Tua ponders the question, his hands clasping behind his back. “I suppose he should, but Kai has never done well in situations where a gentle voice is needed to lead. That’s why I’m here. Why don’t you head back to the palace and wait for His Majesty there?” Giving me a curt smile, he walks towards the carnage left by the rebels and kneels with the other shifters, their teary eyes meeting his in gratitude.
My gaze roams over the people still gathered here, catching the wary glances of those who know my face isn’t a familiar one in the capital. So, despite my instinct to stay and help in someway, I do as Tua suggested. I know that he must care about his people—my being here is evidence of that. Yet Tua’s warning to me on the ship rings clear. If the goal is to try and better Kai’s image with his people, then Tua is failing as his advisor. Either that, or Kai is simply ignoring his suggestions. If I am going to try and learn as much as I can about the blight, I need the people to trust in Kai—inus—and to share with us as much as they can.
As the palace comes into view up ahead, the leaves of the palm trees lining it swaying in a gentle breeze, I realize that Ihaveto help with much more than just fixing magic.
I need to fix a broken king.
Chapter Thirty-Eight: Bahira
The air is thickwith humidity as we trudge through the forest to a village right outside of Molsi. My eyes drag over Kai’s body where he walks ahead of me, noticing his broad shoulders and back and the way his waist tapers in only slightly.Everythingabout him is substantial—his legs, his arms, his stupid jaw, probably another appendage that I am furious with myself for thinking about.
“I can feel your eyes on me, Princess.” His voice is smooth, coating me as easily as the mist in the air.
Godsdamn it.
“Just wondering how an oaf as big as you can move so gracefully.” He snorts, holding a low-lying branch up so that I can pass under it without ducking. “Thank you.” His eyes widen as he lets the branch go and falls into step beside me. “What?”
“I wasn’t sure you knew those words.”
I roll my eyes, adjusting my backpack as I check where my spear is tucked into its loops. “I don’t generally offer them when the bare minimum is met, but considering manners don’t seem to be your strong suit, I figured I’d reward you with acknowledgement.”
I keep my gaze on the trail ahead of us, the soil darkened from the moisture in the air which causes my boots to sink in with each step, and ignore the way I can feel Kai’s gaze on me. It burns into the side of my face, causing heat to slowly build in my core.
“Does sarcasm come easily to you, or is your sharp tongue simply another defense mechanism?”
“Anything regarding the use of my tongue is intentional, Kai, and in this kingdom? Everything I domustbe a defense mechanism. I could be attacked by a wild animal.” My smile is mocking as I add, “Or a more domesticated one.”
The quirk of his lips sends a jolt of excitement through me. It isn’t quite a smile, but it’s more than he’s ever given me before. “Onlyyouwould so openly insult the king of another realm by calling his shifter formdomesticated.”
I look up at him then, noting the way a few short strands of hair have broken away from the rest and hang over his forehead. The dark brown gleams against his dewy golden skin, matching the color of his eyes. Eyes that are currently watching me with mild amusement.
“I can’t decide if you are brave or just stu—”
“Don’t finish that sentence if you want to walk the remainder of the way without a limp,” I interrupt, patting the side of my spear.
Kai chuckles before we fall back into silence. He had given me a skeptical look when he saw that I had packed the spear, but I simply shrugged and said it would be foolish to travel anywhere without it. Especially after what I witnessed with Adrian and his business, a topic I still haven’t figured out how to approach Kai about.
The sky above has changed its hue from blue to gray, and white clouds puffy with the incoming rain perch around the mountains in the distance. We continue trekking through the heavy vegetation, the plants and trees closing in on us the farther we go. Something rustles over the dead leaves on the jungle floor to our right.
“It’s just a small monkey,” Kai says.
“How can you tell?”
“Its scent,” he answers, and my nose wrinkles in response.
“Does your shifter form ever coexist with your mortal form?” I question, wondering if he can call on certain abilities without having to shift fully.
“All shifters have increased strength, eyesight, and sense of smell while in their mortal forms. Those are the only things most can access until they shift fully. Then they gain the nuances that are unique to their animal.”
“Does one form feel better than the other?” He turns towards me, a brow raised in question. “I mean,is one formeasierto exist in? Do you feel called to one more than the other?”
“I can’t speak for anyone else, but for me, it’s like having an itch I can’t quite scratch until I shift. It’s underneath my skin and buried deep in my blood. I imagine that is how your magic feels as well? If you don’t use it for a while?”
My silent pause is an imaginary scream out into the jungle. It isn’t supposed to be a secret that I don’t have magic, at least within my own kingdom. Had Kai or Tuatrulynot heard whisperings of it on the docks when their ships dropped off supplies?
“I suppose so,” I respond, warring with myself about telling him.
Historically speaking, I’ve never been one to delay making a decision, mostly because I’ve usually picked it apart until I’ve found an answer that has more pros than cons. But lately, my decisions aren’t as easy to decipher.
