"Focus, Zaila", Zay heard her mother say in a stern tone.

"Yes, Ammi. I'm sorry. What were you saying?"

"I said your current assignment is a dead end. Your brother told me there's nothing to be found there." Ah yes. Her current assignment, the one that involved staring at a dilapidated, abandoned house for 6 hours, was a dead end? Who would've thought?

Out loud she only said, "Yes, Ammi.". No one gives sass to the Queen. Not even her daughter. At least, on a good day.

"Are there any new assignments I can take up?"

"No. If there's anything, I'll let you know." Zay knew that tone. She was dismissed. She supressed a sigh and made to leave the room. She paused at the door and looked back at her mother. She wasn't sure why, exactly. Perhaps she wanted a trace of affection. An encouraging smile. Perhaps a "love you, Zaila." No, no. That was too much. She got nothing. Zay thought she might have more love for her mother if she were completely absent from her life rather than present in whatever way she was now.

Back in her shared apartment, Zay collapsed on the couch. Sleeping for 2 hours every night for the past week had caught up with her. She fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

"Zayyyyy wake upppp", Vicks said, violently shaking Zay awake.

Zay groaned and ran a hand down her face. "time is it?"

"5 minutes late to your 3pm lecture" Vicks said

Zay cursed and shot to her feet. She grabbed her bag, and was halfway down the stairs when she realized she'd left the keys to her bicycle back in the apartment. She decided it wasn't worth the time and raced down the street to her lecture theatre.

She was huffing and puffing like factory exhaust by the time she got there, but she managed to make it just in the nick of time. She said a silent thank you to her brother for all those laps he made her run.

Miraculously, she managed not to zone out during her lecture. Walking home though, she inevitably did. And of course, she had to crash into the boy handing out flyers for a band she had never heard of.

"Whoops easy there", he said. He was tall. But then again, practically everyone was taller than Zay.

"Sorry", Zay muttered. She would've walked on, if he hadn't said,

"I'm Adrian, by the way", with an outstretched hand. She shook his hand unsurely, trying to figure out what he wanted. She looked up at his face. His full lips and close shaven dark hair with deep brown eyes and a delicate nose made for a deadly combination. One that seemed oddly familiar.

Currently, his thick eyebrows were raised as if awaiting a response.

"Uh, I'm sorry, what?", she asked

"I asked you if you had a name", he said, slightly amused.

She frowned and eyed him suspiciously. Why on earth did he want to know her name.

"None of your business", she muttered and turned away.

"Vicks?", Zay called, shutting the door behind her. She dropped her bag by the couch and headed towards the kitchen.

"No, she had to be somewhere", a male voice answered. Zay whirled, hands ready to fight.

Her brother came into view and released a knowing chuckle. "Relax"

Zay rolled her eyes and gestured for him to sit on the couch. He ignored her and leaned on the kitchen counter.

"Did Ammi let you off that surveillance thing yet?"

"Yep. Apparently, it was dead end. Never would've guessed"

"Come on, Laila. You know Ammi.", he used his nickname for her on purpose, and it was working. Damn him.

"No actually, I don't know Ammi. What I know is Her Royal Majesty Zeenat Amin-Gatlon", she bit back

"Zay…", he sighed.

"No. No, don't 'Zay' me. She adores you. You don't know what it's like to be in her background", Zay stopped herself before she said too much.

"Really? You think I don't grow tired of 'Vincent is a child' and 'Vincent, this is not for you to decide'? I am the Crown Prince and I'm not allowed to take decisions." He took a deep breath and continued.

"Laila, everyone has their issues with Ammi. She is cold. The only other side of her died with Abbu. You know that. But deep down, it's not that she doesn't love us."

"You feel like she loves you?"

"I came here to tell you about your next assignment and I'm short on time"

Zay snorted, "Tell me, then"

"The renegade trials are coming up"

"And you want me to go and observe?"

He shook his head impatiently, "No, we want you to try out."

Zay wasn't sure if she heard him correctly. "You want me to be a renegade?"

He nodded.

"Why?" Zay tried to be calm, but she would be lying if she said this didn't pique her interest.

"We want someone on the inside. The renegades operate under the crown, but we don't trust them fully."

"So…you want a spy"

"Yes"

A slow smile spread on Zay's face. This, she could do. A secret Princess was made for this.

"I'll do it"

Vin smiled. "Good. I have to go"