I shouldn't have been walking around alone at night. I shouldn't have stopped and watch the obviously crazy man set the building on fire. And I sure of hell shouldn't have accidentally caught his attention. Then maybe, just maybe I wouldn't have been kidnapped by the world's most evil super villain. And then hopefully right now I wouldn't be wishing that he wasn't completely crazy, and wanted to kill every super hero in the world, and that he would, I don't know, take me to the movies, hold my hand as we walked together, or maybe take me to dinner one night. You know normal, cute couple stuff. Instead he likes to kick puppies when no ones watching, dropping me from high buildings, and throwing people into traffic, annoyingly. Maybe if I had just minded my own business and kept walking, maybe I wouldn't have been taken by someone who's whole mission in life is to watch every super die, and cackle evilly while he thinks of it. Maybe if I had just minded my own business and kept walking, maybe I wouldn't start feeling bad for this super villain. Maybe I wouldn't be questioning everything I've ever learned about him. And God forbid, I wouldn't be loving a villain.

Ever since the Kryser Trials, the Royal Picking has been a waited for event. Every ten years, thirty girls and thirty boys , ages sixteen through twenty, are randomly chosen from the villages to win a chance to be Queen and King of Akontis. The reign of the past Queen and King is up and the Tenth Royal Picking has begun. In the Stifles, Xiernia, an eighteen year old girl, finds herself trying to decide if she wants to be Queen or not, though it isn't even up to her. It isn't up to anyone. Do you want to be Queen?