Heir to the throne

Chapter 15

Reiji rose to his feet and waited as the Terang Prince stepped into his quarters with his hands behind his back and his chest held high. A smile slowly grew on his stubbly face and quickly vanished. Reiji wondered what had fascinated Kalaya about him.

"Prince Reiji, it is nice to meet you again," he said.

"Rin!" His bodyguard appeared as soon as he heard the call. "Tell Zyaan to make some tea."

Rin bowed and headed off to Zyaan's bedroom.

"No need for any fuss. We are old friends, after all."

"It is no fuss at all. It is common hospitality, and you and I were never friends."

Oman smirked as if those blunt words had amused him. "I do not recall you being so unfriendly. Perhaps you have come to think of the Terang as the enemy. Seeing that you are soon to be married to the Akai princess."

Reiji smiled and lowered his gaze for a moment. His mind was toiling, trying to quickly make sense of what was happening around him.

            Oman sat and put his boot-clad feet up on the short table. He leaned back and observed Reiji with a mocking smirk on his face.

"This is beautiful, is it not, Reiji? This place? It is said to be where an ancient goddess resides."

"Oman, I know you did not come here to give me a history lesson."

"Of course not. Someone asked me to be here."

"Oh? Who?"

"By me," Kalaya said as she appeared in the doorway.

Reiji turned to look at her as she sashayed in, her jewelry tinkling as she moved. She sat with perfect posture on a chair next to Oman. Her skin turned to gold in the light of the lamps, and her eyes were like fire. Reiji could not deny that there was no woman more beautiful than her. He may see his marriage to her as a good thing, but he could not deny that he was always left breathless by her radiance.

"Why did you call him here?"

"To save you." She removed a letter from her supple bosom and dropped it on the low table before her.

Reiji picked it up and unfolded it.

"I intercepted it. It is a plot by my brother to seize your empire."

Reiji was reading the words, but it was not easy to place Adhi as the composer of this message. Reiji understood that in a world like it, it was difficult to trust anyone, yet the character of the Akai prince was far too virtuous for him to be responsible for such treachery. People often wore masks to hide their true nature. Maybe the real Adhi was hiding behind his innocent smile.

            He stepped back, his hands shaking. The words had spawned an unfamiliar rage in his heart. Reiji was not the most aggressive man in the world, nor the most powerful. He lacked many things, but he was not the sort of man who would allow anyone to hurt his family and the people who relied on him. He had promised to protect them and intended to keep it, no matter what sacrifices it took. 

"Adhi plans to have you killed when we are married and claim your throne. Since women are powerless in these matters, he will seize your empire in my name. Once Adhi has your empire, I do not doubt that he will take control of the Akai and then head for the Terang," Kalaya said, her eyes burning with intensity.

"How can I be sure I can trust what you say?"

She laughed. "You hold a letter in your hand that bears the seal of my brother."

"But Adhi had nothing to do with our engagement."

"True. My uncle was the one who suggested our union to my father. But once Adhi heard of this, he became unusually involved. He vouched for you as if he knew you. Adhi must have already planned what he was going to do." She rose from the chair, her braid slipping off her shoulder. "Adhi is an ambitious man, Reiji. Do not judge him by the persona he displays. Behind the smile and carefree demeanor is a vicious predator. Adhi works on battle strategies daily, playing out different scenarios on paper. He researches weapons and arms so he knows how to use them all. Adhi has plans to become the sole emperor of Lokya, and when he does, no one will ever be able to contest him."