A Princess for the Witch Doctor (Legends of Rahasia Book 3)

Chapter Nineteen

The Rahasian guard troupe surrounds me in the early hours of morning, when the sun just crests over the horizon. A tramping of mighty black stallions, royal livery and the signature rose-brand of the current Emperor emblazoned in their breastplates. A woman with a scar over one eye helps me to my feet. I recognize her as being a part of the Royal Guard.

Shit just got real.

"Don't get Sol in trouble," I mumble, still shaking from the journey. Near-tears to think I might actually have gotten my friend killed by my stupidity. "It was all my fault; do you hear me? All my fault."

The woman soldier seems stunned to see my tearful response. "We know, princess," she even strokes my hair to calm me. "Sol sent a warning to the city for us, saying you'd run off on your own. Your fathers want a word with you."

So, Sol sold me out after all. I thought she'd understand. She'd understand that I wanted her back, that I missed her.

But she's on my fathers' side.

Happier without me.

I nod, swallowing a lump in my throat. "Lead the way." I lift my chin, shaking my raven hair off my shoulders, a thin sheen forming over it from the rigors of riding. "I'm all yours."

***

"Arnina Ode," Baba Elio takes three long, purposeful strides to reach me, crossing the throne room far too quickly for my nervous heart to handle.

Papa Ryu isn't much better. Standing over Elio's shoulder and shaking his head. Tsking at me like I'm a naughty child.

In all fairness, now that the journey's over, I feel like a child. A scolded child. Kicked like a dog by Sol. Weary and needing comfort.

Elio stays back, holding me at arm's length. "You idiot."

"Imbecile." Ryu agrees.

"Juvenile."

"Infantile."

"Any stupider," Elio replies, "and I'd have to tap on your forehead to see if your skull echoes from all the emptiness in there."

"Like a musical instrument." Ryu hisses, all sly.

They pull me into a hug, my face burning from all their hurled insults. The Royal Guard snickers in the background.

"I deserved that." I mumble, bowing my head. "I'm sorry. I should never have been born a princess. I should've..."

"Enough," Elio pulls away first from the embrace. Ryu follows, fingernails brushing against my heavy shoulders. "Ryu and I have decided you might be suffering some trauma from the gruesome killings you witnessed in Raja." He sighs, running his fingers nervously through the snags in his wiry beard. "You're being reassigned."

My heart drops down towards my stomach. Reassigned...

Reassigned.

No more patrol. No more Tawil, Pari, or Saban. No more golem-killings.

"Reassigned?" I try to keep my voice from being shrill. Try to channel good princesses with calm voices. I come up short and end up hissing in a way that sounds pained. "Will I still be fighting?"

Ryu leans his head against Elio, crossing his thin arms over his chest. His long neck curves towards me, amber eyes staring all haughtily down at me. Now, I'm practically squirming. When Ryu gets like this, anyone else would feel inferior beneath such a stunning gaze. "You took on a witch doctor by yourself. You ran away to speak with a general who's exiled and disgraced." His voice is anything but musical as he scolds me. I almost imagine his eyes gleam red, if only for a moment, in his quiet rage. Like he's harboring a fire inside that'll rush out and burn me at any moment. "Do you believe you're in any position to bargain, Princess Arnina Ode, First Heiress of the Empire of Rahasia. Daughter of the Chosen and the Beautiful. One who was blessed by the gods..."

I wince as he lists my titles, practically shoving my nose in the burning irony of it all. The princess who was given everything to become something, a true hero, and then wasted all of it chasing after her own, selfish desires.

This is why Papa Ryu scolds the worst. Elio just gets mad. Consort Ryu...

Ryu pierces you where it hurts the most. The heart.

He runs his red-painted fingernails over my chin, tilts it up to stare at him in my shame. He smiles, the beautiful, ruby lips showing nothing of his truth. He's gotten so good at honing his Divining powers of illusions that his mask if almost as airtight as the witch doctor's.

"Yes," after a few more agonizing moments of those honeyed eyes searching mine, Ryu leans back. "You'll be reassigned to work with your cousin, Boaz, in the Rahasian University. You'll help him sort scrolls. Stamp official documents. Index royal invitations and categorize past diplomatic agreements."

"Baba..." I plead, swiveling around to Emperor Elio to plead my case.

Elio's eyes are hard, staring past me to avoid feeling any guilt. "That is ruling, Arnina. You must learn to wield the pen before you're given the honor of wielding a weapon." He holds his hand out, nodding to my buzdygan, to my precious Baqir. "The best rulers don't win wars. The best don't even start wars in the first place."

I shut my mouth, knowing that pleading would be futile.

I hand over my weapon. Ryu purses his lips. Elio just sighs, like a bellows emptied.

"No more patrol." The announcement fills me with dread. Utter hopelessness.

The gods bet on the wrong princess.

***

Readers,

Arnina's hit an all-time low.

-Sophia