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

Chapter Forty-Nine

"Boo!"

I screech and nearly fall right out of bed when I come face-to-face with a fearsome mask, carved into wood with jagged teeth and wide eyes.

Zahra nearly cries from all her cackling. I pick myself and my remaining pieces of dignity from the ground. "That was immature."

"I had a lot of time while you were getting lost around the kraton." She smirks, tossing the topeng at me. "Whittled a mask for ya."

I huff, going about my daily routine of eating, utilizing the chamber pot, and washing as she hands me a fresh set of clothes: şalvar and a batik tunic. "How long did that mask take?"

"Almost all night." She grins as she helps pile my hair atop my head. "And I even had enough time to spare to follow you around and make sure you didn't get captured."

"You...what?" I spin around as she fixes the last clip into place. "I told you not to follow me. It was for your own good."

"What I did was for your own good too, amira."

I grit my teeth, wanting to lash out. "So, those footsteps in the hall..."

"You got lost." She shrugs. "A lot."

"Zahra," I move closer to her, taking in her eyes. Wanting to feel anchored to the earth again, instead of all alone. "Your safety is all that matters to me."

"Funny," she responds, refusing to give up on her stance. "I could say the same thing."

I'm about to snap further at her when a knock at the door startles us both. Zahra's smile dims as goes to answer it. I'm slightly jealous of her armor and trousers set-up. I miss the weight of Baqir against my hips, ready to cleave a golem on patrol, not just this tiny dagger to protect me. Zahra looks ready for battle, for patrol in the hot sand and burning sky. I look ready for plucking flowers, writing songs, or some other silly noble pastime.

Leisure. It doesn't suit me.

Mawar bustles into the room, bowing to us both. We reply and wait for her frantic news. And it must be frantic, because she looks like she ran here as she's breathing fast, near wheezing.

"The sultan requests your presence in the gardens, milady."

I grit my teeth. "About?"

Mawar bows again, an apology this time. "Something that the night servants found disturbing."

I glower back at Zahra. See? You should've stayed behind.

Her cool gaze is all the reply I need.

What kind of princess am I if I can't even get one person to listen to me?

Sighing, I follow Mawar out.

"I'm really more trouble than I'm worth." I lament, staring out at the palms as I say this. Mawar casts a glance back, still walking carefully on.

"Perhaps." She muses. "Perhaps not."

Such a diplomat.

***

Zahra: You're my only hope.

Kaliya's spider: (agrees)