Kin kept his eyes glued on Thia. For some reason, the girl was far stronger than he could have imagined. Not that he was weak, but he could tell that if they both fought without holding back, he would probably lose.
"Why are you here?" Kin asked Thia. "Why do you seek the prince?"
"I have something for you," Thia replied. "I was sent on a mission by the Queen of Eru." She then revealed the mark of the phoenix on her chest.
"The Queen's mark," Ri said, recognizing it immediately.
"How did you get that?" Ri asked, her voice filled with curiosity.
"Do you know what it is?" Kin asked, glancing at Ri.
"Of course," Ri replied. "It's the mark of the Phoenix Queen. She gives it only to high-ranking members of Eru. Not just anyone possesses that mark—not even nobles. Only the Five Pillars and a handful of people do."
"Are you trying to say this brat is as important as someone like Lady Meliesse?" Kin scoffed, his tone dismissive.
Thia's irritation flared at being called a brat, and she was about to attack again when Vera resumed suppressing her curse.
"I'm sorry for Her Highness' attitude," Vera said with a polite smile. "Unlike you, Your Highness, she has only recently been employed."
Ri's eyes widened in shock. "You mean she's…?"
"Yes," Vera said, her tone calm yet firm. "She's the Princess of Eru, Thia Artemisia, daughter of Queen Artemisia."
"Adopted," Thena interjected bluntly.
"Lady Thena…" Vera said, scolding her. It was clear that Thena, still annoyed that Thia had fought her prey earlier, wasn't done venting her frustration… or maybe it was something else.
Now everyone's attention was focused on the mention of princes and princesses. Thena muttered to herself, what's so special about being a princess? I could become one if I wanted.
"Why is the Princess of Eru here?" Ri asked, her curiosity mounting.
"We've been tasked to discuss the terms of an alliance with the prince," Thia said plainly.
Ri's surprise deepened. She didn't know if it was fortune smiling on them or sheer luck, but at that moment, it didn't matter. First, the prince had appeared out of nowhere and reignited their hope, proving they weren't fighting in vain. Now, more help had arrived.
"But how did you know where to find us?" Ri asked, her curiosity piqued.
"General Farouk told us where you were," Vera explained. "I was able to pinpoint your location using my curse."
"A divine element hidden within the city itself," Vera continued. "If it had been anyone else, they wouldn't even know it was here. When we arrived, some of your men attacked us. We dealt with them easily, but then she"—Vera gestured toward Su Yin—"came along and stopped us. And shortly after that, you also appeared."
"You met General Farouk?" Kin asked, his excitement momentarily overriding his earlier tension. He had almost forgotten he and Thia had been at each other's throats not long ago—almost.
"Did he tell you any other news?" Kin asked eagerly.
Vera's expression suddenly darkened. She looked down, avoiding Kin's gaze.
"Is there something wrong?" Kin asked, concern creeping into his voice.
"I'm sorry, Your Highness," Vera said solemnly. "Indeed, we met General Farouk in Jubai, but we were cornered by King Jai, who arrived in the city unexpectedly. The general stayed behind to fight him."
"And?" Kin pressed, his voice urgent. "Farouk can handle Jai. He's just as strong—if not stronger."
But Thia shook her head. "King Jai summoned a very powerful demon to this world," she said. "I don't know how he did it, but that thing was beyond a curse. General Farouk fought him alone…"
Thia hesitated, then said, "I'm sorry to tell you this, but the general died while fighting Jai."
The world around Kin seemed to spin. It felt as if his mind had shattered into pieces. His entire body trembled as Thia's words echoed in his head.
"Farouk? Dead? How is that possible?" Kin thought. We were in Cosant together not too long ago. How could he be dead? Why did he also have to die? Does he think I can do this all alone?
"Why? Why?" Kin's grief and frustration threatened to consume him. His shoulders sagged under the weight of the loss.
But just as he felt himself breaking, Su Yin placed her hand on his shoulder. A soothing warmth spread through him. He didn't know what was happening, but his grief began to ease. It wasn't entirely gone, but the heavy weight lifted enough for him to breathe.
Kin turned to Su Yin, then to Ri and the others. Many people were counting on him. Many lives depended on him. He didn't have the luxury of breaking down—not now. He had to stay strong.
"Thank you," Kin said to Su Yin, his voice steadying.
"Don't be sad, my Lord," Su Yin said gently. "Was the General important to you?"
"Yes," Kin said, his voice shaking. "Yes, he was."
Kin turned to Thia. "What other news do you bring?" he asked.
"There are more allies to your cause than you think, Your Highness," Vera said. "The daughter of the Sulten of Jubai worked with General Farouk and is a potential ally. There are also reports from Hadia, Bintan, and other provinces of people who wish to align with the prince."
"There is hope for Wize—and for you, Your Highness," Vera continued. "Lord Farouk did not die in vain. He allowed us to see Jai for what he truly is. Now we know he is not the man he once was."
"I am sure you had not considered the possibility of Jai being possessed by a demon," Vera said.
Kin shook his head. He had speculated about how Jai survived that night in the desert, but the best he could come up with was that Jai had summoned a curse—not a full-blown demon.
"Then it goes to show you need to reevaluate your plans," Vera said. "You need to gather your allies, and more importantly, you need to leave this place. It's no longer safe."