Page 121 of Somber Prince

Maybe he could’ve run. He was fast and strong, with impressive skills in swordsmanship as it turned out. He could’ve fought his way out of this and run. But he wouldn’t leave me.

Rha wasn’t fighting for his freedom. He did it for us to stay together.

Alzali jumped toward him, her movements fluid like quicksilver. She grabbed one of his limp tendrils and yanked it back, knocking him off balance.

“No!” I rushed forward.

Alzali shot me a glare. Her decorum was gone now. Hatred was all that remained.

“Take her where she belongs!” she snapped at a guard as the rest of them swarmed my prince.

Rha launched forward, sinking his sword into the belly of a guard. Yanking the blade out, he sliced off another guard’s arm. Dark blood splashed over the gorgeous mosaic floor.

More guards rushed through the doors. Two of them grabbed me, dragging me away.

“Rha, stop! Please,” I begged, terrified of what they’d do to him if he kept resisting. “Just go see the queen like they want you to. Please stay safe.”

Alzali drew a long dagger from behind her belt. Winding Rha’s tendril around her forearm, she yanked his head back, then pressed the dagger to his neck.

“Don’t listen to her, cousin,” she hissed. “Fight me. Give me a good reason to do what’s right, in the name of the queen.”

She wanted this. She’d waited for a chance to get rid of him all along. He couldn’t give her the satisfaction.

“Don’t, Rha,” I pleaded as they dragged me away. “Do as they say. Stay alive, and I’ll wait for you. Wherever you are, I’ll wait for you to come back for me.”

Chapter Thirty-One

DAWN

The noise of the sword fight died in the distance, and I hoped it stopped with Rha unharmed.

I fought against the rough grip of the guards. Only there was no use. They were stronger than me, dragging me down a long corridor effortlessly.

“Where are you taking me?” I asked, my voice shaking.

“To the queen’s sarai. Where you belong.”

We crossed a large, luscious garden. I wondered if it was the same place where Rha had that one and only walk with his mother.

What would she do to him?

I wished I knew more about that woman. The little I’d learned about her didn’t give me much hope.

We came to another golden gate. This one was even more heavily guarded than the entrance to the palace. Men and women dressed in the royal colors of gold and black lined along each side of the gate. They stared at me as the guards dragged me forward.

“Another Joy Vessel,” a guard introduced me.

A woman stepped forward. All six of her tendrils were out, clipped with iron like was required from Joy Vessel Keepers.

“I’ll take her in.” She gestured to the guards to release me from their grip.

When they let go of me, however, I hesitated. I didn’t know this woman or anyone else in here, for that matter.

“You’ll be safe, Sweet One,” she murmured. “We’ll take good care of you, the way every Joy Vessel should be cared for.”

I fidgeted with the bottom edge of my necklace, not moving any further. “What exactly do you mean by care?”

She gave me a sweeping once-over. “Well, for one, you need a bath and some clean clothes.”

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