Hey guys! The next chapter, as promised. I really liked writing this one. It's mostly made up of a flashback, so you get to hear even more about Kylie's past! Even her full name. Aren't you guys excited? I know I am.

Let me know what you think! What do you think about Kylie's past? Any good predictions? What do you think of Kai?

Enjoy! And thank you all for your support!

72 years ago

Age, 124

Forests of Azmoville

Kyra Whyte hated dresses.

I never knew for sure where the dislike sprang from, but I could guess. Kyra's mother liked to wear dresses. Kyra did everything she could to annoy her mother. Therefore, Kyra hated dresses.

She always wore pants and ratty, old t-shirts, mostly borrowed (stolen) from her brother's closet. They were big on her, but she made them work. She always made them work. She may not have liked her mother, or her fashion sense, but she did get one thing from her: her eye for detail. Whatever Kyra wanted to pull off, she could. No questions asked.

Spending time with Kyra's family was tense, to say the least. If I spent time with them in public, I always tried to keep my head down, and walked with my shoulders hunched more than I didn't. Trying to disappear in their presence was a hobby of mine. Kyra's dislike towards her mother wasn't even the reason why I felt uncomfortable. No, my awkwardness was due to the fact that almost every single being in Orisis kept an eye on the Whyte family.

It made sense, of course. Kyra wasn't just a girl that didn't like dresses and enjoyed annoying her mother. No, Kyra was a princess.

The Orisen Princess.

It wasn't that bad in private. Not at all. I'd grown up with Kyra in the palace. I wasn't a lady, or a countess, or another princess, but my father was the King's best friend. It was only natural the Kyra would be mine. The royal family was my second family, and I cared for each and every one of them. The King and the Queen treated me like a second daughter. It worked out perfectly. My real family was too small on its own, my mother having died when I was young and no siblings to speak of. It was just my father and I, and, well, the royal family.

We had just landed in Azmoville, Kyra's family having invited me on their family trip. It was not something they did often, and their property on the forests of Azmoville had been barely used ever since built forty years ago. The estate vas vast and isolated, and even with the entourage of guards the family always carried, the house felt too big for the amount of people we were.

I'd been nervous about this trip. I'd made a discovery a few weeks ago, and I found that it changed everything. It made me twitchy every time I was around the royal family. I was stiff and nervous around them, and I realized my breakthrough made everything different. I would never be the same.

I had a crush on Kyra's brother.

I was paranoid that Kyra would find out. Having a crush on the next King of Orison was already a big no-no. A crush on my best friend's brother? That was even worse.

The worse part was that I was starting to think he liked me back. I wasn't sure I if I was imagining the looks he would sometimes give me, or how I suddenly started bumping into him everywhere I went, but something was definitely different.

That, or my imagination was acting up. Which was also a big possibility.

Not that it changed anything. He was 135 years old, old enough for his parents to start searching for a suitable wife to marry him off to.

The future King of Orison couldn't marry just anyone.

Kyra and I lagged behind her family, walking in an unhurried pace to the machines that would take us to their property. Not that I complained. Kai walked a few meters in front of us, and I couldn't help but admire the way his shirt fitted across his broad shoulders and down to his narrow waist. His dark hair, so much like his sister's, curled around his ears and the nape of his neck. He said something to his father, and I caught a peek of his stubble as he turned. He said he was too lazy to shave. I didn't complain. I liked how it looked on him.

"We should go to the lake right away," Kyra said, tucking strands of her hair behind her ear as she looked at me.

I shrugged. "Sure. I just need to unpack and look for my swimsuit."

She rolled her eyes. "I told you to wear your bikini right away."

"Will you throw me to the dungeons for disobeying, Your Highness?" I grinned as I said it. That would never grow old.

She slapped my arm, and I pretended it hurt. "Idiot."

We reached the carriages. The King and Queen were already sitting inside one, while Kai held the door open on the second one, looking at us as he waited. Kyra slid in without another word, and I followed, brushing past him as I did so. Was it my imagination, or did I feel his hand on my arm?

Probably not. He closed the door after me and sat on the passenger seat diagonally from me, buckling in. The driver stepped in, murmuring a greeting and exchanging a nod with the prince. He flexed his hands over the driving controls and the engine rumbled to life. The animal-like machines pulling the carriage shook, waking from their slumber.

"So yeah, we still have a few hours of sunlight. We can go to the lake and then chill a while on the deck. Kai, maybe you could make some of the drinks you made us last time?" Kyra grinned, a glint in her eyes.

Those same drinks got us really drunk last time. I swallowed hard. That was the time I'd first realized I liked Kai.

He turned his head, looking back at us. Our eyes met, and I swear my heart skipped a beat. Both siblings had gray eyes. They got it from their father. They were already a good-looking family, but their eyes were perhaps one of their best features.

One side of his mouth curled upwards, and he half-grinned at us. "Sure."

By the time we crossed the estate's large gates I'd managed to convince myself that whatever my feelings were at the moment, they would fade in time. I just had to carry on as normal. Nothing had to change.

The Queen – Katarina when we were alone – approached us as we descended from the carriage. Her perfectly white smile greeted us as she looked both of her children, and me, over.

"I asked them to clean the bedrooms of the north and the east wings of the house," she said, her voice rising and falling like a song. "There's enough room for each of you to take a bedroom in the east wing, we'll stay on the other one."

Both Kyra and Kai shrugged. Rolling my eyes at their apparent inability to answer their mother, I spoke up. "Thank you."

"Of course, Kyleana." She said, almost distracted as she watched the servants rush into place. She was the only one that called me by my full name. Not even my father would do so.

A quick flash of her teeth, and the Queen left our side. That was the closest thing to a warm smile I would ever get from the woman.

Kyra rolled her eyes. "And that's why mother loves you."

I snorted. "Well, I can't very well leave the Queen hanging, can I?"

She ran a hand through her hair, letting it fall down on perfect waves down her back as she turned towards the house. "I do it all the time."

I rolled my eyes, sighing. "I know. And that's why I do it."

Kyra was already on the move. "Come along Kyles! We're wasting daylight."

I grinned. "Yes your Grace, just let me get my bag."

But another hand beat me to it first. I blinked, watching my bag get lifted from the floor. I followed the arm's direction, travelling over lean muscle until I met Kai's eyes. I felt my nerves jump to attention.

"Let me get this." He said.

My mouth felt suddenly dry. "What? No."

He rolled his eyes. "Yes."

His feet were already moving towards the house's entrance. He was only carrying my things, the servants having already carried his own bags inside.

I caught up, three steps to his two.

"Kai."

He didn't look at me. "Kylie."

I huffed, trying to hide my smile behind annoyance.

This week was going to be a difficult one.

Kyra was standing on the edge of the deck, looking down at the crystal clear water of the lake. Her light skin was already showing signs of redness from the sun.

"I swear, that fish could probably swallow us whole. It's hu-"

I pushed her off the deck, cutting her off mid-sentence. She shrieked as she fell, droplets of cold water landing on my skin as she hit the water.

"You're going to pay for that, peasant!"

"Not if the fish gets you first."

I could feel the mock glare coming behind her expensive shades. I grinned before taking a running leap, splashing down right next to her. I gasped as the cold water hit me, but immediately welcomed the short relief from the sun.

I floated on my back, looking up at the rapidly darkening sky. Azmoville was way hotter than Orisen, even during the night, but it was actually a nice retreat from the particularly long winter our world was suffering through.

Water landed on my face, and I looked up, glaring at Kyra.

"Kai's asking if you want one of his drinks."

I looked up to the deck, and sure enough, Kai stood there, looking at me expectantly. My mouth dried up, and I knew I could swallow all of the lake and I would still need more.

He was shirtless, and I honestly wouldn't expect anything less, it being so hot outside. But it still didn't change the fact that he was without a shirt, he was Kai, and I bloody liked him. I tried just looking at his face, but it didn't really work. I'd seen him without shirt enough that the image was already branded into my mind. He liked to work out, and it showed in the leanness of his stomach, the muscles of his arms and legs, the way that V that drove every girl wild on his hips disappeared down his swim trunks, pointing down to a world that I really shouldn't think about my best friend's brother.

It simply wasn't fair.

"Well?" He asked as he cocked his head, and that fortunately shook me out of my stupor. He was grinning, and I hoped, hoped, he couldn't guess what was running through my mind.

"Yeah, sure."

Kyra climbed the ladder up to the deck, and I followed, abruptly nervous. I was wearing practically nothing. Not that he hadn't seen me in a swimsuit – a bikini – before, but now it was different. Everything was different.

The deck had a nice little hay roof at the far end, with a nicely furnished bar beneath it. Kai stood behind in all of his shirtless glory, smooth movements as he made us his signature drink, one he had created with his friends several years ago. A King's Burden was tattooed over his heart. It always brought a wry smile to my lips. A prince with ink.

He looked up as we approached, but I avoided his gaze, hoping that the dark tint of his sunglasses hid my flush. I grabbed a towel, wrapping it around myself, but when I looked back, I found he was still looking in my direction, a half grin on his lips.

"Come on, I'm thirsty." Kyra spoke up, oblivious to the inner turmoil inside me.

"Almost done."

Kai handed us each a drink as we sat on the stools facing the bar. He leaned forward, waiting for us to try them. I did, drinking down the refreshingly sweet drink, feeling the strong liqueur slide down my throat.

I licked my lips. "You put a lot of alcohol in this."

He winked. "It's the secret ingredient. Is it good?"

Kyra made a satisfied noise. "Hell yeah it is."

I nodded. "I like it."

"Good." He lifted his own drink, grinning at us. "Cheers."

Another sip. The alcohol didn't taste that strong this time.

"Mmm, way better than the drink Kristopher made us try last week, isn't it?" Kyra said, sliding her glasses up and placing them over her head.

I bit my lip, staring down into my drink. I knew what was coming.

"Are you going to go out with him again? He's cute."

I couldn't help it. My eyes flew up and I glanced at Kai, but his face was unreadable behind those dark sunglasses. I looked back at Kyra, trying to hide how uncomfortable I suddenly felt. Not that it was her fault. We've talked about boys in front of her brother before. It wasn't until lately that that had become a problem.

"Kristopher?" Kai surprised me by asking. "Duke Montrose's son?"

The frown upon his face was easily explainable. The Whyte family and the Montrose had long fought over the Royal title. Somewhere back in the line things had become muddled, and it was questioned who actually had the royal title. Everything was resolved over a generation ago, and the families tried to be as friendly as possible, but the slight tension would probably remain for many years.

Kyra nodded. "The one and only."

"And you went out with him already? When?"

His sister nodded enthusiastically, speaking up for me. "Yeah, like a week ago. He took her-"

"We watched a film at the old cinema." I interrupted, feeling even more uncomfortable in my silence.

He scoffed. "How unoriginal."

Kyra scoffed back. "You wouldn't know romantic if it bit you in the ass, Kai."

"I can be romantic."

I wished that he didn't have his sunglasses on. Because I could swear he was looking at me, but it could also be my imagination. I wouldn't know until he took them off.

Kristopher had been my last ditch effort at convincing myself that I didn't like Kai. He was funny, sweet, and overall a good guy. He just… wasn't Kai. Which presented a huge problem: I had to move on from the prince before I could properly date anyone else again.

"Please. Luring girls into your bed for just a couple of nights cannot be regarded as romantic. You're a man-whore."

He took another sip of his drink, and I realized he had already drunk half. I drank two long sips, trying to catch up.

"You're exaggerating."

She was. A bit. He wasn't exactly a player. He just hadn't had a long-term relationship in a long time, preferring instead brief spurts with different girls every once in a while. Fortunately for him, he was handsome enough, alluring enough, to get away with it.

"But back to the question at hand." He said, and he finally, finally, took off his glasses, and I was immediately captured in his grey gaze. "Are you going out with him again?"

I was still looking at him as I replied. "No."

He smiled. A quick, full gesture that lit up his eyes. "Good."

He leaned away, and it wasn't until then that I realized we'd been leaning towards each other over the bar. With a sigh, I finished the rest of my drink, realizing that at some point I'd drank the majority of it without realizing it.

Kyra frowned. "We will talk about this later. Now, it's shots time. Kai?"

Kai reached for the cupboard with the short glasses. "Three shots, coming right up."

Somebody cleared their throat, and we looked up to the stairs that let to the house. A servant stood there, her hands folded behind her back. "The Queen requests your presence, Princess." She announced.

Kyra groaned. "Now?" The woman nodded. "Ugh, I'll be right back."

And then, we were alone.

The sound of the shot being placed on the bar right in front of me startled me enough I jumped. His mouth twitched in response as he raised his own shot glass.

"Come on," he said. "Kyra can catch up when she comes back."

Not knowing what else to say, I clinked my glass with his, drowning the drink in one gulp. I winced, feeling the burn travel down my throat. If he disagreed with his own drink, it was barely noticeable. Next thing I knew, the bottle was in his hands and he was filling up our glasses again.

I shook my head, chuckling. "No way. We're waiting for Kyra."

"Come on. Don't be a spoilsport," he winked. "Drink with me."

"I will, but at this rate we'll be drunk off our asses before your sister gets back."

He shrugged. "And?" I still wasn't convinced. He dangled the shot glass in front of me. "We'll make it a game. You take a shot, and you get to ask me anything you want."

I bit my lip. This was way too good to pass up. I looked at the clear liquid, and thought perhaps one of the stupidest things anyone drinking could think.

What's the worst that could happen?

I tipped the glass shot back, cringing at the taste. Now, the question. Something I'd always wondered.

I nodded towards his tattoo. "Why A King's Burden?"

He smirked. "Do you really need to ask?"

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, I know you're going to be king, your Royal Highness, but it's not like you need the reminder."

He shrugged, looking away, and I knew he wasn't entirely comfortable with the subject. "You've seen my father. You know what… being king can do to you."

Yes, I knew. The King had changed through the years. Drastically. In ways I couldn't quite pinpoint, not like Kyra or Kai could. But the man was growing old, each day looking more tired than the last. He did not look well for an Osiren his age.

I nodded, accepting the answer. I regretted asking it. He looked too serious now.

Like he was reading my thoughts, he looked at me, and in a second, his grin was back, the seriousness erased from his face. "Now," he said, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "My turn."

The drink quickly disappeared down his throat. I licked my lips, nervous. His eyes were on me, and I did not like the mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Why aren't you going out again with Montrose?"

Kristopher. My nerves settled. That could be easily explained without mentioning my crush.

I shrugged. "He was… too nice. It has its perks, I suppose. But I could see I would get easily bored with him after a while."

He smirked. "Yeah, I don't suppose he'd have gone cliff jumping with you."

I couldn't help but grin. About three years ago, we had taken a trip to the Cliffs of Darrel with some mutual friends. We'd been dared to jump off the cliffs, something the locals did often, but most of our friends had chickened out, including Kyra. Kai and I had jumped first, together. The thrill had been one of the best experiences I'd ever had in my life.

"No, I don't suppose he would have."

He filled up the glasses again.

I giggled, and I knew the alcohol was beginning to affect me. "Are you serious?"

He slid the glass in my direction. "Absolutely."

This time, I barely felt the alcohol's warmth. I leaned forward, meeting his eyes and holding them. "What happened last year at the Winter party?"

He immediately knew what I was referring to. His friends teased him over and over, and Kyra and I had never understood why.

He laughed, looking away. "No way I'm telling you that. I'm taking that secret to the grave."

"You can't do that! You have to answer."

"No way in hell," he said, shaking his head.

I glowered at him. "But I took the shot!"

He quickly drank down his glass. "I just cancelled your shot with mine."

I huffed. "You're cheating."

He reached across the bar, his hand softly brushing a stray strand of hair from my face. I was surprised enough I let him. It happened so quickly I was almost sure it didn't even happen in the first place.

"Yes," he said, looking away as he grabbed the bottle. "I am."

The glasses were filled up again to the brim. He didn't ask a question this time. He lifted the glass, meeting my eyes. "Cheers."

I was confused enough at the moment, I reached for glass and saluted back. "Cheers."

We downed the drinks.

"You know," he said, after a moment. "I would've taken you back to the cliffs." He paused. "If I were taking you out for a date, I mean." He looked up at me through his impossible long eyelashes.

My heart skipped a beat. "Yeah?"

He hummed in agreement. "You looked incredible that day. After we jumped. You could see the thrill in your eyes."

I blinked, unsure about where this was going. Could I even dare to hope? "Kai-"

His eyes shifted to a spot behind me, and the shake of his head was the only warning I had before I heard the footsteps.

"Mother can be so annoying," Kyra shook her head, seemingly exasperated. "But never mind that! Let's start drinking!"

Kai shook his head, grinning like nothing had happened. And nothing had, really. I couldn't decide what to feel about Kyra's interruption. Relief? Disappointment?

"Come on, Kyra." He said, handing her the bottle, his eyes flickering to me for barely a moment. "You need to catch up."

The Present

Age, 196

Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America, Earth.

Year: 2012, Earth Year.

Something was wrong.

My eyelids were heavy, and I felt as if the weight of the world rested upon them. When I tried to move I felt something pulling back, as if something was holding me down in a horizontal position. My thoughts were groggy, and I couldn't even begin to make sense of what was going on. Was I still in Azmoville? Where was Kyra? Did we have too many of Kai's drinks?

There was a sound. It repeated ever so often in a pattern that was almost relaxing. It came from a machine somewhere to my left, and it took me several moments to realize it was my heartbeat.

A door opened, and it startled me enough that my eyes finally managed to fly open. The ceiling was made of rock, and I heard the machine pick up in speed as my heartbeat skyrocketed.

"The subject is awake."

Memory flooded back. No, I wasn't back in Azmoville. Kyra was dead. And Kai…

I shut down my thoughts, annoyed that they were even there to begin with. I struggled to lift my head, trying to see the man that had walked into the room, wearing a impeccable white lab coat.

"Where am I?" I tried to rasp it out, but my throat was so dry he probably didn't even hear me. I couldn't see him properly, just from the corner of my eye. He was muttering under his breath, acting as if I wasn't even in the room, strapped to a table. Movement alerted me to a second man standing by the door.

The man by the door spoke up. "Should I get more of the anesthetic Doctor?"

"No, no. We need it awake to gauge its reactions. We don't know what it's hiding underneath that disguise."

Disguise? What?

I licked my lips and tried to speak up again, but only a groan came out. I needed water. And soon.

"Hand me the drill."

I blinked, suddenly worried. Drill?

The man by the door seemed to hesitate. "The drill, sir?"

"That's what I said." There was an exasperated sigh. "That thing is not human, son. It is disguised as a woman, and it's our job to find out exactly what's underneath. Now, hurry up. The director will want results soon."

I closed my eyes, trying to drown out the sound of the drill. Trying to ignore the pain that was about to come.

I still heard it loud and clear even as I started screaming.