《Soul Stones》


 Chapter 1

    She could hear her again.


    Her voice echoed through her dreams from somewhere beyond her reach. Lately, she was always here, haunting the last hours just before her waking moment, whispering words beyond Daliya¡¯s understanding. Sometimes, the dreams would be vivid, and instead of the hazy fog that accompanied the woman¡¯s whispers, there were dazzling pictures of a snowy mountain, a lonely forest only illuminated by the moon¡¯s soft glow. Sometimes, she could hear the sound of the woman¡¯s steps, the snow crunching under her boots as she slowly wove her way through the snowy fields and saw the white fog float gently in front of her face.


    But nothing this vivid and clear.


    Daliya could hear her heavy breaths echoing against the cave¡¯s crystal walls. She watched through the woman¡¯s eyes as she held her sword up, pointing right at a man¡¯s heart.


    Suddenly, she was no longer Daliya. She was no longer someone watching from the sidelines¡ªa disembodied guest looking through the eyes of someone in a hazy dream. No. At that moment, she was that woman.


    She didn¡¯t even know what she was doing inside a dimly lit cave, the only light source being the flame hovering over the man¡¯s palm. The flame reflected against the crystals hanging from the ceiling, growing haphazardly on the walls and ground.


    The man¡¯s eyes shone a bright red. A black dagger, the blade coated in a thin film of fire, materialized in his hand. He held out his other hand, his stone-cold eyes boring into hers.


    ¡°Hand it over,¡± he commanded.


    ¡°No,¡± she hissed.


    He lunged at her, the dagger twisting in the air, a fiery arc following its path. She stepped back and away from the weapon, her movement smooth and graceful, as if she had trained her whole life for this.


    They danced around each other, her slender movements keeping her out of the weapon¡¯s reach. But one wrong step and her back connected with the cave¡¯s wall. There was no way for her to go. He launched himself, dagger pointing at her chest. This time, the black steel would reach its target. She lifted her hand, blue steel clashing against black. Daliya blinked, only then noticing the broken sword in the woman¡¯s hand.


    She pushed him away and raised her hand toward him. Snow lifted upward, floating in the space between them, then stilled, as if frozen in time, before shaping into thin, sharp spears. They flew towards him, tearing into skin and leather and leaving trails of blood in their wake.


    The last thing Daliya saw before wakefulness pulled at her consciousness were his blood-red eyes glaring daggers at her.


    The coldness of the floor was the first thing that registered on Daliya¡¯s tired mind. Her body ached as she lifted herself from the ground, massaging her numb arm that must have cushioned her fall. She sighed. Despite her few hours of sleep, she was still tired. And those dreams didn¡¯t help either. She had started having them a couple of days ago.


    She glanced at her phone, cursing at the numbers displayed on the screen.


    She had slept in.


    Wasting no time, she donned her clothes and hurried out the door, silently mourning her missed breakfast. Her hurried steps only slowed once she reached the bus station. Good. At least she hadn¡¯t missed the bus.


    ¡°It''s such nice weather today, " the old woman beside her¨Cone of her long-time neighbors¨Csaid, her smile pulling at the wrinkles on her face. She looked up at her, her posture long gone with age and manual labor.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Daliya smiled back.


    ¡°I hope we won¡¯t get sudden rain. He always forgets to take an umbrella with him, no matter how many times I remind him.¡± She looked up at the sky, a small frown flickering over her features before her usual smile returned.


    It wasn¡¯t the first, nor would it be the last, time she would talk about her son. She shared more about her personal life than anyone cared to ask, and Daliya didn¡¯t fault her. God knows the poor woman was in dire need of a listening ear. For all the time Daliya had known her, she had yet to see her genuinely happy, despite the smile the woman always forced on her face, worn down by time and hard work.


    She was an honest and kind woman, unlike her useless son¨Can alcoholic who relied on his poor mother to feed him while he lazied around, waiting for the day to end to drown himself in poison.


    The woman smiled weakly at Daliya¡¯s look. ¡°He¡¯s a good person. He¡¯s just going through some bad times.¡±


    A scowl pulled at Daliya¡¯s lips. A fool was what he was. He destroyed not only his own life but also his mother¡¯s. Always coming late, shouting, yelling obscenities till his poor mother ushered him inside, pleading with him not to wake the neighbors. Stirring trouble with gangs and getting arrested¨Cnot once, not twice¨Cand having his poor mother bail him out with her hard-earned money from her cleaning job.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    It reminded her of someone whose existence she would rather forget about. Someone who drowned in alcohol after the death of his wife, abandoning his daughter and turning to the wretched drink like he would find his reason for living at the bottom of the bottle.


    He just left one day, then never came back.


    Good riddance. She didn¡¯t need someone like him.


    His family had wanted nothing to do with her nor anything that had to do with her mother, they had said. She had stayed with her maternal grandmother till death tore her away, too.


    The old woman opened her mouth¨Ccertainly to defend her sorry excuse of a s son¨Cwhen the sound of the approaching bus grabbed her attention. She glanced at the approaching bus, a relieved sigh escaping her cracked lips.


    Daliya¡¯s day was like any other: lecture after lecture, never-ending words sounding like jibberish to her tired ears. She had nodded off in class but thankfully awoke before the professor took notice.


    No one invited her to the weekend outing she had heard her class plan for the last month. Not that she would have gone. Still, it would be nice to be asked once in a while if she was willing to attend¨Cwhat with her part-time job and all. But she understood. She had turned them so many times that they had given up on her ever showing up.


    A small part of her¨Cthe crazy part she kept hidden¨Cthought about showing up dressed as one of those fairytale witches, asking where her invite got lost.


    After classes came her part-time job.


    She was late yet again. Not by her design. It was hard to juggle her classes and her part-time job. She could barely get a couple of hours of sleep in between.


    Daliya smiled sheepishly, trying her best to avoid her boss¡¯s disapproving look. Darim¡¯s lips pulled into a displeased line, and his brow furrowed into a disapproving frown.


    ¡°Stop dawdling and just get to work,¡± he sighed.


    ¡°On it, boss.¡± She gave him a crooked salute and hurried inside.


    ¡°About time you showed up.¡± Laila, their restaurant¡¯s only cook, raised her eyebrow at Daliya. ¡°Your favorite customer is already here.¡± She gestured outside.


    Daliya barely stopped the scowl from showing on her face. She nodded at Laila, who had long returned to her stove.


    Favorite customer was one way to call him. The bastard was almost a regular in the restaurant. Always looking for trouble. Always trying to wrestle a free meal out of them.


    Getting a free meal wasn¡¯t the problem. It was how he was trying to get it.


    She headed towards the staff area and changed her clothes, her scowl deepening at the thought of dealing with the bastard.


    Her favorite customer had already finished his meal and was waiting for a waiter to complain. She glimpsed Saad hiding behind the counter, wiping the surface every second and then, trying to appear busy.


    It was up to her then.


    She veered towards the table, her practiced smile clicking into place.


    ¡°Can I get you something?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Ah, finally,¡± he huffed, like the thought of making him wait was deserving of capital punishment.


    ¡°Look at what I found in my food.¡± He motioned to his polished plate where a lonely dead cockroach rested. ¡°Is this what you give to your customers to eat?¡±


    She eyed the poor insect, wondering for a second how unfair it was to die for this bastard¡¯s nefarious plans. It deserved better.


    ¡°I thought you promised this wouldn¡¯t happen again. And yet.¡± He threw his hands in protest.


    Patience, she reminded herself. A word she had repeated so much it had turned into a mantra. Patience, she repeated. If he thought he would play her for a fool, he was mistaken.


    Her smile was strained as she stared at him. ¡°Did you know? With the sudden influx of thievery around the area, we have decided it would be wise to install a surveillance camera inside the restaurant.¡± She motioned up in a general direction towards the ceiling. ¡°If you want, we can take a quick look to determine where that insect came from,¡± she announced with false cheer, smacking her hands together in a loud clap.


    He startled. His eyes bulged in his head. He looked at her with sudden alarm. ¡°You did?¡±


    They didn¡¯t.


    She nodded, her grin widening.


    He shot to his feet. ¡°Nevermind. Maybe another time.¡± He threw money on the table and hurried outside like the hounds of hell were at his heels.


    ¡°Make sure to come back again,¡± she called after him.


    Come back never, bastard.


    Saad gave her a thumbs-up. She grinned and made a note to update him on the new additions to the restaurant.


    It was a whole hour¡¯s walk till she got home. She trudged down the familiar streets and thought for the millionth time how unlucky and unfortunate she was. But not for long. Soon, it would be payday, and she could finally get a whiff of good, sweet money bills. She felt giddiness swell in her chest. Nothing could lift her mood better than the numbers on her paycheck.


    She glanced at the pile of books she had yet to open for next week¡¯s exam and groaned, an overwhelming feeling of despair flooding her. She was going to fail if this kept up. She needed to catch up on her studies. But not today. Today, she was tired, and the best thing she could do was get some much-needed sleep. She almost looked forward to her dreams, no matter how weird they were. Anything but the impending doom next week.


    Without wasting another second, she pulled herself under the shower, put on her red and brown pajamas, and face-planted on her bed.


    She fell asleep as soon as her head hit her pillow. The old, hard mattress dug into her sore bones, and a voice chased her into her dreams.

 Chapter 2

    The first thing she noticed upon waking was the much too-hard mattress she was leaning on¨Cor sitting on. She frowned. Did she somehow fall off her bed again? Something small and unyielding was digging at the back of her head. She winced, as her usual wiggling around only made the object dig deeper into her scalp. She felt around the space under her head and stilled. Whatever she was leaning on was not her old mattress, nor was it the smooth wall of her apartment. It was much colder. But it wasn¡¯t what sent her tired brain into a frenzy. It was the rough and uneven texture that greeted her fingers.


    It was the ground. Not the cold ground of her apartment¨Cmostly buried under a week¡¯s worth of unwashed clothes. No. It was the hard and sturdy ground of somewhere she would have associated with mountains. It''s not that she was an expert. Going hiking once years ago barely made one a connoisseur of the subject.


    She peeled her eyes open, dreading what she would find. Did she somehow sleep through an earthquake and then become trapped under tons of rubble? Or did she underestimate her tiredness and was stuck deep in a fever dream she might never awaken from as the last drops of her soul seeped away from exhaustion? She had heard of people dropping dead from overwork, but somehow, she had never thought it was something that would happen to her. She had thought youth and energy drinks were on her side.


    If she knew this would happen, she would have done many things differently. She would have taken a break, stopped to smell the roses on the university campus, and overslept for an hour or two without overwhelming guilt tearing down at her. She would have stuffed her duffel with whatever clothes she had and skipped to the mountains. She would have forsaken civilization and lived the life of a hermit.


    Or maybe she was merely exaggerating. Maybe her tired mind had tricked her, and she would soon find herself in her bedroom with mountains of homework awaiting her attention.


    But no matter how many times she blinked, the rocky, cavernous walls remained closed in around her. The high ceiling still peeked down at her, with crystalline-like objects hanging down from it, like icicles, whitish with a hint of sky blue.


    She swallowed, the air damp and cool in her throat. She sat up, wincing as one of the tiny rocks tore into the palm of her hand. She whipped the blood on her pajama pants before stopping. She wasn¡¯t wearing her night clothes, her earthy pajamas with faded bunnies scattered all over. She was wearing a navy blue uniform with black leather boots. A broken sword¨Cthe one from her dream¨Clay discarded a few feet to the side.


    She glanced at her clenched fist, the one loosely enclosed around something small¨Ca white crystal with cracks running all over its surface.


    She looked at the crystal, but as soon as her fingers shifted around its smooth edges, the fragile rock shattered into a million pieces, turning into fine dust in the palm of her hand. The crystal crumbled like it was made of sand. The small fragments disintegrated before they could touch the ground. Gone, like they never existed.


    She swallowed, trying to keep the deep-hidden hysteria that threatened to overwhelm her. Freaking out would bring her no help. She needed to think. But one question kept repeating in her head, nullifying any attempt to gather her thoughts to try and make sense of the situation.


    ¡®What¡¯s happening?!¡¯


    She didn¡¯t know how long she had walked. There was no way to tell the time. The place seemed to have been removed from the world. A rocky structure isolated from space and time. At some point, she started doubting there was anything beyond the rocky walls.


    Her arm ached as she dragged the broken sword. It was heavy despite half of its blade missing. Still, she wasn¡¯t going to walk around defenseless. There must be a reason she had a sword in the first place¨Ca reason she didn¡¯t want to find out.


    She was walking, dragging one foot after the other, then she found herself pinned against the wall, the jagged rocks digging into her back, and a dagger pressed against her neck. It happened so suddenly that her head still reeled from the whiplash she got. She squeezed her eyes futilely to keep the world from spinning.


    ¡°I finally found you,¡± a voice hissed next to her ear.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    She peeled her eyes open. Brown eyes with a hint of red stared down at her, cold and dispassionate.


    ¡°What? Who¨Cwho are you?¡±


    He tilted his head to the side, the raven strands framing his face shifting.


    ¡°Is this one of your games?¡±


    ¡°What¨Cno¨CI don¡¯t¡ª¡±


    The blade bit into her skin. She winced, her pained gasp reverberating through the cavern. She grasped his hand, struggling to ease the sharp dagger¡¯s bite. But his grip was unyielding. She felt the cut in her neck ich and a warm liquid trickle down to her collarbone.


    He mumbled something too unintelligible for Daliya¡¯s muddled ears. The dagger eased slightly. His eyes briefly shone a faint red glow.


    ¡°Huh. Well, that¡¯s curious.¡± His brows furrowed in confusion.


    As soon as he lifted his dagger away from her neck, Daliya threw herself to the side. She clutched the discarded sword and lifted it, pointing it in the man¡¯s direction, her arms straining with the effort. She flinched as he chuckled. His brow raised mockingly as if daring her to attack him. But she didn¡¯t dare move an inch. She watched him, her eyes following his every movement. He held his hands up in mocking surrender, dagger still in his grasp, before it disappeared in a flicker, like the sparks born off the edges of a flame.


    ¡°And who might you be?¡± He whistled, a glint shining in his dark eyes.


    She watched him, wary. She didn¡¯t know how to answer and feared her life depended on her next words. He stepped closer, and she shifted the sword in warning, her hold tightening on the hilt to stop the slight tremors that shook her frame.


    ¡°Stay away,¡± she warned him, cursing under her breath when her voice wavered.


    He tutted, his fingers pinching his chin. ¡°Not a bad sight. Certainly better than earlier. Relax, I won¡¯t hurt you. I¡¯ve got no interest in someone like you.¡±


    Daliya bristled. The wound in her neck would beg to differ.


    When she didn¡¯t budge, he continued, ¡°Fighting you now won¡¯t be fun.¡±


    Then he was in front of her, the sword suddenly gone from her hands and held in his. He threw it half a glance before he embedded it against the ground. Daliya stumbled back, her legs tangled around each other in her haste to get away. She would have fallen if not for his grip on her shoulder, steadying her.


    ¡°Careful. Wouldn¡¯t want you to split your head open, not before you answer my questions.¡±


    She wrenched her arm away and stepped back, creating as much distance as possible.


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s start with who you are and how you got here. You¡¯re clearly not the princess, are you?¡±


    ¡°What? The princess? No, no. I¡¯m just a university student. I don¡¯t even know how I got here. I just went to sleep and woke up here!¡± At his narrowed eyes, she continued. ¡°I¡¯m not lying! I don¡¯t know where I am! I don¡¯t know who is this princess you¡¯re speaking of. I don¡¯t even know who you are!¡±


    ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s quite a predicament.¡± He paused for a moment before leaning forward, his eyes boring into hers, looking, searching for something. Daliya had to steel herself not to jerk back on instinct. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of a soul switching before.¡± He seemed like he was talking to himself rather than to her. Then his eyes widened, a glint passing through them as he came to a sudden realization. He clicked his fingers, triumph coloring his face. ¡°The core!¡± He looked at her. ¡°Tell me, when you woke up, was there a crystal core nearby? A small white crystal.¡±


    She hesitated before nodding. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Where is it?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°It disintegrated. I don¡¯t know why. It just turned to dust.¡±


    ¡°I see. So she already used it,¡± he muttered. ¡°Never thought it would be used for a soul switching.¡±


    His eyes shone red as he regarded her, but unlike in her dreams, there was no deep-seethed anger behind his gaze. But there was something else¨Ca hint of confusion and an even well-hidden tinge of helplessness. His lips pulled into a thoughtful frown.


    He pulled the broken sword from the ground and held it towards her. With a flick of the wrist, the sword spun in an arc, and the hilt was up towards her. She took a step back, distrustful.


    He sighed. ¡°Take it. God knows what other things reside deep down this damn place. And try not to cut yourself on its blade,¡± he added as she reached her hand. His gaze at the sword was distasteful, downright hateful. ¡°You¡¯re already useless as it is. Better not add a Seal to this mess.¡±


    Daliya hesitated. She regarded the man¡¯s thoughtful stance, debating before her curiosity won out. ¡°What was it?¡±


    He paused. ¡°The crystal? That was a very, very important crystal core the princess used to escape from the messes she made like the coward she is.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Daliya asked, dread already gripping her chest tight.


    ¡°The princess has used the Soul Stone to escape to your realm and, in the process, trapped you in ours.¡±


    He snorted, amused at her horrified look. ¡°Get moving. We have a long way to reach the cave¡¯s exit.¡±

 Chapter 3

    She didn¡¯t know how long they¡¯d been walking. All she knew was that the cave seemed endless, the ground stretching forever and ever, the walls curving and twisting in eternal patterns.


    They stopped near a pool. She dragged herself towards the body of water, her throat clicking as she watched its crystalline surface. There was no way to know whether it was safe for consumption, so she settled on washing her face and soaking her feet inside to calm her nerves. She sighed softly as the cold water caressed her scorched face and dry lips. The man refused to get near it, complaining about its freezing temperature and how ¡®of course, she would find it soothing.¡¯


    She ignored him, closing her eyes as she relaxed for the first time since waking up.


    She washed the dust from her hands and under her fingernails, marveling at the callouses she felt on her palms. This wasn¡¯t the body of a princess sheltered from the outside world and dapped in jewelry and the finery this world could ever offer. This was the body of someone who had spent time using her sword enough to leave marks upon what should have been soft and delicate hands.


    So lost in thought, she failed to notice the shift in the air around her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look behind you,¡± the man said gently, though his voice had a hint of alarm. Daliya cocked an eyebrow at him, confused and a little bit dubious about the concern displayed on his slanted lips. He extended his arm toward her. ¡°Walk toward me, slowly,¡± he instructed.


    Daliya leaned forward, shifting her legs under her to slowly get to her feet. Then something moved behind her. She heard the water ripple and shift before she felt the droplets land on her cheek. She turned her head.


    A giant monster towered over her. Its body shimmered blue and white as it slowly broke through the water¡¯s surface. Its eyes shone scarlet as they fixed on her.


    ¡°Run!¡±


    She didn¡¯t need to be told twice. She sprung to her feet and sprinted towards the assassin. The dagger materialized in his grasp, and for a short second, she wondered whether he had decided to split her throat open and use her body as bait while he escaped with his life.


    He used the wall behind him as a jump board and launched forward, landing somewhere behind her. The sound of steel against hard scales reverberated around the cave.


    Daliya didn¡¯t stop. She ran to where her sword lay resting against the wall.


    ¡°Get away from there!¡±


    She heard the assassin¡¯s warning a moment too late. Columns of water sped towards her like reaching hands. She stumbled away, but she was too slow. She closed her eyes right before the water arrows connected with her wary body.


    She waited for the pain, but none came. Instead, a searing heat engulfed her.


    The assassin stood before her, a wall of flames enveloping them and evaporating the water on impact. She must be dreaming. How was that even possible?


    The water struck the ground a few feet away, breaking the hard, rocky surface. Her legs gave under her.


    The assassin shot her a look. ¡°Use your powers,¡± he instructed.


    ¡°What powers?¡±


    He tsked, glaring at the approaching monster. ¡°Never mind then. Try not to get in my way.¡±


    The fight was going nowhere. He seemed exhausted. The cuts he dealt grew shallower as time went by. One hit by the monster sent him crashing against the wall. The cave shook with the impact. She watched with batted breath as it advanced toward his fallen form.


    With renewed energy born from panic, she gripped the hilt and lunged forward, screaming her lungs out, hoping the noise would draw it away from him, hoping the precious seconds she kept its attention away was enough to get him back to his feet.


    He was her only ticket to escape from his blasted place with her life, no matter how ludicrous the thought sounded.


    Her sword connected against the scales with a sad clang. She gritted her teeth as it reverberated through her sore muscles.


    She steeled herself as the monster opened its maw. She had no protection. She was going to die. She glanced at the assassin¡¯s still form. He still hadn¡¯t moved.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Was this how she was going to die?


    She didn¡¯t want to die! She still had so much to live for!


    A transparent, dome-shaped shield-like structure surrounded her with a faint bluish glow. As the projectiles made contact with the shield, crystal ice shapes erupted like broken glass before reshaping again, intact.


    ¡°Give me your hand.¡±


    She whipped her head around, unable to stop the beaming smile as the foolish man stood beside her.


    Maybe she was the foolish one. Here she was, trusting a stranger whose dagger she could still against the skin of her neck, threatening to cut her life short.


    A long gash ran along his arm, the sluggish blood oozing down his fingers and collecting into a puddle by his feet. From the wheezing, she suspected he had multiple bruised ribs¨Cor even broken. Yet, he was still standing.


    ¡°Your hand,¡± he stressed.


    As their hands connected, she felt something pull at her. A void siphoning her energy till she couldn¡¯t tell whether she was awake or lost in the fuzziness of sleep. She heard the assassin let out a gasp.


    ¡°Chilling,¡± he complained. A thin sheet of frost covered his arm to the elbow. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. ¡°Still better than nothing.¡± He seemed blissful. He stood up and stretched.


    ¡°You might want to step back,¡± he said as he took a couple of steps towards the monster. ¡°It¡¯s about to get real hot in here,¡± he said gleefully.


    A wall of flames sprung around him, melting the frost and returning color to his face. He reached for his palm and pulled a fiery blade into existence.


    Daliya watched, dazed, as he blinked out of existence only to emerge over the monster¡¯s bulking head. The blade tore through the scally surface with a hiss, leaving the smell of burning fish in its wake. The beast writhed in pain, its howling shaking the very foundation of the cave before falling back to the water, unmoving. For a second, all was still. Then, the monster dissolved into dust, leaving a floating crystal as the sole testament to its existence.


    The assassin held the core between his fingers. ¡°Not bad.¡± He hummed, then pocketed the prize.


    ¡°What was that?¡± she finally asked.


    ¡°That,¡± He gestured to where the monster was seconds ago. ¡°Is a lost soul. It must have been wakened by all the fighting yesterday.¡±


    Yesterday. He must be referring to the fight she had witnessed in the dream. So it was true then. Those weren¡¯t merely dreams. She felt cheated. She did nothing wrong, still, here she was, trapped here while the real princess ran free back home.


    He must have mistaken her expression for confusion, for he elaborated, ¡°Lost souls are souls led astray by their desire for power. They wander around, looking for smaller prey to feast on. No matter how much they consume, they¡¯ll never be satisfied.¡±


    She glanced at the faint particles that fell gently to the ground, disappearing before they touched the frozen surface.


    ¡°Why did its body disintegrate? What was that thing floating?¡±


    ¡°One question at a time, will you? You¡¯re starting to give me a whiplash.¡± He took out the crystal. ¡°That¡¯s its core, its soul of sorts. After their death, that¡¯s all that remains.¡± He threw it in the air. ¡°This can be used to boost one¡¯s power. Or to briefly use the element within. This one has the element of water.¡± He pocketed it. ¡°It¡¯s also my consolation prize for a failed mission. Not that it¡¯s much.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Beggers can¡¯t be choosers.¡±


    ¡°Failed mission? Would that be getting rid of the princess?¡±


    He grinned. ¡°You got that right.¡±


    She watched him, doubtful eyes observing him.


    ¡°Relax. We already established you¡¯re not the princess. I¡¯m not so cruel that I would use a scapegoat to get my job done.¡±


    She paused. ¡°What now?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Now, we move. All this noise must have alerted the others.¡±


    Daliya turned alarmed eyes to him. ¡°The others?¡±


    He snorted. ¡°Believe me. You don¡¯t want to know.¡±


    She only managed to take a single step forward before her legs collapsed under her.


    He smiled sheepishly. ¡°I might have taken more than I should have. Though it was your fault my powers were depleted in the first place.¡± He paused. ¡°Well¡­the other you, I mean.¡± He reached for her hand. ¡°Here.¡± Warmth traveled up her arm and reached the center of her chest, unpleasant, unlike the comforting coldness of the water. Still, it helped. For a moment later, she blinked, the slugginess that had reigned over her slightly easing.


    She dragged her feet against the ground. The haze hadn¡¯t left her mind. She struggled to keep her eyes open.


    ¡°Come on. Keep going. We¡¯re near the cave¡¯s entrance.¡±


    She nodded, unable to force a word out of her throat. She stumbled and caught herself against the wall, closing her eyes to fend off the dizzying spell.


    ¡°Maybe we should stop for a moment.¡± His voice sounded somewhere above her.


    She startled. His face was inches from hers.


    ¡°What?¡± she mumbled.


    He hummed, contemplating. What, she didn¡¯t know. She wasn¡¯t sure she wanted to know.


    ¡°Have we met before?¡± he finally asked.


    Daliya scowled at him. Didn¡¯t he say he believed her?


    ¡°No,¡± she said, voice clipped.


    He looked at her for a while, thoughtful, then nodded, resuming her walk.


    Daliya glared at him. She struggled after him, debating to just sit on the ground and rest, even if it meant losing sight of his retreating form. But the slight shaking she could feel reverberating through the wall made her forget her bone-deep exhaustion and follow her would-be executioner.


    There were worse ways to die here than by the kiss of a sharp blade.

 Chapter 4

    It was another busy evening at the restaurant. Daliya traveled between tables, putting down dishes, picking up dirty plates and utensils, taking orders, and relaying them to Saad. Soon, they would have to switch, and she would stand behind the counter while he took care of the chaos outside. They had a system. Each of them would cater to a fixed number of tables before switching with the other. Whatever tip came their way was theirs to take.


    Her business smile widened as she glimpsed another family entering the restaurant. The wife was in front. They seemed well off from her clothes and the jewelry adorning the woman¡¯s neck. Their son, a seven or eight-year-old child, sauntered inside, right to the table next to the window. He took a seat, calling for his parents to hurry up, yelling that his birthday would be over before they even reached their table.


    Ah, so it was a birthday party. And they didn¡¯t even bother to make reservations. Daliya sighed. No matter. She beelined for their table, pulling her tired muscles into an ever brighter smile.


    Once her eyes rested on the husband, she felt her breath stutter in her chest.


    It was her father.


    When was the last time she had seen him? Seven years ago? Ten?


    Yet here he was, with his new family, happy and laughing heartily at whatever his wife¨Cthe beautiful woman sitting across him¨C said. Next to him was his son. He had his nose buried deep into the menu book.


    She hesitated, debating whether she should just trace her steps back and get Saad to cater to their table, tips be damned. But before she made up her mind, her father looked up at her. She watched him, eyes blown wide, waiting for him to talk to her for the first time in years, to ask her what she was doing here.


    He looked back at his wife, asking her what she would like to order.


    Daliya stood rooted in place. She stood, half listening to the happy family banter as they chose their meal. The words floated over her, unintelligible, incomprehensible.


    He didn¡¯t recognize her. He didn¡¯t even spare her a glance.


    He looked down at the child and smiled, a fond, full-of-love smile that seized her chest and stilled the breath in her lungs. She felt like each inhale drove the jagged shards of broken glass deeper into her lungs, cutting her anew and drowning her in her own blood.


    She wrote down their order, the scratch made by the pen too loud in her ears.


    ¡°That would be all,¡± he said, dismissing her.


    She forced a smile and nodded. ¡°Right away, sir.¡± Her throat seized, the words coming as a choked whisper.


    She didn¡¯t remember how she got back to the staff room. She didn¡¯t remember walking around the tables, behind the counter, passing Saad, who must have called for her to ask her why she was abandoning her post.


    She tightened her hold on her knees.


    She was fine.


    She needed to get back to work. She had bills to pay and groceries to buy. She couldn¡¯t afford to slacken off now.


    She was fine. She would always be fine. She didn¡¯t need anyone, least of all him.


    The ground suddenly disappeared under her. Her limbs flailed as she fell into the void. She threw her hands around, searching for purchase, for something to anchor herself. But there was nothing. She kept falling and falling, with no end in sight.


    She startled awake, jerking forward to hunch over herself. She could feel her heart trying its best to beat its way out of her chest. She panted, drawing in huge gulps of air to calm her raging nerves. She heard a shuffle to her left. When she glanced up at red, bloody eyes, she thought her soul had left her battered body and exited through the crevices of the cavern.


    She coughed and coughed as the saliva went down the wrong pipe.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Her eyes roamed around her, looking for something to ground her in the moment. She paused when they rested on the broken sword. She picked it up slowly, fixing her stare on the intricate carvings adorning its hilt. The word twisted and curved around the silver metal, forming the word ¡®Ice.¡¯


    She blinked, frowning at the word. It wasn¡¯t any language she recognized. Still, she could discern its meaning.


    It fitted nicely in her palm. Its coldness was a nice comfort she didn¡¯t think she would find.


    The slight shuffling to her side shifted her attention to her only other companion in this strange place. The assassin sat silent, staring at her. His hand halted in mid-move, hovering in the space between them as if he was reaching for her.


    ¡°You okay?¡± he asked when the sound of her hacking her lungs out quietened down. His eyes had returned to their warm color instead of the threatening scarlet. Something she was immensely grateful for.


    Unsure of what to say, she nodded.


    He nodded back, then got to his feet. ¡°We better get going.¡±


    Daliya didn¡¯t object even when her body protested as she shifted to get up. Anything but wallowing in self-pity. She stumbled to her feet, her hazy mind still stuck in the area between her nightmare and reality. She blinked, chasing the last images away; somewhere, hopefully, she wouldn¡¯t find them again. She hated it when her memories chased her, even to the confines of her dreams. She had thought she was over this.


    He guided them through the intricate set of tunnels, stopping every once in a while and staring with unseeing eyes at the walls as if he were looking through them. Maybe he was. For all she knew, it was another of his weird powers.


    They took a short rest. No short naps this time. She was in no hurry for a repeat session. Once was more than enough.


    The assassin¨Cwho refused to reveal his name and seemed more than averse to knowing hers¨Creassured her of the safety of their surroundings. Still, she found herself straining her ears for any sign of monsters. The assassin had slightly shaken his head, a hint of an amused smile pulling at his lips.


    It was dark when they emerged from the cavern. The moon cast a feeble light in their surrounding, barely illuminating the shadows that twisted and twirled around the trees crowding the entrance.


    ¡°Great,¡± he muttered under his breath. ¡°A whole week wasted for nothing.¡±


    ¡°Where should we go?¡± she asked.


    He looked at her, his head tilted to the side. Something akin to amusement flickered in his eyes.


    ¡°I am going back to my hideout. You, princess, are going back to your castle.¡±


    Daliya opened her mouth to protest. Leaving her here was as good as sentencing her to a horrible death. She had no way to protect herself against monsters lurking at every corner of this bizarre world. Couldn¡¯t he get her to some city or town instead of ditching her in this forest?


    ¡°But I¡¯m not¨C¡±


    ¡°Not my business.¡± He shrugged. ¡°My job was done once the real princess departed from this world. Whatever you do next is up to you.¡± He paused. ¡°Though it would be best if you kept the soul switching a secret. You don¡¯t know how many daggers are out to get you, and many of them might be closer to you than you could imagine. This would be the weakness they¡¯ve been waiting for.¡±


    His head jerked up and tilted to the side as if he was listening to something beyond the whistling of the tree branches.


    ¡°They¡¯ll be here soon,¡± he said.


    She could see that the assassin did not welcome their presence from his thin, pressed lips and tight frown. He looked at her, a smile not quite reaching his curious eyes. He tilted his head in a nod, one eye closing in an exaggerated wink.


    ¡°Our short adventure ends here, princess. Pray our paths never cross again.¡±


    Daliya¡¯s body jerked in a half step towards him. ¡°Wai¨C¡±


    He didn¡¯t even let her finish whatever she wanted to say. Without a second glance, he leaped over the rocks and climbed up the steep incline, disappearing over the top before she could say a word edgewise, leaving her alone in the resounding darkness.


    She then noticed that, till now, she had yet to feel truly scared. The kind of fear that came with knowing you were stranded alone in some strange and bizarre land. His presence, short and curt as it was, brought her a comfort that she was sorely missing now. But as an unknown noise approached, her fear began to mount, a palpable tension in the air.


    She startled as thundering noises sounded around her. Whatever he had heard was nearing her. She clasped the broken sword and clutched it in her white-knuckled hands, not ready to face whatever was approaching her.


    At that moment, she couldn¡¯t help but resent him. Why did he leave her alone? She knew he wasn¡¯t responsible for her safety. Heck, he was here to assassinate her¨Cto assassinate the princess. Still, in the short time she had spent with him lost inside the cavern¡¯s darkness, she had come to rely on him and his strange powers for protection.


    She wanted to get back to her world, to wake up from this nightmare and find herself still in her bedroom.


    The thundering footsteps halted for a few seconds before a large number of armed men emerged through the trees, clad in armor and brandishing swords, ready to strike. At the sight of her, they stopped, silent for a moment, before they fell to their knees in a synchronized move as if practiced a million times.


    ¡°Your Highness,¡± their voices boomed in unison.


    Exhaustion and hunger finally won over. Her eyes rolled back in her head, and darkness welcomed her in its blissful embrace.

 Chapter 5

    Darkness was all around her, slithering over her legs and arms, engulfing her in its scorching warmth.


    No. It wasn¡¯t darkness.


    Dark flames engulfed her. She called on her powers to protect her. At first, they did. A sheen of ice spread over her skin, extinguishing the black flames. The two powers battled over her broken body. The fire consumed, and the ice soothed. She was so focused on defeating the flames that she failed to see him. He materialized before her, his red eyes glowing like a simmering bonfire.


    Those eyes¡­ she had seen them before. She had looked into them once and thought they were beautiful. Once, they had brought her comfort. Now, they breamed with hatred and a deep, seething agony. He didn¡¯t utter a word as he plunged his dagger into her chest.


    Daliya startled awake with a gasp. Her hand flew to her chest, trying to staunch the wound, but there was no injury. She frowned when her fingers came into contact with the softest silk instead of the rough texture of her Pijama.


    She took a deep breath to ease the tremors that traveled all over her frame. She squeezed her eyes shut as bright light assaulted her sensitive eyes. She counted a second, then two, and peeled one eye open, blinking furiously to chase the haze of sleep from her mind and banish the last tendrils of the dream that clouded her vision.


    Was she still dreaming?


    Then came the sounds¨Ca cacophony of harsh whispers beyond whatever door separated the room from the gathering crowd.


    She sat up so quickly that her vision swam around her.


    What was happening? Where was she?


    But no matter how much she tried, what greeted her wasn''t her old and dingy room but a vast and much more luxurious one than Daliya had ever seen. To her right, a floor-to-ceiling window revealed a white expanse of mountains and a gray sky.


    Her eyes roamed around her surroundings, a gasp escaping her lips at the lavish furniture that littered the pale, bluish room. It was extravagantly furnished¨Call in the colors of a pale winter sky.


    She stood on shaky legs, wincing as hot pain shot up her limbs. She reached for the nearest mirror in the room¨Ca gigantic glass panel covering a whole wall. What greeted her wasn¡¯t her dark brown curly locks. In the mirror stood a young woman appearing close to her age, barely a couple of months over her eighteenth birthday, with long silver hair falling to her waist like a silken curtain woven with threads of light. Instead of her brown eyes, a pair of soft amethyst orbs stared back at her.


    She slowly touched the mirror, uncomprehending. The reflection reached back, its face frozen in fear.


    She was still trapped in the dream.


    She startled as the door clicked open. A young woman with a long dark blue dress under a white apron entered, pushing a food trolley. The woman stilled as her eyes locked with Daliya¡¯s.


    "You¡¯re awake, Your Highness." She squeaked and bowed deeply, nearly folding in half.


    "I... eh.... Good morning?" Daliya waved awkwardly at her, unsure what else to do or say.


    "I¡¯ll get the healer," the woman said, then hurried out of the room like an Ifrit was hot on her heels.


    Daliya stood there, listening to her retreating steps.


    Soon enough, the door burst open. An old man barged in. He stopped at the sight of her, panicked eyes roaming over her.


    Was he the women¡¯s¨Cthe one whose body she was residing in¨Cfather?


    He schooled his face into a neutral expression and walked forward, stopping some distance in front of her before bowing.


    ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m glad you¡¯ve awakened.¡±


    Daylia settled on a nod.


    So, not the princess¡¯ father. Good. She could rest a second longer without fearing being sniffed out.


    It wasn¡¯t long before the healer arrived¨Ca fidgety man with deep wrinkles born out of stress rather than age.


    "Your Highness is expected to make a full recovery in a few days," the healer said, his eyes cast to the ground. No matter how many times Daliya tried to meet his eyes, he shifted away, avoiding her gaze. As soon as he was permitted to leave, he flew out the door faster than an old auntie looking for gossip.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    Daliya leaned back on the bed. Its welcoming soft sheets and feathery pillows drew her in. She closed her eyes and willed herself to relax.


    Who knew¡­ maybe she would wake up in her bed in her tiny old room.


    But when she woke up the next day, she was still there.


    And the next.


    And the next¡­


    Daliya sneaked out of her room, avoiding the head butler¡¯s watchful eyes. Getting past the other castle servants was the easiest¨Cthey were avoiding her as much as she was avoiding them.


    She stepped outside, wearing a long white dress with light blue stitches depicting snow crystals. The original owner must have been quite obsessed with anything icy and snowy. Despite the cold, she had yet to wear any warmer clothes. Their absence from the princess¡¯ walk-in closet was initially alarming, but she had yet to feel cold. Strangely, despite the frozen weather, she felt a warmth she never felt even in her old life. It was as if the ice pitied her and decided to grant her this little gift.


    As she neared the huge garden behind the castle, she glimpsed a group of women talking. At first, she didn¡¯t pay them any mind. She hurried to cross to the other side of the garden before they noticed her and started bowing to her and acting like she had their lives in the palm of her hands. But as she neared them, she noticed they weren¡¯t having quite the civilized meeting.


    Three young maids were ganging up on a poor girl who looked younger than them. The two maids flanking her pushed her hard. Losing her balance, she fell to the ground, taking with her the washed linens.


    ¡°Oh dear. It looks like you should redo your work.¡± They laughed, their laughter making an annoying, grating sound that irked Daliya even more.


    It seemed that no matter the world, there would always be those who preyed upon the weak.


    Daliya had had enough. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    The brunette turned snarling lips at her, ready to snap at her. But as soon as their eyes met, the maid cowered back, stumbling in her haste to widen the distance between them, and fell to the ground hard.


    The others didn¡¯t fare better. They fell to the ground, kneeling, mumbling apologies, asking her to spare their lives.


    ¡°Please, your Highness. We didn¡¯t see your arrival. Forgive us!¡±


    ¡°Is this what people here do for a hobby? Bullying others?¡±


    They stumbled over one another, trying to justify their actions. With a wave of her hand, their mouths clicked shut.


    Daliya was kind of impressed with what she could accomplish without uttering a single word. Being a princess wasn¡¯t that bad after all.


    She regarded the girls. She could hear their silent gasps as they tried to stifle their tears. She felt bad for scaring them, but she had to stop them. From their clothes, she could see they were all maids. Daliya never understood how people looped in the same fate could turn against one another. If they didn¡¯t help one another, then who would?


    Daliya sighed. This whole thing was giving her a headache. ¡°Get up from the ground.¡±


    They stumbled to their feet, still, their backs were still bowed.


    ¡°Just¡­ don¡¯t do this again.¡±


    ¡°Of course, your Highness!¡±


    ¡°Whatever your Highness desires!¡±


    She shooed them off, then turned to the girl still on the ground.


    ¡°You okay?¡±


    The girl nodded so fast that Daliya feared her head would fall off.


    ¡°Alright. Let the head butler know if they give you any more trouble.¡±


    She frowned. Wasn¡¯t this one of his duties? Were people in this castle slacking off?


    The maid nodded. At Daliya¡¯s dismissal, she hurried away but not before thanking Daliya at least twice.


    Daliya trudged through the thick snow, avoiding the main area in front of the castle where the workers were busy clearing the snow, and headed to the frozen forest.


    The naked branches, grey and faded, reached for the sky. They flanked a narrow path leading to the castle¡¯s other side, away from prying eyes and tending hands if the fallen dead branches were anything to go by.


    Armed with curiosity and a strong desire to avoid any human contact for the remainder of the day, Daliya followed the path.


    She wondered what she would find on the other end as she walked on. A cemetery? or some hidden building where some obscure experiments were conducted?


    But what greeted her was a garden. White flowers jutted from the snow, glinting under the pale light of the grey sky. It was magnificent¨Ca jewel amongst these wastelands. Daliya wondered whether the flowers were real, some kind of rare and mythical plants. This world already had some kind of superpowers, so mythical flowers weren¡¯t something farfetched.


    The flower beds formed a set of seven circles, and within each intersecting pair, a bed of cyan flowers lay. At the center of the arrangement stood a massive statue of a woman in a long cloak. The statue was so massive that she was certain it would be visible from the castle. Her face was obscured under a hood. One hand lay on her chest, over her heart, and the other was outstretched forward as if expecting the visitor to reach back.


    Daliya inched closer, sidestepping the flower beds and heading straight for the statue. She sat at the woman¡¯s feet, her gaze lost amongst the ethereal scene before her. She didn¡¯t go back till the darkness had set its veil over the place, and the moon peeked down at her lone form. He found the old man, the head butler, still awake and waiting for her return. She didn¡¯t miss his sigh of relief as he glimpsed her. She nodded in greeting, smiling, hoping he would get her silent apology for worrying him with her short disappearance. He paused, his old sharp eyes seeming to look through her, to see her for who the impostor she was. She hurried up the stairs and closed her chamber¡¯s door behind her, sealing her secret away from his discerning eyes.


    She wondered how long she could keep the truth from the other occupants of the castle and what could happen if they ever found out. Hopefully, she would have found a way back to her world by then.

 Chapter 6

    The servants often sent querying looks her way. Their hushed whispers and furtive glances chased her throughout the castle. Their eyes would widen in fear as soon as they met hers, and they would scurry away as if chased by a legion of fiery Jinn.


    It was disturbing.


    They were respectful, too respectful to the point of being suffocating.


    One time, while serving her dinner, one maid misplaced some of the cutlery. In her haste to put it back in its place, her hand unintentionally knocked a fork from its place. It clattered to the ground with a loud cling, resonating around the eerily silent room. Daliya had smiled reassuringly at her. No harm done. But the poor girl had cowered and bowed profusely, asking for forgiveness for her mistake.


    Daliya nodded and dismissed the poor girl before she started bowling her eyes out. She didn¡¯t have a clue what the poor girl was babbling about. It was just a fork, for God¡¯s sake! She broke more plates at her part-time job than she could count.


    But all in all, it was rather¡­ peaceful. After that first fiasco in the cavern, she had thought she would spend her remaining life being chased by monsters. He sure made it seem like it was.


    That man¡­ she often found herself wondering where he was. Was he already after his next target?


    Daliya sighed. She took a sip of her cup and grimaced. She was so lost in thought that the tea was cold now. It tasted like ash on her tongue.


    "Your Highness," a squeak sounded to her right.


    Daliya looked at the gawking maid¡ªthe only one brave enough to still dare be a couple of feet near her. Since the incident in the garden, the young girl had taken it upon herself to cater to Daliya¡¯s needs. She was there from morning till evening. She had become somewhat of a comforting presence amid all the fearful gazes of the other servants.


    ¡°What?¡± Daliya cleared her throat. She still couldn¡¯t get used to being called ¡®Your Highness.¡¯


    ¡°I¨Cis the tea not to your liking?¡± the maid, Thuraya, asked, her voice breaking in the middle, making it sound more like a plea than a question.


    Daliya blinked in confusion. When did she say that?


    But Thuraya wasn¡¯t looking at her. Her wide eyes were fixed on her hands, on the teacup cradled in her palms.


    Daliya looked down, then blinked.


    A thin layer of frost extended from her hands and covered the side of the cup in a frozen crystal pattern.


    It appeared that on top of becoming a princess. Somehow, someway, Daliya controlled ice.


    Daliya was terribly wrong.


    It wasn¡¯t the first time she would be wrong. If there were a competition of who made the most wrong decisions in their life, she would not only win first place by a large margin; they would ask her to govern over the whole competition for how much experienced she was in the subject.


    In the days that followed, she came to realize that she didn¡¯t quite control ice¡ªice controlled her. Her newly found powers would burst at the most inopportune and inconvenient moments.


    Somewhere in the darkest room in the deepest parts of the castle lay a frozen pile of teacup cadavers.


    It was hopeless. At this point, Daliya gave up on ever drinking her tea, which was the only highlight of this whole ordeal.


    She would be having breakfast or lunch when the food would freeze right before she took a bite. It was only by great sheer luck that she didn¡¯t break any of her teeth yet.


    It was frustrating. And utterly humiliating.


    Another concern for her was the weird, almost concerned looks she was getting from the head butler. The old man¡¯s wrinkled face would twist in a frown each time her newfound powers would act out of order. Daliya started to fear that he was suspecting something.Stolen story; please report.


    Would the assassin¡¯s words turn out to be true? Would her life be forfeited the second the old butler finds out she¡¯s not the real princess?


    She had succeeded in avoiding him and started taking her meals in her room. But for how long?


    A soft clearing of a throat brought her back from her musing. Thuraya stood before her, eyes expecting. Daliya looked at her, patiently waiting for her to speak.


    Her emerald green eyes skipped around the room, landing on¡ªthe thankfully not yet¡ª frozen dishes in front of Daliya and then back to her. Her dark brown hair pulled into an elegant knot, with stray strands framing her face. If not for her servant''s clothing, Daliya would have mistaken her for a noble lady. Like those she often read about in history books.


    ¡°The head of the knight¡¯s order had requested an audience,¡± Thuraya said. ¡°Would you like to see him now?¡±


    ¡°Oh, sure. Let him in.¡±


    Another man entered the room, a young man with dark brown hair and dark, stern eyes who bellowed his intolerance for nonsense. He stood in front of the door, two other knights behind him. A thin layer of frost covered their dark blue armor. Everyone was adorned in the same shade of blue. Daliya began to think it was an official color of sorts.


    He looked at her, his stern eyes devoid of the fear she had started getting used to seeing in the others¡¯ eyes. It was like a breath of fresh air.


    A chunk of snow dislodged from his brown locks as he bowed. ¡°I beg your pardon for our delay, Your Highness. A sudden blizzard had blocked the path. We came as soon as we could.¡± His deep voice startled her. It was devoid of any ounce of emotions.


    She stood up and took a step towards them. The other knights shifted on their feet, their pale faces cast downwards, their eyes glancing at her, then away. One of them looked close to bursting into tears.


    She stopped. It seemed he was the only one who didn¡¯t fear her presence.


    He tilted his head towards them, and they both took a few steps back, taking them away from her line of sight. The man nodded his head, bringing Daliya¡¯s attention towards him. She fidgeted under his intense gaze. She felt uncomfortable as if he was seeing through her charade, searching for something.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ eh¡­ fine,¡± She cursed her stutter. She was supposed to be the princess.


    The knight looked at her strangely. He gave a sharp nod and proceeded to give his report. As he kept speaking, Daliya realized that she had involved herself in something much bigger than she could bite.


    The crystal was nowhere to be found.


    What crystal? Was it the one the princess had used?


    They had a lead on the Seer¡¯s whereabouts.


    Who the Seer was was yet another mystery.


    And the most ridiculous of them all: The black legion awaited her orders. What were her next actions?


    Sleep. To close her eyes, sleep, and hopefully awaken from this ridiculous dream.


    Did she never get home and was instead involved in some kind of accident? A car accident, perhaps? Was she in the hospital, and her broken mind had conjured this weird dream as a means of comfort? A coping mechanism?


    She couldn¡¯t tell them that she wasn¡¯t the princess, nor could she ask them obvious questions lest they figure it out. But from what she gathered, she was the crown princess of the Awsanian Empire. She was sent by the emperor, her father, to search for some crystal¡ªDaliya was doubting she would enjoy whatever was in store for her once the emperor found out his daughter had used it to switch their souls¡ª And, for some reason, she was chasing some Seer who was trying her hardest to avoid her.


    For what purpose? Daliya didn¡¯t know, but she couldn¡¯t ask. She just sat there listening to the knight give a detailed report of their findings.


    Daliya looked at the knight, unsure what to say. What orders could she give? More importantly, were they expecting her to lead this black legion? And would she have to fight anyone or anything once this Seer was found? She sure hoped not. She could barely keep herself sane. Picking up a sword that weighed more than all the bags of flour she had ever lifted back in her home world and swinging it around was way beyond her paycheck.


    The knight captain stared back at her. Daliya had to stop herself from fidgeting from how awkward the whole thing was.


    ¡°We need to move fast to catch her before she slithers out of our grasp,¡± he said, brows knitted in a frown.


    Daliya nodded. ¡°Indeed,¡± she readily agreed. ¡°We¡¯ll set out as soon as possible.¡±


    There. She hoped she didn¡¯t make the wrong decision, but from the curt nod he gave her, she thought it was what was expected of her.


    The captain stayed on his knees, unmoving. When he didn¡¯t add anything, Daliya knew he was waiting for her to dismiss him. She cleared her throat, and with an air that she hoped fit a princess, she said, ¡°You¡¯re dismissed.¡±


    With a bow, he made for the door.


    ¡®Right. Where are my manners.¡¯


    She stopped him before he could leave the room and said, her smile creasing the corner of her eyes, ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡±


    He stumbled on his feet, his face scrunching up in confusion before he smoothed it into his neutral expression. He bowed deeply and, with a hurried ¡®of course, Your Highness,¡¯ left the room.


    Daliya stared after him. She couldn¡¯t help but feel she had committed a faux pas.

 Chapter 7

    Daliya huffed, straining her legs as she took one step after another. Her boots squelched each time she removed them from the wet, muddy ground.


    It was a mess¡ªthe whole place was. No one told her the Torin province was mainly a huge, stinky swamp. Not that she regretted coming along. It was still leagues better than staying cooped up in the castle, in the dark, surrounded by frightened attendants.


    They had offered to have her carried on a sedan. An offer she swiftly shot down as soon as Mazin¡ªthe head of the knight¡¯s order¡ªvoiced it. She could still remember the minute relief on the porters¡¯ faces as she declined.


    Now she understood.


    It would have been a living nightmare to carry her through these grounds. But for the life of her, Daliya couldn¡¯t find it in her to regret her decision.


    Look on the bright side, she thought. All those exquisite meals had made her gain a little weight. This would undoubtedly put her body back in good shape.


    She was surprised at first. She always thought princesses had an easy life, so their bodies would be weak and soft. But the princess¡¯ body was quite fit as if she had trained regularly. Maybe she did, Daliya mused.


    ¡°When will we arrive?¡± She couldn¡¯t chase away the hint of a whine as she spoke. She scrunched her nose as her leg dug deeper into the sludge. With more force, she yanked her leg up and nearly fell on her back, if not for Thuraya grasping her forearm, steadying her, and helping her along a few steps.


    Much to Daliya¡¯s surprise, Thuraya had opted to follow them¡ªnot that she disapproved. Her cooking was exquisite, befitting of a royal family¡¯s cuisine. She had become a constant shadow at her side. She could feel her furtive glances now and again. Daliya knew she did a poor job impersonating the princess, but if Thuraya had found out, she hadn¡¯t said a word.


    They arrived at the village at noon. The knights changed out of their uniforms and donned plain-looking clothes. They were supposed to impersonate a merchant caravan returning home after a successful business in the South. Judging by the suspicious glances the innkeeper kept throwing at them, she didn¡¯t think he bought their cover.


    After a couple of hours of resting, Daliya was ready to throw hands. She felt suffocated, imprisoned in her accommodation. It was the biggest room in the inn. Still, she couldn¡¯t help but feel the walls closing around her.


    Life in the palace had spoiled her.


    She took her heavy purse and walked out the front door. No one stopped her or even asked her where she was going. The knights near the inn¡¯s door watched her, their posture tense as if awaiting orders, but they didn¡¯t utter a word. She nodded at them and left, feeling their gaze burn into her back.


    She would be fine, she thought. A knight was not needed to accompany her when she was only sightseeing around the town. A stiff, armed man following her around would arouse more suspicion than a girl alone.


    She roamed around the streets, aimless, gazing around the town¡¯s slanted roof houses. One thing she was glad for was the absence of snow. While it was cold¡ªjudging by the heavy woolen clothes everyone around her adorned¡ªthe streets were clear even from the sludge that surrounded the town.


    It wasn¡¯t that hard to find the bazaar. The street was filled with stalls on each side, with hordes of people wandering from one stall to the next. No one spared her more than a glance. The riches the vendors presented were far more captivating than her appearance could ever be. She, too, found herself mesmerized by the varying goods the bazaar offered. She moved around the stalls, eyes wandering around the colorful clothes and shawls as they swayed gently to the wind, like curtains, a canopy of colors contrasting with the dark wooden stalls. The smell of spices filled the air, miniature hills of red, saffron yellow, and brown. She breathed in the familiar scents. For a second, imagining she was back home and walking through the Souq after a tiring day at the university. She sighed mournfully. To think this would be her last connection to her world.


    She was glad she came here alone. There was no group of eager knights dead set on forming a wall between her and the outside world. She walked around freely for the first time since leaving the cave. With the hood on, only her eyes were visible.


    Her nose picked up the rich and delicious aroma of coffee. She followed the scent to a small stall nestled between two pastry stalls¡ªa strategic placement indeed. A moment later, she held a warm wooden cup, the rich liquid sloshing gently against the edges.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    She sidestepped as a group of kids rammed into her. The little angels bowed their heads in apology, a reluctant, almost shy smile on their faces, their little hands clutched together in front of them. Daliya smiled at them to assuage their unease.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Nothing bad happened.¡± She lifted her cup, a testament to her words.


    ¡°Thank you, miss,¡± they called as they hurried away, waving at her.


    She turned to pay the merchant when a voice jerked her to a stop.


    ¡°I really can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s destiny or bad luck for us to meet again. And so soon.¡±


    She whirled around, the liquid sloshed in the cup, threatening to spill. The assassin took a step back, glancing warily at her hands.


    ¡°Woah, careful with that. This uniform is still new. Wouldn¡¯t want to ruin it so quickly.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s you,¡± she whispered, wincing at her hopeful tone. She couldn¡¯t help it. He was the only person in this world who knew about her.


    He shot her a weird look. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s me. Why? Were you expecting someone else?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Daliya glanced at the small child he held by the arm. ¡°What? You¡¯ve moved to terrorizing children now? Leave the kid alone.¡±


    He raised an eyebrow at her, then turned a frown at the kid.


    It was one of the kids who had stumbled into her earlier. What did he want with him?


    The assassin motioned with his head towards her, his eyes still fixed on the wriggling child. But no matter how he tried, he couldn¡¯t escape the man¡¯s death grip.


    ¡°Miss, help me, please,¡± The child turned pleading eyes at her.


    Daliya glared at the madman. She lifted her cup, threatening to down its content on his face.


    He took another step back, tilting his upper body back further. ¡°Woah. I¡¯m trying to help here.¡±


    ¡°Let him go!¡±


    The assassin shot the kid a pointed look. The child huffed, muttering a curse under his breath. Then he took a purse¡ªDaliya¡¯s purse¡ªfrom his pocket and handed it to her.  He wiggled himself free as soon as the assassin¡¯s grip eased.


    Daliya watched, flabbergasted. When did he take it?


    Oh, she was robbed when they bumped into her earlier.


    The kid smiled sheepishly at her. ¡°Sorry,¡± he muttered before dashing away, disappearing into the sea of people.


    ¡°Oh.¡± She glanced at the assassin. ¡°I guess I owe you an apology.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Oh.¡± He huffed. ¡°I should have left them rob you. It¡¯s not like it¡¯s your money to begin with.¡±


    Ignoring him, she handed the merchant the silver coin and turned to leave.


    ¡°Hold it,¡± he called.


    Daliya huffed. What now?


    He held his hand up to the merchant and beckoned to him. The latter sighed, frustration apparent on his face. He ruffled through his pouch and took out a handful of copper coins. The assassin snatched them and handed them over to Daliya.


    ¡°You can¡¯t be left alone, can you?¡± He chuckled, amused.


    Daliya put the coins back in her silken purse. She wondered how many coins she had lost today. She needed to get the hang of the monetary system here. She might now be a princess, but money was money.


    His gaze fixed on her. ¡°So, what brings you here? This is quite a distance from the castle.¡±


    Daliya regarded him. She could tell him, couldn¡¯t she? Since they had first met, he had done nothing but help her¡­ Well, except when he had first thought she was the real princess. But that part didn¡¯t count, she guessed.


    She took a sip of the sweet liquid, grimacing at its taste. Although it looked like coffee, it tasted nothing like it.


    He snatched the cup from her hand and took a large gulp of the dark liquid. Satisfied, he nodded to himself. ¡°It¡¯s good. There¡¯s nothing wrong with it.¡±


    ¡°You can have it then.¡±


    He gulped what remained in one go. He grinned at her staring.


    ¡°What? Did I offend your royal sensibilities? Oh, wait. You¡¯re not really a princess, are you?¡± He cackled, amused by his own words.


    She turned and resumed her walking, looking at the different foods, pointedly ignoring the steps following her.


    ¡°So, why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Looking for someone,¡± she said without stopping, navigating through the crowd.


    The assassin whispered a few apologies as he shouldered through the masses to keep up with her hurried steps.


    She stopped at a stall, admiring the intricate designs and colorful hairpins.


    ¡°You have good eyes, my dear,¡± The old merchant smiled at her, her wrinkles deepening at the corner of her eyes.


    ¡°Someone? Could you be more specific?¡± The assassin said from next to her.


    There was something in his voice that Daliya couldn¡¯t decipher. Was it doubt? Suspicion? Daliya didn¡¯t know.


    She turned to him. ¡°Why? You¡¯ll help me find them?¡±


    He clicked his tongue. ¡°Haven¡¯t you known? Nothing is for free around here.¡±


    ¡°How much is your price then?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you can¡¯t afford it, princess.¡± His eyebrow raised mockingly.


    ¡°Forget it.¡± She glared at him. She was a fool for thinking he would help her. She stomped away, not waiting for him to follow.

 Chapter 8

    She walked through the aisles, observing the number of copper coins the villagers paid for each item. Yup. She was tricked not only by the beverage stall owner but also by all the other merchants.


    She sighed. She took a helping of fried sweet potato wrapped in thin white paper, then turned to return from where she came. Thuraya and Mazin must be looking for her by now. She hoped she hadn¡¯t created problems with her sudden disappearance.


    But not a step further, the paper bag was wrenched from her grasp. She watched, dumbfounded, as her missing snack dangled from the end of an arrow embedded into the stall, its fetching shaped into a small roaring flame.


    Chaos erupted around her. People screamed as they ran in a frenzy. She struggled around the barrage of bodies as she tried to reorient herself and find her way back. A man snapped at her as his arm connected hard with her shoulder.


    ¡°Get out of the way!¡±


    She blinked at him from where she sat sprawled on the ground. She struggled to her feet, but soon, another body rammed into her side. She stumbled, her hands flailing by her side before a hand grabbed her arm and dragged her away through a narrow alley.


    Daliya gawked at the assassin. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    He paused. ¡°What do you mean? Didn¡¯t that arrow almost kill you?¡±


    ¡°It was meant for me?¡± Her eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°But¡ªbut¡ª¡±


    The screams in the street intensified, followed by the sound of heavy boots and the clanging of swords.


    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s get you away from here before we get noticed. And close your mouth. It¡¯s unbecoming of someone of your standing.¡±


    She hurried after him, stumbling over barrels and sidestepping wooden logs. He was fast, too fast for her tired legs. And she feared that soon enough, she would lose sight of him.


    They navigated through the narrow passages, the sounds fading behind them as they took turn after turn. Another sharp turn, and they reached the end of the alley¡ªor she did. She blinked in confusion, frantically looking around for a sign of the assassin. He was nowhere to be found. She was alone. Alone and completely lost in this maze of alleyways. She couldn¡¯t even get back to the bazaar. She had long lost her way back since the third turn.


    A wall stood before her, barring her way to freedom. Just when despair and hopelessness started taking root in her chest, the assassin peered down from over the roof of an adjacent house.


    ¡°What are you waiting for? Hurry up!¡±


    ¡°Where did you go?¡± Her voice was accusing, as if she were admonishing him for abandoning her¡ªwhich she was.


    He raised an eyebrow, the corner of his lips curled up slightly as if her distress amused him. Daliya wanted to throttle him.


    She breathed through her panic and looked frantically for something she could use to scale up the wall. She pulled one of the barrels, her nails scraping against the wooden surface. It was heavy, and a suspicious liquid sloshed inside as she moved it. When she returned for another smaller one to haul it up over it, she heard him speak behind her.


    ¡°This is taking too long. My legs are about to freeze from waiting. This way is better.¡±


    Without asking for her permission, he picked her up and jumped all the way up the roof like she weighed nothing. She put her hand over her mouth, but despite her best effort, the shriek she tried to hold in managed to escape.


    ¡°You can put me down now,¡± Daliya said. She could feel her face heat up from embarrassment.


    ¡°Of course, Your Highness,¡± he said mockingly.


    Daliya glared at him, but her chiding words were lost when he dumped her on the cold stone. She winced as she massaged her side.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°Stop dilly-dallying. We don¡¯t have much time to waste,¡± he called from a couple of rooftops away.


    She did a double-take. When did he get there?


    She struggled a bit to keep her feet steady on the wet stone, barely managing to catch her steps as she nearly slipped down one slop, her fingers digging hard into a chimney¡¯s soot-covered stone. She cursed under her breath, scowling at him as he glanced back at her, ensuring she followed him.


    They stopped after a while. Daliya hunched over, her hands braced on her knees as she took big gulps of air to soothe her aching lungs. The bastard looked fine, not even a strand of hair out of place. He regarded her with a raised eyebrow as if wondering how he got saddled with someone as pitiful as her.


    ¡°Not one for rooftop meetings, are you?¡±


    ¡°Why am I even here? I didn¡¯t do anything to anyone! Why would anyone try to kill me?¡±


    The assassin rolled his eyes. ¡°Did you forget whose body you inhabit right now? Like it or not, you¡¯re this empire¡¯s only princess.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t that mean that I would be safe here?¡±


    He leveled her with a look. ¡°Not everyone is happy with how things are handled here.¡±


    She shot him a suspicious look. Was he one of them then? But he already knew she wasn¡¯t the real princess. He wouldn¡¯t murder her, would he?


    She glanced at her surroundings, her eyes darting around, looking for the fastest way to escape in case he had a change of heart, and decided he was the one who wanted first dibs on the princess¡¯s blood. Her fingers twitched, desperate for a weapon to defend herself. She shouldn¡¯t have left her sword back at the inn, no matter how heavy or impractical it was. Not that she thought she could take on an assassin. He was far beyond her capabilities.


    ¡°You think really loudly, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Her head snapped to look at him. He had a smirk on his face, his brow raised.


    He sat down, his legs crossed, and looked at her, his head resting on the palm of his hand. ¡°So¡­?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± she snapped.


    ¡°What brings the princess and her knights to this small, humble town? It¡¯s a bit below Your Highness¡¯ standard.¡±


    She scowled at him. ¡°Stop mocking me. You already know the truth.¡± She sneered.


    He hummed, his fingers pinching his chin. He tilted his head to the side, regarding her with an amused grin. ¡°True.¡±


    She took a deep breath and focused on the man before her.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for the Seer¡­ or the princess was looking for her.¡± Her voice lifted at the end, making her answer sound like a question.


    He stilled, his eyes narrowing. ¡°What for?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Her shoulders slumped in defeat. ¡°I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m here or how to get back home. I don¡¯t know anything. I just¡­ I just thought maybe the Seer the princess was looking for might know something.¡± Her voice lowered, almost a whisper. ¡°I just want to go home.¡±


    His eyes softened a bit at her words.


    ¡°Hmm, she might be able to help you.¡±


    Her heart soared. She took a step toward him. ¡°Really?¡±


    He raised a finger. ¡°I said maybe.¡± Seeing her dejected look, he added, ¡°It wouldn¡¯t hurt to talk to her. She might know why you got here.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°How do I find her?¡±


    He tilted his head to the side and chuckled. ¡°Well, wouldn¡¯t that be easy? You don¡¯t find her. She finds you. If she has something she needs to tell you, you¡¯ll find her then.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not helping.¡± Her mood soured.


    He shrugged. ¡°Seers hide for a reason. Imagine having a hoard of people harassing you every day to show them their future.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a place she might be hiding?¡±


    His lips twisted into a frown. ¡°Hard to say.¡± He paused. ¡°But one place I know you won¡¯t find her in is the food district.¡± His eyes shone with amusement. ¡°Gotta say, it¡¯s a bit weird to see the princess turn into a glutton.¡±


    Daliya could feel the flush travel up her neck and color her cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m not a glutton!¡± she protested.


    ¡°Right, of course.¡± He grinned.


    Her scowl deepened at his mocking tone.


    ¡°You might want to try somewhere with not much of a crowd. Somewhere away from the empire¡¯s searching eyes.¡± He got to his feet and dusted his long jacket. ¡°Things must have died down at the GreenMarsh Street. We need to get you back. Wouldn¡¯t want to have the whole of the knight¡¯s order on our backs for kidnaping their dear princess now, would we?¡±


    She was a bit wary when he took her back to the inn where she was residing. Even worse was his ability to slither unnoticed inside the inn under the knights¡¯ watchful eyes.


    Were all assassins this skilled, or was it just him? That was something to worry about if she was to remain her posing as the princess.


    ¡°Imperial knights are shitty at mingling with their surroundings.¡± He gave her as a way of explaining. He paused at her windowsill. ¡°Do yourself a favor and avoid too much attention. Not everyone here is an imperialist.¡± Then he disappeared into the night.

 Chapter 9

    She found the day¡¯s report waiting for her at the inn.


    A group of rebels had started a riot at the market. Their motive was unclear, as they couldn¡¯t possibly know about the princess¡¯s presence. And they still haven¡¯t found a trace of the Seer.


    Daliya listened, not saying a word during the whole thing.


    Thuraya prepared dinner despite the Innkeeper¡¯s insistence that she rest. But to Daliya''s delight, Thuraya insisted that only her cooking would satisfy the princess. Daliya silently admitted that Thuraya was a great cook. If she had been in her old world, she would have been one of the top chefs.


    Her eyes searched for Daliya¡¯s approval as she took a small bite of her food.


    ¡°It¡¯s delicious. Thank you, Thuraya,¡± Daliya complimented.


    Thuraya¡¯s eyes widened briefly before a warm smile spread over her lips. She nodded, ¡°It¡¯s an honor, Your Highness.¡± A smile remained on her face for the remainder of the night.


    After making sure that the door of her borrowed room was bolted shut and that Thuraya had turned in for the night, Daliya silently slid down the stairs.


    Two guards flanked the entrance to the Inn. Unlike the ones lounging around, they had a pale glow to their faces. The shadows cast by the torchlight made them look haunted and grim as if waiting for the clutch of death to fasten around them.


    They were jumpy, nearly alerted to her presence. She quickly returned to her room, looking for another way. A huge window, similar to the one in her room, caught her attention. Daliya rolled her eyes. The royal knights needed to brush up on their guarding skills.


    She lurked in the darkness provided by the sloping roof long enough to ensure no guard was strolling to her desired destination.


    She knew her actions weren¡¯t sane, but she had to find the Seer. What if she could get her back to her world? Or at least tell her why she was dumped here?


    She slithered down the darkened path, stopping to let the few straggling guards pass. She could see what the assassin meant. Despite their clothing, they still looked nothing like passing merchants and more like officers playing make-believe. They were too loud, laughing and jostling each other, uncaring about their surroundings¡ªlike the knights they were.


    Somewhere, her knights won¡¯t be snooping around.


    Only one place came to mind.


    She left the group behind and headed towards the marsh. She had first noticed the decrepit buildings on their way to the town. The small outgroupings of buildings were located on the outskirts, right next to the marsh. Even the knights hadn¡¯t paid them any mind.


    The whole area was deserted. The buildings were in far worse shape than she thought. The walls were half-collapsed, revealing the rotting inside of what once were residential areas. She walked around the half-fallen houses, focusing more on her struggling feet than her surroundings. If she thought she was struggling before, this was a whole other level.


    ¡°You must have a death wish.¡±


    She looked up at the assassin crouched over one roof. His lips were pulled up at one corner. He huffed out a laugh as she crossed her arms over her chest.


    ¡°I thought you said you wouldn¡¯t help me.¡±


    ¡°I never said that. I said you can¡¯t afford my service.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the same thing.¡±


    ¡°Is it now?¡± he said, eyebrow raised. He landed gracefully beside her. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m looking for her too.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t expect you to be alone. I even had a whole plan to lose your guard dogs,¡± he said in a blatant way to change the subject.


    She had thought about telling Mazin but was worried about what the Seer would say to her. The assassin already knew she wasn¡¯t the actual princess¡ªand was taking it quite pleasantly.


    She shrugged.


    The assassin grinned. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s get on our way.¡±


    After an hour had passed with them walking around the ghostly town, evading the small number of residents and keeping to the shadows, Daliya stopped her companion.


    ¡°We¡¯re just going to keep going around in circles?¡±


    ¡°Better than nothing.¡± He shrugged.


    She narrowed her eyes at him. ¡°You don¡¯t know how to find her, do you?¡±


    He paused. ¡°How did the knights find her whereabouts?¡±


    According to the reports, there had been word about a man meeting the Seer and getting his future foretold by her. They had questioned the man but found nothing. He neither knew where she was nor could tell them what she looked like, nothing except how eerie and chilling her eyes were as she seemed to look not at him but through him.


    Daliya told him as such.


    He stayed silent for a while, eyes fixed on something beyond Daliya¡¯s sight. ¡°I can see the threads connecting to a person¡¯s soul. They were once referred to as threads of fate.¡± He fixed her with a look.


    ¡°Threads of fate?¡±


    ¡°Thin, slippery things that are more trouble than they¡¯re worth. Each person destined to meet her has a thread upon their person connecting their soul to hers. Once their prophecy is delivered, it disappears.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you¡¯re here? You know about that man?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but by the time I came here, the string had already been cut.¡±


    ¡°How will we find her then?¡±


    ¡°Luckily, another thread had already come into existence.¡±


    ¡°Really? Where?¡±


    He pointed from her to the side. ¡°This one.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Daliya looked around, trying to see that thread he was talking about. There was nothing. She sent him a suspicious look. ¡°Really? This isn¡¯t a lie, is it?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you of little faith.¡± He shook his head slightly. ¡°You¡¯ll know when we find her.¡±


    She shot him a look. ¡°Why not find her now if I already have the thread connecting us?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too loose to track. We need to be closer to her location for it to work.¡±


    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t it a bit too convenient,¡± she drawled, eyebrow raised.


    He rolled his eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s see you do better.¡±


    They walked for a while before her curiosity got the better of her.


    ¡°Is this your power then? You can see the strings of fate?¡±


    ¡°No. I can see souls. That¡¯s how I knew you weren¡¯t the princess. Your soul burns a lighter color than hers.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Really? What is my color then?¡±


    He looked at her. ¡°A bright yellow with a hint of blue.¡± He grimaced. ¡°It¡¯s a bit too bright for my taste.¡±


    She snorted. ¡°What was the princess¡¯s like?¡±


    He paused, mulling over his his answer. ¡°A murky red.¡±


    She stopped. ¡°You¡¯re joking!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth.¡±


    She crossed her arms over her chest. ¡°What¡¯s your soul like then?¡± she asked, goading him.


    He started walking, ignoring her calls, leaving her to hurry after him.


    Knowing he wouldn¡¯t answer her, she asked him what was nagging at her since she knew he was also looking for the Seer. ¡°What do you want from her?¡±


    ¡°The same thing you do.¡±


    Somehow, she doubted it.


    After some aimless wandering, the assassin stopped her, a giddy expression on his face. He dragged her towards an old abandoned windmill.


    ¡°She¡¯s here.¡±


    The windmill looked two steps away from falling over. How could a powerful Seer take residence in such a desolate place?


    Dust and rubble littered the inside of the building. They walked up the stony stairs. Daliya stumbled as one stone gave under her. She took the assassin¡¯s offered hand and slowly traveled the rest of the decayed steps.


    The Seer waited for them upstairs. She sat before a glass window, her black hair falling over her shoulders and reaching her hip.  Her thin, elegant fingers wove around in the air as if weaving them through invisible threads. Was one connected to her?


    Thin black veins peeked from under the sleeve of her dress, contrasting with her pale skin. Daliya glimpsed other thinner ones, reaching towards her neck.


    ¡°Great Seer, I¡¯ve come to ask for a word from you,¡± the assassin said, inclining his head in respect. He looked so different from his usually rude persona.


    She opened her eyes. A set of white eyes, no sclera, flitted over her before resting on the assassin. Daliya stilled. She could see what the man had spoken about. In the short moment their eyes had met, it felt like the Seer¡¯s eyes were drawing her in.


    ¡°I have seen you searching for me. Alas, I have no words for you.¡± Her voice was gentler as if she were speaking to a child, not a grown-up assassin.


    The latter deflated. He cursed under his breath, frustration apparent in the set of his jaw and the deep frown marring his face.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you try again? Maybe you¡¯ll see something.¡±


    ¡°Fate has yet to speak to you, lost one. ¡±


    The Seer¡¯s eyes turned to her. Daliya felt as if the world had ceased, and only they¡ªthe seer and her¡ªboth remained. The woman held her hand out to her. As if in a trance, Daliya walked to her and took the outstretched hand.


    The Seer stilled as soon as their hands touched. Dazed, Daliya stared at her eyes, feeling the void call her with its sweet, disembodied voice and swallow her whole. Then she blinked and was back inside the windmill, standing in front of the Seer, their hands locked in a firm grip.


    Right. She blinked the daze from her mind. She had to tell her. She had to ask her for a way back.


    ¡°I¡¯m not from here, not from this world. I was back home, sleeping, then I woke up here. I don¡¯t even know how it happened. Isn¡¯t there a way for me to go back?¡± she said, frantic.


    The Seer¡¯s smile was sad and pitying. She shook her head. ¡°Fate has called you to this world. From the beginning, the threads connected you through her. She was but a conduit.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean I can¡¯t go back?¡±


    ¡°What brought you here had been destroyed after the summoning.¡±


    ¡°The crystal?¡± Daliya asked.


    The Seer nodded.


    ¡°But there is a chance, right?¡± Daliya said, the words stumbling over each other in her haste. ¡°If one did exist, others might?¡±


    The Seer paused. Something flickered through her eyes, and her eyelashes fluttered gently as her brows furrowed in thought. She opened her mouth to say something but shook her head and looked at Daliya. ¡°Know this, Outworlder. You are here for a reason. The Stone¡¯s choice wasn¡¯t random. Your fate is intricately woven with this world¡¯s fate.¡±


    ¡°The prophecy,¡± Daliya heard the assassin whisper.


    He stared at her as if he were seeing her for the first time. It sent unease down her spine. She looked back at the Seer. If she couldn¡¯t get back home¡ªfor now at least¡ªshe would make sure her stay here was as safe and pleasant as it could ever get.


    Now, to the second most disturbing thing she was plagued with.


    ¡°The nightmares¡­¡±


    The Seer closed her eyes and turned her head to the side, a hint of sadness on her face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. The vision will come to pass.¡±


    Daliya felt the breath stick to her throat. Her insides rolled and revolted.


    Visions. They were visions and not just nightmares. She was going to die.


    She was going to die.


    ¡°Is there no way to stop it?¡± She didn¡¯t bother hiding the hopeful tone in her voice.


    ¡°Fate cannot be stopped.¡±


    Those words sealed her fate.


    Footsteps and shouts echoed outside. She recognized one of the voices. Mazin was yelling instructions to search the whole area for her.


    Ah, her absence had already been found out.


    The Seer tightly gripped Daliya¡¯s hand. She drew her towards her. Daliya nearly stumbled. She leaned over the Seer, her eyes catching the web of black veins that reached far under the woman¡¯s dress, covering her whole chest.


    ¡°We shall see each other again, Outworlder.¡±


    The Seer lifted her hands, and the window behind her shattered. Wind tore into the room. Just before Daliya closed her eyes to shield them from the sting, she glimpsed the Seer, standing with her hands held high and eyes closed, her black hair still despite the raging storm.


    A moment later, the wind died down, its presence gone, along with the Seer.


    ¡°Yeah, she does that,¡± the assassin said. ¡°She¡¯s a windwalker. The last one I heard. She might also be the last Seer. Though at the point things are going, I doubt there would ever be a need for another prophecy.¡± He let out a derisive laugh.


    Daliya remained quiet. She could hear the knights approaching their location, alerted by the unusual wind. She couldn¡¯t bother to care. Still lost in the Seer¡¯s death sentence.


    The assassin stood before her, looking down at her. ¡°Fate isn¡¯t set in stone. If you dislike it, start anew and write your own.¡± He turned and started walking away.


    Something stirred inside her, screaming at her that if she left things as they were and let him leave now, her fate would not change.


    In the vision, the ice failed to protect her. If she had mastered her powers, she would surely have had a chance to change things.


    ¡°Wait!¡± she called.


    He paused and tilted his head to the side, waiting for her to continue.


    She needed to ask him. She knew no other person who could help her.


    ¡°I need your help.¡±


    The corner of his lip lifted in a half smile. ¡°My service is not cheap, princess.¡±


    She straightened, tilting her head back to stare him down. ¡°You said it. I¡¯m the princess. I¡¯m pretty certain I can afford you.¡±


    His grin was lopsided. ¡°Can you?¡±


    She steeled herself and walked the remaining distance separating them, stopping right before him. ¡°Name your price.¡±


    He paused, his honey-brown eyes regarding her. ¡°A favor from the princess of the empire.¡±


    She frowned. A favor? She had thought he would ask for gold or silver or whatever currency was in this world. She narrowed her eyes at him.


    ¡°What kind of favor?¡±


    His brows furrowed slightly, and an amused smile pulled at the corner of his lips. ¡°Not so confident, are we?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to survive here. Not drown myself in some political or power struggle. I would rather find a way back home, if not, live my life peacefully to old age.¡± She hated the hint of a whine that escaped her throat as she lamented her terrible fate.


    A chortle tore through his lips. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±


    They stared at each other. Daliya debated the pros and cons of finding someone else to help her. How about the knight¡¯s captain? No. Even if he vowed to keep her secret, she doubted he would be much of a help. He didn¡¯t have any powers to her knowledge, and she had no basis to believe in his loyalty. Not that she believed in the assassin¡¯s loyalty. Far from it.


    But he had known. He had known for a while and still hadn¡¯t exposed her.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope I won¡¯t regret it later.¡± She sighed.


    He grinned.


    ¡°Daliya,¡± she said.


    He paused, watching her, and then a genuine smile¡ªa real one unlike his mocking grins and derisive snorts¡ªpulled at his lips.


    ¡°Haitham,¡± he said.


    Mazin was appalled as she told him about their new addition.


    ¡°But¡­ your Highness, the knights are at your disposal. They¡ª¡±


    Haitham snorted. ¡°Are not doing a good job, apparently.¡±


    Daliya mentally winced. She had hoped he wouldn¡¯t antagonize any of the knights. But apparently, she would have to add that clause in his job description.


    Mazin bristled. He unsheathed his sword and held it to Haitham¡¯s neck. Daliya flailed around. She called the knight and asked him to lower his sword, but he wasn¡¯t listening to her.


    As if the universe hated her, Haitham lifted his hand, palm facing up, and flames burst into existence.


    ¡°I dare you,¡± Haitham said, a mocking smile curling his lips.


    Shocked murmurs filled the inn.


    ¡°Southerner!¡±


    ¡°A fire bearer!¡±


    She got between the two. ¡°Lower your weapon!¡± She injected every ounce of authority she could muster. This time, Mazin listened to her. He sheathed his sword and bowed.


    She whirled around. ¡°And you,¡± she addressed her new bodyguard and magic instructor. ¡°Turn that thing off.¡±


    He sighed but did as told.


    She allowed herself a relieved breath.


    ¡°A word, your Highness,¡± Mazin said, his shoulders stiff and face void of all expressions.


    ¡°Not now. I¡¯m tired. We¡¯ll talk in the morning.¡±


    She climbed into her room, drank the cup of warm milk and honey Thuraya had given her, and was out as soon as her head hit the pillow.

 Chapter 10

    Her talk with Mazin came a day after leaving the town, just shy of the marsh that surrounded the village. Daliya had evaded him for as long as she could. But she finally caved when he planted himself next to her, avoiding Haitham¡¯s pointed stare.


    She sighed and motioned for him to follow her a few distance away to hear what he had to say.


    ¡°Forgive my words, Your Highness. But I don¡¯t think someone like him should be trusted,¡± he said, his glare pocking holes in the assassin¡¯s head.


    Daliya glanced at Haitham and tried to see what the captain was seeing. She knew the assassin was powerful. Heck, she had witnessed firsthand his powers. But strangely enough, the powerful man who had slaughtered the monster in the cave didn¡¯t translate to the one smirking at the knights, taunting them to draw their swords.


    Oh no. She sighed. She would have to stop them before unexpected injuries slowed down their trip.


    She returned her gaze to Main, pausing when she found him staring at her. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about him. I¡¯ll make sure to keep him away from the knights.¡±


    Which she should get to doing now.


    Mazin hesitated.


    ¡°I¡¯ve employed him for a specific task only he can do.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, surely we¡ª¡±


    His mouth snapped shut as she shook her head.


    ¡°Only he can carry it out.¡±


    He gave a stiff nod and hesitated for a while before saying, ¡°Your Highness should still be careful. Someone like him is loyal as long as it benefits him.¡±


    Daliya stood there, watching his retreating back.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Daliya started. She scowled at Haitham. ¡°When did you get here?¡± Her scowl deepened at his smirk. ¡°Should I put a bell on your neck?¡±


    ¡°You would have noticed me if you weren¡¯t staring at your captain.¡± He hummed, pinching his chin in thought. ¡°I guess useless knights in blue armor are quite popular with women these days.¡±


    She spluttered. She lifted her fist to strike him. Her anger only intensified when he lifted his hands in mock surrender.


    The nonchalance with which Haitham had treated the palace¡¯s luxury was a bit embarrassing. She thought, like her, he would be in awe at the crystalline ceiling and white marble towers. He walked through the palace like someone used to such opulence, if not more. Like it was beneath his standing.


    Most surprisingly, the head butler had spared him one look before declaring him his sworn enemy. He had refused to accommodate him and insisted that he be kept somewhere outside the castle for the princess¡¯s safety. Daliya had to step in and ask the old man to ease off a bit and order him to be lodged in the rooms next to hers. The whole thing was chaotic, but one look from her quietened the whispers that had washed over the hall like the buzzing of bees.


    ¡°You have a knack for creating messes, don¡¯t you?¡± Haitham grinned at her once they were out of earshot.


    She rolled her eyes. ¡°Please, this whole mess wasn¡¯t of my own design. If someone is worthy of such high praises, that would be the real princess, not me.¡±


    He snorted. ¡°Right.¡±


    Her training started as soon as she returned to the castle. He cast a single glance at the training grounds before declaring them unfit for their training sessions.


    ¡°Do you want an audience for your incompetence?¡± he asked with a raised brow.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    Daliya¡¯s clenched fist turned white. ¡°I¡¯m not incompetent. I just need to get the princess¡¯s powers under control. I¡¯m new to this.¡±


    ¡°Same thing.¡± He shrugged.


    He was so infuriating.


    They finally settled on the side garden, the one she found secluded a few distance from the castle. His eyes lingered for a second too long on the marble statue.


    ¡°You know who that is?¡± she asked.


    His brows furrowed in confusion before he shook his head, a rueful smile pulling at the corner of his lips. ¡°Looking like that, it¡¯s a bit easy to forget that you¡¯re not of this world. This is the princess¡¯s mother and the empress of the empire. Or she was.¡± He gestured to the statue. ¡°She died fifteen years ago.¡±


    Daliya looked at the woman with newfound eyes¨Cthe princess¡¯ mother. She must have loved her a lot to raise a statue of her. Now that she keenly looked at it, the statue¡¯s features were sculpted in such a way that she looked a second away from drawing breath.


    ¡°What happened to her?¡±


    ¡°Who knows? All her attendants disappeared as soon as her death was announced. I doubt even the princess knew.¡±


    Daliya shot him a startled look. ¡°You don¡¯t think the emperor¡­?¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°Who knows?¡±


    He seemed disinterested in what could have happened to the empress, which was fair. He made it clear he wasn¡¯t fond of the royals. Why would inner palace matters matter to him?


    She spread her hand outward, eyes closed as she tried to call the ice to her. At first, Haitham had inquired about her closed eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s to help me focus.¡±


    He had shot her a bemused look but said nothing.


    Daliya squeezed her eyes. She needed to empty her mind and only focus on the ice. She frowned when she felt nothing. No matter how much she called, it was as if she was shouting into the void. All this time, the ice came to her unbidden, responding to her fluctuating emotional turmoil. Why wasn¡¯t it answering her call now?


    ¡°You look like you¡¯re summoning a monster from the deep,¡± Haitham¡¯s voice said next to her.


    She felt something soft in her hand. Was it the ice?


    She tore her eyes open, giddy, only for her shoulders to sag in disappointment. It was a flower.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look like that. This is your first try. It was expected. Try freezing this.¡± He gestured to the flower.


    She tried and tried, closing her eyes and picturing all the times the ice had invaded her surroundings without any conscious summon. It was another hour before a thin coat of frost started forming on the flower¡¯s petals. But as soon as she presented her hard labor to him, the frost thawed, and the soggy petals stuck to her palm. But she wasn¡¯t deterred, not when she succeeded once.


    She tried again and again to no avail. Then, an idea struck her. Maybe the ice didn¡¯t know what she wanted it to do. Maybe she needed to talk to it.


    ¡°Ice, come forth!¡±


    Nothing.


    ¡°Ice, answer my call!¡±


    Still nothing.


    ¡°Ice, hear my words and answer my call!¡±


    Nothing.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Haitham asked with a deadpan voice.


    ¡°What does it look like I¡¯m doing?¡± She scowled at him. Couldn¡¯t he see she was trying her best? Why was he being so difficult?


    Haitham tilted his head upward, staring at the pale sky, mumbling under his breath. Ignoring him, she turned back to her training.


    A while later, and still no progress was made.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got this. Just¡­ hang in there.¡±


    She heard Haitham say somewhere behind her. She was touched that he had so much faith in her ability, even though she didn¡¯t. At least one of them believed in her.


    ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll try.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I wasn¡¯t talking to you. I¡¯m talking to myself. At this point, I¡¯ll need all the patience I can get.¡±


    She shot him a glare. She crossed her arms over her chest, looking pointedly at the statue. No, she wasn¡¯t sulking. She frowned. Was it just her imagination, or was the woman¡¯s lips pulled into a mocking smirk?


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯ve been looking at it from the wrong angle.¡±


    She glanced back at him. ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°You seem to think that your powers are distinct from yourself. But the way I see it¨C¡± A flame materialized in his palm, dancing gently to a non-existent breeze. ¡°It is but an extension of oneself. You are your powers, and your powers are you.¡±


    She watched as the flame shifted and twisted, then died.


    ¡°Try it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a natural like you. I¡¯m not even from this world,¡± she grumbled.


    ¡°Just humor me,¡± he coaxed.


    She looked at her palm. She didn¡¯t know what to do.


    An extension of herself. The ice was her, and she was the ice.


    A tiny shard of ice slowly emerged from the center of her palm. She couldn¡¯t take her eyes off it. What if it disappeared just like the frost? She didn¡¯t dare even to blink.


    ¡°Not bad for a first time.¡±


    Did she imagine it, or was there a hint of pride in his tone?


    She grinned.


    ¡°Though, at this rate, it would take us centuries to completely master your powers.¡± He paused. ¡°Perhaps we should go the theoretical way first.¡±


    Daliya threw the shard at his face. No matter, she would just make another one.

 Chapter 11

    The castle library was a universe by itself. Daliya had never seen that many books in one setting. It was even larger than her university¡¯s library. Orbs of light ran along the giant shelves, casting a soft glow over the leather bindings. The ceiling was made of clear glass shaped into an ice crystal that reflected the pale sky beyond.


    Haitham moved around the towering shelves, inspecting each title. He collected a handful and deposited them on the table in the middle. Daliya took one book from the pile and riffled through its pages. She scrunched her nose at the fine dust and musty smell wafting from its yellow pages. Just how old were these books?


    He paused before shooting her a curious look.


    ¡°Can you even read?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She frowned. What did he mean by that?


    ¡°It just dawned on me that I dragged you here without asking.¡± He shook his head, his lips twisted with displeasure. ¡°This could be a problem if you¡¯re illiterate.¡±


    Daliya balked at him. Her grip tightened on the book, her fingers digging into its leathery cover.


    That little¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m not illiterate! I learned to read and write back in kindergarten.¡± She snapped. ¡°Back when I was a child,¡± she added when his brows furrowed in confusion.


    ¡°Yes, well¡­ can you read this world¡¯s written language?¡± he asked slowly.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    She felt heat traveling up her neck towards her face. So that was what he meant. She cleared her throat, glancing to the side. Really, he should clarify himself next time. She nearly hit him upside the head with the book.


    He raised an eyebrow at her. ¡°Well, can you?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Yes, like I can understand what you¡¯re saying right now without having to learn it. I can tell from this language¡¯s written symbols that our worlds are not speaking the same language. Yet, somehow, I can not only understand it but also read it.¡±


    He pinched his chin, thoughtful. ¡°Much like your powers. It must have stayed with the original¡¯s body.¡± He shot her a smile. ¡°Perfect! Now we can proceed to the next step without worry.¡±


    He took hold of her shoulders and steered her towards the chair. ¡°Read these before the end of the week.¡± He motioned to the pile of books.


    She gawked at the mountain of paper towering over her. There was too much! Even her studies didn¡¯t require that much reading!


    Seeing her horrified look, he chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll keep you company.¡± He winked. ¡°Stop dawdling. There isn¡¯t much time before dinner. I¡¯m starving.¡±


    Daliya shot him a glare, then opened the first book.


    For the next couple of days, it became their new routine. Every morning, she would sit hunched over the sea of books, reading about theoretical knowledge about powers and how to access them. Some bore good information, while others seemed to be written by people who had never wielded any power a day in their lives.


    Powers were grouped into two categories: Elemental essence, or powers granted by the lands where one resided, and Aether essence.


    Elemental powers were divided into four categories: Ice, Fire, Earth, and Wind. There once were four great kingdoms, their inhabitants mainly wielders of the same powers. But now, only the skeletal remains of two kingdoms remained¡ªthe Nawsan kingdom in the far north and Ma¡¯arib¡¯s ravaged lands in the South¡ªHaitham¡¯s birthplace. Ardun and Ryah¡ªthe Earthen Kingdom and the Kindom of the Wind, respectively¡ª had been long destroyed before the princess¡¯s birth.


    Still, those lands still granted their inhabitants their powers. An Ice power Wielder would be much more powerful in the frozen lands. A Fire Bearer would be unstoppable in the red desert. And an Earth Shaker would be unbeatable in the lands that were once a refuge to the Akal Kindom.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Then came the Aether essence. No one knows where they came from, but old texts say the Creator himself granted them to certain individuals and that those powers were inherited upon the death of the previous wielder. If the owner of such powers didn¡¯t appoint a successor, the Aether Essence, the power would be lost, never to be wielded again. Some already came to pass.


    Nothing much was said about Aether powers. There was a small section about Seers and the madness disease that eventually inflicted most of them¡ªDaliya shivered as an image of the Seer¡¯s unseeing eyes flashed before her eyes¡ªand another even smaller section about Soul Masters.


    Nothing much is known about Soul Masters. Only rumors and legends had been passed down amongst the Northerners. Some say they can tell a person¡¯s true nature just with a glance, while others claim they have seen them bring a person back from the clutch of death. While it¡¯s a widespread tale, it remains nothing but a myth.


    Daliya frowned at the words. Haitham had said he could see her soul, that it was how he figured she wasn¡¯t the princess. Maybe he was a soul master? If so, would he be willing to share his secrets with her?


    The next book she read was so outrageous she nearly smacked Haitham¡¯s sleeping head with its heavy, leathery binds.


    It referred to magic users as abominations, beings against nature, creatures bent on destroying the balance of the world and bringing it down to its knees.


    Harboring an abomination is against the law and punishable by death.


    Citizens are required to notify the Imperial Knight¡¯s order of any and every suspicious person. Failure to do so is punishable by law.


    What else was punishable by law? Breathing?


    Daliya snorted. Wouldn¡¯t that be enough to forfeit the emperor¡¯s life?


    Didn¡¯t the other books specify that they were born with these powers? Why was the empire punishing people for something out of their control?


    Daliya sighed. She leaned her head back against the chair and closed her eyes. After hours of reading, the intricate words had started chasing her around even when her eyes were closed. Heck, they were inside her dreams¡ªtwisted little monsters nipping at the back of her heels.


    She tossed the book to the side and opened another heavy volume about the lies of Wind Walkers. It spoke of an intricate web of lies the Elementalists had drowned the people in to ensure their obedience. Talks about calamities and divine retributions brought about by people¡¯s greed for power. After all she had read, Daliya could only regard what was written with apprehension.


    Whole sections were speaking about how they had spread fear and terror, whispering into the ears of vulnerable humans prophecies of the end times.


    Daliya paused. Haitham had said the same thing back at the windmill. She had heard him utter that exact word.


    Prophecy.


    But when she asked him later, he looked at her and blatantly changed the subject, refusing to answer.


    That infuriating man.


    She took a sip of her cup. She grimaced as the hot chocolaty beverage, courtesy of Adyl, the head butler, had long turned cold. She sighed, staring mournfully at her cup.


    The animosity between Adyl and Haitham had died down a notch, but not by much. The old man still glared at the assassin as if all the world¡¯s misfortune were products of his deliberate schemes. Daliya had yet to root out the reason for this. She had asked Haitham, but the latter had merely shrugged, refusing to elaborate further.


    Speaking of which¡­


    She shot a glare at Haitham¡¯s slumped form. He was leaning on the couch, an opened book covering his snoring face. If she had to guess where his reading had progressed, she would estimate it to be in the single digits. His chest rose softly with each breath he took. The book slipped an inch as his head shifted, his sleepy sigh muffled by the rotting paper sheets.


    She scowled at him. Here she was, suffering while he was lost in dreamland. She took the abandoned quill by her side and threw it at his head. His hand reached into the air, snatching it before it could make contact with the book bindings. The book slid to his lap, abandoned, as he blinked blearily at the offending object.


    Daliya smiled. ¡°Sorry, my hand slipped.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite the slip.¡± He raised an eyebrow at her.


    She shrugged.


    ¡°At least I¡¯m not deep in slumber like a certain someone.¡±


    He sent her an innocent look. ¡°Who? Me? I wasn¡¯t sleeping. I was merely resting my eyes.¡±


    She scoffed. ¡°Right.¡±


    He glanced down at his lap.¡±Heh. Someone must have cast a spell on this book. I fall asleep the second I touch it. Want to take a break?¡±


    Daliya shot to her feet, the chair clattering behind her. Haitham laughed.


    ¡°Oh, shut it. You don¡¯t know how hard it is to spend the whole day staring at these yellow papers. I didn¡¯t study this much back home.¡± She could feel the heat traveling up her neck and reaching her cheek.


    He shot her a lopsided grin. ¡°Alright. We¡¯ll take a break tomorrow. We wouldn¡¯t want Her Highness to get cranky, now, would we?¡±


    She crossed her arms over her chest. ¡°You mean I¡¯ll take a break. You¡¯ve done nothing besides sleeping.¡±


    He put his hand over his chest, an exaggerated scandalized look on his face. ¡°What do you mean by nothing? I¡¯m your emotional support!¡±


    She scoffed but allowed a small smile to pull at her lips.

 Chapter 12

    After a while, Haitham introduced another training to her schedule. Sword training.


    Her training alternated between reading in the library in the morning and sword practice after a short break after lunch.


    ¡°You never know what might happen,¡± he had said. ¡°Better have another trick up your sleeve for when your powers fail you.¡±


    He cut a branch with a snap of his dagger and made it into a makeshift sword. ¡°Watch closely,¡± he instructed.


    The stick danced in his hand as he twisted it around. Daliya¡¯s excitement nose-dived in the seconds it took Haitham to perform his basic sword form. Her eyes roved upward to gather her wits, pausing on a branch that hung lower than the others.


    Was he joking? He better be. There was no way he was expecting her to perform such a complicated sword style that she only thought possible in movies.


    The branch fell from her grasp with the first spin. She picked it up, huffing, and tried once, twice, then a third time before throwing it on the ground, stomping her feet in what she would have denied to be a tantrum.


    ¡°This is not working,¡± she hissed. ¡°I can¡¯t do it.¡±


    He jabbed the stick with the tip of his boots and launched it in the air, snatching it before it fell again.


    ¡°Alright. We¡¯ll start with fifty downward slashes, fifty upward slashes, and another fifty side slashes.¡±


    ¡°One hundred and fifty?¡± She gawked at him. ¡°My arms would fall off before reaching the first fifty mark!¡±


    His lips twitched. ¡°We¡¯ll increase the numbers as we go.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re enjoying this, aren¡¯t you?¡± She scowled.


    He grinned. ¡°Oh, you have no idea.¡± He clapped his hands. ¡°Now, stop dilly-dallying and get back to work. The sun will set soon. You still have to do today¡¯s slashes before you can call it a day.¡±


    Daliya slashed the stick, imagining it had struck Haitham¡¯s head with each strike.


    Daliya sat heavily on the garden¡¯s marble floor, her makeshift sword abandoned next to her feet. A bonfire lit from the many branches littering the floor. Daliya huddled before its warm flames despite not being troubled by the freezing weather. Haitham sat next to her, a blissful expression apparent on his face. Occasionally, he would flicker his fingers at the flames, reigniting them.


    ¡°Where are my tea parties? My royal balls? My promenades around the royal garden?¡± she lamented. ¡°Since I came here, all I ever did was train, train, and train some more.¡±


    ¡°Tea party? The emperor is the only one daring enough to invite the princess to a tea party.¡± He raised an eyebrow, mocking her. ¡°Are you sure you want to have a tea party with him?¡±


    She grimaced. ¡°Maybe not him.¡±


    She had no desire to see this world¡¯s infamous tyrant. He might not be her killer, but she doubted he would be pleasant to share a cup of hot tea and biscuits with.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t the princess have a sibling or something?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°Better this way, believe me. The emperor would have gotten rid of her¡ªof you¡ªif she did. His patience for her is already stretched thin.¡±


    ¡°As if he couldn¡¯t just get rid of me now.¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°True.¡±


    She sighed mournfully. ¡°Too bad. I had wanted to have a sibling or two. Once an only child, always an only child, I guess.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re an only child?¡± he leaned forward, his chin resting on his curled fist.


    ¡°Well, technically, no. I have other siblings from my father¡¯s side, but I¡¯ve never met them, not officially. I¡¯ve seen pictures, though, a sister and a brother.¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Why? Didn¡¯t you live together?¡±


    She paused, a rueful smile on her lips. ¡°After my Mom¡¯s death, he started his own family and left me to live with Grandma. He used to send me a gift on my birthday every year. Till those eventually stopped.¡± She shifted. ¡°It was fine, though. Grandma was a good cook. Every year, she would make me a birthday cake, a chocolate cake. It was delicious.¡± Tiny snowflakes took shape around her fingers. They floated a couple of inches before falling flat on her palm. The smile dimmed as she continued, ¡°She died a year ago. A week before my birthday. Her chest pains suddenly intensified. I found her lying next to the shopping bag. She had just gotten the ingredients for the cake. I took her to the hospital, but it was too late. A heart attack.¡± She looked at the faint smoke wafting from the bonfire. ¡°She was suffering from chest pain for the past month. I told her to go see a doctor, but she insisted it was fine.¡± She clenched her fist, crushing the snowflakes. ¡°I should have insisted more.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your Grandma.¡± Haitham¡¯s voice was gentle.


    She shook her head, her hand hastily rubbing over her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± She smiled.


    They stayed quiet for a while, watching the flames dance before them.


    ¡°I¡¯m an only child, too,¡± Haitham said. ¡°I had cousins, but they were older than me. No matter how much I bugged them to play with me, they would brush me off, claiming they had a more important duty than playing with a six-year-old. One day, I set their hair on fire in front of the whole gathering in one of their ¡®important meeting.¡¯¡±


    Daliya choked. ¡°What? You¡¯re a menace.¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know, I was a nice kid. I was only mean to those who deserved it.¡±


    She snorted. ¡°You mean those who didn¡¯t cater to your whims and wishes.¡±


    He grinned. ¡°You catch up fast. I guess you know what to do now.¡±


    She lifted her arm, and ice spikes emerged near his feet. She grinned back. ¡°Oh, you bet.¡±


    He scoffed. With a snap of his fingers, flames enveloped the ice, melting it into a puddle. Some gathered into a small puddle near her feet. Daliya pulled her knees against her chest, circling her arms around them, watching as the water solidified. She sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t wait till the summer season comes around.¡±


    He frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of all this snow. Some colors wouldn¡¯t be amiss.¡±


    He gave her a look. ¡°We¡¯re in the summer season. In fact, it¡¯s the peak of summer this week.¡±


    It took a couple of seconds for his words to register. She gawked at him, disbelieving. ¡°You¡¯re joking!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the truth.¡±


    ¡°Then why is there snow here?¡± She motioned around. She fisted a handful of snow and let it fall through her finger like sand.


    ¡°This place is closer to the Northern Lands.¡± He motioned with his head towards the mountain range in the distance. ¡°I heard they have snow blizzards all year long.¡± He watched the snow crushed under his boots with no small amount of distaste. ¡°Consider yourself lucky you don¡¯t have to suffer from all this cold.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you use your powers to melt all the snow off?¡±


    ¡°And use up all my Essence? Thanks, no thanks. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    She shrugged.


    He snapped his fingers, and the fire roared, the flames lifting several feet from the burning branches.


    Daliya looked around the garden and winced at the disaster that was once a beautiful, well-kept garden. Scratches from the ice spikes she had summoned littered the ground from all her training, and many of the trees were missing their branches. She should take some time off to tidy things up. ¡°You think the princess would be furious at what became of her precious garden?¡±


    ¡°Oh, please. She must be ecstatic at escaping certain death. She must be dancing under the rain, celebrating a chance at a good life.¡±


    Daliya grimaced. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call it exactly a good life. I think she¡¯s already regretting her choices.¡±


    ¡°Why? Just how chaotic was your life?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still a university student with no degree to my name. If she didn¡¯t know how to scrub dishes clean and sweep the floor, I¡¯m afraid she would be homeless soon.¡±


    Haitham frowned. ¡°Is leading a decent life in your world that hard?¡±


    She snorted a laugh. ¡°You have no idea. Everything is expensive. Even clean air is costly.¡±


    He gave an exaggerated body shiver. ¡°Then I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here. You can eat all the food you desire and breathe all the freezing air you want.¡±


    ¡°On condition I survive long enough.¡±


    ¡°Ah, true that.¡± He shrugged. He paused for a moment. ¡°If nothing works. You¡¯re welcome to the South. You¡¯ll be an honorary guest. We might not have luxurious beds or expensive food, but you¡¯ll have me.¡± He winked. ¡°I¡¯ll even tell you bedtime stories when you can¡¯t sleep.¡±


    She leaned over her bent legs, her head tilted towards him. ¡°Quite tempting.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± He grinned. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m always told.¡±


    She laughed. ¡°Did you have them at Dagger Point?¡±


    He frowned, though it looked more like a pout than anything. ¡°You¡¯re being mean now.¡±


    Her frame shook with the intensity of her laughter. ¡°Oh, no. My hair!¡±


    He raised his hand and gently ran his fingers over her silvery strands. ¡°Nah, it would be a shame. They¡¯re too pretty to burn.¡±


    Daliya coughed, startled. She could feel sudden heat travel up and cover her whole face. The infuriating man grinned at her, mirth and amusement twinkling in his eyes.


    This little¡­

 Chapter 13

    Daliya grumbled and squeezed the hilt of her sword in her grasp, holding the handle in her two hands. The blade pointed away at an angle.


    She was surprised when it had arrived that morning. The blacksmith had kneeled on the floor, his head touching the ground, apologizing for being late. There were some difficulties with the mines, he had claimed. Silver Steel was scarce these days, with no sign of the nuisance ending.


    Daliya thanked him and instructed Adyl to prepare a room for him to rest in. The poor man had looked at her as if she was sending him to the guillotine.


    Daliya huffed. Just how much evil was the princess?


    ¡°What is with that sloppy footwork?¡±


    She shot him a look and assumed the stance he had taught her: one foot in front, the other slightly bent behind her for support.


    Haitham looked her over.


    ¡°Good. Begin. Slash. Slash. Thrust. Block. Slash¡ªPay attention to your feet¡ªSlash. Thrust. Block¡ªreadjust your grip¡ªGood. Start again.¡±


    ¡°Again? But I¡¯ve been training for hours!¡±


    He ignored her complaint. ¡°Again.¡±


    For all of Haitham¡¯s criticisms¡ªnagging¡ª and the grueling daily training to which she was subjected, she found herself improving in leaps and bounds. Maybe the vision¡ªa constant nightly companion now¡ªfueled her determination and drive to grow stronger. Still, with each passing day, her attention sharpened, her movements became more fluid, and with her improvement came the hope that she might still see the world beyond that wretched day.


    Finally, after weeks of training, she would test her progress against a battle-hardened assassin. Her sparing partner was busy choosing his weapon of choice¡ªa branch.


    Daliya huffed as she regarded him. How dare he look down on her? She would have to beat some respect into him. He had refused the swords she had gotten the trouble of getting from the training grounds¡ªunder the suspicious eyes of Mazin. The captain of the knights hadn¡¯t let her leave the premises until she answered a thousand and one questions.


    ¡®Is she in need of some assistance?¡¯


    ¡®Would she like him to clear the premises for her training?¡¯


    ¡®Would she be amenable to a sparring session?¡¯


    She had paused at the question. She would love to test her strength against various opponents, but she worried he would find out her charade the second their blades connected¡ªespecially if he used to spar with the princess. So, no, it was.


    Haitham¡¯s eyes shone briefly. A reddish color that reminded Daliya of the sky at dawn. He whispered something too low for her ears. She watched the branch glow a dull yellow before fading. He stood before her, spinning his weapon around, testing its sturdiness.


    He lunged toward her. She barely had time to lift her sword before steel met wood. The branch didn¡¯t splinter, didn¡¯t break. Daliya bulked at it.


    How¡­?


    Her thought was cut short as he struck down again. She blocked the blow and pushed forward, keeping the sword¡¯s blade away from her face.


    Then came the barrage of blows. She blocked and parried his attacks, nearly buckling under the successive strikes. She angled her sword to block an oncoming strike when her feet slipped on the melting snow.


    He was using his powers to turn his surroundings in his favor.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    She opened her mouth to protest his cheating, then paused. They hadn¡¯t specified that only swords¡ªand a stick¡ªcould be used in their fight.


    In the flurry of blows, she had completely forgotten about her powers.


    It was easier now. The powers answered her calls¡ªas if giddy to be called upon¡ªbefore the thought fully formed in her mind. Spikes of ice jutted from the ground, chasing Haitham as he jumped back to avoid their jagged edges. His branch hung morosely from one of the spikes. Frost covered the stick from when it was pierced till it covered the whole branch. It wasn¡¯t long before it merged with the ice, encased in a crystal tomb.


    ¡°Not bad.¡± He whistled.


    Shards of ice floated around them. He was in her domain now.


    His dagger materialized in his grip in a shower of sparks.


    He was serious now. Good. That was what she wanted. Finally, she would get some real training.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s starting now,¡± her lips pulled into a grin, tooth and all.


    ¡°Bring it on.¡± He smirked back at her.


    She sat heavily on the chair, resting her head on the desk, pillowed on her arms. She closed her eyes, groaning. ¡°I¡¯m too tired to sleep,¡± she lamented. Her body ached, her bones ached, and her side hurt from a slip on the snow earlier. The fall was so loud that she feared everyone in the garden¡¯s perimeter had heard its echo. It was also painful, something Daliya was unwilling to admit.


    ¡°Crybaby. This is nothing compared to the hellish training I had to endure when I was a child. This is basic training at best.¡±


    She shot him a glare. ¡°Sorry for being a normal human being. Back home, the most training I ever did was running for a few hours. This is what I would call hellish training.¡±


    He regarded her with an amused look. ¡°You do know we¡¯re just starting, right?¡±


    She sat up. ¡°Are you saying there¡¯s still more?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m saying we haven¡¯t even started real training.¡±


    ¡°No, no, absolutely not.¡± She threw her hands up in protest. ¡°I¡¯m resting tomorrow. In fact, I¡¯m taking the remainder of the week off.¡±


    He shook his head, smiling. ¡°A bit too early to yield, don¡¯t you think? We wouldn¡¯t want you going around freezing people¡¯s arms off now. Let¡¯s talk about resting after you can control your powers..¡± He tilted his head to the side, his eyes narrowing. ¡°Though with how things are progressing, it would take you years to get the hang of things. I¡¯m afraid you have some training to do.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it. I give up. Let¡¯s talk about this, let¡¯s see, never.¡± She dragged herself to the bed, not even bothering to remove her shoes. ¡°I wanna sleep. You know where the door is¡ªor the window, in your case. Show yourself out.¡± She shooed him away.


    She closed her eyes, hoping desperately for sleep to grace her with its presence, but no matter how much time passed, no matter how many dollar bills she counted, sleep still eluded her.


    She groaned. ¡°I hate you.¡± She clutched her pillow and pressed it against her face. ¡°Why can¡¯t I sleep? I want to sleep!¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright. Wait for a bit. I might have something to help our crybaby get some shut-eye.¡±


    With her eyes still closed, she gave him the finger. She listened for the telltale signs of footsteps but found only silence. When she opened her eyes, he was gone.


    Damn assassin.


    Soon, he was back with a mug cradled in his hand. Her brows furrowed in confusion.


    ¡°Here.¡± He handed her the cup. ¡°I stole it from the kitchens.¡± He winked.


    It was milk.


    ¡°Honeyed milk. The best remedy for good night sleep, and the best there is for weakened bones.¡± He gave her a look. ¡°Something you clearly need.¡±


    Daliya rolled her eyes at his blabber. If anything, she was doing better in her training than on her first day. She took a sip and grimaced.


    ¡°Is it cold?¡±


    At her nod, he touched the cup, and little bubbles appeared on its surface.


    Was he using his powers to heat it up?


    She smiled and took another sip of the now-warm milk.


    ¡°How is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good.¡± She nodded.


    He chuckled. ¡°I need a raise. I somehow upgraded from being your bodyguard to your personal nanny.¡±


    She slapped his shoulder, a half-hearted tap. ¡°Who¡¯s the nanny? You¡¯re the reason I can¡¯t sleep. My bones are too tired and aching to rest.¡±


    He lounged leisurely on the window sill. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault your body is in such a bad shape.¡±


    She threw a pillow at his head. He caught it easily and put it behind his back.


    ¡°I suggest you go to bed now. Our training will resume first thing in the morning.¡± He sounded proud of himself.


    She groaned. ¡°Slave driver. I hate you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. I hate you, too.¡± He grinned.


    She leaned down on the bed, buried under the covers. The last thing she heard as sleep finally welcomed her into its peaceful embrace was the soft click of the window as it gently closed.

 Chapter 14

    She had been lulled into a false sense of security. For weeks, nothing had happened. She had spent her days training and honing her strength, almost forgetting why she was trying so hard to become strong in the first place.


    She was in the dining hall. Thuraya, as usual, was in charge of her dinner. A delicious meal that made her almost wish to stay in this world forever. Haitham was lazying around somewhere in the castle, where he usually disappeared. She had stopped asking after the first week and got the servants to send his dinner to his chamber instead.


    She heard the shouts first¡ªthe sound of knights yelling and screaming. Then the smell reached her.


    She ran to the corridor, almost colliding with the hurrying knights as they headed toward the source of the commotion.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± she asked the one knight she managed to stop.


    ¡°The castle is under attack, your Highness.¡± His eyes were blown wide with panic. He bowed once before following the others.


    Daliya lifted the hem of her skirt and instructed Thuraya to stay hidden while she dealt with the matter. The maid could not defend herself; her safety fell on Daliya.


    A hand stopped her before she could venture further through the corridor.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Haitham asked.


    ¡°We¡¯re under attack!¡±


    He breathed out, his shoulders sagging, his eyes staring at her, an unreadable expression flittering in his dark orbs before disappearing. She narrowed her eyes at the lack of reaction to her words.


    ¡°Do you know who they are?¡±


    Haitham¡¯s face darkened. ¡°I might have an idea.¡±


    ¡°Who¨C¡±


    ¡°Get to safety,¡± he said, pushing her back towards the hall.


    ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡±


    He vanished before she could protest. She bristled. She might not have been the real princess. But to these people, she was. And it was her duty to protect them.


    The window next to her shattered, and a man wearing a black and red uniform jumped inside. Daliya had a split-second to gawk at the intruder before the corridor erupted in flames.


    They were fire bearers, like Haitham.


    She called her ice to her and cleared a path back to the hall. Thuraya was waiting. She closed the hall door and pulled Daliya to the other side.


    But the doors could never hold out a fire bearer bent on getting inside.


    The flames devoured the heavy oak door like butter. The man entered the hall, pillars of fire exploding from his hands and enveloping the whole place. He reached into a hidden pocket by his side and fished a handful of soul stones. She felt the energy stutter as the energy was siphoned from them. They gave a final, desperate glow before shattering into dust.


    The assassin¡¯s body shuddered, tremors quaking his body as it absorbed the energy and led it to his core.


    Haitham always advised against using the soul stones. She often thought it hypocritical of him, with the number of stones stashed on his person. He shrugged when she voiced her thoughts. He called it a last measure, one for desperate times when his survival depended on a slight energy boost.


    He said¡ªstressed¡ªthat a person should be careful in dealing with them, that they were akin to using drugs. The more one used, the more addicted they became, till eventually, they turned completely dependent on them. Then, both the body and mind would strain under the foreign source of power, only to succumb to ruin in the end.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    They should be used as a last resort, and never more than one soul tone at a time. But this man had used more than four. Wasn¡¯t he afraid of the consequences? Or was murdering her more important than his life?


    Daliya called her ice, trying to put out the fire. To smother the flames enough for her and Thuraya to escape.


    The flames tore into her ice like a man lost in the desert.


    She needed more power. She needed more ice.


    The ice spread only to be melted again and again.


    She threw her hands around her, desperate. She needed to do something. She needed to stop him.


    She reached deep within her, down to her soul, and unleashed all her powers.


    At first, she smiled, relieved. Her ice engulfed the flames, freezing them and creating a beautiful canvas of red and icy blue.


    But then, it continued.


    She watched, her eyes wide with mounting horror, as she desperately tried to stop the ice from spreading on the marble floor. She willed it to halt its devastating destruction, but her efforts were in vain. The ice continued its relentless advance, devouring everything in its path.


    The massive table at the center of the hall, the marble pillars, and the vases displayed along the walls¡­ all succumbed to the ice¡¯s relentless advance, freezing and then crumbling to white, sparkling dust.


    The intruder turned on his heels and sprinted toward the door. His eyes, the only thing visible above the cloth woven around his lower face, were wide in wrenching terror. But the hungry ice reached him a couple of feet from the burnt door. It spread up his feet, engulfing its victim in its icy grasp and freezing the screams before they could escape the wide mouth. His body swayed dangerously. Daliya took an involuntary step toward him, halting as the intruder¡¯s frozen body fell to the floor, shattering into a million shards.


    But it didn¡¯t stop there.


    Daliya¡¯s heart seized in her chest. She cursed her powers, cursed the ice and all the destruction it brought along with it.


    ¡°Stop,¡± she pleaded, but the ice refused to listen.


    Then, her eyes fell to one corner of the hall. Huddled against one of the vases was Thuraya, her hands clutched to her chest, her terrified eyes watching the ice advance toward her.


    ¡°No, no, no, no,¡± Daliya whispered with growing horror. She took a step toward her, her pleading hand reaching for Thuraya. Her action seemed to amplify her treacherous powers. The ice purged forward with newfound strength.


    No! This wasn¡¯t supposed to happen! Why? Why?


    Daliya stood. She could no longer feel her hands or feet. She felt like she was floating like she was stuck in a nightmare.


    Wake up! You have to wake up! Please don¡¯t let this be real!


    She pleaded, but no one listened.


    Ice surged before Thuraya, forming a wall separating her from Daliya. She could no longer see her, no longer witness the horror of her actions, the horrors she had committed.


    She had killed her.


    She had killed her!


    The storm inside her chest raged, twisted, and unfurled. Then, it erupted.


    All around her was white. She could hear the sound the ice made as it crushed against the walls and broke through every crevice in the hall. The world beyond the ice ceased to exist. She wished the ice would devour her, quell this storm inside, and turn it into nothingness. She wished it would turn her into one of the ice statues and shatter her remains till nothing was found of her.


    But it still refused to listen.


    She fell to her knees. The ground shattered as she dug her fingers into it.


    Then she heard it¡ªa faint flicker, like the sound of flames dancing around the fireplace. The ground shifted and cracked, and water started seeping between the cracks.


    Two booted feet stood before her, the ice long melted underneath them. The raging storm flickered briefly before picking up as if a dying animal giving its last roar before succumbing to its death.


    Haitham knelt before her. ¡°No,¡± Daliya choked out. She jerked back as his hand reached for her face. He paused, his hand hovering between them. ¡°You¡¯ll freeze!¡± she screamed. But her voice was barely above a whisper, lost in the raging blizzard around her. Her throat ached like the ground beneath her. Cracked and ravaged by what she had thought would be the means of her salvation.


    How long had she been screaming?


    He smiled. ¡°It¡¯s okay. My fire can withstand your ice.¡± He cradled her face. ¡°Sleep for now. Everything would be fine.¡±


    No. It won¡¯t, she wanted to say. Nothing was fine. She had destroyed everything. She had killed Thuraya, and only God knew who else. She was a murderer now. He might become her next victim.


    She flinched away from his hands¡­ or tried to. His hands were fastened to her face like manacles. Why? Why was he so adamant about touching her when he knew what she was capable of?


    Her eyes bored into his. She felt a pinch at the side of her neck. The last thing she saw was Haitham¡¯s worried gaze. Then everything faded into darkness.

 Chapter 15

    When she woke up, it was dark, and the faint moonlight shimmering through the curtains was the only light source in the room. She stayed lying on the bed, refusing to budge. As if, if she hadn¡¯t moved, then all that had happened would be a dream, something that would dissolve with the first rays of the sun.


    Thuraya¡­


    Daliya felt her chest seize as if a hand was tightly gripping her struggling heart.


    Thuraya was gone. The ice had killed her. It had turned her into a frozen statue. Or worse, maybe she had shattered into dust, with nothing remaining behind. Not even a corpse for her family to bury.


    No. It wasn¡¯t the ice. Daliya did. Daliya had killed her.


    Murderer.


    She was a murderer.


    Dlaiya blinked the tears that had gathered in her eyes. She huddled against the covers, hiding her face under the pillow. She gritted her teeth, fighting against the nausea that brewed in her stomach, a futile attempt, as she struggled out of her hiding place and heaved her stomach¡¯s acid on the floor. She retched and retched till it was nothing but dry heaving.


    It was a mistake; all of this was. She wasn¡¯t supposed to be here. She only brought death and disaster to this world. She felt deep resentment for the princess. Why did she bring her here? Why?


    She pushed her face against the soft cloth that now felt anything but soft. The once feathery soft bed felt more rigid than the hardest, stony floor. She squeezed her eyes shut, a kaleidoscope of color appearing behind her eyelids. She pushed her fists against her eyes hard. She wished the darkness would swallow her whole, would drown her, and deliver her from this deep-seated agony that was eating away at her chest.


    She sat, leaning on the bed¡¯s headboard, eyes staring at nothing. She didn¡¯t know how much time had passed, nor did she care. Then she heard something shift outside, just beyond the window. She stilled.


    Where was Haitham? Was he another of her victims?


    She slowly and sluggishly got out of bed and neared the closed window. She heard his hushed voice outside, arguing with someone. A woman? Daliya had never heard her voice before. Who could she be?


    ¡°Who ordered it, then?¡± Haitham¡¯s voice was sharp, like the dagger hidden under his shirt.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The woman¡¯s voice sounded guarded.


    ¡°I was clear with my orders. No one is to get near her.¡±


    ¡°When you said she was yours, I had thought you meant you¡¯d be the one to kill her, not protect her.¡±


    Haitham paused briefly. ¡°Things have changed. I can¡¯t tell you anything now. But my orders still stand.¡±


    Daliya felt the strength leave her legs. She leaned on the wall, closing her eyes as she listened. Betrayal reared its ugly head inside her chest. Did he know them? Was he aware of their presence?


    Mazin¡¯s words echoed in her mind. ¡®Someone like him is loyal as long as it benefits him.¡¯


    Daliya closed her eyes. No. Since the start, she had never asked for his loyalty. It was a transaction, a deal. He would teach her to control her powers¡ªsomething she desperately needed now more than never¡ªand she would grant him a favor. Trust and loyalty were never part of their deal.


    Yet, why did she feel like she was being suffocated? Like the world had betrayed her? Like he had betrayed her?


    ¡°Why? She¡¯s here! She¡¯s defenseless! We can be rid of her!¡±


    Daliya sighed softly.


    If they attacked her now, she wouldn¡¯t lift a finger to stop them. She might even make it easier for them and get in the way of the sword.


    She almost wished they did.


    ¡°Do not touch her.¡± Haitham¡¯s voice sent a chill down Daliya¡¯s spine.


    ¡°Since when have you played guard dog to the crown princess of the empire?¡± the woman hissed. Daliya could sense the deep anger and betrayal in her voice.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    ¡°That¡¯s not it. This is different.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± the woman shrieked. ¡°Have you forgotten what she did? What we¡¯ve lost because of her?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t her. She didn¡¯t destroy Siraj. It was the emperor.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s no different than him! Can¡¯t you see that?¡± There was a brief silence before the woman continued, disbelief lacing her words. ¡°You still won¡¯t do it, will you? She must have bewitched you! The last time we spoke, you were heading north to cut her throat, and now¡­ now you¡¯re killing your own people to protect her. How dare you?¡± the woman hissed. ¡°How could you?¡±


    Haitham was so quiet that Daliya thought he had left. Then she heard his deep sigh.


    ¡°What¡¯s more important to you, Siraj or her?¡± the woman asked.


    Not wanting to hear his answer, Daliya left them to their argument, exited her room, and silently closed the door behind her.


    She couldn¡¯t understand why they wanted to prevent her from attending Thuraya¡¯s funeral. She was her friend, not just a maid.


    She died because of her. The least she could do was ask her family for forgiveness. She would crawl on ice to get there.


    No one wanted to tell her where her house was. They all asked whether it was an imperial order. She nearly did. But the fear she saw etched on their faces at the sight of her, their furtive eyes that glanced at her hands as if waiting for her to freeze them, was enough to snap her mouth shut and make her look for Mazin instead. Surely, he would understand. He would take her there.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Highness. I don¡¯t believe it is a good idea to head to the village now. Maybe in a few days¡ª¡±


    She huffed, walking away before he finished speaking.


    Fine. She would get there alone.


    She marched out the gates. No one stopped her. She was the princess, after all. No one dared get in her path. Mazin¡¯s steps halted with a mere glare from her.


    She might have also lifted her hand towards him.


    She reached the village without an incident. But not a step in, a hand took hold of her arm, stopping her.


    ¡°Let go,¡± she said.


    ¡°This is no place for you to be. Not now. Not when there might still be others on the loose.¡± Haitham stepped in front of her, not letting go of her arm.


    ¡°You would want that, wouldn¡¯t you?¡± she hissed.


    He raised a confused eyebrow at her words, which only stoked the fire burning in her chest. She pulled at her hand, cursing at him when he refused to let her go. What else did he want?


    ¡°She was my friend.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t,¡± she hissed. ¡°What are you doing here? Are you done with your little meeting?¡±


    Haitham stilled, an unreadable expression passed over his face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I didn¡¯t tell Mazin that you knew the attackers. He would be ecstatic to find out he was right about you.¡±


    He sighed.


    ¡°Do you regret letting me live back in the cavern? Don¡¯t worry. You still have another chance. Heck, I might even thank you. I would rather not go around freezing people to death. A life in exchange for many is not such a bad thing.¡±


    His grip tightened. He leaned forward, his frame concealing the curious villagers who had stopped to watch them.


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t regret it.¡±


    ¡°Well, that makes one of us.¡±


    He squeezed his eyes shut, sighing. Daliya watched him like a viper, ready to strike. But his next words deflated the fight out of her.


    ¡°She was injured in the line of duty. Don¡¯t beat yourself up over this. All the castle servants knew what they signed up for.¡±


    ¡°But she wasn¡¯t. If I hadn¡¯t lost control, if I had stopped it before it reached her¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not of this world. Losing control was inevitable. You couldn¡¯t have stopped it. It wasn¡¯t your fault.¡±


    ¡°It was,¡± she insisted. She didn¡¯t want him to cuddle her feelings. She didn¡¯t want him to absolve her of her responsibility in Thuraya¡¯s death.


    He stayed silent before he said, ¡°Listen, I know you feel guilty. Believe me, I do. But this is the wrong way to go about it. I won¡¯t let you walk in there when there might be other assassins ready to strike. I won¡¯t let you endanger yourself.¡±


    She bit into her lower lip till she tasted blood. His lips pressed into a thin line. He let go of her hand and used the sleeve of his jacket to wipe at the blood that started dripping down her lip.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of me?¡±


    He smiled. ¡°Your ice is no match for my fire.¡±


    She let out a choked breath, allowing a sad smile to pull at her lips.


    ¡°Now I want you back to the castle. I promise I¡¯ll take you there myself when this all blows over.¡±.¡± He said, softening his voice.


    She let out a deep breath, her shoulders sagging. ¡°Not before I attend her funeral.¡±


    He paused, his brows knitting in confusion. ¡°What funeral?¡±


    Was he really going to make her say it?


    ¡°Thuraya¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Did no one tell you?¡± He cursed under his breath, glancing at the castle towers. ¡°No wonder.¡± He looked back at her. ¡°She¡¯s not dead. She was injured, but Adyl saved her before any substantial harm befell her. It would be some time till she¡¯s back to active duty. But she¡¯s far from being dead.¡±


    Daliya couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing. Was she dreaming? She must be. She had seen the ice wall surge before Thuraya. ¡°What?¡± The word got swallowed by the wind.


    Haitham¡¯s eyes bored into hers. ¡°She¡¯s not dead. It might take her a bit of time, but she¡¯ll heal eventually.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not dead,¡± he repeated.


    Daliya¡¯s next exhale tore through her chest like a drowning man spotting land after days lost at sea. She looked at him, small tendrils of hope spreading through her chest and lodging into her throat.


    ¡°Really?¡± she asked, her voice small and fragile.


    He nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±

 Chapter 16

    She sent the palace healer to tend to Thuraya¡¯s wounds. She was furious when she heard that they only administered first aid and then sent her back home. According to the healer, the ice had covered her feet and frozen them solid. Thankfully, Haitham was in the vicinity. He had gently coxed the ice away, and the doctor had prescribed her salve to apply till her feet healed. Daliya had instructed the healer not to be back till Thuraya had completely recovered and to use the castle funds if required.


    Haitham still hadn¡¯t given her the green light to go to the village¡ªwhich she desperately wanted. So, she spent the whole time hidden in her chamber, avoiding the eyes of the other servants and, most of all, avoiding the destroyed hall.


    It wasn¡¯t till a week after the incident that she convinced herself to go to the hidden garden.


    As she stood in the garden, her hand extended, she realized she had not just abandoned the ice, but the ice had abandoned her.


    No matter how she called, it refused to answer.


    Haitham stood behind her. A silent shadow. She turned to him.


    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Try again.¡±


    She huffed but did as told.


    Still nothing.


    ¡°Again.¡±


    That part inside her chest that raged and screamed was silent now. Non-existent.


    ¡°Again.¡±


    She whirled around, glaring at him. ¡°I said I can¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that you can¡¯t. It¡¯s that you won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I tried!¡±


    ¡°Powers only respond to their owner¡¯s desire. This desire doesn¡¯t have to be explicitly said. Deep down, you don¡¯t want your powers. You¡¯re rejecting them. They obeyed.¡±


    She reeled back as if slapped. Horror and disbelief colored her face. ¡°Are you saying I want to hurt others?¡±


    How could he¡­?


    She raged at him, pushing against his chest with all her force. He didn¡¯t budge. Not even an inch.


    He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m saying that as long as you refuse to control your powers and leave them at the whims of your unstable emotions, what happened that day will happen again.¡± He took hold of her wrist and pulled her forward, staring into her eyes. ¡°Your powers are yours alone. Either you take hold of them or let them run loose unchecked.¡±


    She wrenched her hand from his grasp, shot him a scathing look, then walked back to the castle.


    She didn¡¯t talk to him since their fight in the garden. He stayed near, at the periphery of her vision¡ªa silent shadow.


    Then, one morning, he approached her just as Mazin was giving his report of a monster sighting¡ªan abomination that lurked around the mountain, sighted by some villagers while they gathered wood.


    Daliya ordered the knights to deal with it.


    If it was like the one she had encountered in the cave, they had to kill it before it reached the town. Mazin looked reluctant to follow her orders at first, insisting that a handful of knights were more than enough to deal with the threat. Daliya refused.


    ¡°Just to be on the safe side,¡± she said. ¡°I would rather send more knights to deal with it than risk the lives of two.¡±


    He bowed.


    ¡°And, captain. Be careful. If it¡¯s more powerful than you thought, don¡¯t engage. Return to the castle. We¡¯ll find another way to deal with it.¡±


    Meaning that she would ask Haitham for help. But she didn¡¯t say.


    When Mazin left, a small smile had softened his stern features.


    Daliya turned to Haitham, her arms crossed over her chest.


    ¡°What do you want?¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    He lifted his arms in a placating manner. ¡°To help. I swear.¡±


    She raised an eyebrow at him.


    ¡°I heard about the monster. I think we should head down to the village.¡±


    She narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him. ¡°Why? I thought you said it wasn¡¯t safe?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been days, and yet they¡¯ve made no moves.¡± He shrugged.


    She narrowed her eyes at him.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t they worried? I think seeing their princess walking amongst them will bolster their resolve and quieten the worry in their hearts.¡± He grinned, but the grin soon fell when she didn¡¯t smile.


    ¡°I can¡¯t protect them,¡± she said deadpan.


    Had he forgotten?


    He waved her off. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be there.¡±


    She regarded him scrutinizingly. While he was right¡ªseeing her would make the villagers feel safe¡ªshe couldn¡¯t help but feel like something was missing.


    And she could finally visit Thuraya.


    ¡°Alright,¡± she sighed. ¡°We¡¯ll go.¡±


    ¡°Perfect!¡± He sounded more relieved than she thought he should.


    Whatever, she thought. She¡¯ll deal with whatever he was planning later.


    She didn¡¯t know what people typically brought with them when visiting a sick person. But back home, people would bring fruits and cakes. So she did just that. Before leaving, she made a short detour to the kitchens and exited with a basket full of fruits and cakes now hanging from her arm.


    Haitham¡¯s brows had furrowed briefly in amusement but said nothing.


    The villagers flocked to her like chicks to their mother. They watched her with wondrous eyes as she inspected the stalls around the streets.


    She wasn¡¯t really inspecting anything. She merely listened as merchants talked about this item or that that they had acquired from other provinces, nodded here and there, and smiled at the curious children who followed her, peering at her from behind corners. They would startle and scurry away, laughing.


    One merchant had yelled at one of them, but Daliya stopped him, rebuking him for his harsh words. Since then, the distance between her and the little crowd has only decreased.


    The whole time, Haitham was a constant fixture by her side. His eyes roamed around the square, searching for something.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Hmm? Nothing.¡± He seemed distracted. His hand ran through his hair, further disheveling the slightly wavy curls.


    Suddenly, a deafening roar split the air. Silence reigned briefly as everyone turned to see what was happening before chaos reined in the square.


    The monster was inside the village.


    It had a humanoid form with claw-like fingers. Water ripples ran along its frame, making it look like a walking water nightmare. The absence of features on its face made the jagged teeth more prominent and menacing.


    Horrified screams filled the square. Villagers ran around frantically, trying to escape the monster¡¯s reaching hands.


    ¡°Haitham¨C¡±


    He was gone. She blinked, uncomprehending. He was here, next to her, just a moment ago. Where did he go?


    She looked through the sea of frightened faces, but he was nowhere to be seen.


    Panic gripped her heart. Her mind screamed at her to move. But it was futile. She was powerless. Her ice had abandoned her.


    The monster approached a child separated from his mother in the chaos. The child screamed and curled around himself, squeezing his eyes shut as if the monster would disappear if he could no longer see it.


    The monster roared, fixing on the child like a starved animal would prey.


    No. She reached for the child. She wasn¡¯t going to stand and watch another person get hurt. Not again.


    Right before the monster¡¯s claws made contact with the frightened kid, an ice shield sprung around him. Then another overlapped the first, but instead of merely stopping the sharp claws, it extended, knocking the monster away.


    Daliya ran up to the child. She ran her hands over his face, looking for injuries. He whimpered, then threw himself in her arms, hiding his face against her chest, and started bawling.


    The monster stirred. Daliya scooped up the child in her arms. They needed to get away and hide until the knights arrived. She threw the basket at its head. It made a muffled, sad thump before falling to the ground, its contents spilling at the monster¡¯s feet. The monster took a step towards them, the crunch of the crushed fruits deafening despite the villagers¡¯ screams.


    But the monster didn¡¯t get far. It stumbled and fell forward, a dagger stuck in its back, then disintegrated into dust, leaving its soul stone the sole testament to the chaos it caused. Haitham snatched the dagger before it reached the ground.


    ¡°Another water element. Just as I thought.¡± He hummed, nodding to himself.


    Daliya watched him, icy cold anger gripping her chest.


    Was this his doing? Did he lure the monster here? Was this why he had asked her to come down to the village? For another training session?


    The villagers who went into hiding emerged from their homes. They cheered and celebrated. A woman, the child¡¯s mother, fell before her, tears streaming down her face, and words of gratitude jumbled out her mouth. Daliya helped her to her feet, shaking her head to stop the woman¡¯s frantic attempt to kiss her hand.


    The knights finally arrived. A look from her sent them to their knees, apologizing for their incompetence. She waved them off, eyes scanning the crowd, searching, no longer listening to Mazin¡¯s report of the material losses they had suffered. She was sure the knight captain would be able to do what needed to be done without recurring to her.


    He stood there, grinning, triumph shining through his eyes. Haitham¡¯s smile widened as Daliya walked up to him.


    ¡°I told y¨C¡±


    She slapped him, her rage bristling at his shocked look. What was he expecting? That she would cry tears of joy and be grateful that he endangered the lives of poor, powerless villagers just to get the point across?


    She felt livid. The anger simmered and seethed, threatening to boil over.


    If she stayed another second, she would encase him in an ice prison befitting his recklessness.


    She turned and left.

 Chapter 17

    For the next few days, Daliya ignored Haitham, even asking Mazin to accompany her for another visit to Thuraya.


    She wasn¡¯t going to let it slide.


    Thuraya was happy to see her, always smiling, her shoulders relaxing each time Daliya entered her cozy home. Daliya still remembered the first time she had seen her friend after the incident. Thuraya¡¯s mother had stood at the door, speechless, her wide eyes shifting between Daliya and Mazin before falling to her knees. Daliya stopped her before her head connected with the floor. She lifted her up to her feet, gently asking her permission to see Thuraya. The woman¡¯s mouth opened and closed, failing to articulate words, then nodded.


    Thuraya¡¯s eyes had widened, and she had tried to get up from her bed and bow despite her injuries. Daliya had hurried to her and gently pushed her back.


    ¡°Your Highness, what are you doing here?¡±


    Daliay smiled apologetically at her. ¡°I¡¯m here to ask for your forgiveness.¡±


    ¡°My forgiveness? For what, Your Highness?¡±


    Daliya binked at her. ¡°That night¡­¡± She glanced at Thuraya¡¯s feet bundled under the covers. ¡°I¡¯ve caused you harm instead of protecting you.¡±


    Thuraya furiously shook her head. ¡°Your Highness, if it weren¡¯t for you, head butler Adyl, and Lord Haitham, I wouldn¡¯t have a chance to walk again.¡±


    Whatever expression Daliya had on her face made Thuraya¡¯s eyes widen further. She flailed, stumbling over her words to assure Daliya she wasn¡¯t to blame.


    Daliya couldn¡¯t help but despise the real princess a bit more.


    Another thing Daliya had to think about was the head butler. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder. Did the princess know that he was an Ice wielder, too? It was a surprise to Daliya that she wasn¡¯t the only one with powers in the palace, not when she had never seen the old man use them all the time she was around.


    Apparently, he had used his powers to construct an ice wall to stop Daliya¡¯s powers from further expanding, which ended up saving Thuraya¡¯s life. Daliya was grateful for that. But also, deep down, she couldn¡¯t help the nagging feeling of suspicion from trickling to the forefront of her mind.


    What else was hidden from her?


    As she returned from town, Haitham stepped in front of her, stopping her attempt to avoid him for another day. He stood still, staring at her, not saying a single word.


    Daliya pinched the bridge of her nose. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you remember me!¡± He crossed his arms over his chest.


    She took a step to the side. He mirrored her.


    ¡°If you¡¯re not gonna say anything, I¡¯m leaving. I still have my duties to attend to.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, okay?¡±


    She huffed. ¡°Are you really?¡±


    He hesitated. ¡°It helped, didn¡¯t it?¡±


    She gawked at him. She should have known.


    She walked forward, pushing him away when he tried to stop her. ¡°I have work to do.¡±


    ¡°What about our training?¡±


    ¡°Later. I have an important meeting with Mazin.¡± She didn¡¯t. But it was as good an excuse as any.


    ¡°You smile at him and glare at me when I¡¯m only trying to help you.¡± He sounded like he was sulking. Haitham paused. ¡°Listen, I didn¡¯t mean to anger you. I just wanted to help. You couldn¡¯t control your powers; something must have been done before they boiled over.¡±


    Daliya burst out in anger. ¡°You endangered the lives of those people! They could have died!¡±


    ¡°No. I wouldn¡¯t have let harm come to them,¡± he said firmly, then added softer, ¡°Or to you.¡±


    She snorted.


    Their argument took a backseat when an old, disheveled man arrived at the castle¡¯s gate asking for an audience with the princess on an urgent matter.


    He was ushered to the meeting hall, where Daliya listened to his plea.


    His town, a small miners¡¯ village in an isolated area, has been attacked by monsters. They tried to drive them away, but they were overwhelmed by their sheer numbers. They had lost contact with the legion of guards stationed nearby. The town¡¯s governor had refused to ask for help and had instead opted to send even more workers to replace the speed of Silver Steel¡¯s production.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Having had enough, the old man, a simple villager who had yet to hear news of his son, had decided to ask her for help. Not that he seemed sure it would bear any fruit, for the doubtful, and almost heartbroken look, he was throwing her way. He seemed ready for rejection.


    Daliya was livid. How could someone prioritize Silver Steel¡ªno matter how important or crucial to the empire it was¡ªover human lives?


    ¡°We have knights stationed there?¡± she whisper-asked Mazin.


    He shook his head. ¡°They¡¯re the emperor¡¯s guards.¡± He straightened up, his hand over the hilt of his sword. ¡°We¡¯ll prepare for departure,¡± Mazin said.


    ¡°No. The knights must remain here to ensure the safety of SilverTown. I¡¯ll go to see into this matter.¡±


    From the corner of her eyes, she could see Haitham cross his arms over his chest, his haughty stare drawn on the kneeling knight. She rolled her eyes. She could never understand why the two couldn¡¯t be civil with each other.


    ¡°With all due respect, your Highness. I am the captain of the black legion. I¡¯m fairly capable of dealing with these abominations.¡±


    She sighed. ¡°Fine.¡±


    Haitham insisted on riding in the carriage with her.


    ¡°For your safety,¡± he said.


    Not in the mood to argue further, she ignored him. Mazin seemed ready to unsheath his sword and ask him for a duel. But a word from her was enough to stop their meaningless fighting and set them on the march. Even Haitham listened to her warning and left the captain alone.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised the emperor hasn¡¯t sent one of his guard dogs to deal with the matter before. If what the man is saying, the monster infestation has been going on for a while.¡±


    Daliya frowned. ¡°Doesn¡¯t the village and its surroundings fall under the princess¡¯s jurisdiction? Why is the emperor the one managing it?¡±


    Haitham threw her a funny look. He shook his head, an amused smile pulling at his lips. ¡°True. But the mines are crucial to the empire. It¡¯s a bit baffling they left them unchecked for this long.¡±


    ¡°Why? What¡¯s this Silver Steel everyone seems so fond of?¡±


    He motioned to her sword. ¡°It¡¯s the material used for empirical swords. It¡¯s also used to make power-dampening manacles. Your connection to your powers gets cut off once they¡¯re fastened around your arms. It¡¯s never happened to me, but I heard it could be quite painful.¡± He winced. ¡°Just imagining it is enough to send my mind reeling.¡±


    Daliya grimaced. That was one thing she had no desire to experience.


    They reached the town at night. The white mountains towered to the side, their peaks reaching high into the clouds. A strange, thick mist covered parts of the ground.


    The governor was frantic. He had first denied there ever being a problem with steel production, promising Daliya that he would deliver the same amount indicated in the formal document sent by the emperor. When Daliya informed him of the reason for her visit, he paused as if he did not understand her words, then nodded, promising to help in any way he could.


    ¡°The monsters have invaded the whole area,¡± the governor informed her, motioning to the white mountains. ¡°We have a couple of houses scattered all over the mountains ground for the miners to rest. We¡¯ll head to one of them at first light.¡±


    Daliya nodded.


    The governor relinquished his home¡ªthe biggest and largest in the entire village¡ªfor the princess¡¯ accommodation. Daliya had nearly thrown a tantrum about the man and his family remaining in their house. They were but guests.


    She found herself unable to sleep. She turned in her bed, eyes closed, trying to empty her mind before finally giving up and heading downstairs. The sound of Haitham¡¯s voice hastened her steps at the promise of some company. But her peace was short-lived. Haitham wasn¡¯t alone. Mazin stood before him, his taut shoulders and the scowl on his face belaying his displeasure at whatever Haitham said.


    ¡°Will you say the same thing once the princess becomes one of these abominations?¡± Haitham hissed.


    Both Mazin and Daliya stilled.


    What is he talking about? No one told her about this.


    ¡°I¨CI don¡¯t¨C¡± Mazin swallowed heavily. ¡°Her Highness is the strongest Ice Weilder on the continent. She wouldn¡¯t let herself turn into one of them.¡±


    ¡°Spare me your excuses.¡± Haitham¡¯s voice was so harsh it sent shivers down Daliya¡¯s back.


    She retreated, suddenly uninterested in where their conversation was leading. She walked outside and sat under the porch, watching the moonlight dance over the crushed snow.


    She stayed there awhile, basking in the night¡¯s blissful silence. It was so peaceful. For a moment, she forgot that monsters lurked beyond the tree line, that she might turn into one someday.


    ¡°Can¡¯t sleep?¡± Haitham asked.


    ¡°Was it true? What you said¡­¡± She trailed off. She felt silly for worrying about it when the Seer had already pointed her death.


    He didn¡¯t seem surprised, as if he knew she was listening in on them. He sat beside her, his eyes gazing at the endless snow.


    She glanced at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s the natural cycle of things. Those lost souls, once, were humans, like you and I.¡± He paused. ¡°But eventually, their senses got overwhelmed, and they turned into what you saw.¡±


    ¡°Will I turn into a monster?¡±


    He gave her a long look. ¡°Hopefully, not for a long time.¡± At her querying look, he continued, ¡°Losing one¡¯s sense of self leads to a loss of control, which, in turn, leads to the soul¡¯s corruption. That form merely mirrors the monster¡¯s soul. Deformed and unrecognizable. Something no longer human.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    He nodded. He held his hands wide, a small grin at the corner of his lips. ¡°Which is why I¡¯m here. I¡¯ll ensure you get full control over your ice, even if it is the last thing I¡¯ll ever do. After all, I¡¯m your faithful bodyguard, both body and soul.¡± He winked.


    Daliya didn¡¯t know what kind of face she was making, but it was enough to send Haitham into a fluster. He rubbed the back of his head, a giggle escaping his lips. Even under the moonlight, she could still see the blush that traveled up his neck and covered his ears.


    ¡°I think we should get back inside. Rational thoughts in freezing weather is not one of my strong suits.¡±


    She burst into laughter. He looked at her, indignant.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you know. I¡¯m usually very articulate.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    He huffed but stayed beside her instead of heading inside, where warmth and comfort awaited him.

 Chapter 18

    The cabins were sparsely furnished, with only the bare minimum. The miners spent days in the mountains gathering materials for exportation to the capital. So Daliya was a bit surprised to see no sign of comfort. There were also giant bells at each of the cabins, though none in the ones deep into the mountains. The further they went, the thicker the fog became, the governor explained. At midnight, the village would sound bells to announce the end of one day and the start of another. Otherwise, there was no other way to tell the time.


    The air up the mountain was heavy and thin. Daliya could barely breathe. She focused her straying thoughts on the steps she was treading into the snow, trying to keep yesterday¡¯s conversation out of her mind. Was no one going to tell her what awaited her if she failed to control her powers or if she hadn¡¯t stumbled upon their talk?


    No. What did all this mean? Did it mean that the one Haitham had killed in the cave was another human? Someone like them? Someone like her? What about the one who had attacked the village? Would that be her someday? Attacking the ones she was supposed to protect¡­


    It was with great relief that she glimpsed one of the deeper cabins. She observed the wooden structure, relieved for a bit of distraction.


    ¡°This is where we rest.¡±


    The knights slumped to the ground, their shoulders sagging as they took short, fast breaths. This fog was starting to be a problem. And to make matters worse, the further they ventured inside, the thinner the air became.


    ¡°We should form groups and search for the lost miners,¡± Daliya announced. ¡°We will meet back here before the bells sound.¡± The knights nodded, and she could see their unease. ¡°Prioritize your safety,¡± she added.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡± Haitham gestured for her to follow.


    She narrowed her eyes at him. ¡°You¡¯re not planning to use them as bait, right?¡±


    He glanced at her, then back at the fog. ¡°Of course not. They¡¯ll be useless anyway. Not that I ever thought of using them,¡± he hurriedly added at her look.


    He squinted his eyes at the fog. Daliya wondered whether he could get a glimpse through. ¡°Something has attracted those monsters. The faster we deal with the source of the disturbance, the better. Otherwise¡­¡±


    ¡°It would attract even more monsters?¡± she ventured.


    He nodded. ¡°Your knights might be trained in combat, but they won¡¯t be useful here. Not when they can¡¯t even feel the Soul stones¡¯ energy.¡±


    Her eyes widened. ¡°You mean this heaviness¡­?


    ¡°Yes. this is what concentrated energy feels like.¡± He looked at her. ¡°Stick by me long enough, and you¡¯ll become an expert at this stuff.¡± He winked.


    Matters decided, she directed the other knights where the energy was low, ignoring any protest from the captain, and followed Haitham through the fog.


    The first thing she noticed was the silence. It was like she had stepped into a soundproof room where she could only hear her own breathing. No bird chipping was heard despite the numerous trees covering the mountain¡¯s surface. It was like a haunted forest. Maybe it was, with all those monsters lurking around.


    Haitham grasped her hand in his.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t want you to get lost. We should stay together.¡±


    They ventured further into the fog. The more they walked, the harder it was to see in front of them.


    Daliya manipulated the ice she stepped on. Her footsteps glowed a faint blue light, marking the way they came from. Haitham raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°I would rather not get lost here with no way back.¡± She shrugged.


    ¡°You won¡¯t be lost. Not with me here.¡±


    Whatever retort she had got lost as her feet stumbled, only Haitham¡¯s hand keeping her upright.


    ¡°Careful,¡± Haitham said as he steered her away from a fallen tree trunk. It was snapped in half, and a huge chunk was taken out of it as if something had bitten through it.


    The miners were huddled together, hiding between a cluster of half-destroyed tree trunks. They startled, screams scaping their dry throats at their sights. Of them¡ªthe bravest amongst them¡ªswung his pickaxe around, his stiff body turning in the momentum before its weight brought him down, his half-choked cry muffled by the snow.


    Daliya crouched before him. ¡°You okay?¡± she asked. Poor men had been lost in this snow blizzard, lost, hungry, and hunted down by monsters for a couple of days now. It was a miracle they were alive at all.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°You-you¡¯re real?¡± one of the huddled men asked, disbelief coloring his face.


    Daliya nodded.


    ¡°There are monsters here! They¡¯ve invaded the mines!¡±


    ¡°We know,¡± Daliya said.


    The miners paused. They glanced at each other, then back to her and Haitham, regarding them with suspicious looks.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re here to take care of them,¡± she announced. When their suspicious looks didn¡¯t abate, she added, ¡°We¡¯re with the knight legion.¡±


    A short, silent moment passed before a beaming, happy laugh tore out their throats.


    ¡°Are you really with the knights?¡±


    ¡°Are the monsters gone?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re saved!¡±


    ¡°I told you they¡¯ll come!¡± one of the miners told his friend. The latter snorted.


    ¡°They came for their steel,¡± he huffed.


    As much as she wanted to refute the man¡¯s claims, she knew he was right. If it was the real princess, she doubted she would have come to their rescue.


    ¡°We still haven¡¯t dealt with the monsters. Getting you out was our priority.¡± She resisted rolling her eyes at the shocked looks they threw at her. ¡°Now that we found you, we can take care of the monsters.¡±


    ¡°Myril!¡± one of them yelled, taking hold of her arm. But he soon tore it away as if she was on fire. She shot half a glance at Haitham as she felt him shift behind her.


    ¡°He¡¯s still there, near the mines. He had distracted the monsters for us to escape. Please, save him!¡± the man implored.


    ¡°Oh my God. Myril, the poor bastard!¡±


    Chatter erupted around, everyone pleading with her to save their self-sacrificial friend. Daliya nodded, assuring them that they would do anything in their power to save him.


    ¡°Can you see this?¡± She motioned to the still-bright footprints she left on the ground. ¡°This will lead you back to one of the cabins at the foot of the mountain. The fog is thinner there. You might find your way back to the village. We¡¯ll take care of things here.¡±


    Their eyes widened at the iridescent sight. They took several steps back, away from hr.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± the man who had first attacked her asked.


    ¡°I told you. We¡¯re with the knights.¡± She was starting to get impatient. Every second they wasted here brought their friend, Myril, closer to his doom.


    They stared at her for a while. Then, they fell to the ground, heads pressed against the snow, muffling the sound of the impact.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡± they cried.


    Oh, no. Not this again. Daliya sighed. Couldn¡¯t she have a normal encounter around here?


    She shot a glare at Haitham at his chortled laugh.


    ¡°Follow the signs and get back to the cabin,¡± she said, watching as they all nodded and followed her instruction like their lives depended on it¡ªthey feared her, not the monsters.


    Daliya didn¡¯t know how close to the truth they were.


    They treaded further into the mountain. Haitham leading the way to the disturbance.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t noticeable at first, but there is another core I¡¯m detecting.¡±


    ¡°Another¡­ monster?¡± her voice faltered. It was hard enough not to think about the once-humans she had to face.


    Haitham shokk his head. ¡°No. this one is human.¡± at her look, he added, ¡°His core still hasn¡¯t been corrupted.¡±


    At her solemn nod, he stopped her, his hand warm through the fabric of her coat. ¡°Listen. Those monsters¡ªfor this is what they are¡ªare no longer human. When we face them, I want you to see them for what they truly are. Corruptions.¡±


    She sighed. It wasn¡¯t easy to ask that of her, not after what she had learned yesterday. Still, to appease Haitham¡¯s worried eyes, she nodded.


    ¡°We¡¯re getting closer,¡± he announced, his voice barely above a whisper.


    Then, groans and grumbles sounded deep into the forest. Daliya stopped. She gave Haitham an alarmed look, and he nodded.


    ¡°Lost souls. And a lot of them, by the looks of it.¡±


    A couple steps further, he stopped, his eyes roaming around.


    They were here.


    The first one stumbled through the trees, claws lunging forward to taste their flesh or soul. Haitham tugged her to the side. The monster crashed against the tree beside them.


    The dagger materialzed in Haitham¡¯s hand. He shot it forward. It struck the monster¡¯s soul dead on. It cluttered to the ground, two parts of the stone a couple of feet away, dim and faded.


    Dead.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say they could be useful?¡± she asked.


    ¡°There are too many. Getting rid of them is the priority.¡± with a flick of his hand, the dagger disappeared and reappeared into his grasp.


    She unsheathed her sword and launched towards the closest monster, angling for its arm. It cut through so easily that she nearly fell head-first into its awaiting claws. She blinked. It felt like she was cutting through water. No, realization dawned on her. It was water. She cursed as the arm twisted and started reattaching itself. She had to be quick, or it would be a never-ending battle. She twisted her sword for the cut and swung it to the side, towards where the energy came from. But as the blade neared the stone, her resolve faltered. She shifted her hold and the sword cut into the monster¡¯s soul, but not enough to break the stone. She felt a stinging pain along her arm at the weird angle.


    The monster shrieked. It twisted its arm and reached for her, but its hand never reached her. A pickaxe cut through the stone, slicing it through.


    Daliya watched as the monster disintegrated, leaving behind a cracked stone. It fell limp on the ground.


    A young man, not much older than herself, looked at her with a crazed face. Was this Myril?


    The man¡¯s eyes widened in alarm. He jerked back, his feet slipping in the water from the felled monster and landing hard on the ground. ¡°Behind you!¡± he screamed.


    Daliya twisted around. She swung her sword again. This time, her blade met its target. It was her duty to protect him. She would leave all the thinking until they were safe and back in the village.


    Lost in the fight, Daliya lost sight of both Haitham and Myril. She looked around. There was no sight of Haitham nor his fire. There was only the fog.


    They were separated.

 Chapter 19

    She sat perched on a tree branch, her eyes following the small icy patterns she had created on the ground, which led to her place.


    She couldn¡¯t stay there, not with the increasing number of lost souls. She didn¡¯t know whether it was her ability to sense them that had improved or the one heading toward her was so much stronger that even her with basic training was able to sense its approach. She had searched and searched to no avail. There was no sign of Haitham.


    It felt strange. Since they had been together, she had gotten accustomed to having him a round. A silent shadow. Always there despite the sun¡¯s valiant effort to erase its existence.


    She crossed her arms over her chest, fighting the urge to wrap herself up and protect herself from the non-existent cold.


    Were they safe? Did they get back to the cabin, or did she leave them there, trapped with the lost souls?


    Haitham was strong. She wasn¡¯t much worried about him. She knew whatever the threat, he would always come on top. But what about Myril? The poor man looked two inches away from hyperventilating.


    She blew into her hands, watching the mist swirl around them and dissipate into nothingness.


    ¡°Where the heck did he go?¡± she whispered.


    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    She startled, nearly losing her balance and falling head first onto the ground.


    ¡°What the¨C!¡±


    ¡°Glad to see you too.¡± He grinned. She winced as his hand clutched her injured arm in his attempt to steady her.


    His eyes sharpened. ¡°You¡¯re hurt?¡±


    ¡°...A bit. It¡¯s not that serious.¡± She showed him the quick job she did in bandaging her arm.


    He swung down, landing on his feet. ¡°Come. I¡¯ve found a cabin not far from here. We might find something to use for your injury.¡±


    ¡°I told you it¡¯s nothing. I already took care of it,¡± she protested. ¡°What about Myril? Wasn¡¯t he with you?¡± She glanced around, looking for the miner.


    ¡°He should be back with the others by now, " he said, shooting her a smile. The footprints were quite quick-thinking.¡± He glanced away, then back at her. ¡°We need to hurry, or we will soon be overrun.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we take care of them first? They might head into the village if we wait for long.¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°They¡¯ve been here for weeks, and yet, no monster was sighted roaming outside the mountains. There must be something drawing them back to the mines.¡±


    Daliya shot him a look. ¡°You don¡¯t think¡­?¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡± He shrugged.


    Daliya frowned. Who would cause such a thing? Daliya knew there were hushed whispers against the empire. Victims of invaded lands or elemental users striking against the empire that had sworn to hunt them down. But no matter how sympathizing she was with their fears, endangering the lives of innocents was a red line they shouldn¡¯t have crossed.


    They needed to get rid of the monsters. They didn¡¯t have time to rest. But the stubborn man wouldn¡¯t listen.


    The fog was a bit clearer around the cabin. It was dark. No light shone through its glass windows. They were the only ones here. With a flick of his fingers, all the candles in the cabin lit up.


    ¡°Much better.¡± He grinned. ¡°We¡¯ll rest here, then continue our search.¡±


    She sat next to the window, observing the still forest. Shadows danced through the fog. Daliya watched, unsure whether it was her tired mind or the monsters who had followed them. But if it was the latter, they were content lurking at the fog¡¯s edge.


    Haitham rummaged through the cupboards, a pleased hum escaping his lips each time he found something. He brought bandages and pieces of bread that looked like they¡¯d been there for quite some time.


    He gently took her hand and lifted her torn sleeve. ¡°Five minutes! I¡¯ve lost sight of you for five minutes, and you¡¯re already injured.¡± He tutted.


    She scowled. ¡°There was more than one monster.¡±


    He hummed. ¡°True.¡±


    She winced as he cleaned her wound.


    ¡°Bear with it for a while. I would rather it not get infected. God knows when we¡¯ll be able to get down the mountain.¡±


    He fastened the bandages around the wound a bit gentler.


    ¡°That man, the one the miners spoke about, he was an Earth Shaker.¡±


    ¡°An Earth Shaker? Was he the one whose core you detected?¡± At his nod, she asked, ¡°How did he survive till now?¡± The monsters must have felt his core. Heck, they were roaming the area as if looking for something.


    ¡°He hid under a layer of ground.¡± At Daliya¡¯s shocked eyes, he snorted. ¡°He¡¯s an Earth Shaker.¡± He shrugged. ¡°They¡¯re strong and grounded as long as they have a connection to firm ground. Which, if you haven¡¯t noticed, means anywhere. Well, except the Isles.¡± he added.


    ¡°What about the corruption?¡±


    ¡°What about it?¡±


    Daliya hesitated. ¡°Did it affect him?¡±


    Would it affect us?


    Haitham looked at her, silent, then said, ¡°It¡¯s not contagious. So, no. It didn''t affect him.¡± He paused. ¡°Nor us.¡±Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    Daliya nodded. Good. one less thing to worry about.


    ¡°What will you do?¡± Haitham asked.


    ¡°About Myril? Nothing.¡±


    ¡°You know the empire¡¯s stance on people like us. There¡¯s no telling what could happen to him if he gets found out.¡±


    Haitham was strangely caring. She scrutinized his actions, looking for any benefit he might gain from any help he offered. But beneath his mask of abrasiveness, he cared deeply about the Elementalists, whether they were Fire Bearers or Earth Shakers.


    She smiled. ¡°As long as he remains hidden, he can do whatever he wants. I¡¯m not the real princess, remember?¡±


    ¡°True. Such a shame, really.¡±


    She snorted.


    She lanced out the window, trying to get a glimpse through the surrounding fog.


    Nothing.


    ¡°Who could have drawn these monsters here? It¡¯s clear they want to halt the production of the Silver Steel.¡±


    Haitham let out a chortle. ¡°Who doesn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Is the empire engaged in another war?¡±


    He stared back at her. ¡°The war never ended, nor will it ever end. Not as long as people like us drow breath.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the crown princess an Ice Wielder? Why would the emperor view her as a threat? She¡¯s his daughter.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a weapon. And like all weapons, they rust and get discarded when no longer useful.¡±


    Daliya sighed, her shoulders slumping. It seemed that not loving and caring father was one of the things they had in common.


    ¡°Who then?¡±


    Only silence answered Daliya¡¯s querying look. She watched as Haitham stood up and put the supplies away, keeping his back to her, movements deliberate and mechanical. She narrowed her eyes at him. His reaction meant one thing; he either knew who did this or had an inkling about their identity. Could it be a member of the assassin¡¯s order?


    Whatever it was, she would deal with it later. Now, they had to take care of the infestation.


    ¡°Do you think they¡¯re out there?¡±


    He glanced at her. ¡°Oh, I know they¡¯re out there. But whatever¡¯s out there is far more appealing to their insatiable appetite than two lone elementalists.¡± He raised an eyebrow at her. ¡°Hopefully, this time, your word would find its target at first strike.¡±


    So he noticed. She had hoped he hadn¡¯t with all the fray.


    She glanced down at the stark white bandage around her arm. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I just¡­ what if they¡¯re still there? What if their humanity hasn¡¯t extinguished like everyone seems to think?¡± She stared at him, fighting against the shame that gnawed at her nerves. No. there was nothing to be ashamed of. What if she was right? What if they were murdering people who were stuck inside their minds, unable to ask for help?


    He sighed. ¡°They¡¯re not.¡± His voice was firm. Final. ¡°The corruption eats away at a person¡¯s consciousness. It¡¯s irreversible. By the time their appearance changes, it¡¯s too late. Whatever made them human is long gone.¡±


    An uncomfortable silence reigned over the room. Daliya looked down at her hands, trying to stop her thoughts from tumbling down a dark, fathomless path where only death and despair reigned.


    Desperate for distraction, she turned to Haitham. ¡°Since when have you fought them?¡±


    He looked up at her, pausing. ¡°Since I could remember.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    He shrugged.


    For some reason, the thought of a child Haitham facing down these monsters made her chest tighten.


    ¡°We were taught how to fight before we were taught to speak. Especially after the war. We couldn¡¯t afford to let our guard down.¡±


    He handed her a piece of bread that she turned down. She wouldn¡¯t chance food poisoning with monsters out for their souls. He shrugged, tore a piece of the stale bread, and chewed at it.


    She didn¡¯t notice her eyes closing, nor did she know when she fell asleep. She was startled awake at the loud ringing of bells.


    It was already midnight. Although they had spent the whole day in the mountain, it had felt like a mere couple of hours.


    Haitham was sitting beside the lit fireplace, his hands reaching toward the fire, feeding its dying ambers.


    ¡°I hate the north,¡± he mumbled.


    ¡°We should go.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. I know.¡±


    He stood up. His eyes lingered mournfully at the flames.


    ¡°Goodbye, dear friend.¡± With a wave of his hand, the fire flickered off.


    They walked for a while without seeing any monsters. It seemed as if they had disappeared, but the heaviness in the air indicated otherwise.


    After a while, a white light shone through the fog.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    A giant Soul stone floated in the air. It was so bright. Its color shone through the fog, illuminating the forest. Lost souls scrambled over each other in their attempt to get to it. But each time one of them reached it, its comrades¡¯ claws would dig into its heels and flung it aside.


    ¡°This is a trap.¡± Haitham¡¯s eyes widened in alarm. ¡°We need to leave.¡± He tugged at her arm, but Daliya refused to budge.


    ¡°We need to get rid of them.¡±


    Haitham¡¯s apparent distress fueled her anxiety. But their mission was clear. They needed to find the source and eliminate it.


    ¡°These are not the problem. The real problem would be here soon. It¡¯s much stronger than I thought. I can¡¯t fight it and keep you safe at the same time.¡±


    She pulled her hand away. ¡°I can protect myself.¡±


    He bit into his lower lip, his eyes roaming around.


    ¡°Shit. It¡¯s here.¡±


    He pulled her to the side, a few distance from the quarreling lost souls.


    She opened her mouth to protest. She could see nothing except those weak monsters. They had to get rid of them now while they were distracted. But before a word could reach her lips, a giant form towered over the monsters. It was so huge it dwarfed their collective forms.


    Daliya sucked in a breath.


    Hands-like limbs emerged from the new monster, took hold of the smaller flailing ones, brought them to its giant maw, and tore into them, devouring their flesh and soul.


    It was feeding on them. This monster was using the soul stone as a trap for other lost souls to feed on. The starving souls quarreled over the dangling prize, unaware of the real threat devouring them.


    Before they could decide on a plan of action, the monster¡¯s beady eyes flickered toward them.


    It had noticed them.


    Daliya swung her sword. It clanged against its reaching arm. The force of the strike sent tremors over her arm. She lifted her sword just in time to parry another attack. But this time, the force knocked the sword out of her hand. It flew in an arc, landing amongst the flailing monsters, oblivious of the impending doom as they fought over the giant soul stone. They were like mindless creatures, as if human intelligence had never graced their forms.


    Another arm collided with her side, sending her flying before crashing to the ground. In a split second before impact, she had the presence of mind to cushion her fall with the snow. It swirled around her, softening her fall.


    She opened her eyes¡ªeyes she wasn¡¯t aware she had closed¡ªto find herself staring back at another monster. She had landed into the fray. She sprung to her feet, slipping on the remains of a monster before it disintegrated. She stumbled, her arms flailing around her in a last attempt to keep herself upright.


    ¡°Fall back!¡±


    Arms reached for her. She spun around, using the Soul stone as support, and propelled herself away, evading the watery appendages by a hairbreadth. Arrows made of fire shot through the air, singing the arms that had twisted around and reached for her.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Haitham called. ¡°Get closer to me.¡±


    She was trying. She really was. But the monster was between her and Haitham.


    She lifted her hand, imitating what Haitham did. Instead of fire arrows, snow and ice lifted from the ground and shifted in the air, materializing into icy daggers. They shot through the air and cut through a part of the monster¡¯s body. The arms fell to the ground, dissolving into the snow.


    The smile that had slowly itched its way to Daliya¡¯s face was soon erased as the monster consumed another lost soul, instantly regenerating its body. The monster advanced towards her. It had her cornered. She had no way of escape.

 Chapter 20

    Fire engulfed the behemoth, slowing it down enough for Daliya to leap away from under its claws. The flames rumbled, melting its icy armor, but whatever melted away was soon regenerated into an even stronger shield, strengthening its newfound weaknesses.


    ¡°The heck is wrong with this big maw popsicle? Why won¡¯t it die?¡± Daliya yelled, frustrated with their dwindling chances.


    ¡°Popsicle?¡± Haitham raised an amused brow at her, eyes fixed on the monster, assessing what they were dealing with.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I know its human name,¡± she huffed.


    Haitham snorted, head shaking lightly.


    She glanced warily as the relatively smaller monster shrieked. The monster took a big chunk of its torso, chewing it like it was savoring its taste. This oddly reminded her of some customers back at the restaurants¡ªthe ones who would flood the place whenever they had arranged an all-you-can-eat buffet for the price of one meal. She still remembered those dark days when the manager was desperate for a bit of visibility.


    ¡°What should we do?¡± she asked.


    It seemed like a never ending battle. No matter how many times they hacked at the monster, it would simply grow back.


    Haitham tsked. ¡°You¡¯re right. We can¡¯t let this monstrosity roam loose. God knows what other diet it might turn to.¡±


    The monster was huge, easily towering over everything else. From its size, Daliya could only guess at the number of monsters it had feasted on.


    Her eyes roamed, watching the flailing, struggling monsters struggle to get the soul stone. Then, one by one, they were picked up and shoved into the opened maw, the jagged teeth tearing into them with gusto.


    She needed to do something.


    She needed to cut off its energy supply.


    Haitham nodded at her glance. He lifted his hand, and a blazing wall sprung into existence, sheltering her from the giant¡¯s claws. She launched herself towards the monsters, glad for their distraction. She easily tore into them, their husks evaporating before they took notice of her presence amongst them.


    The giant lunged toward her, ignoring Haitham¡¯s attempt to lure him back. It trampled the ones in its way, barreling through its remaining energy backup, and swung its clawed hand at Daliya.


    Daliya jerked back, the claws scratching against her ice wall with a jeering sound.


    ¡°Not so fast.¡±


    Haitham landed a few feet away, his dagger twisting in mid-swing to rest at his side. A second later, the offending hand fell to the ground with a splat.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Regaining the monster¡¯s attention, he led it away. Daliya sped to the other side to take care of the remaining lost souls.


    Their nonchalance as her blade cut into them and split their soul stones into smithereens was a bit comforting. She wasn¡¯t killing humans. She wasn¡¯t denying helpless people the help they couldn¡¯t voice out. She was destroying monsters. Crazed creatures who didn¡¯t even bat an eye as the remainder of their energy was consumed or a sharp blade cut into their souls.


    Stragglers finally taken care of, she turned to the fighting duo. Haitham was twisting around the monster as if in a dance, his dagger cutting new wounds into its frozen limbs. He seemed to dominate the fight. The energy he was using was sparse and controlled, concentrated around his dagger. But she knew, soon enough, he would be pushed into a corner. As she had read in those books, the freezing terrain near the north did no favors to a Fire Bearer. Soon, he would be forced to use even more fire energy¡ªsomething she had noticed Haitham avoided like the plague. And sooner still, he would run out of said energy while the monster was in his element, pulling power from its surroundings.


    She put her hands on the ground, the snow alleviating some of the strain on her shoulders. She spared a split second to run her fingers through its soft texture before she pushed all her power to the ground, fusing with the snow and ice underneath.


    She hadn¡¯t tried using her powers on such a large scale. She had just recently mastered the ice and started viewing it as part of her, as something belonging to her and not the real princess.


    She pushed and pushed, feeling each and every frozen particle resting on the ground. She felt their vibrations as the monster stomped towards Haitham, its hands reaching for him, claws extended to rip his core.


    Then, she let it loose. Ice spread through the ground like a rushing wave, freezing everything in its path.


    The monster paused, glancing with unseeing eyes at the ice devouring its legs. Then, with a swift movement of his hand, it cut through its own legs, separating the frozen appendage from the rest of its body.


    The monster stumbled but didn¡¯t fall. Two ice spikes jutted from its body, replacing its legs, thinner and smaller. But the ice didn¡¯t stop. From the point connecting the monster to the ground, a new layer of ice spread, covering the area surrounding it. Daliya had barely enough time to alert Haitham before the spikes jutted forward, right where the Fire Bearer was.


    Daliya reached her hand forward, ice striking against ice as her shield covered Haitham''s retreat.


    The monster glanced at her. For a split second, she thought she saw irritation in its beady eyes. It snarled, snapping its fangs at her.


    Daliya huffed, staring it down despite the height difference.


    They were battling for dominance over the ground. And as an Ice Wielder, she would loathe to lose to a monster.


    Daliya sprinted. The air froze under her feet, makeshift ice stairs she stepped on, elevating herself above the roaring monster. As she reached the highest point, her hand reached downward, calling snow and ice to her.


    Ice spears broke through the ground, impaling the monster and keeping it in place.


    Taking it as his cue to attack, Haitham sprinted towards her, using the ice stairs she left in her wake, and¡ªinstead of following her to the other side¡ªhe dove down toward the trapped beast.


    Haitham¡¯s eyes shone a bright, fiery red. Flames encased his dagger, red copper at the edges. He sped towards it, evading the few appendages that got loose and slashed through right in the middle. He landed a few feet behind it, its soul stone in his grasp.


    The monster trashed for a split second before it dissolved into mist.


    Daliya stood there, waiting for it to reassemble itself and roar at them.


    Nothing.


    They had defeated it.


    She beamed at Haitham. His answering smile was enough to make her heart skip a beat.

 Chapter 21

    By the time they were back to the cabin, the miners had already returned to the village. Only Myril remained, waiting anxiously, his eyes straying to the door, ready to bolt at first sign of danger.


    Daliya had frowned at him, curious, then she remembered Haitham¡¯s words.


    An Earth Shaker.


    She didn¡¯t think she would get to meet another Elementalist, and so soon.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t think I¡¯d find you here,¡± Haitham said.


    The words startled Myril. He shifted on his feet, hesitating, before answering, ¡°This is my home. I have nowhere else to go.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Haitham nodded. ¡°Comandable, though foolish.¡±


    ¡°I never hurt anyone. I never even used them outside the mines. Please, all I ask of you is to turn a blind eye and let me remain here.¡±


    Haitham leaned on the wall, arms crossed. ¡°It¡¯s not me you should be asking,¡± he said, motioning to the open door.


    Myril glanced at Daliya, his face shattering at her sight. She smiled to ease his unease, but it only seemed to stress him further.


    She passed the door¡¯s threshold, shooting a glare at Haitham¡¯s amused expression.


    He was enjoying himself. A bit too much.


    Myril fell to his knees, head angled down, his shoulders sagging like they carried the whole universe''s weight.


    ¡°Your Highness,¡± he said, voice meek.


    ¡°Raise your head, Myril.¡±


    He startled at the sound of his name. He glanced at her before snapping his head down.


    ¡°Your friends had spoken of your attempt to protect them back at the mountains. They had said you had diverted the monsters¡¯ attention so they could escape. Was this true?¡±


    ¡°Ah, only inside the mines, was it?¡±


    Daliya glared at Haitham, silencing his mocking words.


    Myril nodded. ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    His head snapped up. ¡°But I¡¯ve never used them to hurt anyone!¡± Daliya could see he was fighting the urge to look back down. ¡°Please. Believe me. Sometimes, the mines¡¯ supporting structure would falter. I used them to stabilize the earth to ensure everyone¡¯s safety. That¡¯s all I¡¯ve ever used them for.¡± He seemed desperate for her to believe him. ¡°This village is the only place I¡¯ve known my whole life. It¡¯s my home. Please, I beg of you!¡±


    ¡°Does anyone else know of your¡­ predicament? Your friends? Your family?¡±


    His face paled at her question. He fell to the ground, his head smacking the ground hard. But the pain went unacknowledged as he pleaded with her to spare their lives.


    Her concerned question seemed to shatter whatever hope he had for his life.


    Daliya sighed. Why couldn¡¯t he understand? She wasn¡¯t asking to punish whoever sheltered a Wielder without the knowledge of the empire¡ªa serious crime she had heard¡ªshe merely wondered if he was in danger of being exposed. Even if she allowed him to remain here, someone might run his mouth off and expose him. She doubted she would be able to help him then.


    ¡°Stand up, Myril.¡±


    He reluctantly got to his feet, eyes avoiding her gaze.


    ¡°Do you trust whoever knows your secret?¡±


    ¡°With my life.¡±


    Quite romantic. But if he insisted on staying here, then there was nothing she could do.


    ¡°Alright.¡± She sighed. ¡°You may remain here. But take heed that if you get found out, it would be the emperor you will have to deal with.¡±


    His momentary, reluctant happiness dissipated as soon as it appeared. He gulped, hesitating for a while before nodding. Then he kneeled, putting his hand over his heart.


    ¡°I¡¯m eternally indebted to you, your highness. I¡¯ll never forget your kindness.¡±


    They kept two soul stones¡ªthe bait and the giant monster¡¯s¡ªand destroyed the others. Keeping them all gathered together would only attract more lost souls.


    After the soul stones were destroyed, the fog started clearing around the mountains, leaving only a faint mist at the top.


    The villagers were overjoyed. They offered to prepare a feast in the princess¡¯ honor. She would have accepted their hospitality if not for Mazin¡¯s reminder that the festivities¡¯ preparations awaited her attention¨Csomething she wasn¡¯t even aware of.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    They decided to stay for a day and then return to the castle. She would have left instantly¨Cstill a bit restless after their encounter¨C if not for Haitham¡¯s insistence on showing her some nature wonder, something that would ease the weariness from her freezing soul.


    She had shot him an unimpressed look.


    It was a long trek up the mountain. The air was freezing, but Daliya could barely feel the sting of ice against her skin. An after-effect of her powers, Haitham had said. She was glad for it, much so when she saw Haitham¡¯s shaking form as he walked next to her. His arms were wrapped around himself, his hands running up and down his forearms.


    ¡°Cold?¡± Daliya smirked. It wasn¡¯t every day she saw the always-composed assassin fumble for a bit of warmth.


    He rolled his eyes. ¡°Not all of us were made of ice. And cold is the natural enemy of fire. So¡­¡± He shrugged.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you use your fire to warm yourself up?¡±


    He shot her an amused look. ¡°What do you think I am? A human torch?¡± He closed his eyes as another shiver went up his body. ¡°Nothing beats the warmth of a hot sunny day in the black mountains.¡± He said, a hint of longing in his voice. He glanced at Daliya. ¡°I¡¯ll take you there someday. You¡¯ll love it there.¡± Then, he paused, his brows furrowing. ¡°Or maybe not so much.¡±


    The pool of water was at the top of the mountain. She sat at the edge of the rocks surrounding the small spring, her dress lifted to her knees, her legs submerged in the cold water.


    She let out a deep breath of relief. Haitham was right. The cool water felt like heaven against her skin. Because of her ice essence, he had called it.


    She glanced at Haitham, who was huddled around himself. He seemed seconds away from turning into an ice statue.


    She got up, sparing a fleeting mournful thought at leaving the comfort of the water, and sat beside him, her hand already rummaging through her bag. He sent her a curious look, his eyes widening with delight as she handed him a chocolate cake.


    Unable to sleep, she had asked the governor¡¯s wife to give her access to her kitchen. The poor woman looked at her with wide eyes, her expression like she was going into a seizure. Daliya had even offered to pay for the ingredients she would use, but the woman insisted that the mere presence of the princess inside her home¡ªand in her kitchen¡ªwas enough payment.


    No matter her time in this strange world, she could never get used to how they treated her like she was high above them all. But who was Daliya to complain? She had finally found something as precious as chocolate. She wouldn¡¯t let any weird behavior stop her from the small comforts this world finally deigned to offer her.


    She glanced at Haitham. He was devouring his share like a man stranded in the desert without food or drink for a whole week.


    ¡°I had prepared lava cakes yesterday, but sadly, they had disappeared as soon as I went to check on these little ones.¡± She took a bite of her cake, shaking her head in dismay at the thought of the lava delicacies she had spent hours preparing, only for them to vanish into thin air. Who could have stolen them? She didn¡¯t want to make a big deal out of the offense for worry that Mazin would unsheath his sword and declare capital punishment for the perpetrators. Though she had her own suspicions about who would dare steal from a princess.


    ¡°Quite unfortunate,¡± Haitham said mid-chewing, shaking his head.


    ¡°Indeed. I had wanted to know how they tasted to see if I was successful in recreating the recipe.¡± She took another bite. ¡°But I guess now I¡¯ll just have to give up on ever making them again. I don¡¯t know if their taste was right.¡±


    ¡°Oh, they were delicious. The chocolate melted as soon as I took a bite. I would totally recommend you make them aga¡ª¡± He stopped and glanced at her.


    There was a moment of silence. They both stared at each other. Then he smiled sheepishly at her.


    ¡°I knew it was you,¡± she accused, shoving him lightly in the shoulder.


    A chortle burst through his lips¨C that he quickly smothered at the pointed look she sent him. ¡°I saved them! They were melting! They practically begged me to save them from their miserable fate!¡±


    She huffed. ¡°They were supposed to be melting.¡±


    He paused. ¡°Oh. I didn¡¯t know that.¡±


    ¡°You would have had you asked the one who made them. I didn¡¯t even get a single bite of that chocolaty heaven.¡± She sighed mournfully.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who baked them? You can just make them again. I¡¯ll help this time.¡± He hurriedly added at her glare.


    He eyed the last cake in the bag. ¡°They¡¯re really good.¡± He gave her an impressed nod.


    She swatted his reaching hand away. ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°How is it like?¡± He asked after a while.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± She raised an eyebrow, puzzled.


    ¡°Your world,¡± he elaborated.


    Daliya paused momentarily, thinking about the best way to describe how different their worlds were, how people went about their days without sparing a single thought about an existence outside their own, how fundamentally dissimilar yet alike they were.


    She settled on finally saying, ¡°We reached the moon.¡±


    His brows furrowed in confusion. ¡°You build a tower to it?¡±


    She laughed. ¡°No. We walked on it.¡±


    He blinked, disbelief and wonder playing like a painting. ¡°You did?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­not me personally. An astronaut,¡± she said. ¡°A person whose job is to explore space and look for life outside earth.¡±


    ¡°Without magic?¡±


    ¡°With technology.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Well, I guess it would look like magic to anyone unfamiliar with it.¡±


    ¡°Fascinating,¡± he said. ¡°So this is where she went? Hopefully, she hadn¡¯t started a reign of chaos over there.¡±


    The only thing she could have screwed up even more would be Daliya¡¯s university life. She could afford to lose her part-time job, but what about her degree?


    Daliya groaned. ¡°Oh my God. I bet she never attended a single class! No, even if she did, how would she be able to keep up with them?¡± She cursed her twisted luck. She had worked so hard and spent countless sleepless nights to attend that University. Now, all her hard work evaporated into thin air.


    She heard Haitham snicker. She shot him a betrayed look. How could he find her misfortune amusing?


    ¡°At least she doesn¡¯t have her powers. Else, the chaos would have reached apocalyptic proportions.¡±


    She leaned back on the tree, sighing. ¡°True.¡±


    Thank God for small mercies. Otherwise, getting expelled would be the least of her worries.


    ¡°So, do you plan on returning to your world?¡± A wan smile replaced the prior mirth. His hands were busy picking the frozen flora at his feet and melting the ice off their petals. The flowers bloomed briefly before they seemed to remember it wasn¡¯t their time yet. Then, they drooped, their wilted petals resting on Haitham¡¯s fingers.


    ¡°Ideally.¡± She shrugged.


    He nodded.


    They stayed silent until the sky turned the color of a simmering fire, then made their way down the mountain.

 Chapter 22

    Her duties devoured her free time as soon as they returned to the castle. She couldn¡¯t even get some time for her sword training. She even moved her training with Haitham to early in the morning, before even the castle came to life. After breakfast, she would go around the town inspecting the preparations for the yearly festivities¡ªthe Throne Day.


    Haitham was tense as they walked around the town. His playful demeanor did not show as he walked a couple of steps behind her, too much distance than usual. He was silent, too silent for her liking. She never thought there¡¯d be a day when she would coax him to talk. His answers were curt and precise. Gone were his witty and teasing comments, the tidbit of information he offered her each time she stumbled upon something the princess was supposed to know already.


    She shot him a concerned look. She could see the muscles in his neck shifting tersely as he swallowed. Noticing her gaze, he tilted his head to the side. His eyebrow raised quizzically when she said nothing.


    A villager inched closer to her before she could inquire about what was bothering him. She saw Mazin straighten his posture and tighten his hold over the hilt of his sword.


    She knew she had to intervene before the situation escalated. With a raised hand, she halted the villager¡¯s advance, and her tense shoulders relaxed as the knight¡¯s stance softened, though his gaze remained fixed on the old man.


    A tragedy had been averted.


    It was unnerving how the knights still didn¡¯t trust the villagers around her.


    ¡°Your Highness, we would be immensely grateful if you set your holy eyes on the blacksmith¡¯s contribution to the festivities.¡± He clasped his calloused hands together as if in a prayer.


    Daliya smiled. ¡°Of course.¡± She nodded. It was a simple request, but a request nonetheless. It was also the first time anyone dared approach her and ask anything of her. Daliya became giddy with excitement. She might not have been the real princess, but caring for them had become her job now.


    Her smile soon fell as she saw the bronze statue the blacksmiths presented to her.


    Ah. Now she knew why Haitham was acting distant. This festival wasn¡¯t just to celebrate the emperor¡¯s ascent to the throne but to commemorate the fall of the Kingdom of Siraj¡ªthe birthplace of Haitham.


    A man adorned with a crown of flames was on the ground, his hand held in front of him in a futile attempt to protect himself from the sword descending over him. The emperor¡¯s expression was hard and cold as he regarded the pleading monarch.


    The old man stood at the front of his group. They looked at her, eyes hopeful, awaiting her praise. She wanted to turn and walk back to the castle, dragging the silent assassin back where he could express his grief, away from prying eyes.


    She tried to smile, though she doubted she succeeded. The blacksmiths shifted on their feet, hopeful expressions gone with her silence. They glanced at each other, silent words passing between them.


    Daliya chanced a glance at Haitham and found him staring back at her. His jaw was set, and his expression unreadable. She felt something terrible would happen if she did not take him away from this place and from this statue. Something told her he was purposefully avoiding looking at it as if his last thread of sanity would be gone were he to.


    ¡°I believe the emperor would be more pleased with something that nuances the peace he had achieved for the empire,¡± she told the anxious blacksmiths. ¡°How about something that memorates his ascension to the throne?¡± The blacksmiths hesitantly glanced at her before nodding. ¡°Perfect! I expect great things from you,¡± Then, she turned to Mazin. ¡°I¡¯ll be heading back to the castle.¡±


    He made to follow her, but she stopped him. ¡°No. It¡¯s fine. You can stay here and make sure everything is ready for the festivities.¡±


    He hesitated. For a second, Daliya thought she would have to reword her request into an order from the princess. But he bowed.


    ¡°Of course, your Highness.¡±


    Haitham disappeared as soon as they entered the castle grounds. Daliya went to her chambers and waited. She could go and look for him. She doubted getting him to tell her all that bothered him would be easy. So, she stayed in her room, where he would find her if he wanted to talk. There was nothing else for her to do. She had already handed the festivities¡¯ preparations to Mazin.


    A trickle of guilt shot through her chest. It seemed like she was leaving all her duties to the knight captain. Worse, he never complained; he just bowed and did her bidding. She should thank him once he got back. Without his help managing official duties, she would have been found out long ago.


    Hours after, it wasn¡¯t Haitham who sought her out. She sat next to the window, watching the color turn from pale blue to orange and then to a deeper shade of red. Just as she debated whether to seek him out herself, a knock sounded.


    ¡°It¡¯s open,¡± she called, her mind lost in all the things she could tell him.


    What could comfort someone who had lost his home, his country, his everything? Everything that made him the man he was had been destroyed by the empire. And still, as if the blood spilt wsn¡¯t enough, the warring nation still sought them out, velifying them and hunting them dowm like animals,


    Daliya straightened. But when the door opened, Mazin entered, not her bodyguard. He bowed and stood silent.


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    ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    He glanced at her, then back to the floor.


    ¡°You can speak freely.¡±


    He nodded, but a moment passed, and he still didn¡¯t utter a word.


    Daliya sighed. Why was it hard to get the people around her to talk like normal people? It was at these moments that she felt an aching for her world. People would rant for hours without prompting.


    Another knock sounded, and a maid opened the door. She paused at the entrance. At Daliya¡¯s nod, she asked about when she planned to have dinner. Taking it as her chance to escape the awkwardness, she stood up, casually telling her she would look for her missing guard first, but they would have dinner in the hall, as usual.


    The castle¡¯s servants had loosened around her a little. Sometimes, they would glance silently at her, gouging her mood, keeping away at the first sign of a frown. At these times, she found herself missing Thuraya. Her friend was healing, but it would be a while before she would be back to the castle.


    ¡°Your Highness,¡± Mazin called, a hint of annoyance in his voice. ¡°If you¡¯ll allow me, I would like to ask again to reconsider your involvement with the assassin.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s no longer an assassin. He¡¯s my guard,¡± she reminded him.


    Mazin paused, swallowing whatever words he intended to say, thinking better of it.


    ¡°Earlier¡­your Highness¡¯s departure stirred quite the talk in the village,¡± he started. Daliya waited for him to continue. She had a hench where this was going. ¡°They think the princess no longer approves of the empire¡¯s conquests, that Your Highness is displeased with the emperor¡¯s methods.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t really a secret. Daliya had never approved of the way the empire dealt with its own people, let alone the ones they conquered. It was like they weren¡¯t considered humans in the eyes of the emperor¡ªmere numbers instead of individual people with their own hopes and dreams.


    Something shifted in Mazin¡¯s face. Whatever he saw on her face made him falter.


    ¡°Your Highness. Disagreeing with the empire means disagreeing with the emperor. Your Highness will lose his favor if His Majesty hears about this. I urge you to give this a second thought.¡±


    ¡°Are you asking me to celebrate the massacre of a whole nation?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking you to preserve your life!¡±


    Daliya remained still, taken aback by the intensity in Mazin¡¯s voice. He had never dared raise his voice in her presence. Noticing his slip, he bowed deeply, apologies falling from his tense form.


    She waved him off.


    ¡°You can leave now. We¡¯ll talk about this tomorrow.¡±


    He hesitated as if wanting to say more. But Daliya was having none of it. She was tired. She was tired and angry at everything and everyone. She wanted to imprint some sense into these people¡¯s heads. She wanted to yell at them. Massacres weren¡¯t something a person should be proud about. They weren¡¯t something to be displayed as glorious.


    But she didn¡¯t want to direct her anger at the wrong person. She feared she would say something she would regret once she calmed down. Mazin wasn¡¯t the one responsible for the deaths of those thousands and thousands of innocents. He was merely trying to look out for her.


    She took a deep breath, forcing her clenched hands to loosen. She could already feel the pinpricks of pain as her nails dug into the skin of her palm.


    ¡°Leave.¡±


    Hurt flickered momentarily in his eyes. He bowed and left.


    Daliya stood there, unmoving, debating what to do next.


    ¡°He¡¯s right, you know.¡±


    She whirled around. Haitham was sitting on the window sill, his legs dangling outside.


    ¡°Since when were you here?¡±


    ¡°Since we came back.¡±


    Daliya gawked at him. She was waiting for him all this time, and here he was, perched like a crow, just outside her window.


    She crossed her arms over her chest. ¡°You¡¯re stalking me in my chambers now?¡±


    He shrugged, a small smile tracing his lips. ¡°I¡¯m your bodyguard, aren¡¯t I?¡± he pinched his chin in feigned thought. ¡°How did you describe it? Always near the employer, protecting his body from any harm. Aren¡¯t I doing the same?¡±


    Daliya pinched the bridge of her nose.


    This little¡­


    She stilled, then shot him a startled look. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve been sleeping here!¡±


    He grinned. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to know?¡±


    ¡°Insufferable!¡±


    She threw her slipper at his head. It connected with a satisfying thump. But then, in its momentum, it fell off to the other side, disappearing down the sill. She hurried to the window, watching as it fell, smacking over the head of one of the guards before tumbling to the ground. Daliya jerked back, yanking Haitham with her right before the guard looked up. They stayed on the ground, silent, listening to the guard¡¯s quizzical voice.


    She turned to Haitham, words ready in her mouth to chastise him. But before she could get a word in, he burst out laughing. Something eased in her chest. She swatted him gently on the back of his head before joining him, not caring if any of the guards below heard their unhinged laughter.


    They sat side by side, watching the light cast by the moon on the carpeted floor. They had long missed dinner, but still, none of them moved. One issued meal was hardly something to fret about. Daliya had survived on less.


    What was suspicious, though, was that the maids had yet to knock on her door to inquire about her absence. Not even the head butler had come nagging about missed meals and whatnot.


    ¡°Tomorrow, you should tell the blacksmith to keep the statue.¡±


    ¡°But¨C¡±


    ¡°Much as it pains me to admit, the showoff is right. Better not rouse any suspension.¡± at Daliya¡¯s displeased look, he continued, ¡°This is not my first year living through Throne Day. It has been more than ten years since the fall of Siraj. I¡¯m used to it.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Besides, I barely remember what happened. I was still a child, barely over eight.¡± He smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Daliya wanted to argue with him. He didn¡¯t look fine. He looked anything but fine. He was inches away from breaking down.


    But dislike it as she might, he was right.


    Mazin was right.


    She should be more careful.


    She sighed. ¡°Fine.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said. ¡°For trying to stop it.¡±


    She nodded.


    They stayed silent for a while, then Haitham chuckled. ¡°You think it¡¯s still there?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Your slipper.¡±


    He cackled as she groaned.


    The next day, she found her missing slipper waiting for her next to its pair.


    She didn¡¯t dare ask who brought it back.

 Chapter 23

    Daliya had thought the princess¡¯ reign of tyranny was long behind them. But apparently not. She looked at the trembling woman, trying her best to appear non-threatening. She had first thought the woman wanted to consult her about the festivities. Daliya had asked Mazin¡ªyet again¡ªto deal with the matter. If he was insisting on her following the rules, he better oversee the whole thing himself.


    But the woman had evaded the knight¡¯s attempt to stop her advance and had sprinted toward her. Daliya had to yell at them not to shove their swords through her back.


    She looked at the woman¡¯s face¡ªa sense of familiarity¡ªa deja vu¡ªlike she had seen the woman somewhere. But for the life of her, she couldn¡¯t recall where nor when.


    ¡°Please! My son! Please save him!¡±


    The woman was frantic. She babbled on and on, pleading with Daliya to save her son. Daliya kneeled in front of the weeping woman. She gently took hold of her shoulders and nudged her to look up at her. She had to pry more information out of the frantic woman¡¯s lips. The only thing she got was that a child¡¯s life was in danger.


    ¡°What happened to him?¡± she asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s¨C he¡¯s gone.¡± The woman sobbed.


    ¡°Where?¡±


    But only more sobbing answered Daliya¡¯s question. She turned worried eyes to Haitham, then to Mazin. The latter nodded to whatever instruction he had thought Daliya had given him. Daliya was never more glad to have such a competent captain. He darted away, already yelling out instructions to the other knights.


    Dalyia directed the woman to one of the garden chairs. After calming down a bit, Daliya coaxed some more information from her.


    Her son Karim had gone out to play with his friends near the hill but hadn¡¯t returned home.


    ¡°How long since he disappeared?¡± She didn¡¯t want to press the poor mother, not when she cowered when her eyes met Daliya¡¯s. But she had to know.


    ¡°T¨CTwo days.¡±


    ¡°What? And you waited till now to report it?¡±


    How could someone be so reckless when their child¡¯s safety was on the line?


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have waited for my return. You should have alerted the knights. Each hour wasted is another hour your son could be in danger.¡±


    ¡°She thinks you know,¡± Haitham said, his eyes fixed on the woman¡¯s hunched form.


    The woman flinched.


    Ignoring her distress, Haitham continued, ¡°It¡¯s been more than a day since he was lost. Why haven¡¯t you told the knights before?¡±


    ¡°I was afraid.¡± Her voice was small and subdued. She sent Daliya a fearful glance before turning back to Haitham.


    ¡°Of him?¡± There was a hint of fury in Haitham¡¯s words. He looked at the woman, taunting her.


    Daliya stared at him. What was he trying to do? Why was he goading the poor woman?


    ¡°No! I was afraid for him! I feared they would hurt him once they found out what he was.¡±


    ¡°A monster,¡± Haitham said.


    Daliya stilled.


    She finally remembered. She was that child¡¯s mother. The one who was attacked and nearly injured by the lost soul that had ventured inside the village. So that was it then. That child wasn¡¯t a normal human. He was like them.


    The lost soul¡¯s complete disregard for the other villagers and its blind pursuit of the child was now made clear. But to call him a monster¡­


    She eyed Haitham. The veins at his neck were bulging, and his jaw was tense as he watched the woman like a predator circulating his prey.


    ¡°Different,¡± the woman hissed, her eyes glaring daggers at Haitham.


    Haitham smiled, seemingly satisfied by her answer. His tense shoulders eased as he nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± His voice was softer.


    The mother looked at him, fear and something else shining in her eyes. Was it hope?


    ¡°Really?¡± She sounded afraid to believe Haitham¡¯s words. She glanced at Daliya, a flicker of doubt passing over her eyes.


    Ah, did she think Daliya would refuse to help her? If so, then why did she come to her?


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    Daliya smiled at her, trying to assuage her fears. ¡°We will.¡±


    Daliya saw Mazin reenter the hall and head for her. She excused herself and led him away from the woman¡¯s trembling form. From the grim look on his face, she doubted he was the bearer of good news.


    ¡°There¡¯s been some sightings of monsters around the village. But when none attacked, the knights kept away from their way and settled on surveying them.¡± Mazin¡¯s hold on the hilt of his sword tightened a bit before relaxing. ¡°I¡¯ve given orders for a unit to get ready and set for the hunt with no delay.¡±


    She tilted her head to the side, contemplating the worry lines pulling at Mazin¡¯s forehead. Was he worrying about her response? But this one was on her. She had instructed them only to attack the monsters when necessary and to wait for her to deal with the problem otherwise.


    ¡°So the child¡­¡± Daliya bit her lower lip, stopping her words from taking shape.


    No. There might still be a chance the child was safe and simply lost.


    They set off at once, despite Mazin¡¯s protests to send the knights to search for the missing child and for her to return to the castle to rest.


    ¡°They won¡¯t find him,¡± Haitham said, eyes scanning over the area beyond the village. ¡°Not in time.¡±


    Decision made. Daliya instructed Mazin to ensure the town¡¯s security and set off with Haitham to search for the lost child. They sped through the snowy grounds, heading further and further away from the town.


    Haitham led them through the wilderness, his eyes tracking something beyond the snow field. They kept at it for a while¡ªtrekking through the snow, changing directions at random, pausing momentarily as Haitham trailed after the boy¡¯s core after losing sight of it. Daliya hoped it was because they were far from the lost child and not because the monster had gotten to him first.


    ¡°How could he get so far?¡±


    ¡°You would be surprised what people can do when overwhelmed with fear.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure he¡¯s¡­¡± She trailed off. She didn¡¯t want to voice her fears. Thankfully, Haitham seemed to understand her.


    He nodded. ¡°I sense two cores. The first is barely noticeable. Quite normal in children who still haven¡¯t fully manifested their powers. The other is more turbulent. What I would expect of a lost soul.¡±


    She let out a deep breath, her shoulders sagging with relief. ¡°Good. Good.¡±


    Then night fell.


    She squinted her eyes as she tried to discern anything through the shadows that danced under the dim moonlight. Nothing. For the nth time, she wished she had Haitham¡¯s ability to sense the presence of people like them. She knew that, with time, she would be able to do the same. But she needed it now, not later.


    Haitham stopped. He grasped her arm and lifted a finger over his lips, silencing her question before it formed in her mouth. He gestured to a small rock formation at the foot of a broken tree husk.


    Daliya blinked in confusion. Here?


    She looked around. There was nothing¡ªonly rocks grouped in a dome-like shape.


    Haitham kneeled in front of the rocks and gently touched them.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re safe now.¡±


    Daliya frowned. Who was he talking to?


    ¡°We¡¯re here to help you. Your mom is worried about you.¡±


    Just who was he talking to?


    Before Daliya could voice her confusion and mounting frustration, a weak voice sounded around them.


    ¡°My mom? Is my mom here?¡±


    No, not around them. Daliya took a sharp breath. The voice sounded from the rocks.


    ¡°No. She¡¯s waiting for you back at home. She sent us to get you back.¡±


    They waited for a bit, and then the child¡¯s tearful voice sounded, ¡°I¨C I can¡¯t. I don¡¯t know how.¡± He sniffed.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. We¡¯ll help you get out.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°We need to calm him enough for his grip on his powers to slacken a bit,¡± Haitham said. ¡°Otherwise, it would be a pain to cut through his defenses. I might end up injuring him.¡± His brows furrowed as he examined the rocks. ¡°In his attempt to protect himself, he has unintentionally fused parts of himself with the rocks. While I can still try and cut through, I would rather not chance it.¡±


    Daliya kneeled beside the child¡¯s hiding place, laying a hand on the rocky surface. ¡°When I was a child, and I couldn¡¯t sleep at night, my grandma used to make me carrot soup. It was my favorite.¡± From the corner of her eyes, she saw Haitham glancing at her. ¡°She used to tell me that there was a secret magical ingredient in the soup that she got from a land far, far away. That it was given to her by some dear friend waiting for me in the lands of dreams.¡± She chuckled. For a moment, she was back at home, staring at her grandma, her eyes full of wonder, wondering who was this friend who missed her so much they would smuggle a secret ingredient just to see her. ¡°I still remember how I used to bolt to my bed and close my eyes tight to invite sleep to take me to my special friend.¡±


    ¡°Did you meet them?¡± Karim asked.


    ¡°Maybe.¡± Daliya shrugged. ¡°I like to believe so.¡±


    She glanced at the rocks, squinting her eyes. Gentle ripplings were running along the solid surface, barely noticeable.


    ¡°My mom sings when I can¡¯t sleep.¡± Karim¡¯s voice sounded a bit calm to Daliya¡¯s ears.


    ¡°Does she? Do you like hearing her sing?¡±


    Karim hummed.


    She glanced at Haitham and found him still staring at her. She raised an eyebrow at him. He smiled and mouthed ¡®go on¡¯ with a nod towards Karim.


    ¡°My mom has a beautiful voice. The most beautiful voice in the whole town.¡± Pride seeped into the child¡¯s voice. ¡°She always sings me to sleep. And in the stormy season, we sit by the window and tell me stories of heroes and dragons.¡± He paused. ¡°I want to be like one of the heroes mom tells me about,¡± he mumbled.


    ¡°You are. You¡¯ve protected yourself all this while till we arrived. You¡¯ll grow up to be one of the strongest people I know. I¡¯m sure of that.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± There was a hint of wonder in his voice.


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    She kept talking to the child in a soft and gentle voice. Haitham¡¯s dagger materialized in his grip, and his eyes shone golden. He slashed into the rocks with quick, precise movements, cutting through them like butter.


    Karim peered through the whole, hope flickering in his frightened eyes. His eyes darted around, flitting over Haitham before resting on her.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she coaxed him.


    Daliya reached for him. With hesitating, sluggish movements, Karim extricated himself from the crumbling rocks and fell into her awaiting arms.

 Chapter 24

    Karim was fast asleep, his small hands looped tight around Haitham¡¯s neck. The poor child must have been terrified these couple of days.


    Daliya glanced at the vast expanse of white that they had to trek back to the village. It was still night, and with the darkness, a freezing cold had blanketed their surroundings. While Daliya couldn¡¯t feel the biting cold, both Haitham and Karim weren¡¯t so lucky.


    ¡°Should we stop for the night?¡± she asked, her eyes roaming around, looking for nearby shelter. There was a boulder a short distance from them. While it wouldn¡¯t fend off the coldness, it would protect them from the wind.


    Haitham followed her line of sight. ¡°Alright.¡± He nodded.


    With a snap of his fingers, a roaring fire lit up the area, clearing the snow before dimming to a single warm flame. Daliya spread her cloak on the ground so Haitham could settle the sleeping child. Karim shifted, his brows furrowing slightly before his face smoothed, his sleep undisrupted. Haitham removed his coat and draped it over Karim.


    ¡°We¡¯ll move at first light,¡± he said.


    Daliya nodded. The sooner they got back, the better.


    Haitham rubbed his hands together, blowing some heat into them. ¡°Why is it so cold? This is a crime against humanity,¡± he lamented.


    Daliya couldn¡¯t help the smirk that pulled at her lips. He shot her a glare. ¡°Enjoying yourself, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I can build you an ice shelter. I heard they help with the cold.¡±


    He shuddered. ¡°More ice? No thanks. I¡¯ll make do with what I have.¡±


    She shrugged.


    Haitham leaned on the boulder, head pillowed on his arms. Daliya dropped a short distance next to him¡ªKarim¡¯s sleeping form between them, sheltering him further from the night breeze¡ªand slumped over like a puppet whose strings had been cut. She fluffed the snow into a makeshift pillow, ignoring Haitham¡¯s appalled stare. When somewhat satisfied with the result, she leaned her head, eyes looking at the empty lands before her. To think that the poor child had crossed all that distance, alone and afraid.


    Daliya blinked, chasing the dark thought that threatened to cloud her mind. They were fortunate that Haitham was with them. Otherwise, she didn¡¯t dare think what could have happened.


    Noticing Haitham¡¯s furtive glances, she raised an eyebrow at him.


    ¡°What?¡±


    He turned his gaze at the vast expanse before him. ¡°Nothing.¡±


    She narrowed her eyes at his strange behavior. She waited for a moment, staring at his poor attempt to seem nonchalant. He stared ahead, pointedly ignoring her. But when he said nothing, she closed her eyes, ready for restless hours of sleep.


    ¡°I¡¯ve noticed something.¡± His voice brought her back from her near-sleep. She looked at him and found him staring at her, a frown on his face. ¡°You¡¯re quite used to this. A harsh life, I mean.¡±


    She paused, watching him. ¡°You mean sleeping on the ground?¡±


    ¡°Amongst other things.¡± He nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯s not my first time. I¡¯m not homeless,¡± she hurriedly added when his frown darkened. ¡°There was this time my apartment¡¯s ceiling leaked. It drenched a whole section with rainwater, including my bed. I had to make do with the floor for a while, for the whole winter season in fact. It was quite memorable.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± he said drily.


    She chuckled, amused. ¡°I could say the same about you. You don¡¯t seem to care about the luxuries your bodyguard position offers you. You haven¡¯t even asked for a salary. Quite foolish if you ask me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m an assassin.¡± He snorted. ¡°I live at the edge of society. Always there. But never one of them. I mingle with the people enough to approach my target and eliminate them. What would I need for money when I can just borrow whatever I might need.¡±


    She shot him an unimpressed look. ¡°You mean steal.¡±


    ¡°I would hardly call it stealing when they never notice it missing.¡± He shrugged.


    She rolled her eyes. Of course he would think that. What else was she expecting?


    ¡°Still the same,¡± she said, her lips twitching at Haitham¡¯s resounding laugh. She paused. ¡°How was it? In assassin school.¡±


    He mouthed ¡®Assassin school?¡¯ with an amused twinkle in his eyes. ¡°It wasn¡¯t bad. I had a roof over my head and food to satiate my hunger, which was more than the majority of Dya¡¯a¡¯s could afford. I trained every hour every single day.¡± He paused. ¡°But I guess I had special treatment.¡± He lifted his finger up, silencing whatever she was going to say. ¡°By which I mean I had to train more than everyone else. I was supposed to be what Dya¡¯a had the best to offer, you see. I had no time to slack off.¡±


    ¡°It must have been hard.¡±


    ¡°Not really. You get used to it after a while.¡±


    ¡°Still, you must have been still a child. Your childhood¨C¡±


    ¡°There is no place for childhood on the battlefield.¡± His voice was firm, but his eyes had softened as he looked at whatever expression she was making. ¡°Children tend to grow up fast when war knocks on their door, their childhood buried under the rubble, suffocated in the dust.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s horrible.¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°War doesn¡¯t differentiate between innocent and guilty. After the war came the famine and the plague. People turned on each other for a chance to see tomorrow. Joining the resistance was the best choice I had. The best choice anyone had.¡± He twirled his dagger¡ªthat he had summoned at some point¡ªbetween his fingers. ¡°You learn to sleep with one eye open. Better if you could find a secluded area far from prying eyes. More hidden means more safety. A chance to wake up the day after.¡±


    They descended into silence once more, each lost in their own thoughts. Daliya mulled over Haitham¡¯s words.


    ¡°Is that why you don¡¯t sleep in your room?¡± she asked.


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    ¡°I¡¯m a lone man strolling around in enemy territory. Using that room is akin to painting a huge target on my back.¡±


    ¡°So is using mine.¡±


    ¡°Who dares enter the princess¡¯ room without her permission.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± She sent him a pointed look.


    A burst of laughter escaped his throat. He shot her an amused look. ¡°Have mercy. I¡¯m the one who had to put up with the abyss¡¯s symphony of death.¡±


    She sat up, glaring daggers at him. ¡°I do not snore!¡± She protested. How dare he insinuate that she snored. Well, she didn¡¯t know whether he was telling the truth, seeing that she was sleeping at the time. But it was rude to tell someone¡ª who was nice enough to allow you to creep around their room at night¡ª that they snored.


    Her indignation only served to amuse him further. He gave a deep-bellied laugh, his eyes crinkling at the corners.


    She huffed. Bad-mannered jerk. They must have forgotten to teach him manners in assassin school.


    She leaned back on the ground, facing the boulder. When his laughter still echoed around her¡ª grating on her nerves¡ª she summoned frost, covering the small patch of ground beneath him. He squawked¡ªsomething about killjoys who can¡¯t take a joke.


    She closed her eyes. She was still grinning when Karim¡¯s soft snore lulled her into a light sleep.


    They walked through the snowy field. Karim¡¯s hand clasped around Daliya¡¯s. His eyes kept darting around, fretfully looking for something. The lost souls, Daliya mused. She squeezed the frightened child¡¯s hand, smiling when he glanced up at her.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be home soon.¡±


    He nodded.


    When the village was in their line of sight, Daliya stopped. This wouldn¡¯t do. They couldn¡¯t let monsters roam unchecked, threatening the town. They had to do something. She turned to Haitham.


    ¡°Where are they? Can you feel their presence?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°They¡¯re beyond the hill. A bit far to sense Karim¡¯s core.¡±


    ¡°We need to take care of them now rather than let them roam free, attacking other defenseless villagers. We¡¯ll have to lure them here. How about my core? It¡¯s strong enough to incite them, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Controlled chaos,¡± he mused, eying her. ¡°Are you sure?¡± he asked.


    She nodded.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    She closed her eyes, concentrating on the shielding that cocooned her core¡ªa fledgling little shield that she was proud of achieving, no matter the critics haitham had for her. She shivered as she felt a ripple run over her frame. The shielding around her core gone.


    They didn¡¯t have to wait for long. Soon enough, groaning and growling sounded in the distance. They were lured here by both her core and Karim¡¯s. But most likely by hers. According to Haitham, she shone like a beacon, a delicious cold meal for lost souls rip and ready for devouring.


    Karim let out a distressed cry, his arms tightening around her, hiding his face in the crook of her neck. Daliya instinctively tightened her hold on his small frame.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re safe. They can¡¯t hurt you.¡±


    She hid his face in her shoulder, shielding him from the approaching monsters.


    It was a quick work. Haitham tore into them like thunder. A second, they were there, growling, reaching their claws. The next, they were but husks, already fading with the breeze, only their distorted cores testament to their miserable existence.


    Daliya nudged the child, coaxing him. ¡°They¡¯re gone,¡± she said.


    By the time the child turned to inspect their surroundings, all signs of the lost souls had already disappeared.


    Nahila crushed her son against her chest. Her sobs filled their surroundings, gathering a few curious stares from the villagers.


    ¡°Maybe we should get somewhere more private.¡±


    The woman nodded at Daliya¡¯s words. She wiped her face with the back of her sleeve and ushered them inside, her hands never letting go of Karim. The child smiled, clutching his mother¡¯s skirt like a baby koala. His happiness turned into delight as she put a plate of cakes in front of him.


    ¡°For me?¡± he asked, vibrating with gidiness.


    She kissed his forehead. ¡°Of course. How many hearts do I have? They¡¯re all for you, my heart.¡± She smiled fondly at him.


    Daliya shuffled on her feet, feeling like she was intruding on their reunion. But they had something important to discuss.


    With a last look at her son, Nahila ushered them to her living room. Daliya declined her offer of tea and urged her to sit and talk to them.


    ¡°His father was an earth shaker, wasn¡¯t he?¡± Haitham asked.


    Nihal nodded. ¡°We had met in one of my travels to the capital. My father had gotten sick, so I volunteered to go in his stead.¡±


    ¡°The earth shaker was in the capital?¡± Haitham sounded shocked at the thought.


    Nahila shook her head. ¡°Our carriage had sustained damage on the way. We had to stop at a nearby village. It was there where I met him.¡± She looked slightly upward, her expression dreamy, as if she was transported years back in a faraway village. ¡°He was a nice person. He helped us without asking for anything in return.¡±


    She brushed her hand over her skirt, her fingers playing with some loose threats at the hem.


    ¡°In one of our outings, we were attacked by monsters. Without hesitating, he used his powers to protect me. He didn¡¯t even worry that I would out him. As if I would rat him out to those bloodthirsty bastards who don¡¯t even care about us!¡± She shot a worried glance Daliya¡¯s way. But when Daliya didn¡¯t acknowledge her insults, she continued, boldened, ¡°I don¡¯t regret marrying him. Even if we weren¡¯t meant to be together, he had given me one of the greatest gifts life could ever give me.¡±


    She shot Daliya a pleading look.


    ¡°Karim is a good child. He has never hurt anyone. He might be a bit different, but he¡¯s still my son. I urge Your Highness to forgive his existence and allow us to remain in your care.¡±


    Daliya stopped her attempt to kneel before her. She clasped her shoulders and gently pushed her back to her seat.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You can stay here. I won¡¯t chase you out of your house. You both are safe here.¡±


    She¡¯ll inform Mazin to tell the other knights to turn a blind eye to the kid¡¯s powers. She¡¯ll make it a royal decree if she had to.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Daliya felt bad at the hopeful tone in the woman¡¯s voice. She looked at her as if she couldn¡¯t believe that Daliya would really honor her words, that she would call the knights and have them take her child away from her.


    Quite counterproductive, if anything else.


    ¡°He can¡¯t stay here.¡±


    Daliya snapped her head toward Haitham. ¡°What? Why?¡±


    ¡°This time, he was lucky we were here. He might not be next time. He needs to go somewhere safe where he can train his powers and learn to protect himself. The lost souls are a constant danger to people like us. They won¡¯t be going anywhere anytime soon. So, like everyone else, he needs to learn to live in a world bent to end him.¡±


    ¡°Where would he go?¡± Daliya doubted anywhere else would be a safe haven for someone like them. Not with the emperor.


    Haitham looked to the side, his thoughtful eyes glancing at the child wolfing down his mother¡¯s cakes.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you take him away from me! He¡¯s my everything! My world!¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t separate children from their mothers. We¡¯re not heartless.¡± Haitham sighed, his shoulders moving with the motion. It seemed it wasn¡¯t the first time he had that kind of accusation thrown at him.


    The mother threw him a suspicious look.


    ¡°In the upcoming days, someone will contact you. They¡¯ll take the both of you somewhere safer than here.¡±


    ¡°You promise?¡±


    He gave a solemn nod. ¡°You have my word.¡±


    Instead of returning to the main road, Haitham jumped on the house¡¯s roof. Daliya followed him, the wood groaning under her feet. He took a paper from his cloak and tore it in half. The remaining taters shot to the sky, shining a faint yellow before fading.


    ¡°What was that?¡±


    ¡°A spell. It means there¡¯s something or someone that must be collected here.¡±


    She gave him a look. ¡°You just announced it to the whole town. Heck, everyone in a ten-kilometer radius had seen it.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter.¡± He shrugged. ¡°They¡¯ll be here soon enough before your useless knights take heed of things. How else did you think our people haven¡¯t gone extinct? Certainly not due to the emperor¡¯s lack of effort.¡±


    ¡°How would they get here?¡±


    His smile was cryptic. ¡°We have our ways.¡±

 Chapter 25

    She heard the woman¡¯s frantic words echoing through Haitham¡¯s chambers. She paused, considering continuing her way to the grand library and maybe asking him later about it. She didn¡¯t recognize the woman¡¯s voice. It had an edge to it. The words hissed in deep-gutted anger.


    Whoever this was, it wasn¡¯t one of the maids.


    Was it another assassin? If so, was it the one tasked with taking the Earth Shaker family to safety?


    She would allow him this moment of privacy with his brethren. She was sure he would tell her if there was something wrong. She had no reason to doubt him.


    She took a single step away, then stopped. There was this nagging feeling that screamed at her at the mere thought of leaving. She gnawed at her lower lip, wondering about her next action. Should she leave? Should she interrupt whatever they were talking about? Surely, if it were something she wasn¡¯t supposed to hear, Haitham would have held this meeting somewhere away from here. By now, he knew every nook and cranny in the castle grounds. She suspected he even knew about the secret passages she had yet to find¡ª she might never find.


    Even after months of living in the castle, Haitham¡¯s room was still devoid of anything that indicated it was lived in. Even the bed looked immaculate, with not a wrinkle in the sheets, as if it had never been used. The desk was devoid of decoration.


    She ignored the slight tightness in her chest and focused on the room¡¯s two occupants. Two sets of eyes fell on her as she stepped into the room. None seemed surprised at her presence.


    Right. Her core¡­ she had yet to perfect its shielding¡ªsomething she needed to remedy the first chance she got. If only Haitham had listened to her instead of insisting on still focusing on her control. She could control her ice just fine.


    The woman stared at her, her emerald eyes shining with deep-seethed hate. Her blazing red hair swirled in the evening breeze,  echoing her anger.


    If looks could kill¡­


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Daliya glared back.


    ¡°I¡¯m not here for you,¡± the woman hissed.


    ¡°Obviously,¡± Daliya snorted.


    Haitham pinched the bridge of his nose, his eyes closed in exasperation, his head tilted back. The woman turned to him and took hold of his arm.


    ¡°You have to listen to me. We can still salvage this.¡±


    He gently extricated his arm from her grasp. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ve already made up my mind. You¡¯ll have to believe that what I¡¯m doing is for the best.¡±


    ¡°The best?¡± she snarled. ¡°You think she would help us? She¡¯s the princess! Whatever game she¡¯s playing will only end up ruining you! You can¡¯t trust her!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s here, you know,¡± Daliya said drily.


    The woman whirled around. ¡°You.¡± Her voice held so much venom that Daliya thought she would choke on the word. ¡°This is all because of you.¡±


    She lifted her hand up, and a flame burst into life. Daliya took a step back, watching her warily.


    ¡°Laila.¡± There was a warning in Haitham¡¯s voice.


    Laila bristled. She cursed under her breath, but the fire died down.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going back, not now, but you already know this. So, why are you here?¡± Haitham asked her.


    She paused for a moment, her angry eyes staring at Daliya. ¡°I asked Saif to reconsider.¡± She turned to Haitham, a pained look in her green eyes. ¡°This is your last chance before you¡¯re branded a traitor. Your presence with the princess has been deemed too dangerous to ignore. Eliminating you is now their top priority.¡±


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    Haitham didn¡¯t seem distressed by the news. He merely nodded. ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t!¡± Laila crowded him. ¡°This isn¡¯t what we planned. This isn¡¯t what we set to do all those years ago.¡± She held her hand out to him, a pleading expression on her face. ¡°Come back with me. Saif said he was willing to turn a blind eye if you returned now, that he¡¯s willing to forgive you.¡±


    Haitham¡¯s jaw clicked. His face hardened at her words. ¡°His forgiveness is the last thing I¡¯ll be coveting.¡±


    She pushed him. ¡°Why are you doing this? Why are you betraying your people?¡± She turned a disgusted look at Daliya. ¡°For her?¡±


    Daliya shuffled on her feet. She didn¡¯t know things were so dire for him. He had seemed so nonchalant about the whole bodyguard thing that she thought there was nothing to worry about. Clearly, it wasn¡¯t the case.


    ¡°I¡¯m not your enemy. I will not hunt Ma¡¯aribian citizens, nor will I hurt them.¡±


    Laila snorted. ¡°As if I would believe the words of a monster.¡±


    Daliya sighed. ¡°You don¡¯t have to believe me. I still won¡¯t do it.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± she scoffed.


    Laila turned to Haitham, ignoring her. ¡°They¡¯ve already issued the order. They¡¯ll strike soon. You have to be careful.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    She nodded.


    ¡°Not all of them agree. There are still those loyal to you. But they¡¯re wavering. They don¡¯t understand the purpose of your actions.¡± She paused. ¡°I don¡¯t understand the purpose of your actions.¡± She took a step back from him. ¡°We¡¯ll be awaiting your orders.¡±


    She sent Daliya a last glare, then left through the opened window.


    They stood there, silent.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to interrupt.¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± He sat heavily on the bed, his shoulders hunched over as he leaned forward, resting his arms on his thighs. Daliya sat next to him, hovering close to his hunched form.


    ¡°So, what are you going to do?¡±


    He glanced at her. ¡°Nothing.¡± He shrugged.


    ¡°But¡­aren¡¯t they trying to kill you?¡±


    ¡°I would like to see them try.¡±


    His eyes shone bloody red. Daliya suddenly felt sorry for them. She wondered who was truly the prey and who was the predator.


    They stayed quiet for a moment. Haitham seemed lost in thought, his expression darkening along the sky outside.


    ¡°So¡­ who is Saif?¡±


    He glanced at her but said nothing. Just when she thought she should drop the subject and that maybe she should have gone to the library for some light studying before bed¡ª and left them alone¡ªhe spoke.


    ¡°An old family friend who took me and Laila in after the war.¡±


    So, he was family then. Daliya wondered how things were for him as a child. She pictured a child-size Haitham with a miniature red-haired girl by his side, her eyes spitting fire as she clung to his hand, glaring at whoever dared approach them, Haitham silent, his eyes observing their surroundings. Did he know his way around a dagger? Or did this family friend teach him how to wield a weapon, how to track his prey and take its life?


    It must have been hard. To be orphaned at such a young age in a war-torn country, in a world that despised you just for existing.


    She glanced at him, looking for any signs of sadness. The man who raised him had also ordered his execution. It sure was hard to live in this world.


    She found none.


    No, that wasn¡¯t right. She looked at him, really looked at him. Underneath his expressionless mask was something buried, something¡­ vulnerable. A couple of months ago, she would have missed it. She would have written it off as something inherent to being an assassin, heartless and cold. She would have thought him unmoved by the news. But not now.


    Her hand closed around his arm and squeezed. ¡°Can¡¯t you talk to him? I can go with you. We can tell him that I¡¯m not on the emperor¡¯s side. Maybe he¡¯ll listen.¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°He won¡¯t believe you. I wouldn¡¯t have if not for my ability to see souls. We might not be allowed to cross the base¡¯s threshold. He¡¯ll order your execution and mine before we can seek an audience.¡± He looked at her. ¡°And I can¡¯t fault him for it either. The princess had dealt heavy losses to the resistance. She was the emperor¡¯s watchdog. Just the sight of her near one of our bases was enough to consider relocating.¡±


    Damn. What kind of person was she?


    ¡°Besides, telling others you¡¯re not the real princess might result in the emperor finding out.¡±


    Her eyes widened. ¡°You think he has spies? Inside the resistance?¡±


    He snorted. ¡°Of course he has.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you all Ma¡¯aribian?¡±


    He paused. He opened his mouth to say something but shook his head and looked down at his hand. A small flame burst inside his palm. The flame danced and twisted, then took shape. A face. ¡°You¡¯ll find that loyalty is quite hard to come by.¡±

 Chapter 26

    Merely two days after the strange woman¡¯s visit, Daliya had already forgotten everything about it. Lost in the haziness of the festivities and their preparations, she barely had time for a morning sword session before she was whisked away to attend to whatever needed her approval. Apparently, a knight¡¯s words¡ªeven the captain of the knight¡¯s order¡ªweren¡¯t enough to approve certain things. For her eyes only, they had said.


    The emperor¡¯s gift, that she could understand. But why would the castle¡¯s flower arrangements be of utmost importance?


    She stood in front of the storeroom, overseeing the hundreds of frozen flowers cargo carted inside. Moonshade Bloom, a flower from the far north, in what was once known as Lyria, with crystal-like petals shining like the faint glow of a full moon in a starless night sky. Also the late empress¡¯s favorite flower, according to Haitham.


    For how long did he stalk the real princess?


    Daliya sent him a suspicious look.


    ¡°What?¡± He raised a querying brow at her.


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    He crossed his arms over his chest. ¡°Really now. As if I don¡¯t know you.¡± His finger drummed against his forearm, a monotone rhythm that complemented the controlled and measured steps of the servants as they carried the delicate cargo. ¡°Come on. Out with it.¡± He grinned.


    Did he really? And if he did, what about her? She barely knew anything about him. The visit that had slithered through her mind these couple of days was a testament to that. Apart from him being an assassin sent for the real princess¡¯ head, she almost knew nothing about him. That conversation that day helped shed some light on who he was¡ªa helpless child caught in the throng of war. But what else was to him?


    Before she could voice her thoughts, a knight stood before her, posture straight, face grim. She couldn¡¯t help the sigh that escaped her lips, feeling a bit bad when the knight flinched.


    ¡°What seems to be the problem?¡± she asked.


    The knight hesitated before saying, ¡°Your Highness, we have verified the blooms¡¯ load. The numbers fall short of the required blooms for the festivities.¡±


    Daliya paused. ¡°You mean they didn¡¯t send the amount we asked for?¡±


    The knight nodded, shoulders tense.


    Daliya wanted to tap his shoulder and tell him to relax. But it would probably send the poor man into a heart attack. What was his name? Akal? Akil?... something like that.


    ¡°Have you tried to contact the¡­¡± She frowned. She couldn¡¯t say customer service. Heck, she didn¡¯t even know who was sending all these flowers.


    He gave a sharp nod. ¡°We¡¯ve tried to inform the warden about the mishap. But we received no answers.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± She paused, contemplating her next action. She saw no need to make a big deal out of things. They were but flowers. But then again¡­


    Daliya never knew her mother. She had breathed her last as Daliya drew her first breath. Difficult childbirth, her grandmother had said. Her mother was of a weak build. The doctor had advised her to terminate the pregnancy, but her mother had refused. A warrior, she had called her.


    Her little warrior¡­


    Daliya shut down that train of thought. She watched the last crates carried into the storeroom.


    The princess seemed to really love her mother. The statue in the garden and these flowers were proof of how deeply she cared about her. And it wasn¡¯t Daliya¡¯s place to break such a fragile connection. Even if the princess was long gone, she would honor her wishes.


    ¡°Send another inquiry to the warden.¡±


    All of this was making her feel angsty.


    The knight bowed and hurried away, his boots barely making a dent in the snow in his haste.


    She glanced at Hatham. ¡°Where is this town?¡±


    She frowned. He couldn¡¯t know that, could he?


    His brows pulled into a thoughtful frown. ¡°A town in the far north. Nyra, I think its name was. A town trapped in perpetual winter. Where there is nothing but snow, ice, and even more snow.¡± He shivered at the thought.


    ¡°How do you know all this? Did you have her shadowed?¡±


    He looked at her, a glint of amusement in his eyes. ¡°Something like that.¡±


    Daliya gawked at him. ¡°You have spies in the castle!¡±


    His laughter turned a few heads towards them. Daliya glimpsed a few maids, scurrying away, giggling at each other.


    ¡°We¡¯re assassins. Information is nothing but a side dish.¡±


    Daliya narrowed her eyes at him. She crossed her arms over her chest. ¡°Are they still here?¡±


    ¡°But of course. They won¡¯t lose their job just because I showed up here.¡±


    ¡°Who are they?¡±


    He leaned his head down, staring at her. ¡°You¡¯ll meet them eventually. But not today.¡±


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    She huffed. ¡°You don¡¯t trust me.¡±


    She felt a tightness in her chest¡ªlike she was trying to breathe through pins and needles. She glanced at the last crate making its way to the storeroom, then back at him, trying to keep whatever she was truly feeling out of her face. She wanted to pass it as a slight annoyance, but the look he was shooting her gave her away.


    ¡°It¡¯s not about trust. The mole is simply not on the premises for the moment. You¡¯ll meet them once their mission is over and done with.¡±


    ¡°What mission?¡±


    He hummed. ¡°They¡¯ll tell you once they return.¡±


    She narrowed her eyes . ¡°you promise?¡±


    ¡°But of course. I have no reason to keep that information from you. Not for long anyway.¡±


    She stared at him, silent. The infuriating man stared back, his lips tilted slightly up in amusement.


    ¡°Fine.¡± She sighed.


    Things in the town weren¡¯t much better. The villagers glanced at her with a wariness that wasn¡¯t there on her last visit.


    She glimpsed the blacksmiths hovering around her, watching her with doubtful glances. But one glance from her, and they hurried toward her, apologizing for the displeasure their creation caused her. Daliya shook her head and expressed her desire to see the statue again.


    This time, Haitham¡¯s eyes were fixed on the two marble men, not straying for even a second. His face was void of any expression, but his eyes were a whole canva of determination and another emotion she couldn¡¯t name.


    With a heavy heart, she gave her blessing to the monstrosity.


    If this was a normal citizen¡¯s reaction to the empire¡¯s massacres, she feared to think what the emperor would be like. She had a rough idea about him. A ruthless man who was at the head of the strongest army in this world, hellbent on conquering other nations and putting an end to magic¡¯s existence.


    But if so¡­ then why was his daughter an Ice Wielder?


    According to Haitham, the late empress was an Ice Wielder herself. She was the descendant of the last royal line of Lyria, the last Lyrian princess. It was not clear whether their marriage was out of love or merely a business transaction.


    Haitham had told her that the Awsansian Empire had approached Lyria with an alliance, and the marriage wasn¡¯t one of its conditions. Only after the empress¡¯s death did he attack the northern kingdom. It was the last of his conquests.


    But one thing for sure, he never remarried.


    Daliya huffed. At least, he¡­


    Daliya gritted her teeth. This whole thing brought a bad taste to her mouth. She closed her eyes, stopping the wave of unwanted thoughts from flooding her mind.


    She had no time for this. She needed to think.


    What would be the best gift from a daughter to her father?


    She tsked. She was the worst candidate to make decisions on such a matter. She had never gifted her own father anything before. Not that she had a father. That person could barely be called a family member, let alone a father.


    Not that she hadn¡¯t entertained the idea. Years ago, she had spent months thinking about the perfect gift to cheer him up, to get him to look at her and smile like the fathers she saw in the playground playing and laughing with their children. But he never did. No matter what she did, he would always look at her like she was the reason for his misfortune¡ªthe reason for losing his wife.


    A hand on her shoulder brought her back from her daze. She blinked at Haitham, who stared at her with a concerned expression.


    ¡°Where have you wandered off to?¡± he asked.


    She sighed. ¡°It¡¯s the gift. I don¡¯t know what to gift the emperor.¡±


    He paused. ¡°I doubt he would care for any of that. Unless¨C¡± He raised a finger. ¡°It¡¯s the crystal he had sent the princess to find.¡±


    Daliya cringed. ¡°Yeah, fat chance he¡¯ll get that.¡±


    Haitham grinned. ¡°My sole solace.¡±


    Daliya snorted. ¡°You mean my doom.¡±


    ¡°Nah, he¡¯ll still need you. You¡¯re his only chance to locate it. As long as he believes that it hasn¡¯t been found, you¡¯re still in the clear.¡±


    Daliya frowned at him. ¡°What does he want it anyway? Isn¡¯t he a normal human?¡± She gasped. ¡°Is he an Elememtalist too?¡±


    Haitham shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s as normal as they go. But this stone is a bit different from the other soul stones. This soul stone is¡ªwell, was¡ªone of five other shards originating from the same core.¡±


    ¡°You mean that stone was only a shard?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Legend has it; it belonged to the first Elememtalist who had walked the land. After his death, his core turned into a soul stone so powerful it was capable of granting the most impossible of wishes.¡±


    Daliya narrowed her eyes at him. ¡°Really,¡± she said drily.


    ¡°You¡¯re here, aren¡¯t you?¡± Haitham said with a raised eyebrow.


    Daliya paused.


    Right.


    ¡°All the five nations fought over it. Lands ravaged. Cities leveled to the ground. Whole areas turned to ash.¡±


    Of course. All for power.


    ¡°Then, they decided to split the soul stone into five parts. Each nation was granted a shard. It would divide its power, but at least it would stop the senseless bloodshed. And yes, even normal humans, not only us, can get their wishes granted.¡±


    Impressive.


    ¡°But if there are five shards, where are the others?¡±


    ¡°Some were used, some were lost. This one was the last shard sighted in the last century.¡±


    ¡°Oh, does that mean it¡¯s the last one?¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°Who knows.¡±


    Daliya gnawed at her lower lip. ¡°Can¡¯t the Seer be of any help? She might get a glimpse of the other shards.¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°I doubt it. If she did, we wouldn¡¯t be in this predicament. The whole prophecy thing would have been averted. After all, it¡¯s her job as a Seer to ensure the survival of our people.¡±


    Daliya turned on him. ¡°Now that you mention it. What¡¯s this prophecy about? And don¡¯t think about avoiding the matter. I¡¯ll fasten your legs to the ground if I have to.¡±


    He chortled a small laugh. ¡°I wasn¡¯t hiding it.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°You were unstable. Telling you something that could upset you might have setback your training.¡±


    She tapped her leg on the ground, sparks of frost appearing underneath her boots. ¡°I have fine control over my powers now, so out with it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a prophecy that speaks about the world¡¯s destruction. Something that was set into motion with your arrival. You¡¯re basically the first sign of the apocalypse. The catalyst.¡±


    There was a long pause. They stood there staring at each other. Daliya was rooted in place, while Haitham had the audacity to smile.


    The Daliya yelled, ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that bad. As you aid, we¡¯ll find the other shards, and then everything will be fine,¡± he said, trying to placate her.


    ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s not that bad!¡±


    Daliya was furious. How dare he hide this from her. The first sign? The catalyst?


    ¡°Wait! Does that mean the princess could have stopped it?¡±


    He paused. ¡°Maybe?¡±


    Daliya¡¯s shoulders sagged. That horrible, cruel, heartless human being. Was there a limit to her cruelty?

 Chapter 27

    The next to ambush her were, surprisingly, a group of children. Daliya glimpsed them as they neared the main road that would have taken them back to the castle. From Haitham¡¯s amused smile, he too, must have noticed their presence.


    They watched her with suspicious and wary eyes as they approached her. Two little boys and a girl.


    ¡°Who should ask?¡±


    ¡°You go.¡±


    ¡°No. You go.¡±


    ¡°I thought you were our leader!¡±


    Daliya stood there, waiting for them to finish their argument and tell her what they wanted from her. Her lips tilted up in amusement as the ¡®leader¡¯ stomped his feet, announcing that he decided as their leader to have them draw paper rock scissors to see who would ask her. Unfortunately for him, he lost all three rounds. The two other children refused his request for a rematch.


    He shot a betrayed look at his friends as they pushed him forward.


    ¡°You need something?¡± Daliya asked.


    The kid fidgeted on his feet. He glanced at his friends, then back at her, before turning his gaze to the ground.


    Daliya kneeled on the ground, the child¡¯s gaze now level with hers. She smiled encouragingly for him to speak.


    ¡°I¡­ eh¡­¡±


    She nodded, waiting for him to continue.


    With a final glance at his friends. He took a deep breath and looked shyly at her.


    ¡°Karim. Talyn said that you¡­ Your Highness, I mean.¡± Daliya smiled, shaking her head at his flustered face. ¡°She said that you went to look for him.¡±


    So they were Karim¡¯s friends.


    She nodded. ¡°I did. He¡¯s fine. If that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking.¡±


    He gave a sharp nod. ¡°But¨Cbut, their house is empty. Do you¡­ eh¡­ know where he is?¡±


    She hesitated, her smile faltering slightly.


    Honestly, she didn¡¯t know where Karim and his mother were. She had left Haitham to deal with the whole thing. He had said he would get them to safety. That was all that mattered.


    ¡°He went to visit his family,¡± Haitham said next to her. She glanced at him. He sat, one knee barely touching the ground.


    ¡°Really?¡± the girl, Talyn, Daliya presumed, said.


    She inched closer, emboldened. The other kid followed soon after. The three children encircled them. Daliya¡¯s smile widened at their ease.


    ¡°When will he be back?¡± the third kid asked.


    ¡°Ah. That¡¯s not for me to decide, don¡¯t you think?¡± he lifted a finger at their dejected faces. ¡°I heard they serve honey cakes at their relatives¡¯ house. So, I guess he¡¯ll be back when all the cakes are eaten.¡±


    The children let out an awed exclamation.


    ¡°I knew it,¡± the small roup¡¯s leader said. ¡°He better save some for us, or he¡¯ll be the ¡®it¡¯ in our tag game for a whole month.¡± He huffed.


    ¡°I want a honey cake,¡± Talyn grumbled.


    Their this frine, seemingly the more mature of them all, tutted. He shook his head. ¡°I would say make it two months. No, three months. He broke his promise. He said he¡¯ll show me how to find squirrels. But he¡¯s gone now, eating honey cakes while I¡¯m here with no squirrels.¡±


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    Daliya let out a chortle. The children startled. They glanced warily at her before they burst into giggles.


    ¡°We¡¯ll let him know you were worried about him., right?¡± She glanced at Haitham. He nodded, smiling.


    The children¡¯s faces flushed. They spluttered.


    ¡°We¡¯re not worried. We just wanted to play. We were going to the field to make flower crowns,¡± Talyn said.


    ¡°To hunt squirrels!¡±


    ¡°To make flower crowns! He promised!¡±


    Their leader interjected, putting a hand over their shoulders. ¡°We were going to make crowns for the hunting champion.¡±


    They paused, then nodded at him, convinced by his words.


    Daliya felt a trickle of guilt in her chest. They had taken Karim away from his friends to god knows what future.


    If there was any.


    She stifled the sigh from escaping her lips, trying to keep the smile on her face.


    These children¡­ they were so innocent. And so was Karim. And now, his whole life was uprooted because of something out of his hands.


    There had to be something she could do. She was the empire¡¯s sole princess, for crying out loud. It was her job to protect her people''s daily and mundane lives. It was her duty to ensure that their lives weren¡¯t interrupted and they had the chance for a normal and worry-free existence.


    She had to do something.


    But what could she do? She knew little about the emperor, little bits and pieces she could glean from her talk with Haitham.


    She knew the emperor regarded the princess as more of a tool he could use against people like her than a family member. His daughter.


    She knew he was a heartless tyrant who had taken it upon himself to eradicate innocent people for no crimes they committed.


    How could she reason with someone like him? She might as well lose her life the second she proved useless to his cause¡ªwhich she already was. She refused to raise her blade against innocents, no matter the emperor¡¯s retribution. That, she was sure of.


    The princess might have been a weapon in her father¡¯s hand. But she was neither the real princess nor was she his daughter. And more importantly, she wasn¡¯t a criminal for hire.


    She knew that one day, her determination would bring her to the other side of the emperor¡¯s blade. But she couldn¡¯t bring herself to care. Not one bit.


    What she could do now was train and train and train till she mastered all her powers. So that if that day ever came, she would be ready.


    She already had an appointment with death¡ªone too many. She wouldn¡¯t give the emperor the satisfaction of holding the blade that ended her.


    Not that she planned on dying. She would grow stronger and outlive whatever fate had in store for her. Strangely enough, since meeting the Seer, the vision was nothing but a memory. Something that, if she closed her eyes tight enough, she could pretend never seeing. A mere nightmare she could ignore the second she opened her eyes.


    If only things were that easy.


    Talyn took out a small wooden knight statue and handed it to Daliya. ¡°Can you give him this? My grandfather finished it yesterday, but he¡¯s gone now,¡± she said in a small voice.


    Daliya gazed at the statuette in her palm, caressing her finger against its smooth surface. ¡°Karim liked the knight¡¯s order?¡± she asked.


    Talyn gave a sharp nod. ¡°He wants to be a knight when he grows up.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Me too! I wanna be a knight like my father!¡± Talyn added.


    Daliya blinked at her beaming face. Her father? A knight? She would have to find out who it was.


    The two children soon followed after, expressing their desire to enter into the princess¡¯s employ and fight evil with their big, strong swords.


    Heroes like the knight¡¯s order.


    Daliya watched the excited children, guilt gnawing at her chest. She couldn¡¯t tell them the truth and shatter their childhood dreams, so she smiled at them, nodding as they told her how strong they would be once they were proper adults.


    She felt Haitham still beside her, sensing his shoulders tense and the slight change in his breathing. She shot him a curious look. He shook his head, mouthing, ¡®I¡¯ll be back,¡¯ before standing and disappearing behind the slopped roof of one of the houses. The children¡¯s delight echoed as they stared at where he was.


    ¡°I wanna be strong like him!¡±


    ¡°Me too!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to become even stronger than him!¡±


    ¡°Stop lying! He¡¯s the princess¡¯s personal knight! No one can be stronger!¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll become the princess¡¯s personal knight!¡± The child glanced at her, asking for her support.


    Daliya laughed. ¡°Of course.¡±


    Her words only served in the other two¡¯s upset yells.


    ¡°It¡¯s not fair! I wanted to ask her first!¡±


    Daliya¡¯s laughter turned into a full-bellied laugh. She watched the kids squabble for a future knightly position. But she couldn¡¯t help the slight worry at Haitham¡¯s strange behavior. After reassuring the children that they can all become knights and sending them back to the square to watch the festivities¡¯ preparations¡ªwith a renewed promise to relay their messages to Karim¡ªshe set off to find her wayward bodyguard.

 Chapter 28

    She followed the traces left by his core. She knew he intentionally left them as if he expected her to follow him. And who was she to disappoint him? So, tracking him, she did.


    She found him not far from the main road. But he wasn¡¯t alone. There was the woman she met the day before, Laila, and two other men, drawn deep into a heated conversation.


    Daliya walked toward them, ignoring Laila¡¯s cold stare.


    ¡°If you believe that is what must be done,¡± one of the two men said, expression grave. ¡°Then it is what we shall do.¡± He gave a solemn nod.


    Haitham nodded back. His face was serious, not even a hint of his earlier mirth remaining. From the slight tilt of his head in her direction, she knew he had noticed her arrival way before she emerged from the corner.


    The solemn man glanced at her and then back at Haitham. She saw the minute shift in his stance, the slight twitch of his hand.


    Daliya gazed warily at the spear strapped to his back.


    Here she was, walking willingly into a secret meeting between assassins. But strangely enough, she didn¡¯t feel like her life was in danger. None of these people¡ªexcept Haitham¡ªmust have liked her. Hell, Daliya was almost sure they would want nothing but to end the dangling threat that was her life.


    Yet, she didn¡¯t feel the need to draw her sword nor call her ice to her.


    She strolled toward Haitham, stopping next to him. The second man with a bow and a handful of arrows on his back shot her a reluctant smile that she readily returned.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± she directed her question at Haitham.


    He paused before saying, ¡°Just some complications, nothing more. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll deal with them before they turn into an issue.¡± He directed the last words to the others.


    The one with the arrows, the cheerful-looking one, nodded. ¡°Of course. You can count on us.¡± He tapped his chest with a fist, a grin splitting his face.


    Laila snorted. ¡°Right.¡± she spat, voice laced with mockery. Cheerful shot her a hurtful look.


    Was she this much enjoyable? Even to her comrades in arms?


    Cheerful turned his gaze to Daliya. He did a badly orchestrated bow. ¡°Arham, at your service.¡± He winked.


    Haitham flicked his forehead, huffing. ¡°Go do your job.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m working!¡± Arham protested, rubbing his forehead. ¡°I just wanted to apologize.¡±


    Daliya frowned. For what?


    He smiled sheepishly at her. ¡°Back at the bazaar? At GreenMarsh? You know¡­¡± He trailed off, letting out an awkward laugh.


    Daliya blinked. Ah, she remembered.


    ¡°The attack! It was you?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°I¡ªwell¡­ I didn¡¯t know you were in cohort with our fearless leader back then.¡±


    Leader? So, Haitham was their leader?


    Haitham crossed his arms over his chest, eyes narrowed at Arham.


    ¡°If only you hadn¡¯t missed.¡±


    Daliya rolled her eyes at Laila¡¯s words.


    ¡°I never miss,¡± Arham insisted. He growled at Laila, offended by her words. ¡°He¡ª¡± He gestured to haitham. ¡°Intercepted it. With a rock!¡± He huffed. ¡°Without his interference, my record would have still stayed clean.¡± He faltered, glancing at Daliya. ¡°Not that it means I wanted you dead, Your¡­ eh, Highness?¡±


    Daliya shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s okay, we were enemies then. No grudges.¡±


    He nodded frantically. ¡°Of course, of course. If Haitham had given us a heads up, I wouldn¡¯t have attacked you.¡± He gave her a hopeful look. ¡°Does that mean¡­ we¡¯re allies now?¡± At her nod, he cheered. ¡°Great! You hear that, Sameer! I was right! The princess had turned to our side.¡±


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    Sameer, or the solemn-looking assassin, leveled her with a dubious look. Daliya held his stare unwavering. She knew he didn¡¯t trust her, and he might never will. But none of that mattered. All that mattered was getting her idiotic bodyguard¡¯s trust, whose head was tilted up, eyes closed, his fingers massaging the bridge of his nose.


    ¡°What is this? A cultural saloon?¡±


    Daliya shot her a look. ¡°You should learn to loosen up a little.¡± She gestured with her head toward Arham.


    The assassin took a step back, furiously shaking his head. ¡°What? What? How can I teach him anything when he is¡ª¡±


    A jab with the wooden side of the spear silenced him. He rubbed his side, glaring at Sameer. But he said nothing.


    ¡°Back to the topic,¡± Haitham announced. He turned to Laila. ¡°Have you notified the red spider?¡±


    Laila paused. She seemed miffed at sharing whatever information she had with Daliya¡¯s presence. Daliya watched her, a defiant glint in her eyes. But deep down, she could barely hide the sigh of relief when Haitham didn¡¯t exclude her in whatever schemes he was concocting.


    He trusted her.


    He truly trusted her.


    She smiled, her smile widening at Laila¡¯s scowl.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she gritted between her teeth. ¡°She¡¯s been notified. She won¡¯t deal with anyone except us four.¡±


    Haitham gave a satisfied nod. ¡°Good. it won¡¯t be long before Saif notices the loss of such a prominent ally. We should move fast.¡±


    They nodded.


    So it was about the assassin¡¯s order. This Saif, the one who had raised him as an assassin instead of letting a child enjoy his childhood. Did the old man already make his move? Were the executioners already on their way to get rid of him?


    Haitham didn¡¯t seem worried by the whole ordeal.


    ¡°What about the Seer?¡±


    Daliya perked up at the mention of the strange woman.


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t been sighted since,¡± Sameer said.


    ¡°What do you want to ask her?¡± Daliya asked.


    Didn¡¯t she tell him she had nothing for him?


    ¡°Something has been bugging me. Something I should have looked into but disregarded till now.¡±


    He didn¡¯t elaborate further. He turned to the others, relaying their next set of actions.


    Get intel on the Soul Devourer and if there was any chance they could counter its effect.


    Get intel on the Soul Steel and if it was replicable.


    Daliya frowned. That was the first time she had heard of such a thing.


    ¡°You plan on facing the emperor?¡± Sameer asked with a worried furrow.


    ¡°We might have to.¡± Haitham shrugged. At her confused look, he said, ¡°It¡¯s the emperor¡¯s sword and the reason why no one had tried to approach him. A small cut with its blade is all it would take for him to kill someone.¡±


    ¡°A small cut?¡± Daliya raised an eyebrow at him. Wasn¡¯t he exaggerating?


    ¡°It¡¯s true!¡± Arham insisted. Then he paused. ¡°Wait, shouldn¡¯t you know about this?¡± There was a suspicious glint in his eyes. His lips twisted in a thought. ¡°Is it true then? What Haitham had said¡­?¡±


    Daliya stilled. Did Haitham reveal her secret? Wasn''t he the one who insisted on not breathing a word bout it?


    Haitham sighed. Whatever he wanted to say took a backseat as Daliya rushed the assassin, demanding, ¡°What did he say?¡±


    Haitham shot her a puzzled look.


    ¡°That you had lost your memory. You know, back when he had first taken the mission to¡ª¡± He motioned toward his neck, imitating a dagger.


    Oh¡­


    ¡°I¡­ yes. Unfortunately.¡± She nodded.


    ¡°You mean, fortunately.¡± Arham grinned. ¡°Otherwise, we would have been enemies still.¡±


    She heard Haitham¡¯s huff. She turned to him, eyebrow raised. They stared at each other briefly before he shook his head and turned to Sameer.


    ¡°Make sure to cover our tracks. I don¡¯t want Saf to hear even a whisper of it.¡± After he nodded, Haitham dismissed them with a ¡®See you in a few days,¡¯


    Before they left, Daliya called Arham. As the only one who was pleasant to her among the trio, she felt he would be best for the mission.


    He shot a glance at Haitham before turning to her.


    Daliya took the statuette Talyn gave her and presented it to him. ¡°Could you give this to the boy you took from the village?¡±


    He lifted his hand in surrender. ¡°I¨CI don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    He was so bad at lying she wondered how he managed to be an assassin.


    ¡°She was there,¡± Haitham said.


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± he took the statuette and hid it in the inside of his jacket. ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°And tell him his friends are worried about him but are glad he¡¯s safe now.¡±


    He gave a slow nod.


    ¡°Anything else?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No. That¡¯s all. Thank you.¡±


    He seemed taken aback by her gratitude. He wiggled his brows at Sameer, grinning. ¡°I told you she¡¯s not the same.¡±


    With that, they left, disappearing behind the towering husks of the winter-dead trees.


    ¡°What?¡± she asked Haitham, who stood there watching her.


    ¡°I thought I was your favorite assassin.¡±


    She grinned. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re still my favorite person.¡±


    He paused before nodding. ¡°I can settle on that.¡±


    They marched back to the castle, jesting and teasing each other. But their cheery mood soon plummeted down when they glimpsed a knight running toward them.


    Daliya stood, suddenly alert.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡¯


    The knight panted, struggling to form words. ¡°The castle. We¡¯re under attack.¡±

 Chapter 29

    The castle was on fire. The whole hall was engulfed in flames. Daliya paused as unwanted memories invaded her mind¡ªthe Ice spreading despite her desperate attempt to stop it. Thuraya¡¯s horrified face as it reached her. The ice almost buried the whole hall in its frozen grasp.


    She took a deep breath, steadying herself. She wasn¡¯t the same person who had lost control over her powers. She was different now.


    Now, she controlled her ice, not the opposite.


    Thuraya¡¯s absence was also a comfort she refused to acknowledge. She didn¡¯t want her control to be reliant on such things. She wanted to prove to herself that, now, she had it all under control¡ªno matter the circumstances.


    She felt Haitham¡¯s hand on her shoulder, a soft and gentle touch. ¡°You okay?¡±


    Daliya blinked. She hadn¡¯t noticed she had stopped in her tracks towards the lit hall. She let out a deep breath.


    Focus. She needed to focus. She had faced many foes after her mishap. This was nothing. She had faced many stronger monsters and bested them. This was but another fight she would best.


    She nodded. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    He hesitated before nodding back. ¡°You can stand back if you still feel tired. I can take care of this.¡± He winked. The next moment, his dagger materialized in his grasp, a faint sheen of flames coating the dark blade.


    She glanced at him. He was giving her an out, an out she was unwilling to take.


    She shook her head, unsheathing her sword. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she insisted.


    These people were from the assassin order and might have once been his friends. She wouldn¡¯t let him face them alone. Not when he was accused of turning a traitor for helping her.


    She called the ice, snuffing the flames in her path to the hall. The knights¡¯ faces brightened at her sight. She could feel the relief across the grand hall as she smothered the fire.


    The assassins were dousing the whole place in flames, keeping a distance from the knight¡¯s blades. There were too many firebearers.


    She saw Hitham disappear up one of the pillars surrounding the hall.


    She advanced forward, noticing Mazin as he yelled out instructions to the knights, his blade swinging in the air, intercepting the arrows raining down on them.


    It wouldn¡¯t be long before they would be buried under the fire. One of the assassins was using more energy than the others, almost desperate to wipe out the knights before their energy supply ran dry. At the sight of her, he renewed his attack, using even more energy.


    Daliya tilted her head as her eyes watched the energy flow in the assassin¡¯s body. It wouldn''t be long before it was depleted. But if she didn¡¯t move, he would burn the whale hall down with him.


    Going out in a glorious fashion or something.


    But before she did anything, her captain of the knights beat her to the assassin.


    Mazin took hold of his sword and took a step back, angling it behind him. A second later, Daliya¡¯s suspension was answered. He threw it at one of the assassins, the one whose flames were doing the most damage. The blade cut through the air like an arrow. The assassin didn¡¯t have time to dodge. It impaled him in the chest, and he fell to the ground. If the blade had, then the fall would have killed him.


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    Daliya blinked. Impressive.


    As much expected form the captain of the knights.


    He launched himself toward the fallen assassin, sidestepping the flames thrown at him. He lost his momentum as his step slipped on a puddle of blood, and he nearly crashed on the floor but caught himself at the last second and lunged forward. But he miscalculated, and the fire arrow was aiming directly at his head.


    An ice spear cut through the flames. The once flaming arrow fell to the floor with a dull thud. Mazin finally reached his sword and successfully pulled it out of the assassin¡¯s corpse.


    He shot her a grateful look, then gave a short nod.


    Then, it was a chaos of blue and red. Daliya intercepted the fire arrows thrown at her knights, creating a path for them to reach the attackers. They didn¡¯t have to be as proficient as Mazin. One single cut of their silver blades would be enough to cut the energy flow in their body. Then they would be no different from other people.


    She created an ice path for her knights, leading high up in the hall. Some firebearers tried to stop her, but the silver steal got to them first.


    She watched the despair displayed on their faces.


    ¡°Keep some prisoners.¡± Her voice reverberated in the hall, magnified by the ice.


    The knights gave a synchronized yell of, ¡°Yes, your Highness.¡±


    She had nothing she personally wanted to ask them. But she hoped they would have some more information about what Saif had in store for her bodyguard. It was the least she could do.


    Daliya could see why Haitham had insisted she train her sword skills. After the assassins¡¯ energy got cut off, they were easy prey. She could see they put too much importance into their magic and not on any other means of defense.


    They were easy picks. They weren¡¯t worthy opponents for her knights, quite proficient in sword fighting.


    She could see a possible future if she faced a similar blade. Thank God Haitham had taught her to use her sword. She was certain she could hold her own without her powers.


    Speaking of¡­


    Haitham was nowhere to be seen. But she could feel great energy usage just outside the hall¡ªhis energy signature along with many others.


    She thought about lending him a hand but relented at the last second. He was a seasoned fighter. Obviously, he could take care of himself. She saw his powers firsthand. No matter what the assassin''s order threw his way, she was sure he alone could handle it. She needed to stay and help her knights. Even if the fight now seemed tilting in their favor. There was no knowing how things could turn.


    Her doubts proved to be true as the assassins led a final desperate attack.


    She felt the energy flow as it seeped from the assassins, concentrating in one area. Their hands. She frowned. What were they doing?


    They clustered at one corner, high near the ceiling. Daliya thought they would unleash their powers at once. But they didn¡¯t. They transferred their energy to one of them. The assassin shuddered at the influx of energy.


    Daliya blinked. The amount kept stacking and stacking till he was like a human torch in the flesh.


    ¡°Get away from there!¡± she yelled. But she knew her knights wouldn¡¯t have the time to retreat. They would be scorched alive.


    She took a deep breath, feeling the ice course through her veins. They were in her domain. This might not be the far north, but there was enough ice and snow to call it her own. She called ice to her. It responded to her unbidden.


    An ice wall elevated around the knights. They gave her startled looks. But soon, their eyes widened for another reason. Flame spears battered against the shield. Ice crystals erupted at the point of contact, but the shield held. Then, the attack converged at one point in a desperate attempt to break through.


    All the ice around the hall broke off and floated up to strengthen her shield. Soon, the thickness of the wall rivaled that of the castle walls. Still, its transparency allowed her to glimpse their expressions. They turned to each other, their faces grim, and nodded.


    Then the unthinkable happened. They bit into something. She heard the sound of fragile glass breaking. She understood what had happened a second too late. The assassins tumbled into a free fall, their bodies twisting into unnatural angles as they came into contact with the ground. Lifeless.


    They had killed themselves. They preferred to end their lives than be her prisoners.


    Was it her they were fearing? Or something else?

 Chapter 30

    It was no man¡¯s land outside the hall. The ground was bare of ice. Not even a trace of the piling snow remained. The scorched ground was darker and wetter in places. Daliya had a hunch what it was.


    Haitham stood in the midst of the destruction, tens of lifeless bodies surrounding him, even more than there were in the hall.


    Daliya suddenly felt glad he was on her side, that he had been sent to assassinate the real princess, and that he had been placed in her path.


    He was the last person she wanted to face. He was even more horrifying than the emperor.


    Almost as horrifying as the man in her dreams, the one with the dark flames surging around him.


    There was a grave expression on his face. His shoulders were hunched over, almost drawing into himself.


    Were any of the men he killed his acquaintances? Or even his friends?


    He must have trained with many of them, shared memories, shared laughs.


    How did things turn this way?


    The problem was, she could see why they dubbed him a traitor. Here he was, on the princess¡¯s side, helping her, protecting her people against the orders¡¯s fiery reach.


    He turned to look at her, schooling his face into a neutral expression. But she could still see a hint of a dark emotion hidden under his smiling eyes.


    She wanted to walk to him, to take his hand and lead him away from the sight of corpses that she was sure would haunt him for a while. But the agitated servants rushed to her, asking her what they should do. He gave her a nod. She nodded back and turned to the gathering crowd.


    They flocked to her like small children surrounding their parents. There was fear etched on their faces, but it wasn¡¯t directed at her. She could see the minute relief easing their frowns at her sight.


    She was glad they were warming up to her. Soon, there won¡¯t be a trace of fear in her presence. They would regard her as per her duty to them, as their guardian.


    The head butler bowed to her, announcing he had taken care of the straddlers he had found roaming the upper rooms of the castle. Daliya nodded, impressed. But as her gaze lowered to his arms¡ªto the stretch of skin noticeable under his sleeve uniform, he quickly straightened his attire, concealing the hint of black webs underneath.


    The sight reminded her of the Seer. She frowned, the question on the tip of her tongue. But another servant asking about where to take the assassin¡¯s corpse diverted her attention.


    After sending them to their appointed temporary duty, she turned to look for her bodyguard. She glimpsed him leaning on one of the pillars, his arms crossed, his eyes following her every movement. He seemed fine, so Daliya weaved around the hall, sidestepping the fallen rubble and ordering the knights to take their injured comrades to the healing halls. She would speak to him later.


    Later came in a couple of hours. The halls were empty except for the dust that twirled and twisted in the breeze that found its way inside the castle through the broken windows and the still gaping holes from the carnage.


    He wasn¡¯t in his room or the training grounds where she thought he would be holed up, venting whatever pent-up energy gathered after every use of his destructive powers. No matter where she looked, she couldn¡¯t find a trace of raven hair or molten chocolate eyes. After minutes of fruitless search, she turned to one of the maids hurrying down the corridor with white linen sheets clutched in her arms, heading to the healing halls.


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    ¡°Have you seen Haitham?¡±


    The maid blinked at her, confused. She hesitated momentarily before saying, ¡°In the healing halls, your Highness.¡±


    Daliya felt her heart seize in her chest. Was he hurt? It didn¡¯t appear so. Then again, keeping his grievances hidden was one of the things he excelled at.


    Without waiting for another word from the now flustered maid, she turned and strode towards her destination. It wasn¡¯t before long her hurried steps turned into full running.


    She found him leaning on one of the beds, the closest to the wide window, his eyes gazing at something beyond the glass. His face was stern, something she rarely witnessed. He often sported his goofy smile and an amused smirk, and she forgot he was capable of anything else.


    His head whipped toward her as she took her first steps from the hall¡¯s entrance. He blinked, and then a smile pulled at his lips before he quickly whipped it off, and a frown soon replaced it. He crossed his arms over his chest.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Was that a pout she was seeing?


    She pulled a chair from the other side of the hall toward his bed. The hall was filled with injured knights and servants. Some were even sitting on the ground, cradling their injured arms.


    That attack was vicious. How could many assassins access the castle grounds without anyone noticing? She would have to address the matter with Tarik. She doubted the castle defenses would be able to withstand another attack.


    ¡°Are you injured?¡±


    ¡°Oh, now you remember me.¡± He snorted and looked out the window.


    It was the ice statue¡ªthe statue of her mother, the princess¡¯s mother. She didn¡¯t know the healing halls overlooked the inner garden.


    ¡°How bad is it?¡±


    He turned back to her.


    In Haitham fashion, he lamented. ¡°Life-threatening! I¡¯m inches away from death! And it took you hours, hours, to remember little old me! Am I that insignificant to you?¡±


    Daliya frowned. She hesitated, unsure of what to say.


    He looked fine. In fact, he looked uninjured. What life-threatening injuries was he talking about?


    One of the healers passed by the bed. Daliya stopped her, deciding to consult a professional about his health.


    ¡°He walked into the healing halls himself,¡± the healer said. She shot Haitham an unimpressed look before continuing, ¡°Something about a scratch to his arm.¡±


    Haitham stilled briefly before busying himself with the covers strewn over his legs.


    ¡°It would be much appreciated were you to leave the healing halls now that your wound has been treated. The hall has far surpassed its limits.¡± She bowed to Daliya, and with a final unimpressed glance at Haitham, she left to tend to the others.


    ¡°Haitham.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± he mumbled. ¡°It¡¯s my dominant hand. What if I can no longer use my daggers? What if I can no longer protect you?¡± He shot her a betrayed look. ¡°Oh, you have your head of the knight¡¯s order now, is it? You no longer need my help.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± Daliya pinched the bridge of her nose. She could feel the start of a headache building up. ¡°There are far more injured people that would need more attention. You would be fine in your room.¡±


    He jerked up to his legs in one fluid motion, startling her.


    ¡°Fine! I¡¯m going!¡±


    Daliya stood up. ¡°Where¨C¡±


    ¡°Somewhere else where I¡¯m needed.¡± He huffed.


    ¡°To your room?¡±


    ¡°No. To the training grounds.¡±


    ¡°I thought you said your injuries were life-threatening.¡± Daliya raised an eyebrow at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine now.¡±


    ¡°Really? I was thinking you needed more rest. I was even willing to stay with you till you felt better. But if you¡¯re feeling fine¡­¡± She trailed off.


    He blinked at her. Then fell back on the bed. ¡°On second thought, I¡¯m not feeling that okay.¡± He groaned as he clutched his leg. ¡°Help me back to my room?¡± He shot her a hopeful look.


    ¡°I thought it was your hand that was injured.¡±


    ¡°I must have forgotten to mention my leg. I think I have a sprained ankle.¡± He winced, trying to garner her sympathy.


    Daliya rolled her eyes but offered him her hand.

 Chapter 31

    Haitham laid on the bed, not bothering to get under the covers. Daliya pulled one of the chairs and sat next to him.


    ¡°You think they¡¯ll be back?¡± Daliya asked after a while.


    ¡°Who knows.¡± He shrugged. ¡°For their sake, I hope not.¡±


    She hesitated before asking, ¡°Weren¡¯t they comrades of yours? Are you truly enemies now?¡±


    He paused. ¡°It¡¯s more complicated than that. They just want to hurt the empire back for what they did.¡± He looked at her. ¡°I want a future for my people. I want them to live without fear, to look upon tomorrow with hope, to lie down on the golden fields and watch the sunset, knowing it wouldn¡¯t be the last time. I want them to know that the sun shall always rise again.¡± His lips twisted in displeasure. ¡°The resistance had a clear goal once, but now, they¡¯ve become directless, striking at their enemies without an end goal in mind. What they¡¯re doing doesn''t serve our cause. It ensures the continuous enslavement of our people.¡± He paused. ¡°I wish he could see that.¡±


    Daliya knew who he was talking about. She laid her hand on his shoulder and squeezed gently.


    She leaned on the back of the chair. ¡°Ten fire wielders against one. That was a bit too close for my liking. For a second there, I thought they could overwhelm you.¡±


    He huffed. ¡°They were no match for me.¡± He crossed his arms behind his back. ¡°It would have been better if they listened to what I said instead of attacking me. I gave them more than a chance to back off. They¡¯re too stubborn for their own good.¡± He turned to her, smiling. ¡°You helped. Gotta admit, you¡¯ve gotten a long way since you started training.¡±


    ¡°A little bit.¡± She shrugged.


    At that time, she focused more on protecting the castle staff than taking down the intruders.


    He tutted. ¡°Humble isn¡¯t a good look on you.¡±


    She snorted. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re fine. I wouldn¡¯t want to look for a new bodyguard. I doubt I¡¯ll find someone as disrespectful and rude as you.¡±


    He raised an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m one of a kind.¡±


    ¡°Thankfully.¡± She gave him a dry look, but the smile she tried to contain clearly betrayed her amusement.


    He laughed.


    Suddenly, in the mind of teasing him, she shot him a serious look. ¡°You¡¯re laughing. It seems you¡¯re feeling better now. Well then¡­¡± She clapped him on his shoulder and made to stand up, but Haitham¡¯s hand stopped her.


    ¡°That¡¯s not how it works,¡± he complained. ¡°I¡¯m still hurting! Look! I haven¡¯t removed my bandages yet.¡±


    He acted more like a spoiled child than a seasoned assassin. If Daliya hadn¡¯t seen his prowess in battle against the monsters, she would have doubted him.


    She glanced at him, a teasing smile on her lips as she tilted her head. ¡°I had thought Mister Bodyguard was stronger than letting a small wound bring him down to his knees. Was I perhaps mistaken?¡±


    He hesitated, glancing at her and then away. ¡°I¡¯m still human, you know. I get hurt, too.¡±


    She crossed her arms over her chest. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll stay here till you fall asleep and then return to my room.¡±


    He perked up. ¡°What about tomorrow?¡± he asked, hopeful.


    She raised an eyebrow at him. ¡°I¡¯ll be back tomorrow for breakfast. But,¡± She raised a finger in protest. ¡°I expect to have my bodyguard fully functional by then.¡±


    He settled back on the pillow, a satisfied grin on his lips. ¡°Fine. You got your deal.¡± He gestured to the table by the window. ¡°There¡¯s still some fruits there, I think.¡± He squinted at the basket illuminated by the floating sphere of fire.


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    Daliya blinked. When did he use his powers?


    He nodded when he confirmed his suspicion. ¡°There are some grapes and peaches there.¡± He turned his grin towards her. ¡°Feed me.¡± At her scowl, he hurriedly added, ¡°Oh, my arm. It still hurts, you know.¡± He clutched his arm, looking at her with an exaggeratedly pained expression.


    She huffed. This was going to be a long night.


    Just as she stood up to do her immature bodyguard¡¯s bidding, a knock sounded at the door. The maid seemed reluctant to enter. She glanced at the bed, a knowing glint in her eyes, then back at Daliya, then bowed, apologizing for interrupting them.


    Daliya sighed. She could feel the rumors traveling around the castle like a blizzard. The maids must have much free time to concern themselves with her personal life. Perhaps she should double their workload.


    ¡°An emissary from the capital is asking for an audience, your Highness.¡±


    The capital? What did the emperor want with her?


    Daliya paused. She glanced at Haitham, who was leisurely twisting small fire orbs around his fingers.


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait,¡± he said, leaning leisurely back on the cushions.


    The emissary was a middle-aged man with a black uniform devoid of colors. He regarded Daliya with a scrutinizing look. She leveled him with a stare and ordered him to state his business.


    ¡°Sire Randal, emissary of his majesty, the sun of the empire, the bringer of light, the savior of the continent, the scourge¡¯s bane, and humanity¡¯s last hope.¡± He leveled Daliya with a look, then bowed. His words were clipped. A vein in his neck ticked as his jaw clicked.  ¡°At your service.¡±


    Daliya stared at his rigid form. That was quite a mouthful. What did the emperor do to attain all those titles?


    When the man failed to move, she cleared her throat. Right.


    ¡°Rise.¡±


    He clicked his tongue, a barely hidden scowl on his face. The people of the capital didn''t harbor the same fear for her. She wondered whether she should let his blatant disrespect go unpunished. Should she use her powers and humble him a bit?


    Before she made up her mind, the man spoke.


    ¡°Please excuse the late hours. The gates had been closed, and the knights had forbidden me from entering the castle. Otherwise, I would have asked for an audience with Your Highness a while ago.¡±


    There was a hint of bitterness to his words and not an ounce of regret. In fact, he sounded irritated that he had to wait, resentful even.


    ¡°Imagine my surprise when I heard the castle had been attacked. And by none other than rebels.¡± He raised his brow in feigned surprise.


    ¡°The situation is under control. No life was lost.¡± She waved him off. ¡°Now, Sir Randal¨C¡±


    ¡°I heard this was the second attack, and in such a short time at that. I wonder what might have boldened them to come to a head against Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Are you implying anything, Sir Randal?¡±


    They stared at each other. The emissary looked at her with such brazen confidence.


    ¡°Could it be the Southerner filth Your Highness is keeping by your side? I find it peculiar that these sudden attacks occurred as soon as he appeared.¡± When she didn¡¯t say anything, he continued. ¡°I¡¯m sure His Majesty would like to know the reason. Perhaps Your Highness would like to shed some light on the matter?¡±


    Did the whole empire know about Haitham? These people were worse than the aunties back at home.


    ¡°Such matters are far above your rank, emissary. Perhaps you should better care about your own tasks.¡± She paused, watching the color of his face turn a deeper shade of scarlet. ¡°Why are you here, Sir Randal?¡±


    Daliya was running out of patience. If he didn¡¯t state his business the next time he opened his mouth, she would throw him out the hall. Let him interrogate the other staff for more tea for the emperor. She wasn¡¯t going, nor was she willing to cooperate.


    His jaw tensed. She could hear the sound of his teeth grinding from where she stood.


    ¡°I¡¯m here on behalf of His Majesty to invite Your Highness to the grand festivities at the honor of the Throne¡¯s Day.¡±


    ¡°Ah, of course.¡±


    Festivities. Nothing she couldn¡¯t handle.


    When she returned to Haitham¡¯s room, she found him sound asleep. She tiptoed to his side and gently covered him. She breathed on the flame orb hovering by his side, freezing it. Then, she took it next to the window where she sat looking at the silent forest outside.


    She didn¡¯t know when she dozed off, but when she opened her eyes, the morning light shone through the window. She blinked and glanced at the now empty bed. She sat up, and the quilt covering her fell in a heap in her lap.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re awake?¡± Haitham asked from the door. He had a tray balanced in one arm, filled with food.


    ¡°I figured you¡¯d be tired, so I got you breakfast. This old man was insisting I wake you up to speak to him. I told him I¡¯d carve him up were he to dare open this door. Glad he listened.¡±


    Daliya blinked, her brows furrowed in confusion. Then she remembered.


    Perfect. First act of the day: threaten the emperor¡¯s emissary.


    Well, to be honest, the pompous jerk had it coming.


    She moved the fruit basket to the side.


    The emissary could wait for a while. For now, she would be having breakfast.

 Chapter 32

    They set for the capital as soon as the castle was put in order. Daliya had no desire to anger the mad emperor. The knight¡¯s order seemed well-acquainted with the road, so she left all the logistics to them. Haitham sat on the carriage with her for her protection, he had insisted. He had sent the emperor¡¯s emissary a wide grin as he offered Daliya his hand to help her up the carriage, winked at the affronted man, and climbed after her.


    ¡°What?¡± he asked, feigning innocence.


    Couldn¡¯t Haitham see he was alienating the emissary when they couldn¡¯t afford to make any wrong move lest their schemes get discovered by the emperor? She quite liked her head to remain right where it was, on her neck, preferably attached to the rest of her body. She was already dreading their meeting. What if he found out she wasn¡¯t his real daughter? Would he allow her to keep her life on the off chance that he might find a way to bring the real princess back?


    Haitham waved his hand at her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about it. He might be the emperor¡¯s emissary, but his status is lower than your head of the knight¡¯s order, or any knight for that matter.¡±


    Daliya sighed. She looked out the carriage window. Mazin nodded at her from where he was sitting astride his horse.


    Haitham scoffed, muttering something under his breath about pompous, flashy bastards. Daliya wondered whether he was referring to himself.


    Their travel was relatably quiet. All along the way, her eyes were glued to the sights outside her window. Sometimes, Haitham gave some commentary about this place or that. A town that was famous for its lemon cakes, they needed to visit the first chance they got. Some other towns they needed to stay clear of. Apparently, the emperor had forcibly conscripted a man from each family for his wars. None of them returned.


    ¡°The worst thing a ruler can face is someone who has lost so much they no longer have anything else to lose.¡± He looked out the window, his eyes unseeing, lost in some faraway memory. He blinked, then looked at her. ¡°I¡¯m afraid they won¡¯t see much difference between you and the emperor. After all, you do share the same blood. Nothing else would matter to them.¡±


    After a moment of silence, Daliya pointed at something else, asking for more information. It wasn¡¯t that she wanted to know, she merely wanted to get him out of his gloomy state. Try as she might to hide it, she didn¡¯t enjoy seeing his pained expression when he remembered something that had happened in the past, something that was still haunting him, something that the emperor¡ªand maybe even the princess¡ªhad a hand in. He smiled, grateful for the distraction she was offering him.


    Up ahead was a giant mountain range that reached the northern side of the empire, which was once the Lyrian Kingdom but was now merely called the frozen lands.


    The late empress¡¯s birthplace.


    Daliya wondered whether the ice wielders in the north would see her as another threat, as another of the emperor¡¯s bloodied hands, instead of the daughter of their last princess.


    No matter. It wasn¡¯t like she intended to step foot into the northern lands. She had her hands full with the empire.


    That was unless the mad emperor sent her there.


    Dismissing the thought, daliya watched the white peaks spearing through the high clouds. There was no need to waste time on things outside her control. She would cross that bridge once she reached it. Now, she needed to think about how to deal with the princess¡¯s father.


    Who knew, maybe he would never find out about the soul switch. After all, not all fathers could recognize their own children. She would know.


    The Eternal Mountain was the highest peak on the range. According to Haitham, right at the heart of the mountain was an endless stairway that led to the top, where a crystal castle sat amongst the clouds. Daliya doubted that was true. Then again, the existence of many of the things here wouldn¡¯t even have crossed her mind were she not to set her eyes on them. She glanced at the clouds obscuring the top of the mountain. Who knew, maybe Haitham was right.


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    ¡°Tell them to stop here for the night.¡±


    Daliya¡¯s brows furrowed. There was still light, which meant they could still walk a fair distance before night fell, and they sought shelter against the darkness and the freezing cold.


    ¡°Why?¡± she asked.


    He grinned. ¡°There¡¯s something I want to show you.¡±


    As Daliya followed Haitham deeper into the frozen forest, leaving the knights and her attendants behind to get the tent ready, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a slight sense of dread at delaying her arrival to the capital. After everything she had heard about the emperor, she didn¡¯t want to antagonize him at their first meeting.


    She let the crunching ice under their boots lull her into a false sense of calm. She would cross that bridge once she set foot into the golden castle. She looked up at the dangling branches; the leaves were encased into a thin film of ice. If she squinted her eyes, she could still see the faint green color of the foliage. It was as if the tree didn¡¯t have time to face the sudden winter. The forest looked frozen in time, as if once spring, the ice would melt, and life would resume as if nothing had happened. Maybe so.


    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Haitham announced, stepping to the side to allow her to see the clearing beyond.


    Daliya blinked.


    ¡°How¨C¡±


    The sight that greeted her eyes was ethereal. Purple crystalline flowers spurted from the frozen ground. They didn¡¯t look like frozen flowers¡ªno, not like the trees surrounding them. The flowers were made of ice or maybe crystal.


    They reminded her of the Moonshade Blooms. But while the Moonshades also had crystal-like petals, they looked sturdier than these flowers. These petals looked more fragile than a thin sheen of frost.


    She crouched before them and touched the stiff petals of the closest flower. It was indeed made of ice. Daliya jerked her hand back as the petal cracked and crumbled under the slight force of her touch. She looked mournfully at the white fragments scattered on the snow.


    ¡°They¡¯re called Ice Whispers. This is the only place where these flowers bloom. Once spring, they¡¯ll disappear as if they were never here. But come winter, they¡¯ll bloom again.¡± Haitham joined her. He kneeled next to her and, using his dagger, plucked one of the flowers. The motion of his hand was so fast that if she had been to bling, she would have missed it. He handed it to her. She cradled the stem between her fingers, afraid of breaking it again.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± she muttered, quickly drawing it away from the white fog. It was so fragile that she thought that her mere breaths would be enough to melt it.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll get you another one.¡± He reassured her, smiling.


    He cut a handful more and handed them to her.


    ¡°Your special training starts now.¡± He winked.


    ¡°Training? I thought we were resting!¡± she protested.


    ¡°Your task is to coat them in a protective layer so they can survive the travel to the capital. And only use your own energy.¡±


    ¡°And let all this ice go to waste?¡± She motioned to the snow surrounding them.


    ¡°You won¡¯t always have that advantage.¡± He shrugged.


    She shot him a look. He was right. She knew he was right. She was lucky she found herself in her element. But she couldn¡¯t always rely on luck.


    The petal had crumbled with the mere touch of her fingers. How would she take them to the capital, where the weather was significantly warmer?


    He slapped his thighs, grinning. ¡°You better start now. You only have one night to figure it out.¡±


    Daliya groaned.


    Haitham burst out laughing. She glared at him, but her glares only seemed to intensify his laughter.


    It took her hours, but eventually, she presented the cocooned flower to Haitham, a triumphant smile splitting her face in two.


    ¡°Here.¡± Her grin widened if possible. ¡°A gift to remember me by.¡±


    He gleaned at the flower, a complicated expression flitting over his face. Daliya blinked, trying to decipher it, but it disappeared as soon as it appeared.


    He put his hand over his chest, a teasing smile pulling at his lips. ¡°A gift from my knight in frosty armor.¡±


    Daliya huffed. ¡°I trained hard to achieve this perfection. You better not damage it.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± He grinned.


    He looked strangely at the flower, then gently put it in his pocket. Daliya wanted to tell him that it wasn¡¯t that fragile but stopped. Somehow, she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that she had stumbled upon a secret she wasn¡¯t privy to.


    She had seen that look sometimes directed at her when he thought she wasn¡¯t looking. He would have this strange expression on his face, staring at her as if he were searching for something. Something hidden.


    Before she could ask him what was wrong, Mazin stumbled into their hidden training grounds and announced their imminent departure.


    Another time, she thought. She would get whatever secret he kept from her, even if she had to trap him in her ice.

 Chapter 33

    The capital, Asyyla, was unlike anything she had seen. Miles before reaching the city¡¯s outskirts, she could already catch glimpses of the towering buildings. Tall towers and domed roofs competed with each other in extravagance and vanity. Daliya suspected that some roofs were even made of pure gold. The sunlight reflected off their shining surfaces, blinding her eyes.


    Just how well off was the empire?


    They stopped near the entrance of the city. Mazin presented her with a white stallion, her horse for her ceremonial arrival.


    There was no horse prepared for Haitham. Daliya suspected the act was intentional. She waited for a fight to break out, for her bodyguard to taunt her knight captain. But strangely enough, Haitham had shrugged.


    ¡°I can walk,¡± he said. Then he added with a nonchalant air. ¡°I don¡¯t require something to carry me from one point to another like some pompous ass.¡±


    There it was. The taunts.


    She frowned. Did he include her in the ¡®pompous ass¡¯ comment?


    They found an audience waiting for them. The crowd lined the sides of the road. Men, women, and children gathered to watch them make their way inside the capital¡¯s towering walls.


    Daliya glanced ahead, the breath stuttering in her chest. Up on the hill, way higher than the other buildings, was the most magnificent castle she had ever laid eyes on. The white crystalline towers she had glimpsed earlier bordered the castle buildings. It was a fortress. It was a majestic fortress towering over the city, bringing all the other buildings to shame.


    Daliya¡¯s humble castle looked like a ramshackle cottage compared to this architectural marvel.


    ¡°Quite an eyesore.¡±


    Daliya glanced down at Haitham. Although his voice was light, his eyes held so much anger and hatred that Daliya had to look away to avoid suffocating from the projected feelings.


    Haitham¡¯s hatred for the emperor ran deep, deeper than she ever thought. He would have raised the whole castle to the ground if given the chance.


    A wild thought floated to the forefront of her mind. Maybe she would lend him a helping hand if the emperor ever found out about her not being his daughter or that the crystal he sent the princess searching for no longer existed in this world¡ªunless he was looking for its fine dust, then that was another matter. Maybe, just maybe, she would be successful in bringing a particle or two to feast his eyes on.


    They took a turn instead of keeping straight toward the castle. When Daliya turned questioning eyes to Mazin, who was a few feet behind her, he blinked at her, uncomprehending.


    ¡°Are we not heading to the castle?¡±


    Shouldn¡¯t they greet the emperor or something? Wasn¡¯t that mandatory? She didn¡¯t want to start on the wrong foot. She was already at a disadvantage.


    Mazin¡¯s brows furrowed. He paused for a while, hesitating, before saying in the calmest and slowest tone she had ever heard him use.


    ¡°His Majesty still hasn¡¯t granted Your Highness an audience yet.¡±


    Ah, so his own daughter needed some kind of permission to see him.


    Pretentious bastard.


    ¡°We¡¯re heading to Your Highness¡¯ mansion.¡±


    So, she had a mansion in the capital. Good. Great even. She didn¡¯t want to spend more time than necessary with the arrogant man.


    Her mansion was considerably smaller. Not even a castle, and not even a tower. She frowned. She had seen more extravagant mansions on their way here¡ªexcluding the white monstrosity on the hill.


    Shouldn¡¯t the sole princess of the empire¡ªsupposedly the crown princess¡ªpossess the second-most lavish house in the capital?


    No. She wasn¡¯t salty.


    Although¡­ just a little. She was the princess, after all. She wasn¡¯t asking for much.


    Servants were waiting for their party. They flanked the road from the main entrance to the mansion¡¯s door. A bit accustomed to such shows of veneration. Daliya walked inside without a misstep. But her carefully curated mask crumpled as soon as she closed her bedroom door. She sighed, massaging her aching shoulders.


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    Between traveling during the day and training at night, she was ready to tumble into dreamland and only resurface after at least seven hours of uninterrupted sleep.


    Alas, her plans would have to take a backseat as her infamous companion walked in through the window.


    ¡°Doors exist for a reason, you know?¡±


    She wanted to sound reproachful but instead came out as tired.


    Haitham raised an eyebrow at her. ¡°You want them to see me walk into your room? At this time?¡±


    One glance at the window showed that it was late afternoon.


    What was wrong with the time? It was still hours before darkness invaded the city.


    She paused.


    Yeah. Maybe he was right. She was the empire¡¯s princess. It wouldn¡¯t do to let a strange man into her chambers. Even if that said man was an assassin who only cared about killing her slowly with his arduous training from hell.


    This place was the capital, not her castle, where rarely anyone batted an eye at seeing him shadowing her.


    ¡°Fair enough.¡± She sighed. ¡°What do you want?¡± She lifted a finger, cutting him off before he uttered a word. ¡°No training. I¡¯m tired. I want to rest.¡±


    He huffed. ¡°It¡¯s not about training. However, your lack of enthusiasm is quite disturbing. You¡¯re still ways behind her strength.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know. But not today,¡± she complained. Though it suspiciously sounded more like whining to her ears.


    ¡°Fine.¡± He raised his hands in mock surrender. ¡°But that¡¯s not what I¡¯m here.¡± At her querying look, he continued, ¡°Pick up your coins purse. We¡¯re going shopping today.¡±


    ¡°Shopping?¡± she asked, incredulous.


    ¡°I just thought you, of all people, would like to taste Asyyla¡¯s cuisine. At least, before meeting the old bastard.¡±


    She perked up, her tiredness suddenly forgotten at the promise of delicious food. ¡°Why, yes, of course.¡± She hurried to the closet and took out a random dress. ¡°Give me just a moment to change my travel clothes.¡±


    She hurried to the en-suite bathroom to get rid of all the dust she had collected, ignoring Haitham¡¯s snickers as she slammed the door behind her.


    A couple of hours later, she was meandering around the food district, a half mask and a cloak concealing her identity. The assassin had thought of everything, apparently. Once she announced her readiness to depart, he had pulled the half mask over her face. She had planned to send him on food errands while waiting for him, hidden in the cold embrace of the dark alley¡¯s shadows. But now, she could walk freely amongst the stands.


    She walked, happily chewing on the BBQ skewer. The meat was seasoned perfectly, and the veggies added a whole new flavor to the whale dish. It was simply divine.


    Haitham walked beside her, arms filled with the food she had still to sample.


    ¡°And you said you weren¡¯t a glutton.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not. I just have a sophisticated palate,¡± she said highly. ¡°Something you¡¯re quite missing on my ear, bodyguard. A shame, really. With all this food, you still find things to agonize about.¡±


    He scoffed. ¡°Let¡¯s hear you say that after you can no longer fit in your uniform.¡±


    Daliya stuck her tongue out mockingly. ¡°I''ll just order new ones to be made. I¡¯m the princess, remember?¡±


    ¡°Speaking of.¡± Haitham glanced up and down at her outfit. ¡°Is this what you¡¯re going to wear for the ball?¡±


    Daliya paused. ¡°What ball?¡±


    No one told her about this.


    ¡°The ball. The annual festivities always culminate with a ball hosted by the emperor himself at the castle. All the important figures in the empire will be present, along with some dignitaries.¡±


    ¡°How did you know this? Is this one of your intel from your spy?¡± She wiggled her fingers in the air, eyebrow raised.


    He paused, hesitating. ¡°You could say that.¡±


    For some reason, Daliya felt as if he was hiding something.


    ¡°You might need a wardrobe change.¡± He rubbed his chin in thought.


    She looked down at her dress. Wha was wrng with it? It was beautiful. The silver white and the dark midnight blue complemented each other. Whoever made it had a great sense of fashion. It was light and practical. She could run and fight while still looking like a princess out of a fairy tale.


    Ten out of ten. Would totally recommend.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have a tailor in mind, do you?¡±


    She crossed her arms over her chest. ¡°How would I? The only thing I¡¯ve been doing since getting here is training, training, and training some more! Remember?¡±


    He looked somewhere beyond her sight, lost in thought, before saying, ¡°I might know someone who might help.¡± At her raised eyebrow, he added, ¡°A friend of a friend knows someone.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± She snorted. ¡°Who else do you know? A makeup specialist? A royal etiquette teacher?¡±


    She was joking. How would an assassin be acquitted with such a variety of people? She expected him to laugh and question her line of thinking, not nod, with no hint of teasing on his face.


    ¡°While I do know some people who could help you with etiquette, I believe it would be best to teach you the basics for now. As for the makeup specialist, the princess is known for not having much taste in such things. It would be weird if she started now.¡±


    Daliya balked at him. Him? Teach her etiquette? What else did he know? No, the question should be, was there something he didn¡¯t know?


    ¡°How do you know royal etiquettes?¡± she couldn¡¯t help asking.


    He hesitated before answering, ¡°They come in handy sometimes.¡±


    He turned away, avoiding her narrowed eyes.


    ¡°Come. we don¡¯t have much time to waste. The emperor might call upon you sooner than we expect.¡±


    Nope. the madman was quite late to call upon his only daughter. Was this a show of strength? A matter of ¡®know your position. Even if I don¡¯t have powers, I¡¯m still the emperor,¡¯ kind of thing. The old man shouldn¡¯t have bothered. She had no intention of posing as his heir.


    She might not even have the chance if things didn¡¯t change.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about this later.¡± She pointed her finger at Haitham, hoping to appear threatening. However, with the silly mask over her face, she doubted she pulled it off.


    ¡°Sure,¡± he said, nonchalant.

 Chapter 34

    The tailor, Mina, was a petite woman with brown hair pulled into an intricate coiffure and striking green eyes that looked like glinting gems.


    Her modest-looking shop was on a deserted street. She didn¡¯t have many customers; in fact, Daliya and Haitham were the only ones inside.


    She blinked at them, disbelieving, widening her eyes as Haitham explained the reason for their visit. She covered her open mouth with her hands, a glint of excitement and something else filling her eyes.


    ¡°Oh, my! Didn¡¯t think I would ever be graced by your company!¡±


    Her eyes kept shifting from Daliya to Haitham. So Daliya wasn¡¯t quite sure who she was talking to.


    ¡°I know we¡¯re a bit late, and the ball is only a handful of days away. But if there¡¯s someone who can pull this off, it¡¯s you.¡±


    She nodded heartily, the smile widening on her face. ¡°But of course! It would be my honor to serve!¡±


    Haiutham sighed. ¡°Thank you. I shall remember this.¡±


    Daliya narrowed her eyes at the exchange. No matter how she looked at it. It seemed she wasn¡¯t included in whatever the two were talking about. But before she could utter a word, the tailor turned to her. She ushered her to take her measurement, all the while chatting cheerfully about Daliya¡¯s preferences.


    Daliya didn¡¯t know what to say. But one thing for sure was the dress¡¯ colors.


    ¡°Midnight blue and silver? Are you sure I can¡¯t interest you in other colors?¡±


    Daliya shook her head. ¡°No. make the dress as you see fit, but keep the colors.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay.¡± Mina seemed dejected, as if Daliya had taken all the fun from her work. But soon, her cheerfulness returned. She beamed at her as she gabbled on about this and that. The bodice, the collar, the armlet. Daliya listened to the words flying over her head.


    Loose sleeves? Short sleeves? Sleeveless? How about a low back?


    Some accents around the waist? Some accessories?


    She rattled on and on, asking about the different designs that could fit Daliya. She didn¡¯t seem to mind that the person standing before her was the princess. Or maybe she didn¡¯t know? Doubtful. Anyway, it was such a breath of fresh air that Daliya couldn¡¯t find it in herself to complain.


    It wasn¡¯t long before all the necessary measurements were taken.


    ¡°Do you have the required materials?¡± Haitham asked Mina.


    She tilted her head to the side, her finger tapping her chin in thought. ¡°While I have some Whitewidow silk to make the dress, I would still need some Moonshine threats for the accents.¡±


    Haitham nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll send someone to get you what you need.¡±


    Mina clapped her hands. ¡°Perfect! I¡¯ll be done before the ball.¡± She clasped Daliya¡¯s hands between her own. ¡°It will be glorious! Everyone will envy you!¡± She walked away, gathering the pile of papers and hugging them to her chest. ¡°Oh, I can¡¯t wait to get started!¡± She didn¡¯t even say another word to them before disappearing behind a side door.


    Daliya turned to Haitham. ¡°A bit too excitable, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°Yeah, she does that sometimes.¡±


    ¡°Should we¡­ inform her of our departure?¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s fine. She won¡¯t even recognize our presence now that she¡¯s so focused on her work. It¡¯s best if we leave her alone.¡±


    ¡°What about the payment?¡±


    Haitham grinned at her. ¡°It¡¯s on me. A return gift of sorts.¡±


    Daliya watched him with a skeptical look. A return gift? Was he talking about the flower? She was merely teasing him. Why was he making a big deal out of it? It wasn¡¯t like it had cost her anything. Just a couple of hours of hellish training.


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    ¡°Is she one of your spies?¡± she asked instead.


    Haitham paused before answering. ¡°Something like that.¡±


    Just how many spies did he have inside the empire?


    The emperor¡¯s invite had still not been sent, so Daliya spent the two consecutive days learning etiquette.


    ¡°When you enter, you should bow deeply and only stand when given permission.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he my ¡®supposed¡¯ father?¡±


    ¡°He and the princess don¡¯t get along. Some even say that the princess is immensely afraid of him.¡±


    She raised an eyebrow. ¡°How so? Isn¡¯t she powerful?¡±


    He looked at her. ¡°She is. But the emperor has a weapon that even she can¡¯t counter.¡±


    Ah, she had already heard of it before.


    ¡°The soul Devourer?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°A simple cut can cut the threads connecting the soul to the body, thus ending someone¡¯s life. It doesn¡¯t need to be a life-threatening injury. A shallow cut is plenty enough. It only needs access to any part of the soul.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit similar to the silver steel?¡±


    ¡°In a way. But the silver steel only cuts the energy course in the body. And its effect is temporary. But the soul death steel¡¯s effect is deadly.¡±


    ¡°Is it what you sent the others to get their hands on?¡± she mused. ¡°You think you can find a countermeasure if studied?¡±


    ¡°Ideally. However, we¡¯re running out of time. We¡¯ve heard word that the emperor has found a way to mass-produce the steel. You can see why that would be a problem. Even if we find a way to counter it, it would be too late. It would have already reaped countless souls by then and even after.¡± His eyes sharpened. ¡°I intend to destroy it and get rid of the research. It¡¯s the only way, I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    She nodded. It would be a disaster. Steel that can cut a soul¡¯s threads? The empire would be unstoppable, undefeatable. There would be no coming back for the devastation he could inflict upon the world.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Arham might seem a bit clumsy, but he¡¯s one of the best at his work. If they haven¡¯t found its location by now, they soon will.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re already in the castle?¡±


    It had been mere days since their meeting with Haitham, and they¡¯d already infiltrated the castle. Impressive. As expected of highly professional assassins.


    She glanced at Haitham. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder what he was capable of. He was their leader, wasn¡¯t he? Then certainly he should be even more capable than his underlings.


    ¡°Now to the next lesson. Never talk to him without being addressed first. And always finish your sentence with Your Majesty. And most importantly, never, under any circumstances do you talk back to him. The emperor is always right, even when he¡¯s not. He¡¯s never to be questioned, no matter his decision.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a tad bit exaggerating? He¡¯s but a human, and humans make mistakes.¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°That, my dear princess, is the fastest way to get your head cut off. He¡¯s the sun of the empire¡ªthe savior of humanity and the blessing from the eternal one himself,¡± he said in a flourish, tone mocking.


    ¡°I can see that,¡± Daliya said dryly. ¡°But shouldn¡¯t the princess call her father, I don¡¯t know, father?¡¯


    ¡°Everyone calls you Your Highness, don¡¯t they?¡±


    Yes. Everyone but him.


    ¡°On that note.¡± He blinked and tilted his head toward her, looking at her as if he remembered something important. ¡°You do know the princess¡¯s real name, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Daliya hesitated. Of course, she did. She wasn¡¯t an idiot. But also, it wasn¡¯t her fault that no one called her by that name.


    She chewed on her lower lip, her brows furrowed. If she remembered correctly, it was¡­


    ¡°Aliyana,¡± she said, cursing silently when her voice lifted at the end, making it sound more like a question.


    Haitham hummed. ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¡°See? I told you I remember.¡±


    ¡°Barely.¡±


    She huffed. ¡°I still got it right.¡±


    He rolled his eyes. ¡°Just make sure to answer if someone calls you by that name.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I would. What do you take me for?¡±


    ¡°Also, you might want to drop any politeness you might have when addressing the nobility. They¡¯re nothing but vultures waiting for the slightest chance to pounce at the first sign of weakness. And politeness is a weakness in high society. They¡¯re like hungry predators hunting for prey.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll curse at them first chance I get.¡± She laughed.


    He smiled. ¡°That could work. The princess wasn¡¯t known for her abundant patience. She had quite a temper.¡±


    ¡°Anything else I need to know before meeting the big old baddie?¡±


    His smile turned rueful. ¡°Don¡¯t die. I¡¯ll quite miss you and your loud mouth.¡±


    She gasped, putting her hand over her chest, looking offended at his audacity. ¡°I¡¯m not loud!¡±


    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s what she got out of it.¡± he sighed, but the smile never left his mouth.


    It wasn¡¯t till the third day that she got the official summon from the palace. She was to head to the grand hall, where she would meet the emperor¡¯s entourage. Alone. Not even her knights were allowed entrance into the palace grounds.


    She huffed. Paranoid much?

 Chapter 35

    The palace was even more extravagant on the inside. White marble statues of a man with the sun shining behind him flanked the palace entrance. Fields of Moonsgade Blooms surrounded the main building, adding an ethereal feel to the place.


    Daliya watched the flowers¡ªthe empress¡¯s favorite. Weren¡¯t they originally from the north? How did the emperor succeed in keeping the delicate flowers alive in such warm and harsh weather?


    So he cared about his late wife. Or at least, he wanted the others to believe so. Why would he go to such lengths to keep her favorite flowers here, right under his nose?


    ¡°Please, follow me, Your Highness.¡± One of the servants directed her to the grand hall where the emperor¡ªher father¡ªwould be meeting her.


    She nodded and followed his direction. She noticed his insistence on staying a few feet behind her, making sure never to reach her or proceed her, not even one single step.


    The hall¡¯s door was a gigantic gilded gate. But as Daliya proceeded to enter, she was stopped.


    ¡°No weapons allowed,¡± one of the guards said, not even an ounce of the usual respect in his voice.


    She scowled. Excuse you? Wasn¡¯t she the princess? How dare he talk to her like that? And what did he mean she can¡¯t take her sword with her? If he had forgotten, she was well able to kill all the residents in the hall twice over without the use of her sword.


    Seeing the murderous look on her face, the guards stepped back, eyeing her warily.


    ¡°Tho¨Cthose are th¨Cthe emperor¡¯s orders,¡± the guard stuttered.


    They stared at each other for a while, unmoving. Then Daliya sighed, a bit of satisfaction coursing through her at their flinch. She took her sword and handed it to one of them.


    ¡°If I see even a scratch on it, you¡¯ll pay for it with your lives.¡± She looked at the both of them, slowly, to drive her words home.


    She wouldn¡¯t kill them. No. But she felt like she needed to do something. No kindness. Haitham¡¯s words kept repeating in her mind, boldening her resolve.


    The guards gulped. They bowed before hurrying to announce her arrival. She waited for a while before she was allowed entrance into the hall.


    She had thought there wouldn¡¯t be a large crowd waiting for her. The emperor, his advisor, and some of the nobility that she had expected. But too many people gathered in one place was the furthest from her mind. The hall was crowded with people.


    When she entered, all eyes turned to her. She kept her head high, looking ahead toward the lone chair on the other side. The emperor, a man late in his forties with strands of gray hair at his temple, was stern and harsh. He gazed at her with cold and unfeeling eyes. A long sword rested at his side, his hand loosely closing around the intricate hilt. Daliya roamed her eyes over the sheathed sword. The word devourer curled in graceful lines along the silver handle. The weapon exuded a sense of elegance. Something fit for an Emperor.


    Was this the infamous soul devourer Haitham and his cohort were talking about? Its horrifying deeds looked far beneath its beauty. Daliya had difficulty reconciling the image Haitham had painted of the blade with the refined sword in front of her.


    Daliya blinked, forcing her gaze away from the sword. For some unexplainable reason, her eyes kept flitting back to the deadly weapon. She felt something strange whenever she looked at it, like a distant and faint call. With a final, mournful glance, she turned her gaze away.


    The man behind him, a young man with dark hair and brown eyes, leaned down and whispered something in his ear. Whatever it was wasn¡¯t good, from the tensness that had invaded the man¡¯s shoulders. His eyes hardened even more, and a slight frown pulled at his brows.


    Daliya stopped where Haitham had instructed her in all those drilling hours of learning proper etiquette and bowed deeply.


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    ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty, the sun of the empire. It pleases me to see you in such good health. May the eternal one¡¯s blessings always shine upon you.¡± She mentally cringed at the words but said them nonetheless.


    She waited for him to dismiss her from her bow, but nothing happened. She waited and waited until she thought he had somehow forgotten about her. Then it dawned on her: This was an act of humiliation. All the gathering crowd, her missing sword, the bowing¡­


    He was humiliating her. And he made sure to bring a huge crowd to witness it.


    She heard him speak to someone. Daliya nearly lifted her head to see if he was addressing her. But then another voice followed, then another, and another.


    They were having a conversation¡ªa casual conversation¡ªwhile she stayed there, bowing so deeply she felt her back protest at the motion.


    She gritted her teeth, nearly biting her tongue to stop the words that threatened to escape her throat.


    This bastard. Till when would he keep her waiting? Wasn¡¯t this enough? She could feel her body trembling slightly from her contained rage. She feared she wouldn¡¯t be able to hold her anger in for longer.


    Suddenly, his deep and raspy voice sounded. ¡°Raise your head, Aliyana.¡±


    Daliya stood up, lad to be done with the awkward position.


    The emperor regarded her with an unreadable expression.


    ¡°Tell me, what did you bring to your father?¡±


    So now he recognized her as his daughter?


    He beckoned her to come closer, his finger wiggling as if he were calling a dog to come to his master. Her face steeled. Still, she forced her legs to take one step after the other. The man, his advisor, watched her as she approached. The eerie glint in his eyes sent shivers down her spine. She swallowed, tearing her gaze from the strange man and looking back at the emperor.


    She took the soul stone they had found on the mountain in the miner¡¯s village and presented it to him.


    After hours of thought and countless¡ªmediocre¡ªchoices, she and Haitham settled on the soul stone. The emperor was waiting for her to gift him the crystal¡ªwhich wasn¡¯t something she could or ever would do. The soul stone was the most valuable thing in her possession.


    What to gift an emperor who owned the whole world and some?


    The emperor raised an eyebrow at her offering.


    Daliya stood there, arms outstretched, gently holding the stone cradle in her hands. She promised Haitham she would follow his every instruction and return to the mansion with no vital parts missing.


    When he motioned for her to speak, she was all too happy to announce to him even more cringe-worthy words to satiate his ego.


    ¡°Your Majesty¡¯s empire grows stronger with every monster defeated. I offer you the soul of one of those vile creatures who dared to sully the empire with their existence. My sword is ever drawn against your enemies and those whose traitorous thoughts dared to oppose You, Eminence.¡± She bowed again.


    The emperor hummed. This time, he signaled for her to stand much faster. His advisor¡¯s face was something else. Daliya had never seen a face make such an ugly and disturbing expression. She blinked, then ignored him and turned back to the emperor.


    The emperor motioned to one-seventh to take the stone. Then Daliya found herself standing in front of him, hands empty, with nothing to serve as a distraction.


    ¡°Tell me, child, what about the task I¡¯ve entrusted you?¡±


    Calling her a child was nothing but an insult. He was downgrading her when she had a whole knight¡¯s order under her command.


    She looked at him, clearing her face from any irritation she was feeling. ¡°The search has yet to yield results, Your Majesty. But each day, we¡¯re growing closer still to finding it.¡±


    He watched her, his eyes searching her face, looking for lies or deceit. Oh, if only he knew what his daughter did.


    Daliya met his stare with that of a dedicated soldier. One ready to lay her life for her emperor. Loyal to a fault. She hoped it was working. Asking anything more from her was akin to asking her to fly using feathers and wax.


    ¡°Good. Good. Keep searching. Once you find it, you shall be rewarded with your heart¡¯s desire.¡±


    Daliya hesitated. What heart¡¯s desire? What did the princess wish for?


    Then, catching her slip, she bowed deeply. ¡°Your generosity knows no bounds, Your Majesty. I shall forever remember your favor.¡± She had to stop herself from cringing to say those words.


    Alas, her promise to her worrywart bodyguard was a good reminder for her to watch her tongue.


    This bastard. This madman. She couldn¡¯t wait to see his expression once he found out the crystal as gone, destroyed by the very person he entrusted to look for it.


    Another day, she reminded herself. Another time.


    She was then dismissed and not even allowed to remain in the hall as another servant motioned for her to follow him outside.


    Hah, jokes on him. The last thing she wanted was to be in the bastard¡¯s presence.


    As she left the hall, she couldn¡¯t help the ominous feeling of eyes observing her. She glanced back, but by then, the doors had already closed.

 Chapter 36

    What she wasn¡¯t expecting to find when she got back was an invite from the Duchess of the Moon Isles¡ªa gathering of small islands bordering the eastern sea border of the empire.


    The Duchess, Husniya, was a young woman with warm brown skin and twinkling golden eyes. Her smiling eyes glanced mischievously from Daliya to Haitham with a knowing glint.


    Daliya blinked. It was a tea party. She was having a tea party with the duchess. The sight of the table lidden with delicacies almost gave her whiplash. She was still reeling from her meeting with the emperor, her blood still boiling from the rage she had barely smothered as she was escorted outside the palace.


    Oh, how she wanted to encase the whole place in an ice coffin. Haitham wouldn¡¯t even have to worry about the SoulDeath Steel production or the Soul Devourer sword. They would be trapped in the safest cage ever, her ice.


    She wondered how the investigation was coming along. Did they find anything? She hadn¡¯t felt any of the assassins¡¯ presence in the palace¡¯s premises. Then again, they could be hiding their cores from getting detected by any prying eyes. Then again, it wasn¡¯t like there was anyone inside the castle with any magical abilities, let alone someone skilled enough to detect the presence of other Elementalists.


    Daliya glanced at Haitham before turning her gaze back to the Duchess. The Duchess cleared her throat to conceal a mysterious smile, a mischievous glint passing over her golden eyes.


    ¡°Please. We are amongst friends here. Do not hold yourself on my account.¡± She hid her grin behind her colorful fan.


    Daliya shot her a confused look.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already heard from our mutual acquaintance about the true nature of your relationship.¡± Daliya raised an eyebrow at her words. ¡°I have to say, I was pleased with the unexpected affair.¡± She gave Daliya a conspiring smile.


    Affair? Mutual acquaintance? What was the duchess talking about? And who was this mutual acquaintance that was, apparently, running a gossip ring at Daliya¡¯s expense?


    Only one face came to mind. Daliya stopped the defeated sigh from escaping her lips. The tailor, Mina, must have unintentionally spread fake news about whatever¡­ relationship she was gossiping about.


    Daliya shot Haitham a look. He was suspiciously still, so still that she could have balanced a house of cards over his head without worrying about it toppling over.


    ¡°My husband stayed back in our duchy. Seeing you together has reminded me of him.¡± She brought a handkerchief and dabbed at the corner of her eyes. ¡°I refused his request to accompany me. I didn¡¯t want to offend His Majesty, you see. After all, we are his Majesty¡¯s loyal subject.¡± Her words carried an undertone, something Daliya was unable to decipher. ¡°If I had known her Highness had a forbidden romance of her own, I would have given it a second thought.¡±


    Oh, oh. She thought Daliya and Haitham were lovers and that Daliya used this ¡®guard¡¯ pretext to keep him by her side.


    Daliya felt her face heat up. From the corner of her eyes, she saw Haitham glance at her, eyebrow raised.


    ¡°Seeing you side by side makes me want to brave forward and make our relationship known to the empire.¡± She looked up dreamily to the sky.


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    Not too fast, lady.


    Daliya felt bad for giving the poor woman false hope.


    She laughed. It sounded choked to her own ears.


    The Duchess endlessly spoke about her husband, weaving poetry about his bravery and boundless love for her. She talked about how he had insisted on accompanying her, fearing for her life, and how his love warmed her heart despite his cold hands.


    ¡°If Your Highness is amenable to it, I would like to extend my invitation to the Moon Isles.¡±


    Daliya understood what the Duchess was doing. She saw a powerful, potential ally in her eyes. A member of the imperial family who most likely had a fondness for other wielders and who was slotted as the next head of the empire.


    She was clever.


    Haitham seemed unfazed by the Duchess¡¯s words. He propped his chin up with one hand, moving his head closer to hers. His mirth was evident in his eyes. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we accept the Duchess¡¯ goodwill, beloved?¡±


    Daliya had to restrain herself from backing away. She smiled back, though, from the delight in Haitham¡¯s eyes, she knew it looked more like a grimace than anything else.


    She mentally bristled. He was having fun at her expense, too much fun.


    He winked at her, his smile widening.


    Fine! If he wanted to play, then so would she.


    She leaned towards him, their nose a hairbreadth away from each other. She projected the sweetest smile she could ever muster with years under her belt working part-time jobs, smiling at the faces of difficult customers.


    ¡°Of course, my love.¡± She put her hand above his and squeezed.


    For a split second, the smile froze on his face, and an unreadable emotion passed through his eyes too fast for her to fathom. Then, he turned his hand, trapping hers in his grip, and pulled her closer till their noses touched.


    Daliya¡¯s eyes widened in shock. She had thought she could fluster him and make him regret making fun of her. She hugely underestimated him. And she was suffering for it.


    She could feel his warm breath against her chilled skin and hear the sound of his breathing. She could feel her heart trying its hardest to beat its way out of her chest. His eyes were serious. They no longer held that underlying teasing. They stared into hers, looking, searching for something.


    The duchess¡¯s cough brought them out of whatever daze they were trapped in. They sprung apart like two naughty kids caught with their hands down the cookie jar. The duchess had a beaming smile on her face.


    ¡°I¡¯m honored Your Highness accepted my invitation. I¡¯m sure my husband would be ecstatic to meet the both of you.¡± She leaned forward, whispering conspiratorially, ¡°He was always worried I¡¯d be sidelined for our relationship. Knowing that Your Highness shares our dilemma is quite comforting.¡±


    Daliya cleared her throat. She clasped the teacup to distract herself. ¡°Of course.¡± Her smile wavered as a tremor ran along her hand. She put the cup down, cursing as it clattered on the tabletop, the liquid sloshing against the edge.


    The servants hurried over to clean up the mess. Daliya fake-coughed, embarrassed by her clumsy behavior. She put her hand on her thigh, uncertain where to put it and not wanting to cause another social mistake. But all her worries vanished¡ªor spiraled out of control till she could no longer differentiate between the two¡ªwhen Haitham snatched her hand and hid it between them under the table.


    Daliya half-heartedly listened to the remaining talk. All her focus was on Haitham¡¯s hand as it held hers.


    Their horses were waiting for them. The stable boy handed her the rein, eyes wide with awe, still not over his initial shock. He stilled as she smiled at him and then bowed deeply.


    They were quiet the whole way back. Daliya marched back to her room, aware of Haitham¡¯s light steps behind her. Once the chamber¡¯s door was closed, she whirled around, an exasperated look on her face.


    ¡°We¡¯ll need to pretend to be close now.¡± She sighed.


    His brows furrowed slightly. He took a step toward her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.


    ¡°What do you mean by pretend? We¡¯re clearly smitten with each other.¡± He winked.


    ¡°Clearly,¡± Daliya said dryly.


    He paused. He leaned down and whispered, ¡°Does this mean we have to be more intimate?¡±


    She smacked him lightly upside the head, scowling. ¡°You¡¯re enjoying this a bit too much, I would say. Is it so fun to tease me?¡±


    He laughed, the sound so free, unrestrained. ¡°You have no idea.¡±

 Chapter 37

    Her dress came with an unexpected visitor. Arham grinned at her, the bundle in his hand extended towards her.


    ¡°You¡¯ve made the best choice. She¡¯s the best at her craft.¡± he winked.


    Haitham scowled at him. ¡°Are you here for the mission report or to flirt with the princess?¡± he asked dryly.


    Arham held his hands up in a placating manner. ¡°I would never!¡± He put his fist on his chest, two fingers spread in a solemn vow. ¡°I swear on Ma¡¯arib¡¯s honor and glory.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± The scowl didn¡¯t leave Haitham¡¯s face as he mentioned for the assassin to report on what he found.


    Daliya watched the pair with an amused glint in her eyes. She put the beautifully wrapped box on her bed and sat down to listen to Arham¡¯s report.


    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s inside the castle?¡± Haitham asked.


    Arham shrugged. ¡°We looked everywhere. We¡¯ve searched every nook and cranny in Assyla with no success. It¡¯s the only place we still haven¡¯t looked.¡±


    For good reasons. With the tight security in the palace, she doubted they would be able to infiltrate its grounds.


    ¡°There¡¯s also the missing Elementalists.¡± Arham sighed.


    Daliya¡¯s ears perked up. ¡°You mean the ones killed by the empire?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°No. The empire has been snatching people up from their homes, people suspected of being Elementalists. They were neither executed nor put on trial for whatever false crime the empire accused them of. Then they were not seen or heard from again.¡±


    Daliya frowned. What could the empire want with them?


    ¡°Focus on the Souldeath Steel,¡± Haitham instructed.


    Arham nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll look into it tonight. If anything comes up, I¡¯ll let you know. Laila is already tracking a lead into the disappearances.¡±


    After he left, Daliya tore into the box to see Mina¡¯s masterpiece. Arham didn¡¯t lie, nor was he exaggerating. The dress was gorgeous. It was an off-shoulder dress with loose sleeves. The silk was smooth and soft. The skirt shifted under her touch like dark waves under the starlight midnight sky.


    ¡°Beautiful,¡± she whispered.


    Haitham hummed. ¡°She¡¯s the Duchess¡¯ personnel tailor for a reason.¡±


    Daliya shot him a confused look. ¡°How so? Her shop didn¡¯t seem to be that popular.¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t like to be under the spotlight.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Also, she doesn¡¯t seem to be on good terms with Awsanian nobility.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± Daliya asked, intrigued. Mina was cheerful, bubbly, and bright, and her cheerfulness was contagious. What could she have done to offend their tender sensibilities?


    ¡°Don¡¯t know. She refused to say. But rumors have it that she refused the advances of someone high-ranking in the empire¡¯s military. He couldn¡¯t take a no to face value.¡± At her quizzical look, he said, ¡°It might have been General Nasir. He commands the empire¡¯s whole army and acts as the emperor¡¯s right-hand man.¡±


    Daliya paused. ¡°Wait. Shouldn¡¯t the princess command the army? Isn¡¯t she the crown princess and the next Empress?¡±


    ¡°While she was indeed recognized as a royal, she doesn¡¯t¡ªyou don¡¯t¡ª¡± He titled his head to the side. ¡°Hold the title of crown princess. 5the slot is still open, and both the general and you¡ªnow¡ªcompete for it. Though it¡¯s widely known that the Emperor favors the general and is waiting for the slightest faut pas to declare him as heir.¡±


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    Daliya hummed. ¡°I didn¡¯t think the relationship between them was so dire. I mean, I knew things were bad, but that bad. Doesn¡¯t he want to, like, preserve his bloodline?¡±


    ¡°Not when there is magic cursing through the heir¡¯s veins, no.¡±


    Daliya sighed. At this point, she couldn¡¯t fault the princess for wanting to escape all this shitfest. Heck, if she could, if she had access to a crystal, she would have done the same. This was too high above her pay grade.


    If she could ever get back home, she would never complain about whatever life seemed fit to throw at her. She would be ready to tackle all the exams and part-time jobs with a beaming and grateful heart. She was even willing to pay a whole month¡¯s worth of food for her favorite customer. The bastard wouldn¡¯t have to sacrifice innocent insects for a chance at a free meal.


    ¡°Right!¡± she turned to Haitham, arms crossed over her chest. ¡°Do you guys intend to use my room as your rendezvous point? I don¡¯t remember giving my consent.¡±


    ¡°Where else would the servants, or anyone for that matter, need permission to enter?¡± He shrugged.


    Daliya scoffed. The nerves of this man. Well, at least it allowed her serious intel into what he was planning.


    She suddenly remembered the terms of their cooperation. A favor from the princess. She felt an involuntary shiver run down her spine. She glanced at Haitham as he paced around her room, muttering under his breath. Half words of a still-forming plan spilled through his lips.


    She couldn¡¯t help but wonder whether he would soon cash in that favor.


    Daliya didn¡¯t expect to receive another invite to the palace. She followed the servant assigned to the task of greeting her to the meeting room. It wasn¡¯t the hall, nor was it another room with only a throne elevated on the dais from where he would look down on her with his scrutinizing gaze. Instead, to her surprise, it was the war room.


    On one side of the wall was a gigantic map of the whole continent. The Awasanina Empire stood at the center of the map, surrounded by the four kingdoms. Lyria in the north. Ma¡¯arib in the south. An out grouping of small islands in the east in the shape of a crescent moon¡ªDuchess Husniya¡¯s duchy, she noted¡ªand on the other side, what once was the Ardun Kingdom loomed like a giant, almost double the size of the empire. Riyah was comparably a small kingdom that connected Lyria and Ardun, like a small bridge.


    A large table was at the center of the room. Miniature figurines of towers, knights, and different banners lay in a scattered heap. The red and golden banner representing the empire was significantly bigger than the others and more shinier.


    Emperor Suhail was occupying the chair at the farthest corner of the table, his eyes gazing at the smaller map replica fastened to the wooden surface.


    Another man was standing a few distance from him, his brows furrowed in concentration. As Daliya entered the room, the man looked up, a scowl deepening on his face, pulling at the scar and cutting his lips in half. He wore heavy armor with a sword strapped to his waist. Daliya scowed at the sight of the weapon. Why did he bring his word inside when she wasn¡¯t allowed to enter the premises of the castle without discarding hers? Were they so fearful of her?


    ¡°Your Highness, you finally honor us with your presence.¡±


    Despite the respectful words, there was nothing respectful about his tone. And unlike what Haitham had insisted on, the man had spoken without the emperor¡¯s permission. Daliya raised an eyebrow at him. She had an inkling who this man was.


    ¡°General Nasir, I almost didn¡¯t recognize you. Your vigil for the empire, while highly commanded, had surely left its mark on you. I can only thank you for your hard work and urge you to get some much-needed rest.¡± She smiled.


    He looked at her, opened his mouth, closed it, opened it, and closed it again before his mouth pulled into a snarl.


    ¡°I thank you for your kind words,¡± he gritted through his clenched teeth.


    Daliya grinned at him. But her smile soon slid off her face when she met the emperor¡¯s gaze. He motioned for her to approach the table. She did so without a second invite. She looked at the map on the table. The only difference to the one mounted on the wall was the red line crossing over the kingdom¡¯s names and the sun banners stabbed over its surface, reaching far beyond the empire¡¯s territory.


    There wasn¡¯t much the empire hadn¡¯t conquered. Lyria was fully theirs. Riyah was nothing but ragged lands with no population to assert control over. The only regions still not fully integrated were Ma¡¯arib and Ardun. Half of Ma¡¯arib was already under imperial rule, but Ardun was strangely bereft of sun banners. Only two lone banners at the shore were standing.


    Strange. Didn¡¯t the library books boast about the subjugation of all kingdoms?


    The Emperor splayed his fingers over Ardun, a dangerous glint over his face.


    ¡°Let us start the meeting,¡± he said in a calm voice, though it reverberated over the room as if magnified by some charm.

 Chapter 38

    Daliya was starting to loathe those strategic meetings. There was nothing strategic about boasting about your latest kill count and the number of villages and towns one destroyed.


    She sat quietly, watching the general announce this week¡¯s achievements.


    While the empire was proclaiming complete control over Ardun, its army faced great difficulty against its treacherous terrain. ¡®Moving mountains and shaking earth,¡¯ the general had argued. The Earth Shakers were treacherous and devious beings who avoided direct conflict with his army like darkness fleeing the sun.


    ¡°Rest assured, Your Majesty, we shall end their reign of terror and liberate the eastern regions,¡± General Nasir insisted.


    Already a new name, Daliya mused. They sure didn¡¯t waste any time.


    ¡°Another thing, Your Majesty.¡± A proud smile pulled at his lips as he talked. ¡°I have managed to capture a rat.¡±


    Daliya stilled, suddenly interested in their conversation.


    ¡°Did you? Why haven¡¯t I been notified of this?¡± The emperor said, eyebrow raised.


    ¡°I have feared that something¨C¡± He glanced at her. Daliya raised an eyebrow in response. ¡°Would interfere and sabotage our efforts. We found him lurking around the palace. We don¡¯t know if he is alone or has accomplices. But we¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡±


    Daliya forced herself to act normal.


    Near the palace? Could it be one of the assassins?


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be long before he starts singing.¡± The general gave a short, brittle laugh. ¡°We already started the interrogation.¡±


    Daliya had an idea what kind of interrogation the poor man was going through. She clenched her fists. She looked at the self-satisfied look on the general¡¯s face and knew she had to do something.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I would like to see the prisoner.¡±


    The emperor looked at her, head tilted to the side.


    ¡°For what reason?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Those wretched animals have dared to attack me not once but twice¡ª¡±


    Nasir snorted.


    Daliya shot him a glare. ¡°I have as much desire to wring information about those filthy creatures as much as you do, if not more.¡±


    ¡°Do you, Your Highness?¡±


    Daliya slapped her hand on the table. Ice sprung from the point of contact and spread along the table surface, then stretched toward the general¡¯s throat. The tip of the ice dug into his skin, and a trickle of blood sluggishly trickled down and disappeared under the jacket¡¯s collar.


    ¡°I dare you,¡± Daliya threatened, voice calm.


    Please don¡¯t.


    She didn¡¯t want him to test her. Couldn¡¯t he just keep his mouth shut? What did he have against her? He clearly had the emperor¡¯s favor. What else did he want?


    The general¡¯s throat moved as he swallowed. But thankfully, he didn¡¯t say another word.


    ¡°Enough,¡± the emperor¡¯s voice reverberated in the room.


    Daliya snapped her fingers, and the ice burst into snow.


    ¡°The general will deal with the prisoner.¡± The emperor leveled Daliya with a look. She opened her mouth to protest, but he stopped her with a wave of his hand.


    ¡°Dismissed.¡±


    And that was all.


    She found Haitham and Laila arguing inside the room. Daliya shook her head. It was official now. Her room was turned into their base..


    Laila almost yelled at Haitham about where his loyalty lay.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say I wasn¡¯t going to get him out,¡± Haitham hissed at her.


    ¡°Lower your voices. We don¡¯t want to alert the entire mansion to your presence,¡± Daliya hissed.


    They turned to her. Haitham¡¯s almost smile at her arrival was in contrast with Laila¡¯s murdering gaze.


    ¡°Yesterday, Arham was captured,¡± Haitham announced. He looked conflicted.


    Daliya stood near the window, glancing at the servants as they went about their business. Two guards laughed as they shared some joke, one of them pushing the other lightly. If only they knew who was in her room.


    ¡°I know,¡± she said simply.


    ¡°Of course she does,¡± Laila snarled.


    Daliya turned to her, arms crossed. ¡°Don¡¯t get your hackles up. I had nothing to do with it. I just knew this morning.¡± She tilted her head to the side, regarding her. ¡°It would be good for you to be nice to the only person here who can help.¡±


    Laila stilled, expression frozen on her face. ¡°You¡¯ll help?¡± she asked, voice guarded.


    Daliya shrugged. ¡°I was denied to see him. But I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡±


    Haitham approached her, grabbed her hands, and squeezed them. ¡°Thank you.¡± He smiled.


    Daliya smiled back. ¡°A bit early for that. I still don¡¯t know where he¡¯s being held. Something called¡­Qar?¡±


    Their breath hitched.


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    ¡°What? What is it?¡± she asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s an underground prison. Whoever enters it emerges a corpse. It¡¯s a place worse than death.¡± Haitham ran his hand through his hair, disheveling his raven hair further. He slumped on the chair, eyes closed. ¡°No one even knows what it looks like.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll find out where it is. I¡¯ll follow the prick around if I have to.¡±


    ¡°No. It would be too dangerous.¡± His tone was final.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to let Arham die?¡± Laila yelled.


    ¡°I said I¡¯ll take care of it,¡± Haitham said through gritted teeth.


    ¡°You care about her more than our cause?! More than the comrades you fought alongside you your whole life?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s different,¡± he hissed, standing up.


    ¡°Oh, really? How?¡±


    Daliya pinched the bridge of her nose. She could feel the start of a horrible headache. ¡°Could you both please stop? This is getting us nowhere.¡± She groaned. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I can protect myself.¡±


    Haitham grasped her wrist. ¡°Controlling your powers and breaking into the most notorious prison in the empire are two different things.¡± He looked at Laila. ¡°Meet me tonight at the west wall. We¡¯ll look¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, listen,¡± Daliya cut him off. ¡°I¡¯ll ask Mazin. He might know something. Once I find anything, I¡¯ll let you know.¡±


    He opened his mouth as if to say something but shook his head and looked away. ¡°Fine,¡± he said. ¡°But you¡¯ll come back once you find it. No exploring, no nothing.¡±


    She huffed. ¡°Fine.¡±


    ¡°Promise.¡±


    She rolled her eyes. ¡°I promise.¡±


    Mazin was overlooking the knights¡¯ training. Daliya thought it amazing how even when they were away from the northern castle, they still trained and ran drills. They were quite committed to their job.


    ¡°Captain, I¡¯ve been looking for you,¡± She smiled at him. ¡°Come with me. I would like to have a word with you.¡±


    Mazin paused, looking at her, then nodded. ¡°Of course, Your Highness.¡±


    Daliya followed him out of the barracks. They walked along the stone path in the courtyard. The captain fell into steps beside her, a curious look on his face.


    ¡°What do you know about Qar?¡± she asked.


    He was quiet for a while before saying, ¡°It¡¯s in the southernmost courtyard, right after the palace¡¯s training grounds. It¡¯s a mere one-room building.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°If I may ask. Why does Your Highness wish to go to Qar.¡±


    ¡°I need to speak with the general.¡±


    Mazin did a double-take. ¡°The general?¡±


    His reaction confirmed Daliya¡¯s suspicion. The princess and the general must have hated each other.


    She nodded. ¡°There¡¯s something I need to discuss with him.¡±


    He hesitated. ¡°Is it about the succession?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, you have the full support of the knight¡¯s order. If you wished it, we would draw our swords in the grand hall.¡±


    Daliya blinked at him. Was this man speaking about high treason?


    She cleared her throat, an incredulous chortle escaping her lips. ¡°Hopefully, it won¡¯t get to that.¡±


    He paused, then nodded.


    ¡°I want Your Highness to know¡­if you ever wish to tell me anything¨C¡± He looked at her, eyes expectant. ¡°I¡¯ll be willing to listen.¡±


    Daliya sent him a confused look.


    ¡°That is all.¡± He bowed and left.


    The next time she was called to the palace, she ventured further beyond its training grounds and arrived at a building that couldn¡¯t be bigger than a single room at the center of a large courtyard.


    It was indeed the prison. She could distantly feel the presence of multiple soul cores somewhere underneath¡ªdozens. Just how many prisoners were held beneath the palace¡¯s surface?


    Too bad Mazin was still not allowed entrance into the palace. None of her knights were. She had wanted him to accompany her inside. She felt like she was walking into the lion¡¯s den. And with having Haitham near the emperor too risky a chance for him to be exposed, Mazin was the only other person in this world she was familiar with.


    The prison guards didn¡¯t stop her. They carried on as if she wasn¡¯t there.


    ¡°Take me to the general,¡± she ordered one of them.


    The guards glanced at each other, expressions unreadable. Then, one of them pulled at a thread dangling from a small hole in the ceiling.


    ¡°The Wraith has been notified. He¡¯ll be here shortly,¡± he announced.


    Not a moment later, an old man with a hunched back and a wrinkly face carved by time emerged from the entrance. His gnarly fingers clutched weakly at the doorframe to support his shaky frame. The clothes on his back were rags stitched together with uneven needlework. He looked up at Daliya with dull, milky eyes. One of the guards smacked him upside the head. The poor man¡¯s skeletal frame shook from its force.


    Daliya had to restrain herself from grabbing the guard¡¯s offending hand. She gritted her teeth and fixed her steely eyes on the guard.


    ¡°Bow down to Her Highness,¡± the guard snapped.


    The old man bowed, apologies falling from his dry and cracked lips.


    Clenching her hands into fists, Daliya snapped at the guard. ¡°Move it. I don¡¯t have time to waste.¡±


    The guard let go of the old man¡¯s neck and bowed hastily. He moved to the side, clearing the path.


    ¡°Follow me, Your Highness,¡± The old man said.


    He walked down the stairs slowly and measuredly, his back tense as if waiting for a strike. The stony wall he leaned heavily on was the only thing holding him upright. His feet stumbled, and he leaned dangerously forward. Daliya hurried towards him, her hand clasping his fragile arm. At the same time, the stone under his feet extended, preventing his fall.


    She looked at the stone, uncomprehending. It then downed on her. He was like her. The only difference was his mastery over the earth. ¡®What did Haitham call them?¡¯ she tried to recall. ¡®Right! Earth Shakers.¡¯


    Her gaze fell on the shaking elder. He stared at her with dull, unseeing eyes. He was blind.


    Fury lit up Daliya¡¯s chest. The guard had dared to brutalize not only an old, weak man, but he was also blind.


    ¡°Your Highness¡ª¡±


    ¡°You can lean on me if you want.¡±


    He hesitated, his frame quaking as fear marred his old face.


    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous here.¡±


    The stairs were small and angeled strangely. The walls ended in sharp turns. She didn¡¯t have the heart to let the poor man feel around the stone for his way.


    ¡°If you¡¯ll allow it, Your Highness.¡± He took her offered hand, nodding his head in half a bow. She stopped his attempt to bow to her. They were alone here. There was no need to keep the pretense.


    They walked for a while, the old man leading her through a twisted maze of sharp turns and narrow stairs. Then, a ringing sound reverberated through the underground tunnels.


    ¡°What¡¯s this sound?¡±


    ¡°The maze,¡± the old man said. ¡°I was ordered to change its pattern every hour.¡±


    So that was why no one knew the prison¡¯s real design, she mused. Wretched bastard. He not only slaughtered them for their powers but also forced them to use those same powers to build him impenetrable prisons.


    The old man put his palm against the wall and closed his eyes. The ground shook under them, followed by the same sound of sliding stones.


    The shaking continued for a while, then it subsided.


    They continued on their way. The only light was the torch in the old man¡¯s hand. The flames danced with the tremors, twisting their shadows into horrific creatures.


    Daliya didn¡¯t bother using her powers to trace a path to the prison. The maze¡¯s constantly changing pattern would soon render it useless. But she noted that she was getting farther and farther from the soul cores she had felt and was heading toward a lone agitated core.


    It must be the interrogation room.


    Two guards flanked a heavy wooden door. They startled at her arrival. One of them hurriedly walked into the room, closing the door behind him, preventing her from getting a glimpse of what was happening inside.


    Soon, the door sprung open, and out came the general, with a deep scowl on his face, droplets of a scarlet liquid staining his cheek, and even more on his clothes.


    He looked horrifying.


    ¡°Princess, to what do we owe the pleasure?¡±


    His hand resting on the pommel of his sword twitched slightly.

 Chapter 39

    ¡°Well, well, if it isn¡¯t the princess. I wasn¡¯t aware you had business in Qar.¡± He stepped aside to let her in. ¡°Please, do not stand at the door.¡±


    The stench inside the room was overwhelming. Her nose scrunched up as she noticed the pungent odor of vomit and a hint of the coppery smell of blood.


    Haitham¡¯s friend was on the ground. His arms and face were littered with wounds and burns that bleed all over his tattered clothes. She stepped inside the room, and his head shifted towards her. She saw the recognition glint in his eyes She swallowed around the lump in her throat and turned to the general. She needed to distract him lest he noticed the prisoner¡¯s gaze locked onto her.


    ¡°Have you got anything out of him?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Classified.¡± He clicked his tongue.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The emperor has yet to permit me to share any of my findings with you.¡± He grinned at her. ¡°You¡¯re just in time for another dosage.¡±


    He took a syringe from the pile on the table pushed to one corner of the room, and walked over to the prisoner. Arham¡¯s eyes dulled as if resigning to his fate. The general jabbed the needle into his neck and injected the silver liquid inside his veins.


    Then, the convulsing started. Severe tremors shook Arham¡¯s body. The general watched with rapt attention as if it wasn¡¯t a human suffering but a rat in one of his perverse experiments.


    She stopped herself from stepping between the prisoner and the general. She unclenched her fists, ignoring the sting from where her nails had dug into the skin of her palm.


    ¡°Killing him would be counterproductive, don¡¯t you think?¡± she said through gritted teeth.


    The general snorted. ¡°Such a minor wound is not much of a threat to these beasts¡¯ lives.¡±


    Arham writhed on the ground, his body twisting from the pain, a red foam coating his lips. His pain-filled eyes locked with Daliya¡¯s, an almost pleading note in them. The general took another syringe. He checked the liquid inside and took a step towards the fallen man. The terrorized look he sent her was enough to send her feet into motion.


    She stepped in front of Arham and grasped the general¡¯s hand. A thin coating of ice covered the point of contact.


    ¡°Enough.¡± She met his unimpressed look with a stare of her own. ¡°Your irrational actions would lead to the loss of the only lead we have to capture these filthy bastards. I will not stand aside and watch you destroy our chances to finally ride the empire of its enemies.¡±


    He leveled her with a look. Then, he wrenched his hand from her grasp. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll continue the interrogation another time.¡±


    He handed the syringe to a guard and instructed them to return the prisoner to his cell. The old man walked ahead of them, leading them away from the torture chamber.


    The general wiped his hand from the grim and turned to her. ¡°So, princess. What brings you to my humble abode.¡± He extended his hands on each side of him, proudly displaying the various bloody chains and nails.


    Daliya ignored his attempt to rile her up.


    ¡°Perhaps you and I can work together instead of this mouse and cat dance we¡¯ve been doing. I¡¯m sure the empire would benefit if its two powerful vessels weren¡¯t constantly at each other¡¯s throat.¡±


    He looked at her, eyebrow raised. ¡°Indeed. And what does Your Highness suggest?¡±


    Your Highness was spoken with such derision that Daliya half expected him to unsheath his sword and drive it through her chest. This underground prison would be the perfect place to hide her body with its constant changing.


    ¡°Tell me. What do you desire? If it¡¯s within my power, I¡¯ll grant it to you.¡± Daliya forced a smile on her lips.


    Honestly, she didn¡¯t care whether he believed her or not. She merely needed a reason to get access to the dungeon. If she had enough time, she could have come up with something more¡­ plausible.


    Beggars can¡¯t be choosers.


    He threw his head back and laughed, the sound so jarring and grating on her nerves. She fought down the grimace as the sound reverberated against the walls, their smooth surface amplifying it.


    ¡°Is Your Highness ready to step down from the line of succession? You represent the very thing the empire is trying to destroy. Having someone as adequate as me as the successor would be more beneficial than the constant reminder that no matter how we rid this earth of the filth, there will still be one remaining.¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Ice spread from underneath Daliya¡¯s feet and struck the table with the bloody torture equipment. It froze, then split into a million shards.


    The general shot her a self-satisfied grin. ¡°Exactly what I said.¡±


    ¡°If I were you general, I would be more mindful of my words.¡±


    ¡°Or what? What will your excuse be to the emperor? He must already have gotten word of your presence here.¡± He shrugged. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else to say, I suggest you get on your way. Some of us have duties they should get back to.¡±


    Daliya glowered at him.


    ¡°You should have taken my offer, general. Pray you don¡¯t regret it later.¡±


    She tramped outside. The old man stood a few feet from the door, his hunched figure leaning on the wall, eyes downcast. The guards paid her no mind as she headed towards him. The old man¡¯s head jerked up as she neared him.


    ¡°Lead me outside,¡± she instructed, voice not unkind.


    He nodded, this time not startling when her hand gently grasped his arm.


    They threaded in silence. Daliya waited till she could neither see nor hear the guards, then squeezed the old man¡¯s arm to get his attention.


    ¡°Can anyone hear us here?¡± she whispered.


    The old man hesitated. ¡°No.¡± He shook his head.


    They stayed quiet for a moment, then Daliya asked him, ¡°Tell me, dungeon keeper, do you go by any other name?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a dungeon keeper, Your Highness. I¡¯m merely a servant of His Majesty. I do not deserve a name.¡± He bowed, his back creaking with the effort. Daliya rushed him upward.


    ¡°Please, stand up,¡± she said awkwardly. No matter how long she spent here, she still couldn¡¯t get used to people bowing to her, especially not out of fear.


    He hesitated. ¡°I was once known as Adnan.¡±


    ¡°Since when have you worked here, Adnan?¡±


    His head tilted up. ¡°I don¡¯t remember. The years tend to blend at some point.¡±


    Daliya looked at him. Pity and outrage battled for her emotions.


    ¡°It must have been hard,¡± she said softly.


    Adnan looked at her, silent for a while. ¡°It was as expected. We are nothing but monsters in human form. We deserve no better.¡±


    ¡°Does that include me, Adnan?¡±


    Adnan startled. His eyes widened with shock as if he had just noticed he had insulted the princess. ¡°Of course not, Your Highness. I was talking about people like me. Your Highness is above such accusations.¡±


    Daliya laughed softly. She patted his arm. ¡°You and I are as different as two drops of water from the same ocean. If I am above such accusations, then so are you and everyone else.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness! I wouldn¡¯t dare¨C¡± he started protesting.


    ¡°Nonsense! Should I make it a royal decree then?¡± she laughed at the incredulous look he sent her.


    She halted in her tracks. Adnan took half a step before he was forced to stop. He waited for her, his brows furrowing as she used her powers. She opened her hand and watched as an intricate pattern materialized at the center of her palm. No matter how many times she used her powers, it never failed to amaze her how far she had gotten. Her ice now answered her very thoughts. A fond smile traced at the corner of her lips. His methods might be unorthodox, but she doubted she could have done better without Haitham.


    She upturned Adnan¡¯s hand and put the icy symbol on his palm. He startled.


    ¡°This symbol.¡± She paused. ¡°in the upcoming days, a man will come to you bearing the same symbol. I want you to help him.¡±


    ¡°With what, Your Highness?¡±


    Daliya debated whether to tell him what they had planned to do. He might turn on them the second she left and tell the general everything. But then¡­


    She looked at him, really looked at him. His thin figure spoke of malnourishment. Fear and terror were etched into his skin, into his very bones. Despite not seeing, his eyes wouldn¡¯t dare look up toward the guards he guided through this maze that he alone knew the way around. How could someone be loyal to his very tormentors?


    Still, some people have been oppressed for so long that the mere thought of freedom was preposterous, not even worth wasting a second over.


    ¡°This man, he¡¯ll be here to free his friend. I want you to do as he says.¡± She settled on. Haitham would have to take care of everything else.


    ¡°Your Highness, I¨CI¡­I can¡¯t¡­my granddaughter, I have to protect her.¡± He sounded miserable, as if he was seeing his world crumble before him.


    So that was the leverage the emperor had over him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure she¡¯s safe, I promise. I¡¯ll get you both out of the capital and the emperor¡¯s grasp.¡±


    ¡°I¡­I¡­¡± He shook his head, brows knitted.


    Daliya grasped his shaking hands. ¡°How long till he loses use of you? Do you think he¡¯ll keep you around after? You know about his disdain for people like us. If he could, he would have us breathe our last today before tomorrow.¡± She paused, watching horror and despair play over his face. ¡°Your granddaughter has no future here. She¡¯ll be executed the second she¡¯s of no benefit to him. Is this what you want for her? To live in constant fear, awaiting the day he will order her death?¡± He trembled before her. Daliya¡¯s eyes softened. ¡°How old is she?¡±


    He swallowed thickly. ¡°She¡¯ll be nine in a few weeks.¡± Moisture gathered at the corner of his milky eyes.


    ¡°The best thing to gift her is her freedom. To wake up and not worry whether it¡¯s your last day. Don¡¯t you think?¡±


    He paused, head turned to the side, his unseeing eyes lost in thought. Then he turned to her, his unfocused stare locked on her face. It was a bit eerie how he knew exactly where everything was despite his blindness. Was it due to his earthly powers?


    ¡°Can Your Highness really protect her?¡±


    She nodded, then said yes, mentally rebuking herself for her mistake.


    ¡°Alright.¡± The word seemed to take something out of him. He closed his palm around the icy symbol, his fists turning white from the force. ¡°Her name is Narin. You¡¯ll find her in the lower town.¡± He then proceeded to tell her the directions to his house.

 Chapter 40

    ¡°I will not waste my time looking for some girl while your people are torturing Arham!¡± Laila raged. Her hands were clenched into fists by her side.


    ¡°Well, you better hope your friend can survive the torture he¡¯s suffering through. What was it again? Removed nails? Limbs stuck to the wall by rusty nails? Skin peeled¨C¡±


    ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll do it!¡± Laila snapped.


    ¡°Good.¡±


    They stared at each other. Laila¡¯s labored breaths were loud in the otherwise silent room.


    ¡°You better get to it then.¡± Daliya waved her off.


    She sent her a murderous look, then left through the window.


    Daliya sat on her bed. Haitham was leaning on the wall, arms crossed, silent as a shadow.


    ¡°You¡¯ve become quite ruthless.¡± He chuckled, though it lacked its usual mirth.


    Daliya sighed. She felt bad for doing this, but she had to. She promised the old man to keep his grandchild safe. If she had to resort to threatening fire-wielding assassins who wanted nothing more than to set her ablaze, then so be it.


    She opened her hand, and a frozen pattern appeared at the center of her palm. She presented it to him.


    ¡°At the prison, there¡¯s an old man. I gave him an identical symbol. Show it to him, and he¡¯ll take you to your friend.¡±


    Haitham raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise in his eyes. ¡°Won¡¯t you wait till the girl is found?¡±


    She looked at him. ¡°I trust you,¡± she said without a hint of hesitation.


    He opened his mouth as if to say something but shook his head and looked away. ¡°You¡¯re too trusting, my little storm,¡± he said, the corners of his lips curled into a rueful smile.


    Laila returned at night, a shaking girl, not even ten years old, wrapped in her arms. Despite the angry scowl on her face, her hold was gentle.


    The girl looked at Daliya with frightened eyes. As soon as Laila let her down, she fell to the floor, kneeling.


    ¡°Y¨CY¨CYour H¨CHighness?¡±


    Daliya hurried over, helped her to her feet, and guided her to a chair.


    ¡°Do you know why you¡¯re here?¡±


    The girl shook her head, eyes filled with terror. Dried tears merged with the soot on her face. But soon, the moisture in her green eyes overflowed and spilled over.


    ¡°I¨CI didn¡¯t do anything! I never used them! I¨CI did as Grandpa said! I never ever used them.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Laila called loudly. The girl flinched at her tone, hunching over herself.


    Daliya sent a look at Laila. The latter shrugged. ¡°I did my part of the bargain. Now it¡¯s your turn. You better honor yours.¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± Daliya snapped, then turned her attention to the frightened child.


    She shushed her. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re not here because of something you did. You¡¯re here because this Auntie will be taking you and your Grandpa away from here to somewhere safe.¡±


    Laila¡¯s nose scrunched in displeasure, but she didn¡¯t say anything.


    The girl looked at her, eyes searching for any hint of a lie. Her eyes looked older than her age.


    ¡°You know Grandpa?¡±


    Daliya smiled softly at her. ¡°Of course. He told me a lot about you. He said he was worried for you, and he wished you safe. He also said that your name was Narin? It¡¯s a beautiful name.¡± She wiped the tears with the hem of her sleeve. ¡°It suits you.¡±


    Narin clutched Daliya¡¯s sleeve, her expression urgent. ¡°Will I see him? My Grandpa, is he here?¡±


    Daliya nodded. ¡°Of course. You¡¯ll see him tomorrow. You¡¯ll spend the night here, and tomorrow, they¡¯ll take you and your Grandpa away.¡±


    Narin glanced at Haitham and Laila, then back at Daliya. She hesitated, eyes filled with doubt and hope. ¡°Promise?¡±


    ¡°You have my word.¡±


    Narin hesitated, her eyes hopeful as she asked, ¡°You¡¯re not with the bad guys?¡±


    ¡°The bad guys?¡± Daliya tilted her head to the side.


    ¡°A few days ago, bad guys came to our house. They took Grandpa away.¡± She clutched her faded dress. ¡°You¡¯re not with them, are you?¡±


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    The tears that had stopped threatened to spill again. Daliya shook her head. ¡°We¡¯re the good guys. Auntie might look a bit grumpy and disagreeable, but she¡¯s one of the good guys, too.¡± She ignored Haitham¡¯s snicker and Laila¡¯s indignant splutter and continued, ¡°Everything will be fine.¡± She ruffled her hair.


    Narin shot her a hesitant smile.


    They spent the night reviewing their plan to smuggle the three out of the empire.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t the red plains part of the empire?¡± Daliya asked, confused. It was stated as such in the map.


    ¡°Well, kinda.¡±


    ¡°No, it isn¡¯t.¡±


    Both Haitham and Laila answered at the same time. They stared at each other. Then Laila thunderously said, ¡°The empire might have annexed them, but it doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re no longer a part of Ma¡¯arib!¡±


    ¡°Quiet down. Narin just fell asleep. God knows the poor girl will need all the rest she could get.¡±


    It took a lot of time to get her to sleep. Daliya feared she would put it as a royal degree. ¡®The princess orders you to close your eyes and sleep.¡¯


    Laila huffed.


    ¡°Can you really keep them safe?¡± Daliya narrowed her eyes at them. ¡°Imperial soldiers are all over the plains. At least, that¡¯s what the Jerk said.¡±


    ¡°Their presence doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯ve got things under control. Things are¡­ unstable at best. For someone fleeing the empire¡¯s eyes, it¡¯s as safe as it could get.¡±


    Laila shot a look at Haitham. ¡°Haitham!¡± Her voice was sharp.


    ¡°What? She¡¯s helping us free Arham. Telling her as much is nothing.¡±


    Daliya leaned forward, resting her chin on her palm as she gazed up at the angry woman. ¡°You do know what I¡¯m doing is considered high treason. I don¡¯t want you to get caught, for my sake, not only for yours. Actually, more for me. Just thinking of being on the receiving end of the emperor¡¯s death stare gives me chills.¡± She shuddered. ¡°Just¡­ don¡¯t screw things up, please.¡±


    Her next summon was surprisingly the day after. Daliya didn¡¯t know whether she should be relieved or frightened by the emperor¡¯s frequent calls. It just so happened to be the day they were set to free Arham.


    Daliya walked behind the servant, her steps faltering when she was led away from the war room and then deeper under the palace through a complex set of tunnels. It eerily reminded her of the prison, and she briefly wondered whether the dungeon keeper had ratted her out and the emperor would be waiting for her, deep down in the tunnels, with his sword unsheathed, ready to reap her soul.


    As she traveled deeper, the agitated cores of at least a dozen people assaulted her senses. She staggered, bracing herself on the rocky walls. They weren¡¯t monsters¡¯ soul cores. While they were turbulent, they still had a humane feeling to them. But for all the time she had spent in this world, she had never felt a soul core as much unsettled as theirs.


    So that was it then. She was being led to the underground prison, to another section of Qar, one hidden under the palace itself.


    But none of that happened. While the emperor was indeed waiting for her, so was another man¡ªthe emperor¡¯s advisor. Daliya hadn''t seen him since their first meeting.


    The eerie feeling returned. The man, Makram, smiled at her, though there was no warmth to his smile.


    ¡°Your Highness,¡± he greeted her.


    She nodded back.


    Why was she here? The servant had left as soon as she had crossed the heavy steel door¡¯s threshold. The door closed with a loud bang, and the emperor gestured for her to come closer.


    She was led to another chamber. Piles and piles of musty-smelling books littered one side of the wall. But it wasn¡¯t what caught her attention. It was the tall glass wall that panned a whole wall section, with small shiny orbs floating around in disarray.


    Those were the soul cores she was feeling.


    Impossible! How could such a thing be? They clearly felt alive to her. They moved around in agitated mayhem as if they, themselves, couldn¡¯t comprehend what was happening to them.


    ¡°Wht¨Cwhat is this?¡± she asked in a hushed tone, awe and horror stealing her voice at the end.


    ¡°This, daughter, is our new weapon,¡± the emperor boasted. ¡°With this, no one can stand before us.¡±


    Daliya looked at him and then glanced at the advisor, who stood to the side, his face bereft of emotion. The advisor stared back at her.


    Was he the one who did this?


    ¡°These peo¡ª¡± She cut herself off, swallowing around the lump in her throat. ¡°These creatures, are they still alive?¡±


    They were. She knew they were. She could feel it.


    It was the advisor who answered her. ¡°Their souls are what give strength to the device.¡±


    Daliya blinked. What device?


    Then she glimpsed it.


    The weapon strapped to the emperor¡¯s side was not the soul devourer; it was something else. This sword had a dimmer shine. While she had never seen the infamous sword unsheathed, she knew this one was made from a different steel.


    It didn¡¯t call to her, not like the other one.


    The emperor gestured to his advisor. The man walked to one side of the room and dragged a cuffed, struggling man to the center. The unfortunate man was gagged, his tears staining the cloth fastened around his jaw.


    Daliya hadn¡¯t noticed his presence before, not with the turbulent souls raging against the glass case. But now that he was [resente to her, she could feel it now. He was an Elementalist.


    She watched with mounting dread as the emperor advanced toward him. The man¡¯s struggles increased with renewed fervor, fear and despair spilling from his eyes. Daliya wanted to help him, to save him. But there was nothing she could do.


    The emperor lifted the sword, and with a shallow, small cut to the man¡¯s cheek, he fell to the ground, lifeless.


    Daliya felt his soul core die. It was there, then gone the next moment, as if it had never existed.


    She stood there, fighting the tremors that threatened to run over her body. The emperor looked at her, and she forced herself to stare back at him.


    She wouldn¡¯t cave. She would face whatever he had in store for her. She wouldn¡¯t falter.


    ¡°That was perfect, Your Majesty,¡± she forced the words through a choked throat. ¡°When  will the army be equipped with such magnificent steel?¡±


    The emperor hummed. He turned to his advisor, who advanced toward her. She stood her ground, forcing down the flinch as he took her hand.


    ¡°That¡¯s where Your Highness¡¯s part begins.¡± At her confused eyes, he elaborated. ¡°I shall need your help in perfecting it. It still had only one use.¡± he gestured to the sword still clutched in the emperor¡¯s hand. The steel¡¯s shine had dulled into nothingness. A pale gray replacing silver.


    ¡°Your Highness might not have inherited your mother¡¯s powers, but faint traces course through your blood all the same.¡±


    Twisting her lips into a smile, she said, ¡°Of course. It would be my honor.¡±

 Chapter 41

    He would use whatever trace of her mother¡¯s powers was in her blood to stabilize the steel and render it more durable. Meaning, being able to steal the life of even more innocent people.


    She listened to his plans, nodding her ascent, declaring her unwavering loyalty to the empire and its cause.


    She felt like throwing up. She nearly did. She would have if not for the emperor and his mad advisor¡¯s hawk-like eyes scrutinizing her every movement. She swallowed the bile that traveled up her throat and met their stares with a determined look. She feared he would start his experiments then and there. Fortunately, the steelmaking process was more intricate and complicated, requiring days to acquire enough quantity for an entire blade. And the blood needed to be fresh, still containing the faint traces of magic.


    Hopefully, it would be enough time for her to think of a way out of this whole ordeal. She wasn¡¯t going to lend a hand to these madmen in their desire for slaughter. No. There was no way in hell she would be an accessory to the murder of thousands of innocent people. If push came to shove, she would have to stand against the emperor¡¯s tyranny¡ªtreason or not. At least she had her knight order¡¯s support, she thought as she recalled Mazin¡¯s daunting words. And Haitham. She doubted the assassin would pass up a chance to go against the emperor.


    She couldn¡¯t wait to get back to her mansion and tell Haitham about her findings.


    But wait.


    Wouldn¡¯t that mean giving her life to him on a silver platter? The assassin had wanted to figure out a way to stop the weapon¡¯s production. Arham had sacrificed himself to get any information on the steel.


    According to Makram, she was now the key to the weapon¡¯s full potential. Realistically, getting rid of her would be akin to getting rid of the weapons.


    Would Haitham choose to throw her under the bus for a chance to one-up the emperor?


    No, he wouldn¡¯t. She knew he wouldn¡¯t. She might be foolish for doing so, but she trusted him. She trusted that he would do his best to both help her and prevent the steel production.


    But what about the other assassins?


    What about Laila? The assassin would want nothing but to obliterate her, weapon or not. Finding out about the whole ordeal would only give her more incentive to swing her dagger at Daliya¡¯s throat.


    Daliya sighed. Why were things getting more complicated?


    She didn¡¯t even remember how she had left the underground chamber. Her mind had gotten hazy as she listened to the advisor¡¯s words as he relayed the days for their meet-up to start the experiments.


    Right after the ball.


    She sat in her chair back in the war room where the general was waiting for them with tapping feet and a badly-hidden scowl.


    The news of the prisoner¡¯s escape and Qar¡¯s keeper¡¯s disappearance reached them at their meeting.


    During the whole meeting, Daliya couldn¡¯t get her heart to cooperate. It thumped against her chest, each heartbeat louder than the next. She worried it could be heard in the reigning silence. The general¡¯s grinding voice helped a bit to anchor her at the moment, especially when he spoke about his plans to mount a full assault on the South. The emperor shot down his proposal before it could take full shape.


    ¡°The army is already spread thin as it is. And an unsuccessful campaign would only incite them to rebel. The North won¡¯t be far behind.¡±


    Daliya frowned. If things were so bad to begin with, why was he so adamant about keeping them under his authority? If there was one thing she knew, if a people refused to be ruled by someone, sooner or later, they would dethrone him.


    Stubborn tyrant.


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    The sight of the panicked guard as he stumbled into the meeting room¨C a poor middle-aged man who must have lost a bet¨C was met with a mix of dread and relief.


    The general burst to his feet, a myriad of emotions going through his face. Then he turned his angry eyes at Daliya.


    ¡°You did this!¡± he accused her.


    She raised an eyebrow at him. ¡°What do you mean? While sitting here? Amongst you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s your Fire Bearer lover! Don¡¯t think no one knows. The whole kingdom knows about your little beast that trails you like a second shadow. Who knows what goes between you two behind closed doors? You must have sent him after your visit yesterday.¡±


    Behind closed doors? Daliya mentally screeched. After all was over, she was going to find who was spreading these kinds of rumors and give them a piece of her mind.


    ¡°My lover is not here because he was denied entrance to the palace,¡± Daliya said.


    ¡°The perpetrators were seen heading outside the city gates. Where is he then?¡±


    Ah, shit.


    ¡°He¡¯s on an errand.¡±


    ¡°Where. Is. He?¡±


    Daliya stood up, glaring at the general. ¡°You dare question me? You should know your place. I¡¯m the princess of this emp¨C¡±


    ¡°Where is your little fire bearer?¡±


    This time, the emperor asked the question. His voice was eerily calm, and he looked at Daliya with emotionless eyes. Daliya stilled, her wide eyes locking with the emperor¡¯s stern gaze.


    She swallowed. ¡°Father¨C¡±


    ¡°Answer the question, girl.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s in the market. I sent him to buy me some cakes.¡± Her voice was low, almost a whisper.


    The general snorted.


    ¡°Send guards to get him,¡± the emperor ordered the general. He turned to Daliya. ¡°We shall see.¡± The look he leveled her with was enough to freeze the blood in her veins.


    Daliya waited with bated breaths for the guards¡¯ return. To her surprise, it didn¡¯t take them much. They came back with Haitham between them, but he wasn¡¯t alone. The Duchess was walking alongside him, her hand curled around his arm. She was talking to him hushedly, laughing at whatever he said back to her.


    Most importantly, in his hand was a bag of honey cakes.


    Daliya felt like hugging him.


    The Duchess bowed to the emperor and Daliya. Then she smiled sheepishly.


    ¡°Forgive me, your Highness, for snatching him away. He was nice enough to accompany me around the market. I didn¡¯t mean to get him away from you for this long.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no. It¡¯s fine.¡± Daliya smiled.


    She didn¡¯t know why the Duchess was lying, but she was glad for it. She would get to the bottom of it away from the emperor¡¯s eyes.


    The general¡¯s glare was hot on her back. Daliya turned to him, smiling.


    ¡°Are you satisfied, general?¡± Her smile widened at his scathing glare. She turned to the emperor and bowed. ¡°Father, I¡¯m your daughter. Your triumph is my triumph. I would never do anything to harm you. All I ever do is for the sake of our glorious empire.¡±


    He looked at her for a while. Then, a slow, chilling smile traced his lips.


    They were somehow allowed to leave. The emperor stayed with the general, giving orders and moving troops to look for the escapees.


    Daliya walked away with steady, measured steps, Haitham half a step behind her. The Duchess was next to her, talking idly about the things she bought from the market. The dress she would wear for the ball, the sweets she wanted her husband to try, souvenirs for her handmaidens who couldn¡¯t accompany her for her trip¡ªfor a good reason, she had clarified as she grinned conspiratorially at Daliya.


    Once they were near the duchess¡¯ carriage, she turned and smiled at Daliya. ¡°After the ball, I would love for you to pay me a visit to my residence. I would like to speak with you a last time before my departure.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    She would leave all her inquiries till their next meeting then.


    They stood there for a while. Then Daliya asked. ¡°They¡¯re gone?¡±


    Haitham paused for a moment, then said, ¡°They¡¯re gone.¡±


    Daliya put her hand over her chest and let out a deep, relieved breath. ¡°Thank God.¡±


    She heard Haitham chuckle. ¡°You¡¯re a little bit old to rebel against dear father¡¯s authority.¡±


    She turned to him, grinning. ¡°Says who? You know, a little bit of defiance is needed occasionally to keep things from getting too dull. As they say, some action is needed to keep a relationship alive.¡±


    ¡°You should focus more on keeping yourself alive.¡±


    ¡°Still working on it.¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°I was right. You¡¯re a little storm. A bit too wild for your own good.¡±


    She snorted. ¡°So said the rebel.¡±


    They looked at each other, then burst out laughing.


    They were so screwed.

 Chapter 42

    The remaining days until the ball passed like a whirlwind. Daliya was summoned each day by the emperor and sat in the war room listening to the general as he tried to convince the tyrant to launch an assault on the south.


    ¡°I believe them to be rebels of the south. The spy was a fire bearer.¡±


    ¡°If you had done your duty as you should, we would have apprehended his accomplices, if he had any.¡± Daliya fixed him with an unimpressed look. ¡°Perhaps it is time for you to retire, general. Your blunder caused us to lose important intel.¡±


    He sneered back at her.


    ¡°I will find him and prove to Your Majesty that the traitor we¡¯re looking for is much closer than we first thought.¡±


    She snorted. ¡°Or maybe you will prove that you have grown far more delusional.¡±


    They glared at each other. Daliya wanted nothing but to freeze his face off and peel his skin to reveal his rotten soul.


    The emperor said nothing. He ignored their dispute, eyes gazing at the map before him.


    On the last day before the ball, the emperor called her back before she exited the room. She lingered by the door, waiting for the enraged general to leave. The door locked after her, sealing her inside with the madman.


    She hesitated before walking up to him.


    ¡°Your Majesty¡ª¡±


    He waved his hand in the air, cutting her off. She swallowed heavily around the lump in her throat, waiting for him to deliver her sentencing.


    Was it about the experiments? She still hadn¡¯t told Haitham about it, having postponed it until now, with only a few hours remaining.


    ¡°After the banquet, Makram will be expecting you. A servant will lead you to him. Do not loiter around.¡±


    ¡°Of course. I will not disappoint you, Your Majesty.¡±


    She waited for a while, and just when she thought he would dismiss her, he said, his voice a touch gentle, ¡°I know, daughter. I expect no less.¡±


    His words haunted her and kept her awake that night. The gentleness in his tone was somehow more frightening than the coldness and aloofness he usually treated her with.


    Then the banquet day was upon them..


    The dress was easy to don, much to Daliya¡¯s delight. Still, she couldn¡¯t help but miss her friend. She wondered how Thuraya was faring. Was her injury healed? Would she find her at the castle, already back to her duties? She hoped so.


    Haitham stilled as she exited her dressing room. He looked at her, his mouth slightly open in shock. She would have teased him if not for the maid¡¯s knocking, announcing their carriage was ready and already waiting.


    He coughed, cleared his throat, and then grinned at her, offering his arm.


    ¡°Ready, princess?¡±


    She rolled her eyes. ¡°Never.¡±


    All eyes were on her as her presence was announced. She walked down the giant staircase, Haitham a couple of steps behind her.


    How fortunate was it that on the day of the ball, all nobles were allowed inside the palace grounds along with their special guests. She decided to have both Haitham and Mazin come along. While Haitham was following close, as usual, Mazin had ventured further to get a feel on things.


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    Even in the banquet, he was on duty.


    ¡°Your Highness.¡± A pleasant surprise was on the Duchess¡¯ face as she nodded to Haitham. ¡°I¡¯m glad Your Highness made it to the banquet. It would have been quite the chore otherwise.¡±


    Daliya nodded, smiling.


    Many people vied for her attention: nobles, ministers, merchants¡­ Daliya walked around the grand hall, smiling at some of them, nodding her head at others, and trying not to choke the life out of others.


    All that time, Haitham was a silent shadow by her side.


    ¡°Your Highness.¡± One of the servants presented her with a tray full of filled goblets. He waited, expecting her to take one of them. But she didn¡¯t drink. She stood awkwardly, feeling the eyes following her movement.


    ¡°I don¡¯t¨C¡±


    Haitham took two goblets from the tray. The servant bowed and left.


    ¡°I don¡¯t drink,¡± she whispered.


    He took the goblet offered to her and took a sip of the red liquid, barely concealing a grimace. Her eyes widened in confusion.


    ¡°Why did you¡­?¡±


    He raised an eyebrow. ¡°The princess is a famous drinker. One would say she was often seen holding a wine glass whenever she wasn¡¯t on the battlefield. Don¡¯t you think it would be weird if she suddenly stopped drinking?¡±


    ¡°I still can¡¯t drink it.¡±


    She refused to touch the foul poison. Not after what it had cost her¡­


    ¡°Semantics.¡± He shrugged as he drained the two glasses.


    The banquet was well underway, and still, the emperor hadn¡¯t shown up.


    Did he find out who helped the prisoner escape?


    No. Daliya took a deep breath to calm her thumping heart. It¡¯s been days. If he truly knew she helped, he wouldn¡¯t have waited till now. She just needed to act normal.


    She glanced at the closed doors. Yes, that must be it. Imperial protocol required the emperor to be the last to arrive and the first to leave, so there was nothing to his lateness.


    As the music started, pairs formed and moved to the middle of the hall. One of the nobles, staring at her, put down his wine glass and walked towards her.


    Haitham stepped in her line of sight. He placed a hand over his chest, leaning slightly forward. ¡°If Your Highness would allow me this dance.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Her smile was crooked at the edges. She was already thinking about ways to make him regret asking her. Maybe she¡¯ll smash his toes with her heels.


    She took his offered hand, and he pulled her towards him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how,¡± Daliya hissed.


    ¡°It was either me or that snobby noble. Just follow my lead,¡± he whispered.


    His hand rested on the small of her back, and his warmth seeped through the fabric of her dress. His touch was so gentle and light. He wrapped his arm around her waist, moving in time with the music.


    She could feel everyone¡¯s eyes on her, some shocked, others intrigued.


    ¡°Focus on me. Pretend we¡¯re alone here,¡± he directed.


    ¡°Easier said than done,¡± she hissed under her breath.


    He glanced at her, a teasing smile on his lips as he tilted his head. ¡°Didn¡¯t take you for a scaredy-cat.¡±


    She squeezed his hand with all her force. He paused for a moment and then softly chuckled as if her actions confirmed his accusations.


    They followed the music. Rather, Haitham followed the music. Daliya barely managed to follow the step sequence Haitham¡¯s feet directed. One wrong foot sequence occurred, and she found herself stepping on Haitham¡¯s foot. She smiled sheepishly at him.


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Sometime later, she stepped again on his foot, and again, and again.


    ¡°My bad.¡±


    He frowned. ¡°I¡¯m starting to think you¡¯re doing it on purpose.¡±


    She bit her lower lip to stop the laughter that nearly bubbled up her throat. ¡°I¡¯m not. It was an accident. I promise.¡±


    He looked at her, eyebrow raised. ¡°Somehow, I doubt that.¡±


    ¡°I told you I can¡¯t dance.¡± She lifted her shoulder in a slight shrug. ¡°That¡¯s what you get for insisting.¡±


    He stopped suddenly, twirled her around, and then brought her back to his arms. She scowled at him. The silver strand that got loose from her hair lessened the intensity of her glare.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get you back for this,¡± she threatened.


    His answering grin only served to deepen her scowl.


    He was a good dancer. Daliya might not be versed in classical dances, but she could tell he moved like someone who had practiced for these events his whole life. He moved like his flames did, back when he was lazying around the garden, his head resting on his propped arm, watching fire orbs follow the path traced by his fingers.


    How was his life before the war? Did he learn to dance as a child, and did the Kingdom of Ma¡¯arib still stand? Or was it a skill he had to learn later, along with becoming an assassin?


    He twirled her around. Their performance became a bit smoother as she eased into the dance.

 Chapter 43

    Haitham stumbled on his feet. He closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m getting a bit dizzy. It must be all that wine I drank earlier.¡± He shook his head in an attempt to clear it.


    Daliya had noticed for a while now that his movements had become a bit sluggish.


    ¡°Do you need water?¡± she asked.


    He nodded.


    She eyed the table where more nobles were eyeing her, waiting for an opportunity to corner her.


    Haitham chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll go get it. Get some air. We wouldn¡¯t want the vultures to ambush you while I¡¯m away.¡± He nodded his head towards the balcony.


    Only when she stepped into fresh air did she notice how suffocating it was inside the hall. She took a deep breath, relishing the cool night breeze against her flushed skin.


    ¡°Exhausted already? Can¡¯t blame you.¡±


    Laila stood at the corner, her arms crossed over her chest, eyebrow raised.


    ¡°You¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t got anywhere else to go, not after I helped Haitham.¡± She shrugged.


    Daliya stopped the exasperated sigh from escaping her lips. Did that mean she would find her wherever they went?


    Daliya leaned on the railing, letting the slight breeze play with the loose strands of her hair.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Laila¡¯s voice broke the silence. Daliya glanced at her.


    ¡°For saving Arham. You didn¡¯t have to,¡± Laila elaborated.


    Daliya nodded. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± She turned to face the uncomfortable-looking assassin. ¡°Like I said, I have no intention to hurt you. I¡¯m just trying to find a way to survive, much as you.¡±


    Laila shot her a suspicious look. She paused, chewing on her lower lip. ¡°This might be a fleeting fancy to you, but to us¡­¡± She trailed off. She ran her hand through her hair, sighing. ¡°Just¡­ He told me to trust his judgment, so I¡¯ll do that, just this once.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Daliya said, her tone lifting in the end, making it sound more like a question.


    ¡°Go back to your banquet, princess, lest they come looking for you. I have neither the stamina nor the mood to deal with them.¡±


    Daliya smiled. Neither did she.


    ¡°See you later then,¡± she said.


    Laila gave her a weird look. ¡°Hopefully not.¡±


    There was a commotion inside. Armed men in heavy armor, swords unsheathed, were making their way into the hall. All heading in one direction.


    As she neared the center of the commotion, Mazin stepped in front of her, barring the path to the main hall. Daliya narrowed her eyes at him, growing impatient with each exclamation by the attendees at whatever happened further inside the hall.


    ¡°Get out of my way,¡± she hissed under her breath, her voice low so only he could hear her.


    He looked to the side, guilt and something else¡ªmaybe fear¡ªwashed over his face. No, something more horrifying than fear twisted over his face. Whatever lay ahead was terrifying enough to send her knight captain trembling inside his armor.


    ¡°Please, leave this place, your Highness,¡± he whispered.


    She would have if she had found Haitham.


    Dread and something much darker twisted her chest, squeezing her heart till she could feel it stutter and pause for a fraction of a second. The air was thick with an unspoken menace, heightening her unease.


    Haitham. Where was Haitham? He had promised to return to her momentarily, but each passing second felt like an eternity amid this unsettling situation.


    She stepped to the side, intent on heading to the hall¡¯s center. She glared at Mazin as he shifted to stop her again. Whatever he saw on her face made him step aside. She walked, her steps fast and heavy, thinking about what she would find.


    It couldn¡¯t be Haitham. He was strong. The strongest she had ever seen since she first stepped into this world. He wouldn¡¯t let himself be captured easily.


    A group of nobles formed a circle around the emperor, who stood with his infamous sword unsheathed and held in front of him toward a held-down figure on the ground, two imperial knights holding him by the shoulders, silver manacles fastened around his bloody arms.


    She didn¡¯t need to look at the man¡¯s face to know it was Haitham.


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    The world tilted around her, and static filled her ears. Suddenly, all the crowd in the hall fell away. Only Haitham remained, kneeling on the ground with a silver sword held above his head, threatening to strike any second and extinguish his flame. It wasn¡¯t until the sword shifted towards her that she noticed someone was speaking to her.


    The emperor.


    She blinked, and the hall came back into focus. The nobles¡¯s hushed whispers filled the hall like the buzzing of bees.


    ¡°Come, daughter.¡± The emperor reached his hand toward her, inching her forward.


    She walked, her movements mechanical. Haitham¡¯s face was facing the ground. No matter how much she hoped he would look up at her, he would wrench his shoulders from the two knights¡¯ grasp and reach for her¡­


    He didn¡¯t move. Not an inch. As if some weight burdened him, something unseen.


    Then she noticed it. The manacles were made from silver steel.


    Power nullifying manacles.


    Black, charred skin peeked around the edges of the silver device. Haitham must have attempted to use his powers even after he was apprehended¡ªtimes and times again.


    The emperor seized her arm and pulled her closer, his grip so tight she was sure bruises had already started forming. ¡°Wretched daughter. Did you think I wouldn¡¯t notice the little flame you kept at arm¡¯s length? Parading around with Ma¡¯arib¡¯s lost heir like some trophy. Ridiculing me,¡± he hissed.


    Ma¡¯arib¡¯s heir? What was he talking about? Haitham was an assassin.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you had it in you to oppose me blatantly. I have given you enough time to come to your senses. Allowed you audience to confess your crimes. His head should have been gifted to me.¡± He regarded her. ¡°What had changed you? What else did you scheme behind my back?¡±


    He let go of her arm and stepped toward Haitham. Daliya¡¯s heart stopped. He stopped in front of him, turned to her, and held his sword toward her.


    ¡°But I¡¯m a benevolent emperor. And above all, a loving father. I give you a chance to right your wrongs. Kill this ungrateful dog, and you shall be pardoned. Do not disappoint me again.¡±


    She took a step back, her heels dragging against the floor. Then Haitham lifted his head to look at her. His eyes seemed unfocused and hazy.


    He was drugged.


    The emperor¡¯s smile widened as he thrust the sword towards her. She shook her head. She couldn¡¯t do it.


    ¡°You dare disobey me, girl.¡±


    The word ¡®girl¡¯ was filled with so much venom it made her skin prickle.


    She needed to escape, to get Haitham away from here. But doing so would mean high treason to the empire, her own head on the stake, and never going back to her world. She felt torn. What should she do?


    Then, the emperor returned to the kneeling Haitham and lifted his sword to strike him. All thought fled her mind. One second, she was frozen on the ground, her eyes roaming around the hall, looking for a way out. The next, she was in front of Haitham, an ice dagger against the silver sword. She heard Haitham make a half-choked sound, a half-spoken word starting with her name and ending with a pained groan. She faltered, battling to turn away from the emperor¡¯s hateful eyes and look back at him.


    It was a fatal mistake. One Haitham had often warned her against all those training hours.


    In that split second, her focus faltered. The sword¡¯s sharp blade shattered her dagger and tore into the skin of her arm. The red of her blood was startling against the white of her dress. She stared in a haze as the crimson liquid stained the intricate stitches along her sleeve. Then the pain registered, and with it came a strange feeling extending from her hand to her whole body, a prickling like a thousand needles piercing her skin at once.


    ¡°No¨C¡±


    She heard Haitham¡¯s strangled shout and the imperial knights¡¯ attempt to restrain him.


    The emperor scoffed, a dangerous glint passing over his eyes.


    ¡°Sacrificing yourself for a scum like him. I should have known you would be as foolish as her.¡± His lips twisted into a scowl, and his eyes clouded for a second. A strange emotion passed over his face too fast for her to decipher. Then he lifted his sword, ready to strike her again. Daliya blinked again and again, trying to dispel the haze away from her mind. All her thoughts converged into one: escape. But to do that, she needed to free Haitham. In her daze, she glimpsed the silver key dangling from the inner part of the jacket. She summoned another dagger. Her powers flickered and glitched for a second. It took the dagger another split second to materialize into her grasp. She saw surprise and shock flicker in the emperor¡¯s gaze, but she didn¡¯t have time to dwell on it. She launched herself at him, aiming for his neck. He stumbled back and shifted his hold over his sword into a defensive stance.


    She changed her aim inches before her dagger made contact with the silver blade, aiming for the jacket instead and, more precisely, for the key. She snatched it as soon as it was detached from the silken garment, then jerked back, throwing herself at the startled knights who stepped away from her frenzied dagger. She battled with the manacle¡¯s keyhole, failing once and twice to align the key in her dazed state. She felt warmth at her back and turned just enough to glimpse red hair.


    Laila was here, fighting with the emperor. She had to hurry. Despite her strength, Laila couldn¡¯t fend off his attacks for long.


    She succeeded on the third try. The manacles fell to the ground with a loud thud. She winced, closing her eyes as the sound sent her head throbbing. She felt warm hands on her face, but they were gone the second she opened her eyes. Maybe she had dreamed it up. She blinked. Haitham wasn¡¯t in front of her. Where did he go? Didn¡¯t she free him? And why was it suddenly warm? No. It wasn¡¯t just warm; it was scorching hot, like a volcano had erupted somewhere behind her.


    She turned as horrified screams erupted around her. She wasn¡¯t sure whether what she saw was real or she was still dreaming¡ªlike the feeling of hands on her freezing face.


    Black flames. Black flames were eating away at the hall like a hungry beast that hadn¡¯t been fed for centuries. And at the center of the fire was Haitham. His eyes had lost their warm brown; they looked like molten lava¡ªtoo bright and too frightening. Laila was screaming something at him, but whatever she was saying wasn¡¯t registering in his wild state. His eyes were fixed on the emperor¡¯s frightened face.


    Daliya struggled to get to her feet. She needed to get to Haitham. She needed to stop him, to get him back to his senses. But the moment she got one foot under her, she slipped, her weight too great for her unfeeling legs. She tumbled to the ground, her spinning head connecting with the ground, hard.


    Then the roaring flames stilled as if frozen in time, and Haitham was kneeling in front of her, his face awash with fear and something like desperation filling his frantic eyes. They were back to their beautiful brown color, she absentmindedly noted. Good. He was back to normal. He would be fine. She didn¡¯t have to worry about him now. Daliya allowed a breath of relief to escape her seizing throat.


    He was saying something, but the words twisted and mingled in her confused mind. She was tired, too tired to try to decipher them. She wanted to tell him that she was fine, that they should leave now, but her mouth refused to obey her.


    She allowed her heavy eyes to close. She would only rest for a bit, she told herself. And then she knew no more.

 Chapter 44

    When she opened her eyes, the world swayed and tilted. The room was dark, but she could see slivers of sunlight flittering through the drawn curtains. She could also taste saltiness in the air.


    She blinked the confusion out of her mind and squinted her eyes to better observe her surroundings.


    The room was swaying gently. The sound of waves carried from the closed windows.


    Then it dawned on her. She wasn¡¯t thrown deep under the palace prison where neither light nor sound could break through its thick rocky walls, nor was she back in her castle, safe from the emperor¡¯s madness. Instead, she found herself on a boat, a realization that sent a shiver down her spine.


    She turned to glance at the other presence in the room. Haitham was sleeping, his head leaning on the bed. Despite the dim lighting, she could see the dark circles under his eyes. She watched as his chest lifted with ease with each breath, glad he was fine, and they were away from the emperor¡¯s wrath.


    How did they escape?


    She glanced at the bandages around her arm. The sword had indeed injured her. Then how was she still alive? Didn¡¯t it kill its victim with the mere touch of its silver blade? Was it a replica and not the infamous Soul Devourer? For some reason, Daliya doubted it. She had felt its slight call as it struck against her ice. She had felt the pain as it bit into her skin. No other sword could bring that much agony with a mere scratch.


    She disengaged her hand from under Haitham¡¯s warmer one and exited the cabin, making as little noise as possible. He was clearly exhausted; they all were. She wouldn¡¯t begrudge him a couple more hours of rest. They would need every ounce of power to survive long enough to reach the end.


    She found Laila at the boat¡¯s bridge. Her red hair swayed to the ocean breeze as she stared at something beyond the waves.


    ¡°Where are we heading?¡± Daliya asked.


    If her presence startled her, Laila didn¡¯t show. She turned to her, a glare furrowing her brows, her lips pulled into a thin line. She regarded Daliya for a moment without offering an answer. When she opened her mouth, it wasn¡¯t to answer Daliya¡¯s question.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I warn you before? Not to get in the way of his path? Because of you, years of work were undone.¡±


    Daliya blinked, confused. She was still a bit dazed from sleep¡ªor was it exhaustion? She wasn¡¯t sure. Laila¡¯s words made little sense to her.


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    ¡°I knew this would happen,¡± Laila hissed. ¡°I should have stopped him. I should have killed you before you ruined him. Before you ruined us all. Soon, the hunt all over Ma¡¯arib would start again. And all because of someone who doesn¡¯t even care about our cause.¡± She shot Daliya a scathing look. ¡°I told you your hold over him would destroy us all. And I was right.¡± There was a hint of triumph in her words, as if she had proven something she was told was wrong.


    Daliya couldn¡¯t help herself. She chuckled, ignoring Laila¡¯s incredulous stare.


    Foolish. Couldn¡¯t she see? He had as much power over her as she had over him.


    ¡°I¡¯m here, aren¡¯t I?¡± Daliya smiled. Laila watched her, her gaze skeptical, but didn¡¯t cut her off. ¡°I¡¯m not back in the Capital, celebrating the capture and execution of one of the rebels. I¡¯m on this boat, heading to God knows where.¡±


    Surprise and something akin to shock flittered through Laila¡¯s eyes. Daliya expected her to snarl at her, to yell at her that this wasn¡¯t enough to remedy the disaster the resistance suffered. But then, she threw her head back and burst into laughter. She laughed and laughed¡ªthe sound free and unrestrained. She looked back at Daliya, an amused grin pulling at her lips, her anger long buried under her newfound mirth.


    ¡°Fair enough.¡± She nodded.


    Daliya could do nothing but nod back. She didn¡¯t utter a single word. She didn¡¯t want to shatter this new fledgling and fragile peace between them. They stared at the endless ocean, the silence a welcome companion that none tried to chase away with words.


    Then, the cabin door burst open and hurried footsteps thundered up to the deck. Haitham emerged from the wooden stairs, disheveled, a storm brewing under his panicked eyes. When their eyes met, he paused as if frozen in time.


    Dark flames.


    How ironic was it that the fate she had tried so hard to escape was closer to her than she had thought? She had seen his flames. The same dark flames that had haunted her nightmares.


    Yet, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to believe in what she saw.


    She smiled. ¡°You¡¯re already awake?¡± Daliya asked when he didn¡¯t speak.


    Her words brought his senses back to him. He launched himself forward. Daliya didn¡¯t move. She stood there as he ran up to her, as his arms encircled her frame, and his hand rested on the back of her head, pushing it gently against his chest.


    ¡°I thought¨CI thought¡­¡±


    She brought her arms around his back and squeezed.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she reassured him. She felt his head bob into a nod.


    She heard Laila¡¯s retreating steps as she headed below deck, offering them privacy.


    They stood there, hugging, surrounded by the sound of their breathing and the gentle sway of the waves as they broke against the sides of the boat.


    Daliya bit the inside of her cheek as a sudden surge of pain traveled through her body. Her fingers twitched around Haitham¡¯s shirt before relaxing as the pain ebbed away, dwindling into tiny needle pinpricks.


    It was the same pain she had felt when the sword had cut into her skin. Whatever damage it had done, she still felt its echoes.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she repeated, watching the sunlight break against the ocean¡¯s surface and letting Haitham¡¯s heartbeats lull her into a false sense of peace. She stood there, burrowing deep into her murderer¡¯s warm embrace.