The Beast That was Promised ✔

ELEVEN: Liman

Unlike the people in the forest, those in Liman would be a lot angrier about having an Ishini in their midst and so, as they neared the walled port town, Rina cast an illusion on Isiah to make him look more like her. She wasn't sure how long she could hold it and to make things easier, got Isiah to put his hood up and hide his hands for as long as necessary.

Liman was surrounded by a massive stone wall, guards patrolling across the top of it. She'd never been there, despite it being Minisia's main port town. Any time she'd gone over the ocean, she'd left from Ziya, which had a small port mostly used by the nobles and the royal family. It had been in her plans to travel there one day. If only it had been under better circumstances.

She didn't bother casting the illusion until they were closer, in order to save her energy. Both of them doubted that the illusion would last long, but if they could explain what was going on before it dropped, then maybe it would be alright. The illusion was only there to stop them from being attacked in the streets.

Surely, whoever ran the town would allow them to use a boat. She was the Crown Princess, any order she gave had to be followed, but even so, she couldn't help but feel nervous as they walked slowly towards the town.

It would be a while before they headed for what they suspected was Teremtys' Sanctum. They still had to wait for Emrick, wherever he was. He had to show up soon, or they would run out of time. She had no idea how close the army was, or how long they had to get the final stone and do what was needed.

"Do you think they'll let us in?" Isiah asked next to her.

She barely spared him a glance. "They should," she replied. The guards on the walls would have to listen to her. Beyond them, she couldn't see much, just the occasional tops of buildings and grey stone towers of the stronghold. Past the town was the crisp blue ocean, calm for once despite the angry clouds in the sky above.

Isiah didn't look convinced. "And if your illusion fails?"

"You are under my care. They won't do anything to you unless I say so," she replied and crossed her arms over her chest. "If I need to, I can say you're my prisoner and I'm taking you to my father."

"I don't know how well that would work, Rina," he said.

"It's a last resort. Hopefully, it won't come to that. Now, stand still," she ordered and turned him to face her. Not all illusions were complicated, but changing even one detail in someone's face took a lot of concentration. She wasn't changing much, just the colour of his skin and hair.

Isiah looked strange as an Askari, probably as strange as she did as an Ishini. It didn't suit him, but he wouldn't be wearing the fake face for very long. "How do I look?" he asked, giving her a small smile.

"Wrong," she answered and they shared a second of laughter.

Another few minutes down the shovelled path in the thinning snow and they had almost reached the tall wooden gates of Liman. The guards had been watching them for some time but didn't tell them to stop until they had almost reached the entrance. Hand in hand, Isiah and Rina stood, waiting for whatever the guards had to say.

"Who are you?" one of them yelled down from the parapet. They sounded panicked and for good reason. She doubted there had been many visitors since the war started.

There was only one right way to answer them. "Crown Princess Sharina Nishinaron! This is my escort, Isiah!" she yelled, straightening her back and raising her eyebrows at the group that had formed above them.

They looked at each and the faint sound of whispering drifted down to the ground. Isiah's eyebrows were furrowed in concern when he looked at her and she tried to give him a reassuring smile.