asked sharply.
"Oh," Irene said with a smile, "I wanted something unique. I heard this man makes very rare dresses."
Aralyn stared at the gown, it wasn't what she wanted. The design was odd, almost ugly. But she didn't argue. Not today. What was the point? Not like she wanted the wedding anyways.
She walked forward, picked the dress she preferred, and simply left the room without another word.
Aralyn carried the gown back to her chambers, her face unreadable though her heart burned. She had learned something vital today: a mask could be as powerful as a sword. Irene might control the court, her father might ignore her, but neither would ever see her break. As she shut the door behind her, she pressed her back against the wood and exhaled. The codex lay safely hidden under her bed, its faint warmth reminding her she wasn't alone. Three days was not long, but it was enough. Enough to prepare, enough to sharpen her will, enough to plan her escape.