Year Two

My worst nightmare came true while I was supposed to be safe at The Sovereign Academy of Shamans. Evan’s father and my mother were both found drain in his father’s room. My screams had alerted everyone, but it was too late. Clous Wix was standing beside their courses, holding their hearts in his hands. Solas was by my side in seconds, as were Nell and Varric. “An eye for an eye,” Claus spoke calmly. “Now we’re even.”

My father, Benjamin Wisteria, pushed his way to the door and stopped dead in his tracks once he saw the carnage. “Guards,” he yelled. “Bring him into custody at once!”

Claus ran towards the open window and leaped out of it. The guards behind us took off after him. “Get her out of here!” Benjamin yelled to Nell, who started pulling me away from the door.

“Mom!” I screamed as I was being pulled away from the crime scene. The visions I had seen about my mother’s death passed. My life would never be the same ever again.

***

Three weeks had passed since that fateful night. Claus had escaped, and both Evan and I were now without our parents. Well, I still had Benjamin, I guess. But it wasn’t the same. My name is Nyxie Nyx Reigns. I’m seventeen and am the Shamanic Princess of Light. Elenore Nightingale is my Guardian. She’s keeping me safe from another attack from Clouse if he returns.

Evan “Solas” Reigns is the Shaman Prince. He’s also my husband. We ended up getting married after I killed Phyre. His Guardian is Varric Rake. A guy who had zero sense of humor.

Benjamin became the temporary Shaman King until a new one could be crowned. I had been hiding out as a Lifeless before Phyre tried to murder me to become the sole living Shamanic Princess of Darkness.

“Earth to Nyx,” Nell snapped her fingers in front of my face. I blinked twice and looked at her. “You didn’t hear a word we said, did you?”

“Sorry,” I bit my lower lip nervously as I got out of my head. “Can you repeat the question?”

Varric rolled his eyes. He still didn’t like me very much. “Keep a low-profile, Nyxie,” he whispered. “Your father hasn’t told any of the higher councilman about you being... you know?”

Oh, boy did I know. If they found out I was the Shamanic Princess, they would take me away from here and I wouldn’t see them ever again. “So, you don’t want me going out on hunts and being a Spirit Chaser, do you?”

“We’re not saying that,” Solas spoke up. “You need to stay safe behind these walls.”

“Safe like our parents?” I murmured under my breath. His eyes widened in surprise, and I realized he heard me. “I’m sorry,” I blurted. “God, I keep being a fuckup.”

“It’s okay,” Evan forced a sad smile. “Our parents would have wanted us to continue their legacies by graduating from the academy.”

“Your grades suck,” Varric shot a look my way. “How is the SP going to graduate on time with the rest of us if she can’t even concentrate on anything?”

I hated being called the SP. It was short for the Shamanic Princess. “Your right,” I agreed. “My grades do suck. Time for me to study.” I stood from the lunch table and tossed my food. I had eaten nothing again.

“Something wrong with her,” I heard Varric say to Evan. “She agreed with me.”

Sinergy appeared from a nearby wall and floated beside me as I exited the cafeteria. “Stop feeling sad, Nyx,” she ordered. “I hate human emotions.” She is my Spirit Companion. The academy pairs each Spirit Chaser with a spirit upon enrollment as a child. She used to belong to my mother before she ran away from here years ago. I was still struggling to turn my feelings off around here.

“Sorry,” I spoke as I walked up the steps and headed for my room I shared with Nell. “Still grieving over the death of my mother here.”

“It’s been hard on me too,” she spoke as I opened the door and entered the room. Nell cleared it and closed the door behind her. I went to my bed and curled up into a ball and cried. Nell kneeled beside me and soothed my hair, trying to make me feel better. “I miss her too.”

Using my fingers, I wiped away the tears after I stopped crying. “I’m the SP,” I whispered. “I can’t cry in public.” I sat up and leaped to my feet. “Let’s go train, Nell,” I forced a smile. “My grades suck, remember?”

I walked towards the door and pulled it open. I found my older sister, Blythe Wisteria, standing there. “Good,” she spoke as she gave me the once over with her eyes. “Father needs to speak to you in his office, little sis.”

“I’ll go later,” I spoke as I exited the room. “I was just going to train with Nell.”

“You’ll go now,” Blythe shot. “Father, is the Shaman King you know?”

“The temporary one,” I mumbled as I followed her up the hallway and down the steps. “He’s not even real.”

“Yes, he is,” she shot over the shoulder as we hit the landing. I followed her up the hallway and up the few steps that led to a closed door. “If you weren’t-”

I felt the rage building within me as I moved past her. Her envy of my SP position was clear to me. I turned the knob and push open the door. Four Shamans stood in the room when I entered, surprising me. “What’s going on?”

“This is my daughter Nyxie Starlit-Wisteria,” Benjamin spoke to them as Evan, Nell, and Varric and Blythe entered the room. “She is the Shamanic Princess of Light.”

“The rumors of her returning after 500 years are true after all,” one man spoke. “We must begin a tournament to choose a new Shaman King at once.”

“You told them?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at my father.

“He did not,” another man dressed in a red robe spoke. “Claus Wix has informed us of your presence, Miss. Wisteria.”

“It’s Reigns,” I said defiantly as I crossed my arms in front of my chest. “Guess we’re not keeping secrets around here.”

“She married the Shamanic Prince Evan Reigns?” A third asked, unable to hide his surprise.

“Under who’s authority?” the first asked.

“My father’s,” Evan spoke as he stepped beside me and took my hand in his. “It’s legal.”

“The tournament will crown them, and then the Shamanic Princess must marry the Shaman King.” The fourth, dressed in blue, spoke.

“This marriage needs to be annulled at once, Mr. Wisteria.”

“The hell it does,” I snapped, making them look at me in surprise. I was tired of holding my tongue. “Our parents were fine with us being together, and so should the rest of you.”

“Please forgive my daughter’s language,” Benjamin spoke. “Someone raised her as a Lifeless until recently.”

“We will start the process of the tournament, Mr. Wisteria,” the second continued. “We shall overlook this marriage,” he went on, looking at me and Evan. “For your sake, Mr. Reigns, I hope you enter the tournament and win to keep her by your side.” They moved past us and opened the door. They exited the room and closed it behind them.

“Really?” I spoke. “You nearly ruined everything!”

“Watch your tone with me, young lady,” he spoke calmly. “That loose tongue of yours nearly got you into trouble with the Shaman Council.”

“You had better give everyone back their memories, Mr. Wisteria,” Varric spoke. “They need to know who Nyx is now that everyone else knows.”

Benjamin whispered something to himself and nodded. “Done,” he spoke. “Now get to class.” I turned when he called me. “Not you Nyx.”

I watched the others exit the room and Blythe closed the door. “You are no longer a Spirit Chaser Nyxie.”

“For how long?” I demanded. “A week? A month?”

“Forever,” he continued. “And neither is Evan, as you two are the most important shamans in the academy.”

“This is stupid!” I yelled as I turned and angrily pulled open the door. I found Evan and Varric standing there with the same expressions on their faces as I had. “Let’s go.”

“I did not dismiss you, young lady,” he spat. “Get back in here at once!”

“Why don’t you make me,” I shot. “I didn’t ask for any of this special treatment crap!” Ignoring the guys, I ran past without looking back.