A Betrayal of Faith ✔

FIFTEEN: Runaway

All Rina had to do was wait until they fell asleep. It wouldn't take long, they were all exhausted. After what had happened in the shop, she had taken a nap. She needed to be well-rested if she was going to do what needed to be done. And Isiah and Nerin needed to be sound asleep.

She may have told them that she would go west with them, but she didn't want to. She had to get home, despite what they said. Part of her was nervous. It would be dangerous, but she still had her sword and her training. She knew how to fight, she could hold her own against anyone.

If that were really the case, she should have been able to do something against the men in the store, but she hadn't. She'd frozen up and let them push her around and insult her like she was nothing. She was a Princess. People didn't speak to a Princess like that.

But she was also a foreign Princess. An Askari in the middle of Ishini lands during a time when it wasn't safe to be. She should have expected it, but she'd never heard anyone insult her the way those men had done. They wanted her to go back to her own country, so she would.

Her father needed her after what Harudan had done. Her family needed to know that she was still alive. If possible, she would lead the battle against the King of Brenmar. He wanted her dead, wanted peace destroyed. So she would destroy that peace and destroy him. It was less than what he deserved, but it would have to do.

Isiah and Nerin would be fine without her. If anyone was looking for them, and she was sure there was someone, they'd take Nerin back to Ishmar where he was safe. Isiah would probably die, something the kind soul didn't deserve. She hoped he made it west where it would be good for him. But neither of them needed her company.

She didn't pack much in the bag she'd bought back in Ishmar. Nerin and Isiah needed more food than her, but she did take one of Isiah's jackets. He had fyrite now, he could keep himself warm. She didn't take any of his money either. After what had happened in the store, there was no way she was going into another shop again.

There was a part of her that didn't want to leave, mostly because she was grateful for what Isiah had done. Three times now he had saved her from being hurt or killed. If he hadn't burst out into the throne room, she would be dead. When she got back to Minisia, she would tell her father about it. If it was possible, she would make sure he lived through the war.

A pacifist killed for her. It shouldn't have happened, but it did and there was no changing that. All she could do was pray to Sol and Lune that he made it through the coming war alright. She'd probably never see him again after she left, but she would still pray for him. Him and Nerin.

As soon as the sun had set, she prayed with Nerin and sent him to sleep. He'd wanted to know what happened, but she and Isiah had only given him the basics of an explanation. It wasn't all that important for him to know. They'd have no idea that she was gone until the next morning.

Isiah went to sleep not long after Nerin, his soft snores filling the room. She stayed awake, crouched on the floor in front of the fire. Her bag was filled with enough food for a couple of days and the clothes Isiah had bought her. If only she could pay him back, but everything she owned was stuck in her room in Ishmar.

When she was sure that neither boy would wake up, she grabbed her bag and stood. She should have been honest with them about what she was doing, but leaving in the middle of the night was easier. There wouldn't be any questions to answer, any demands to meet. By the time they woke, it would be too late for them to catch up with her.

The floorboards creaked under her feet, loud in the almost silent room. She hissed in a breath as one of them shuffled on the bed, but didn't wake. She wanted to thank them for all they had done for her, but she needed to leave. She had to get as far away as possible before they woke up.