Ghazeyh shook his head to clear off the distracting thoughts. Now wasn't the time to think about the Sha-jin. Xuma needed help.
Lengthening his strides, he turned in multiple corridors that looked the same in appearance but stretched as long as a block on a street in Stone City, before finally reaching a gate that led into the inner palace.
It was quieter here, more serene in atmosphere and exquisite in appearance. Gardens of crimson, blue, and violet bushes bloomed on the sides of each path and split into different directions. From the outer edge to the inner, the colors, fragrance, and beauty of the blossoms grew more sophisticated and exotic.
Racing through a path flourishing with blue-blossoms, Ghazeyh called out to the palace servants working on the sides, giving them orders to get warm water and leaving instructions to lead the Healer to his chambers, before heading to his palace.
It took about half the time he spent walking from the palace gate to the inner palace, to get to his chamber.
Before he had never noticed how unreasonably huge the Frost-Flame Palace was. It had never felt so complex and annoying. The hoarse wails and bleeding orifices of the girl in his arms made him think this way.
For the first time in his life, Ghazeyh found the whole stone structure unnecessarily complex and a waste of precious time.
The second he entered his chambers, he laid Xuma on the bed and sat beside her, restraining her arms and legs to prevent her from hurting herself.
"Isn't the Healer here yet? What about the warm water and Pearl Salt I asked for?" He hollered.
His voice seemed to bounce off the stone walls and slam on the hearts of the surrounding servants. They fell on their knees and shook their heads, questions and uncertainty flickering in their eyes as their gaze shifted between the girl and their Crown Prince.
"Well, speak! Where are the items I asked for?"
"Your…Your Highness, the Queen Mother…she said she needed to check the girl for…"
"Mother?" Ghazeyh paused. A frown appeared on his face. His mother wanted to check on the girl? At this time? His gaze fell on the pale-stricken girl.
Clothes crumbled, hair disheveled, and blood streaks smearing her face, her appearance was worse than that of a slave in the outer palace. From his position beside the bed, Ghazey hcould only describe her with the word miserable.
However, his mother…she wouldn't notice any of these. In fact, even if she noticed, she wouldn't care a damn.
As the master of the harem, her priority had always been placed on etiquette and presence. Making sure every female in the palace, slave and master, followed the rules of protocol and dressed according to their status was her main concern.
And with the approaching date of his coronation, the woman made it her mission to inspect and evaluate every female close to him.
He knew her intention. She wanted to stuff one of her servants beside him to monitor his actions, until he was crowned Emperor and her niece became his Empress. And though he indirectly acknowledged her actions before, he couldn't help but feel a spark of discomfort.
Xuma was in pain.
She was wailing like a banshee, suffering from the torture of black magic. He couldn't even begin to imagine the extent of her agony. The nightmare she must be going through under the illusion of the Red Sha-jin's magic.
And because he couldn't imagine it, his chest felt unbearably stuffy and his heart restless.
He wanted to help her. That was his urgent need and desperate desire. The reason he raced through numerous palace courtyards and brought her directly to his chamber.
But if his mother wanted to check on her first, before sending the item he needed to relieve her pain, her suffering would be prolonged.
And how could he accept that?
Though the woman was the master of the harem, she wasn't his birth mother. And at this moment, Xuma's well-being took precedence over her wishes.
"Go. Get me the items I asked for. If the Queen Mother tries to stop you again, inform her this is the Crown Prince's direct order. Anyone who prevents it from being carried out would be held responsible for questioning Imperial Command."
The servants froze and raised their heads. Shock and disbelief filled their eyes, seemingly throwing them in a daze.
When the Crown Prince turned and seared his cold gaze on them, they imperceptibly trembled and lowered their heads, replying in unison.
"Yes, Crown Prince!"
"Hm. Get going." Ghazeyh dismissed them with a nod, his grip tightening on the girl's arms.
His action would drag her into a political intrigue. That he was certain of the moment the words left his mouth. However, he had no choice.
He couldn't watch her writhe in agony when a single command could end her misery.