A King's Mistress (ON HOLD)

Caught

"Where have you been?" I half yelled at my brother.

"Nasya calm down."

"No! I will not." I stared at him as he was alive and well. I was thankful but from the vision I just witnessed, it had all my senses alert. Not to mention what was just discussed in the battle room.

"I am here now." He held me in his arms with a shake. "I am sorry. I didn't mean to be gone that long I swear it." I looked at him.

"I can't survive here without you Nikoli. I just can't." My voice broke at the last word. He was my brother. I needed him more than he knew.

"Nasya you were always the strongest of us. Did something happen?" I hesitated before answering.

"It doesn't matter now." I looked to the ground.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Now tell me what exactly happened?" I knew very little from what was discussed in the throne room.

"The King sent us after Prince Merida and his forces. As well as others that did not show up as planned for the battle of Kinnley."

"Where did it lead you?"

"Nathoria." I paused mid-step as we had started walking the halls. "You've seen it?" Nathoria was a lost city. Abandoned decades ago, the King that ruled there had went mad, was enchanted by a sorceress who was said to have taken him to another world. Never to be seen again.

"What remains of it. It was all rubble. Broken down walls and dried ground."

"What of the Prince?"

"He and his men were gone. Only clothes remained. They have either left far or are dead." I shook my head at the news and hastily pulled my brother into a corner.

"You think it magic?"

"I do not know, but men do not just disappear like that."

"I saw him."

"Who?" He narrowed his eyes.

"Prince Merida. This day, in the throne room."

"Nasya that is not possible."

"I can not explain it either. He was there then he was not." I looked around to make sure no one heard us.

"We believe him to be dead. Your powers warrant nature and the living, not the dead."

"Do not lecture me on my Sight for I know what I hone." I sighed. "But I did see him Nikoli."

"Are you saying he was a manifest?"

"It would be the only explanation of him appearing like that." It was his turn to sigh. Mitus then turned the corner.

"I am sorry. Am I interrupting something?"

"No. We were just finished." Mitus nodded.

"The King requests your presence Nikoli." Mitus then turned to me. "Nasya. How are you feeling?"

"Much better thank you." He smiled before leaving.

"What was that?" I turned to Nikoli.

"What?"

"The smile."

"Honestly Nikoli."

"Yes. Are you smitten with him?" I let out a laugh.

"Don't be ridiculous. Mitus is many things but my future lover is not one of them. Troy made him my guard in your absence."

'And the two of you got close."