Women in the small kingdom of Aeriana are disappearing.
Iris Daniels, a budding painter in the East Territory, is trying to keep her head down. In a kingdom filled with abilities, music, and Destined love, Iris is determined to build a career out of...
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"Anarchy is merely a fight not yet won."
—found scribbled on a plastic booth, Tina's Diner, East Territory
There was a child in the house. Iris could hear the small voice in her dreams. When she blinked awake, slowly, she realized the voice was still there.
Actually, it was outside her room.
"Miss Morgan, can we go outside today?"
A quiet, even toned woman answered her. "Only if you finish your lessons. Maybe we can enjoy snack time on the sand today."
"Are the guests in here?" Something rattled against Iris' door.
"Flora!" The woman hissed. "It's rude to enter people's rooms without asking."
"Oh."
A tiny knock sounded at her door.
"Miss Flora!"
Iris couldn't help the laugh that bubbled out of her. She got up, the wood floor cold against the soles of her feet. Running a hand through her messy hair, she cracked open one of the double doors to her guest room.
"Hi," Iris said.
The little girl, Flora, looked up at Iris with big brown eyes. Her hair, a delicate light brown, was up in two small half ponytails.
"You have pretty hair," the little girl said. She hardly came up to Iris' chest and couldn't have been over eight or nine at most.
"You do too," Iris said. "Are those curls natural?"
Flora looked back at the woman behind her.
"They are," Miss Morgan said. She was a tall woman with dark hair in perfect little ringlets. "I'm so sorry for the disruption." She put a hand on Flora's shoulder. "Flora's not used to having guests other than family here."
"It's alright," Iris smiled. She had little experience with younger kids, but she liked them just about as much as any other Ace.
"Is your hair naturally purple?"
At that, Iris laughed. "I wish. That would be cool, wouldn't it?"
"There's a girl in my class at school that can grow her hair really long," Flora said.
"Really? She must never cut it."
"No," Flora shook her head. "She met her Destined. It's her ability. I've seen her do it."
