Chapter 1

Maeve was peacefully finishing her training for the day, sweat plastering her long black hair tied in a braid at the back of her neck, when Roge, her mentor and guardian came running in, holding in his hand a letter sealed with a black wax seal.

- Maeve, a letter just arrived from the Grand Council for you!

She raised her head and smiled: finally a new mission! She had been bored to death in this base for two weeks, and she needed some action. And the order was coming from the grand council , no less ! Impressive , but for Maeve , it was just a way to be rewarded for her 14 years of training and all her succesfull missions . She had been five when her parents , high graded sentries , had been murdered and the others sentries had took her in , promising that if she worked hard enough , she could even surpass her parents and get revenge . So she'd started her training 7 years before all the other trainees , and gained her code name pretty easily : Maeve meant toxic , poisonous , and she was exactly like a deathly poison on a battlefield : fast and lethal , none of her opponent ever escaped alive . So , Breaking the wax seal , she oppened the letter and started reading :

Dear Poison Black ,

We hope this letter finds you well , and ready for a new mission . Starting one week from now on , you will be assigned as Gabriel Daine's bodyguard for an undetermined period .

Don't disappoint us .

She growned :

- No . This can't be right . A BODYGUARD ? Really ?

Roge stayed silent , waiting for her to finish letting out her anger .

- I am the first ever to be lieutenant at 19 ! I am worth much more than a stupid fucking bodyguard !

Her violet eyes started glowing , as if she were about to shift in her black panther form . Fearing she throw a tantrum and go rampage , Roge put his hand on her arm , reassuring her :

- I know its upstetting , and that you feel like your talents are being wasted , but Lysander Daine himself required the best for his son , and it appeared that you are the best , Maeve .

She swallowed her frustration , and asked :

- I cannot refuse it , can I ?

he grinned

- So you accept , Poison Black ?

She grinned back , her purple eyes glowing with the power of the panther :

- Ok , I'll do , I'll be this little prince Bodyguard .

Far away from there , as he was pouring himself a glass of wine, Gabriel Daine felt shivers going down his spine. Shrugging his shoulder , he tried to make them disappear, but nothing worked : the shivers were telling him that something was about to change his life forever and that he wouldn't be able to escape it , no matter how hard he would try . So when a page came in , telling him that his father , the future king , wanted to see him , he knew whatever was waiting for him was about to come his way.