Star Crossed Haters

Chapter One (Apex)

"Miss Ape- Adrienne!"

"What is it?" I say, glancing in the mirror before me. Just my luck that I have some dumb appearance to make before I finally get to go home.

I adjust the dark red hair that covers the right side of my disfigured face. My fingers trace the edge of the scar that stretches across, and I shudder. Even after having it for nine years now, it never got more normal.

Perfect, I think. You could barely see my right eye.

My chambermaid, Eudora, waves a hand in front of my face.

"You realize that you need to practice your Reya more, yes?" she questions.

"Yes, I know," I grumble. "And I need to practice my thermodynamic vision."

"Stop taking your Reya for granted," Eudora chides. "Your own brother rejected his and look how he's turned out."

A man who has nothing to worry about.

My voice lowers to a mumble. "And I'm starting to wonder if he made the right choice."

Reyas are only granted to lucky children, each from a different patron god, which depended on your kingdom. Fujimura, my kingdom, has the patron goddess Vohona, the goddess of fire. Which I find mildly ironic, as Fujimura means "wisteria village."

At this rate, I feel like I would've been better off rejecting my Reya. But after my brother – Daxton's – rejection, my parents (Queen Fiamma and King Adish Pyracent) were desperate. And my little brother, Covyn, was only one year old at the time- and according to my parents, another 5-year wait was far too long.

"Adrienne. The faster you get through this, the faster you get home. Your family back in Dodomi eagerly awaits you, I'm sure," Eudora reminds me. I hate that she's right.

I make the mistake of looking back at her. Her dark curls spill across her shoulders, and warm brown eyes stand out on her pale face. The bright red flower she keeps tucked behind her right ear falls a little bit, and I want to reach out and fix it. But she would find that weird because she's not like me.

Eudora pushes her thin, round glasses back a bit and notices me staring at her.... I feel my cheeks warm, and to get out of the awkwardness, I abruptly stand up.

"I should, uh, probably head out to the training grounds for a few more minutes," I blurt out and dash out of the room.

I walk outside into the bright sunshine, and even though I'm wearing a black turtleneck, I feel comfortable at this temperature.

The orientation of each element's training area changes daily, so I scan my surroundings, activating my thermodynamic vision. The reds, greens, and blues that replace all other colors are comforting. My eyes are immediately drawn to the deep blues of the ice training area, and lo and behold, there she is.

Kaeda Cynet.

Her and her stupidly shimmering dark hair and her dumb ice-pale skin and sharp eyes.

I can't stop looking.

Kaeda is the crown princess of Khaenpanii, Fujimura's rival kingdom. My rival in our quest to become the Syla of our generation.

Power. Strength. Royalty.

The title of Syla bestows a great honor upon you and your kingdom.

And Kaeda's stupid kingdom keeps stealing the chance away from any other!

Generation after generation, almost every single Syla has come from Khaenpanii. It's absolutely outrageous. I can remember maybe twice when Fujimura held the title.