Chapter One
The sun over the Kingdom of Clover didn’t just shine; it seemed to glow with a protective, golden warmth. In a land where the harvest never failed and the rain only fell at night to water the gardens, the royal family moved through the cobblestone streets like a living portrait of prosperity. King Felix and Queen Jade walked with a relaxed grace, their crowns catching the light. Beside them, Prince Penny Clover was a whirlwind of sunny energy. His pristine blonde curls bounced with every step, and his copper-brown eyes crinkled with genuine joy as he spotted a group of children playing near a fountain. “Good morning! Hello!” Penny called out, his voice bright and melodic. He waved enthusiastically, his small golden hoop earrings glinting. As he moved, the world seemed to adjust itself to his convenience; a loose stone in the path settled flat just before his boot touched it, and a rogue breeze blew a stray leaf away from his path. “Slow down, Penny. The baker’s daughter can’t keep up with your waving." Queen Jade said with a soft laugh, resting a hand on her husband’s arm. “I can’t help it, Mother! It’s a beautiful day,” Penny replied, pausing to admire a yellow swallowtail butterfly that had landed—perfectly still—on the back of his hand. He beamed, his ‘Golden Retriever’ spirit practically radiating from his stance. “Look at the patterns! It’s a sign of a wonderful afternoon.” While the royal family enjoyed the adoration of the crowd, a different sort of energy was approaching from the narrow alleyway leading to Lucky’s Orphanage.
Raven Azar pulled the sleeves of her oversized black sweater down over her hands, her grey-blue eyes fixed on the ground behind her thin, gray-rimmed glasses. She moved with a calculated, stoic stillness, though it did little to help. As she stepped onto the main thoroughfare: A flowerpot on a high windowsill cracked and tipped over just as she passed. A merchant’s cart, perfectly braked, suddenly rolled six inches, splashing a puddle of muddy water onto her black baggy pants. And a flock of pigeons took flight in a sudden panic, one of them dropping a feather right into her unkempt hair. Raven didn’t flinch. She was used to the “Black Cat” life. To her, the world was a series of hazards to be navigated with a cold shoulder and a silent prayer that she wouldn’t accidentally bring a roof down on someone. The contrast was jarring. On one side of the square stood the Prince, surrounded by butterflies and cheering citizens. On the other stood the orphan, a girl who lived in the cracks of a perfect world, accompanied by the sound of breaking glass and minor inconveniences. As the royal procession turned the corner, Penny’s copper-brown eyes caught a flicker of movement—not a butterfly, but something darker. He saw a girl in a heavy black sweater standing near a fruit stand that had just mysteriously collapsed. While everyone else moved toward the Prince, she was moving away, looking like a smudge of charcoal on a vibrant canvas. “Wait.” Penny murmured, his curiosity piqued. He felt a strange pull toward the girl who wasn’t smiling.
As the royal family passed the central fountain, Penny’s attention was momentarily stolen by a moth—not a bright butterfly, but a small, velvet-winged creature that had lost its way in the bright daylight. It fluttered toward the shadows of the alleyway, and Penny, driven by his natural curiosity, followed its path with his eyes. That was when he saw her. Raven was attempting to make a discreet exit, but her “luck” had other plans. As she stepped over a small drainage grate, the heel of her boot caught perfectly in the metal gap. At the same same time, a street performer nearby juggling wooden rings suddenly sneezed. One of the rings flew wide, bouncing off a stone pillar and heading straight for a large stack of wicker baskets being unloaded from a delivery wagon. The sequence of events was almost comical in its precision: The wooden ring struck the bottom basket, causing the entire eight-foot stack to tilt. The delivery driver jumped back, accidentally knocking over a bucket of soapy water used for cleaning the cobblestones. Than the slick suds rushed toward Raven just as she finally yanked her foot free from the grate. “Watch out!” Penny called out, his voice full of genuine concern. He didn’t think; he simply moved. With his “Golden Retriever” energy, he broke away from his parents and lunged toward Raven. Under normal circumstances, someone running onto soapy, wet stones would end up on their back. But for Penny, the laws of physics seemed to offer a polite exception. His boots found the only dry patches of stone as if they were stepping stones in a pond.
He reached Raven just as the stack of baskets finally gave way. Penny threw his arms out, catching the heaviest of the baskets with one hand while the others miraculously bounced off the wall behind them, landing in a neat, harmless pile. Raven, who had been bracing for a face-plant into the suds or a concussion from a basket, found herself staring into a pair of copper-brown eyes. The Prince was inches away, his blonde curls slightly tousled, holding back the chaos with a bright, effortless smile. “Are you alright?” Penny asked, his tone warm and soft. “That was quite a tumble you almost took. I’ve never seen a stack of baskets move that fast!” Raven stared at him through her gray-rimmed glasses, her expression stoic and unreadable. Up close, she noticed the faint scent of expensive cologne and summer air clinging to him. She felt the weight of her own “curse” pressing in; she was a girl of shadows and sharp edges, and he was the personification of a sunbeam. “I’m fine.” She said, her voice a nonchalant, low rasp. She pulled her black sweater tighter around her. “You should go back to your parade, Your Highness. Being near me is... statistically unwise.” Penny tilted his head, his golden hoop earrings shimmering. “Statistically unwise? That’s a very fancy way of saying hello.” The sound of the crashing baskets had already drawn the attention of the royal guards, but it was the sight of their son—the crown jewel of the kingdom—standing in a puddle of soapy water next to a girl dressed in shadows that brought King Felix and Queen Jade to a halt.
He reached Raven just as the stack of baskets finally gave way. Penny threw his arms out, catching the heaviest of the baskets with one hand while the others miraculously bounced off the wall behind them, landing in a neat, harmless pile. Raven, who had been bracing for a face-plant into the suds or a concussion from a basket, found herself staring into a pair of copper-brown eyes. The Prince was inches away, his blonde curls slightly tousled, holding back the chaos with a bright, effortless smile. “Are you alright?” Penny asked, his tone warm and soft. “That was quite a tumble you almost took. I’ve never seen a stack of baskets move that fast!” Raven stared at him through her gray-rimmed glasses, her expression stoic and unreadable. Up close, she noticed the faint scent of expensive cologne and summer air clinging to him. She felt the weight of her own “curse” pressing in; she was a girl of shadows and sharp edges, and he was the personification of a sunbeam. “I’m fine.” She said, her voice a nonchalant, low rasp. She pulled her black sweater tighter around her. “You should go back to your parade, Your Highness. Being near me is... statistically unwise.” Penny tilted his head, his golden hoop earrings shimmering. “Statistically unwise? That’s a very fancy way of saying hello.” The sound of the crashing baskets had already drawn the attention of the royal guards, but it was the sight of their son—the crown jewel of the kingdom—standing in a puddle of soapy water next to a girl dressed in shadows that brought King Felix and Queen Jade to a halt.
“We don’t believe in fear here, Raven. But you do look as though you’ve had a very long morning. Perhaps some luck has finally found you today, meeting Penny.” Penny nodded enthusiastically, his golden hoops catching the sun. “Exactly! I was just thinking, Mother, Father—since it’s such a beautiful day, shouldn’t Raven join us for the rest of the walk? She shouldn’t have to dodge baskets all by herself.” The King and Queen exchanged a look. In a kingdom of constant luck, Raven was an anomaly, a mystery they had never truly engaged with. “If the young lady is willing.” Felix said with a polite nod. “It wouldn’t do to leave a citizen in such a... precarious state.” Raven looked at the trio: the radiant King, the elegant Queen, and the Prince who looked like he had never seen a shadow he didn’t want to brighten. She looked back at the orphanage, then at a small, brown moth resting on a nearby crate. Raven looked from the King’s polished boots to the Queen’s shimmering hem, and finally to Penny, who was vibrating with the energy of a sunbeam. Everything about this family was bright, symmetrical, and—to her—completely exhausting. “I have chores. The laundry won’t hang itself, and usually, when I’m around, the clothesline snaps anyway.” Raven said, her voice flat. “Then it’s settled!” Penny chirped, completely bypassing her rejection with a grin. “We’ll walk you back toward the orphanage, and if anything snaps, I’ll just catch it. I’m excellent at catching things.” Raven sighed, the sound muffled by her high sweater collar.
