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

Chapter Twenty-Eight

"Zahra," I motion for her to put me down. When she does, I have to sling one arm around her to keep from falling over from vertigo. She's strong, but it couldn't have been easy to carry me so far. We limp down the temple steps together, my ear pressed against her shoulder blade. "Zahra, what's happening?"

"There's been an attack on the Dragon Veil Gang's headquarters. Rahasian citizens attacking Jiwanese." Zahra pants, half her face morphed into a golem, using her curse to make herself stronger.

"Can't you tell me why it started? How?"

She motions for me to move faster, ducking into an alley as people carrying rocks and various blades storm past us. Their eyes are flashing, wild. Their lips are twisted into sneers, shouting out epithets at the various Jiwanese people running in the opposite direction. A little girl screams for her mother, the mother not much older than myself, bearing the imagery of the Dragon Veil Gang on her necklace and scarves.

"I'll get you to your fathers. They'll know." Zahra fastens my arm around her neck, tugging me forwards. My head's still aching from Kaliya's spell. "But you're my first priority, amira.You always will be."

***

"Enter, enter," we follow a swarm of a crowd of Jiwanese people, most of them wearing Dragon Veil regalia, the image of the fearsome dragon tattooed in their skin, inked into their clothing. They're the followers of Ratu, Queen of Thieves. Another of Ode Ngayoh's legends. If she's even still alive. She's little more than a legend, like Ode herself, hasn't shown her face in so long. It makes me sick, thinking back to the rioters in the temple district. How quick they were to kill and chase away their fellow inhabitants. Sure, Ratu's stolen, but her deeds in wartime make up for it. A form of amnesty, if you will. But her followers, when caught, aren't so lucky. Still, most of those from Jiwa, even the merchants, are under her watchful eye. They pay a tithe, and even most of the Royal Guard look the other way, spread thin as they are over the massive city.

Maybe it's better to have the protection of a criminal than none at all.

"Let us pass." Zahra walks up to a member of the Royal Guard. It's no wonder they thought us strangers, what with the sweat plastered to both our faces. The manic looks in our eyes. "Don't you recognize me, Lufti? It's me, Zahra." Her face melds back to normal, all traces of the golem curse gone since the fear's settled down.

Lufti's eyes widen, thick lashes parting, eyes puffy from lack of sleep. "Is that...?" His incredulous gaze settles on me. Lufti bows. "Emperor Elio, saved my family in the First Divine War. Praise be. I would die for your honor."

There's a pang as I realize he really would. "Yes, yes, I accept your loyalty. Now let us through to my fathers."

He bows as he opens the door for us, immediately shutting it after on the crowd of incredulous Jiwanese faces. Baba Elio is pacing, a hand on his scimitar. Consort Ryu murmurs in a low voice with Advisor Boaz, a pile of diplomatic texts unrolled in front of them. Another is a map of the city, tiny patches of cloth or baubles placed over areas I'm assuming riots occurred.

"Why weren't you still with Boaz at the library?" Ryu glowers at me.

I march up to Elio, Zahra behind me. "I finished my work for the day, and I was at the temple district at prayerwhen the world erupted around me." I point to Elio, pacing and pacing as his fingers drum on his thigh, fingers itching for his weapon. "Explain."

"Simple." Elio's voice is gruff, tired as he peers past me, at the Jiwanese civilians filtering into the palace walls for protection. I try to find the mother and her child, the one I saw at the temple district. I can't recognize them, can't see past the swarm of other faces, pained from the upheaval. "The Empire is at war."

***

Readers,

Hope that plot was twisty. Your votes and comments are also incredibly entertaining, lemme tell ya ;)

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Sophia