Chapter II
Well, I don’t think that could have gone better, Ryokumo thought with an overwhelming sense of relief. After everything that’s happened, I needed a victory like this. And now…Eric Reiner is safe, at least for the time being.
The Ijirian Master of Wind glanced over his shoulder and watched as Princess Piura led the boy from the throne room and out into the halls beyond. He was still having trouble accepting that it was even real. Despite having desperately wanted Eric brought to the Citadel, part of him always feared that it was a foolish and illogical wish—that there wasn’t a world where that desire would be brought to fruition. And yet, even with the odds stacked against him, Nigreos and Album still managed to return to Ijiria with the mission successful, the relic reclaimed, and Eric Reiner relatively unharmed.
This means that with him close by, I can keep him safe. Now that King Markreas has decided to allow him to remain in the Citadel, I can move forward with the next step of my plan.
As the doors of the throne room shut behind Piura and Eric, Ryokumo turned back to face the others still present in the throne room. Nigreos and Album were standing on his left while Reigious was quietly leaning up against the railings, rubbing his chin in thought. King Markreas’s eyes had shut, and he seemed to have fallen asleep, as if deciding that with the matter settled, there was no longer any reason for him to remain conscious. Ryokumo spared a brief glance at the two Masters beside him, only to find that while Nigreos looked just as relieved as him, Album was only barely failing to hide her anger.
I don’t have to worry about Nigreos. It’s clear to me now that he truly does care about Eric’s safety. Album, however, could be potentially problematic.
As it stood, the Master of Light would be his primary opponent in the months to come. Ryokumo believed Nigreos could be reasoned with, at least to some extent, but Album was the one that would never budge if she believed herself to be correct.
And there’s almost certainly nothing I can do to convince her she isn’t. There’s no doubt in my mind that no matter what I say, I won’t be able to convince her to tell me who she erased… Even if I confront her directly, like I have in the past, she will deny it. Which means I have to find some other method of finding out what she knows.
Ryokumo no longer knew what the future was going to hold for him, but he was more determined than ever to fight for what he wanted, and now, he fully intended to protect the son of his dear old friend.
“My prince?” Nigreos said, finally breaking the silence of the room. “Is there anything else we can do for you? Naturally, we’re still not fully up to speed on what happened here while we were in Omaruo, but if there’s anything you need from us, Album and I will gladly do it.”
Snapping back to the present, Reigious slowly shook his head. “No, for the time being, I think you both should get your rest. Sinna and Ryokumo will be dealing with that matter. However…” The prince then glanced up at the three of them before his attention settled on the Master of Wind. “I think we should discuss what to do with Mr. Reiner immediately. If he’s staying in the Citadel then we need to determine who will teach him, where he will stay, and how we are going to keep watch on him.”
“Yes, I agree,” Ryokumo said. “And while Nigreos already offered to be his master, I would actually advise against that…especially after everything he’s been through in these past few weeks. After all, as the boy himself said, overlooking what was done to his friends will not be a simple matter.”
Nigreos looked as if he wanted to argue the point, yet he stayed quiet, as if realizing that Ryokumo was right. Even in just the brief interaction with the king, it was apparent by the looks on the boy’s face that he truly hated Nigreos and Album, and as far as Ryokumo was concerned, that hatred was quite valid. If either of them tried to take him on as an apprentice, it would only lead to more conflict, and perhaps even Eric’s death.
“So, I would request that I be the one to take Reiner on as an apprentice,” he went on. “After all, I’m the one who taught Abi her wind magic, so it only seems right that I pass that same information onto her son. Not to mention…with recent events, I am in need of an apprentice now…”
He internally cringed at the thought of so swiftly replacing Hannah, but he knew this wasn’t a chance he could allow to pass him by.
Reigious seemed to consider the request before sighing. “Let me think about it,” he responded after a moment. “For the time being, I will send word to Sinna, Iris, and Nyx that there will be an emergency meeting of the Masters an hour from now. I want all three of you to be there. And Ryokumo, I want you to bring the boy. I will determine what to do with him there. Otherwise, you are excused. I will be out to guide you to the lift in just a few minutes.”
A meeting, huh?
Ryokumo couldn’t even begin to imagine how the other Masters would react to Eric’s presence. As it was, only those who were present in the throne room even knew he existed. When Nigreos and Album suddenly returned early the previous morning, they had gone right to Reigious and Piura to make their report. After that, Nigreos had arrived at Ryokumo’s quarters and filled him in on everything that happened in Omaruo. At his request, Reigious then allowed him to be present for the meeting with the king, if only in respect for his old friendship with Eric’s mother.
The three Masters bowed before turning and making their way across the walkway and heading out into the corridor. Once the doors closed behind them, all three let out a soft sigh as they freed themselves from the mana dense room. Since they wouldn’t be able to find their way to the lift without a guide, they moved off to the side to stand between two suits of emerald armor as they waited for Reigious.
“I hope the two of you know what you’re doing,” Album growled after a moment. “I, for one, think you’re being quite foolish.”
Ryokumo chuckled. “Yes, I think you’ve made that clear. But I also think you’re being paranoid. He’s just a child, after all, and even with the blood magic taken into account, he can be dealt with swiftly. Like I said in the throne room, without that protection, he won’t be much of a threat at all.”
“Yes, I agree,” Nigreos added, folding his arms across his broad chest. “And even with his protection, we overcame him in the end. Eric Reiner is not somebody to fear. And I don’t believe he will attempt anything. He will be upset at first, but once he accepts that his friends are not coming back, he’ll settle into life in the Citadel.”
Ryokumo eyed his old friend with restrained amusement. It wasn’t like Nigreos to be so optimistic and he couldn’t help but think that he didn’t even believe the words he was speaking. Instead, it sounded more like he was simply voicing his hopes for the future—a future that was very unlikely.
No, I do not think Eric will get over this so easily. After all, he has nothing left to lose. Why would he care if he dies trying to get revenge when there’s no reason to live in the first place?
It was Ryokumo’s hope to give him that reason. Both he and Eric sought to free somebody from one of Album’s erased realms, and neither of them held any love for Nigreos and Album, so it was his hope that he could earn the boy’s trust and work with him to reach their desired ends.
“You’re both far too idealistic,” Album snapped.
Ryokumo snorted. “And I don’t think you’re being idealistic enough. Album, it’s her son. This boy is the last remaining remnant of Abi that we have and you want to kill him? As her friends, should we not be doing everything in our power to protect and nurture him? Or do you want another tragic end like what befell her?”
“You say that like I should have any love for that woman,” she spat venomously, her eyes narrowing in a subtle warning. “I don’t understand why either of you still care about her at all. She betrayed us. She betrayed this country, yet you both talk about her like she was some sort of saint that we should love and respect. Abi Reiner was a treasonist.”
“Even so,” Nigreos hesitantly interrupted, his discomfort obvious in his tense features. “Unlike you, I can’t so easily throw away the years we spent together. I can’t forget the many battles we fought at her side and the hardships we experienced. She might have been a treasonist, but she also did a lot of good.”
Ryokumo nodded his agreement. “And besides, Eric is not a treasonist. He has done nothing wrong. He only fought you because he didn’t know any better, but if we teach him the laws of this world, then there is no reason to harm him. And should he betray us like Abi did, then…well, he’ll be dealt with like she was.”
Album’s eyes flickered toward him, and his felt those black orbs boring into his head, as if she had some retort she wanted to say, but knew she shouldn’t. It confused him, but before he could press her for details, Nigreos spoke.
“Yes…if Eric fights back, we kill him. But I would hope that we can avoid such an ending.”
The Master of Light eyed them both before shaking her head and looking away. Her left arm, which was completely crafted of sensium from the elbow down, seemed to tense up as she clenched her fist. He knew she would never admit it, but the reason she was so opposed to sparing Eric almost certainly had to do with her lost arm. According to Nigreos, Eric Reiner almost killed her, and to someone as prideful as Album, that wasn’t something that could be so easily overlooked. No matter what they said, she would never accept the boy, and that made her all the more dangerous.
***
After departing the throne room, Eric followed quietly behind the princess, who led him down the hall and toward another set of golden double doors. He found it strange that there weren’t any guards nearby, so he could only assume that there was some sort of spell or charm that protected that floor of the building. Piura pushed the doors open and led him inside to what he quickly realized was a dining hall. A giant rectangular table that he imagined could potentially fit up to forty or fifty people took up the center of the room, and a giant glass chandelier hung over top of them. More emerald suits of armor lined the walls and there was another door in the back that he guessed must lead to some sort of kitchen.
“Take a seat,” Piura ordered before stalking off through that very door.
Still feeling completely out of his element, Eric obliged and sat down in one of the many chairs on the left side of the table. He waited there for only a few minutes before Piura returned with a small bowl of soup and a spoon that she placed down in front of him.
“Eat,” she said. “I imagine you’re quite hungry.”
“Er, thank you,” he managed to say, realizing just how starving he was.
The smell of the soup made his stomach growl and, despite not wanting to get too comfortable in the presence of the Ijirians, and a princess at that, he still found himself gratefully slurping spoonfuls of the dark brown liquid. It tasted similar to the beef and barley soup he used to make at home, but there was also a distinct difference, as if it was only a similar recipe, though he couldn’t really pinpoint what it was that was different. However, he found himself not caring what it was made of and simply enjoyed getting to eat something after his long stay in the dungeon. He was so hungry, in fact, that he wound up finishing it in just a few minutes.
“I take it you liked it then?”
He looked up in surprise to find Piura sitting in the seat across the table from him. He had been so engrossed in his meal that he hadn’t even noticed her moving around him or even sitting down.
Eric nodded and forced a smile, not wanting to come across as impolite.
“Yeah, it was really good,” he murmured. “Thank you again.”
Much like when they first met, Piura seemed to only be partially there, as if she was too engrossed in her thoughts to fully process him. He couldn’t imagine what was going through her mind. He didn’t have the first clue how his mother was remembered by the people of Ijiria. He knew she hadn’t liked it here, and he had known that she hadn’t returned on good terms, but until Album revealed that Nigreos killed her, he had been completely unaware as to what she did after leaving Wilham. So when King Markreas told him that she’d been killed for leading an uprising against the country, he hadn’t known what to make of it. With so much new information getting tossed at him, he hadn’t even had longer than a second to process it before the conversation continued.
But I just can’t believe that’s true. There’s no way my mother would ever try and overthrow the king. It just doesn’t sound like her!
Yet, at the same time, he knew that a lot could change in the many years she had been gone. For all he knew, it was the only way she could ever come home and she had simply chosen it to make good on her promise and return to him.
But she failed. Whatever uprising she supposedly attempted resulted in Nigreos killing her. Her legacy in this world is that she was a failed revolutionary…
He really didn’t want to accept it, but until he was able to gather any more information on the subject, he decided he would push the subject aside. For the time being, he would trust Ryokumo Caeli and with any luck, the Master of Wind would be able to answer any questions he might have had. In such a foreign world, relying on his sense was the best bet. And, as that thought crossed his mind, he frowned and glanced across the table to where Piura was sitting quietly, gazing down at her hands folded atop the table.
My sense…
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He took a long moment to test how it would react to the Ijirian princess, but what he found was that she didn’t seem to be either trustworthy or untrustworthy. The boy tensed up, having always gotten a straightforward feeling whenever he was gauging someone’s character.
So what does it mean…if she isn’t either? Does that just mean that it’ll depend on my actions?
“I’m sorry about all of this,” Piura said, distracting him from his internal conflicts. “I know you must be confused, and I truly believe that you haven’t done anything wrong. There are going to be many in this Citadel that will mistrust you simply because of your lineage and the circumstances with which you were discovered. Others will hold you to high expectations for the exact same reasons. Your life in the Citadel will be vastly different from your life in Omaruo.”
As she spoke, he didn’t get the feeling that she was threatening him in any way. She was simply laying the facts out before him.
“Yes, I would expect so,” he replied softly. “But I appreciate that you are giving me a chance. I hope I do not disappoint you.”
Piura smiled sadly. “I do not think you will. And I want you to know that if you ever need anything, do not hesitate to ask me. Regardless of what happened in the end, your mother was still a good friend to my family, and like you heard in the throne room, if not for her, my little brother would be dead. Debts like that are not something that the Iijis overlook—not under any circumstances. So I will be here to aid you in any way you need.”
Mom…was a friend to the royal family? But then…
“If you don’t mind me asking…” he began weakly, “if she was such a good friend to you, then why did she rebel? I never even knew she turned on Ijiria like that until the king said it, so why? It doesn't sound like the Mom I knew.”
Piura’s features tensed up and he feared she would refuse to answer, but when she did, his confusion only increased. “I wish I could give you a response, Reiner,” she replied, “but the unfortunate reality is that Abi’s reasons were lost with her. Nobody knows why she did it. I…am just as confused as you are. This whole country is. There are a plethora of rumors, but they are all contradictory—mere attempts by the masses to accept the actions of a woman they loved.”
“So…she didn’t tell anybody?” he muttered.
Piura shook her head. “Nobody we know of.”
Eric leaned back in his seat, feeling the nausea in his stomach getting worse as he took everything in.
Mom…what was your endgame then? What were you trying to accomplish?
The princess seemed pained just thinking about it, which only made him realize how hurt she was over his mother’s actions. In just the brief hour he had spent since leaving the dungeons, his questions only multiplied, and he knew that the only way he would get even a single answer would be to remain in the Citadel and abide by their laws, at least for the time being. If Ryokumo had a way to save his friends then Eric wanted to work with him, but first, he wanted to capitalize on his current situation. He wanted to know just who Abigail Reiner had been.
“Thank you for telling me this,” Eric said after a while. “I suppose…I have a lot to think about.”
Piura exhaled softly, and despite her composed demeanor, he could sense her exhaustion. “I would imagine so.”
With their conversation ended, the princess got back to her feet and took his empty bowl back into the kitchen, and when she returned, she told him she had other matters to attend to before departing the dining hall, only informing him that Ryokumo would come to retrieve him soon. Left alone in that giant room, Eric decided his only option was to try and consider every new piece of information he had gained in the throne room. Setting aside the strange contradiction that seemed to be his mother’s life, he turned his thoughts to the gemstone—the item they referred to as the Assassination Gem.
Why would they call it that? All it ever did was swap our bodies so how could it possibly be related to assassination?
He racked his brain, trying to remember any potential detail that he might have come across over the many months he and the club spent testing the gem out, but couldn’t recall anything that might have linked it to death.
So was there some feature to it that we never found? Could we have been playing with something that could have actually killed us? I just don’t get it! Everything I learn here only contradicts what I thought I already knew!
He clenched his teeth in frustration, and as the minutes ticked by, he found his thoughts going in circles without any real progress being made. It was only once he heard the doors open that he came back to reality, and when he did, he saw the eccentric looking man that was Ryokumo Caeli standing there, watching him with a smile.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, Reiner,” he said.
Eric got to his feet, anxious to get out of that room and start getting answers. “It’s fine, but…what now? Do I have a room to stay in or…?”
Ryokumo shook his head. “You do, but unfortunately, there’s still one more matter we need to attend to. Prince Reigious wants you immediately brought before the Masters of Ijiria.”
The…Masters? All of them?!
“Right now?” he stuttered. “W-why? I don’t…”
“Calm down, my friend,” Ryokumo said gently. “You’re going to be fine. However, any matters relating to magic such as yourself are under the jurisdiction of the Masters. It is us who will decide what to do with you, and it seems Reigious wants this dealt with as soon as possible. After that, you will be free to rest for the day. So, if you would come with me.”
Feeling his nervousness returning with a vengeance, Eric forced himself to exit the dining hall with the Master of Wind, expecting to be led to wherever the Masters were located by him, but when he walked back out into the hall, he realized they weren’t alone. The prince from earlier, Reigious, was waiting for them just outside.
“Mr. Reiner,” the prince greeted with a stiff smile. “Feeling any better? I imagine you were quite hungry.”
“Uh, yeah, I’m better now. Thank you,” he replied, all the while trying to get a sense from the man just like he had with Piura. Yet, he was only greeted with the same result as the princess. Reigious Iiji was neither trustworthy or untrustworthy. He was yet another person Eric would have to be extremely cautious around.
“Good, then let’s go,” Reigious said, leading Eric and Ryokumo back down the golden hallway and toward the silver lift he had ridden earlier.
Unlike when he was traveling up to the throne room, there was no discussion. They rode in silence, and Eric could tell that the prince was just as confused and conflicted as his sister. As for Ryokumo, he kept his emotions hidden behind a composed expression, his hands folded behind his back as he cheerfully watched the floors pass by. They didn’t ride the lift for very long, and when it stopped, Eric found that this hallway didn’t match the gold and green colors that had been so consistent in the building thus far. As they stepped into the new corridor, he took in the silver coloring of the walls and floor, with windows letting the natural afternoon light in. There were a few figures in dark robes walking toward them, but upon noticing the prince, they bowed their heads and waited for him to pass. Eric could see them briefly looking his way, and he found their stares to be full of curiosity as they most likely wondered who he was and why he was in the presence of the prince.
Soon after, Reigious and Ryokumo stopped in front of an odd slab of obsidian that looked extremely out of place in the bright and shiny hallway. The prince stepped forward and placed his hand into a small indentation that Eric hadn’t noticed before, which immediately caused the slab to swing inwards, revealing it to be a door to a chamber beyond. The three of them moved inside to an empty anteroom and then crossed through a doorway on the opposite side. When they entered the next room, Eric was quickly hit with the realization that they had arrived at their destination.
It was a large, circular room with a high ceiling. In the center was a giant, round table with eight chairs placed around it, as well as a larger, golden and velvet chair with glittering jewels adorning the armrests positioned across the table from the doorway. He could easily guess that it was Reigious’s seat, but his attention lingered on the chair for only a second before he found himself processing the five people already present, who had stood to bow to Reigious before once again sitting down.
To his right were Nigreos and Album, the former eyeing him with unrestrained anticipation and the latter refusing to even acknowledge their arrival as she gazed at the table. To the left were three women he had never met before, but he could feel the power that radiated off of them and he knew without a doubt that they were the other Masters of Ijiria. In his desperate attempt to gain whatever information he could, Eric quickly took note of the banners hung behind each Master’s spot. From his many years studying his mother’s spellbook, he swiftly recognized the symbols on the banners as representing their specific affinities and this enabled him to identify which Master the women were.
The one sitting in front of the banner of rock magic was far taller than anybody else present, with darker skin, amber eyes, and a large frame. Her pitch black hair was tied behind her head in a braid and she wore a sleeveless jerkin that exposed the bulging muscles of her arms. She was staring at him with obvious suspicion, which made him feel uncomfortable to even make eye contact, so he shifted his attention to the much younger looking girl beside her.
Based on the blue banner and water droplet, he knew this was the Master of Water. Her straight hair was silver and tied back, and her irises were white. She had a much smaller build as opposed to the Master of Rock, and she wore a bluish-white cloak that concealed much of her small frame. Her eyes were half-lidded, as if she could fall asleep at any minute, but at the same time, she seemed to be taking him in with curiosity, as if interested to see what was to come.
The final Master had the strangest appearance and was, based on the green banner with the oak leaf hung behind her, the Master of Nature. Despite having a human build and expressions, her face was that of a cat’s, with golden eyes and fur, as well as pointed ears that protruded from her mane of golden hair. When she grinned, he could see that her teeth were sharp, and there was an unmistakable sense of mischief as she looked him over.
He swallowed, realizing just how absurd his life had become as he took in the three women, and all of a sudden, Nigreos and Album’s strange appearances seemed almost normal. As he stood and gaped at the Masters, Reigious crossed the room to take his seat in the golden chair and Ryokumo sat down beside Nigreos. The prince cleared his throat and immediately, all eyes turned to him. Eric wasn’t sure if he was supposed to sit down anywhere, so he just stayed standing and waited for Reigious to give him directions.
“Apologies for the sudden summons,” the prince said. “I know we’re all quite busy after the…recent events, but something has come up that we need to discuss immediately.”
Eric frowned and couldn’t help but glance at the two empty seats. It seemed like Reigious was already starting the meeting, but there were still two Masters absent. He recognized that one of them was the Master of Fire, but the other banner’s symbol of an eye within a circle was unfamiliar to him, so he didn’t even know what their affinity was.
“Something has come up, has it?” the Master of Rock asked with a cocked eyebrow before regarding Nigreos and Album with a sneer. “I don’t suppose that means the two of you failed to reclaim the relic, does it?”
Eric furrowed his brow, surprised to see somebody so bluntly challenge the two of them.
Nigreos snorted with obvious irritation. “No, we have returned the relic safely, if not with some complications.”
“‘Complications’ seems like a bit of an understatement,” the Master of Nature interrupted, glancing down at Album’s black arm with a smirk. “You still haven't told me how you lost your arm in a place as peaceful as Omaruo, Luz? What happened? I’m curious?”
“Yes, I was wondering about that as well,” the Master of Rock agreed, seeming almost smug. “I imagine there’s a story there.”
Album went to reply, but Reigious cut her off with a wave of his hand. “We can discuss the mission to Omaruo another time. For now, we have a different issue to address.” The prince then motioned toward where Eric was awkwardly standing, and once again, the Masters began to eye him.
“I was wondering why you brought some random child here,” the Master of Water said softly. “But I guess this meeting has to do with him?”
Feeling ridiculously uncomfortable, Eric found himself wishing he could just turn on his heel and run, but he kept himself still as Reigious made eye contact with him.
“Introduce yourself, boy,” he commanded.
Taking a deep breath, Eric did as ordered.
“Uh, yeah, hi. Nice to meet you all,” he said, trying to sound as polite as he could. “My name is Eric. Eric Reiner.”
Despite expecting his last name to cause a scene, he was nevertheless unprepared for the stunned and silent stares he received. The smugness of Rock was all but gone as she gaped at him with wide eyes, Nature had a similar response, and Water remained calm, though he did notice a slight raising of her eyelids.
“My prince…you can’t mean…” the Master of Rock stuttered, her head slowly turning to regard Reigious.
“This is exactly what it looks like,” Nigreos answered for the prince. “This boy…Eric Reiner, is Abi’s son. Album and I came across him on our mission to Omaruo. In fact, it was him who came across the relic.”
“Abi’s…son?” Nature whispered, almost more to herself than to anybody else present in the room. “Mr. Reiner…that’s true?”
Eric weakly nodded, feeling his body trembling with the stress of what was happening. “Yes, it is. Abigail Reiner was my mother, though I never knew Ijiria was real until just recently.”
When the three Masters only continued to process his identity in silence, Reigious went on.
“Now, first of all, just so we have a level of understanding, I want the three of you to introduce yourselves,” the prince stated. “I request this, because by order of my father, Eric will become a student of the Citadel starting today, and I think it is best that he knows the names and faces of the Masters.”
Reigious looked to the three expectantly and for a second, none of them reacted. However, when it became apparent that the prince was making an order and not a request, Water was the first to recover as she got to her feet and turned a rather soft smile toward Eric.
“I am Nyx Rana, the Master of Water,” she greeted. “It is nice to meet you, too, Mr. Reiner.”
Eric forced a smile of his own, while at the same time, trying to use his sense and get an idea as to how much he could trust these people. Yet, he was greeted with the same uncertainty as before. Like the royal children, Nyx Rana didn’t tilt in either direction, and that made him tense up as he watched her take her seat.
Following her lead, the next to speak was Rock, though she remained seated.
“I’m Sinna Cartus,” she said sharply. “Master of Rock.”
The boy fought back the urge to step back as he got a similar reaction as he did when he first met Nigreos and Album. Sinna Cartus was dangerous, and as he took in the mix of fear and distrust in her eyes, he warned himself to keep his distance from her at all costs.
It was Nature who spoke last, but her earlier mischievous act was gone, instead replaced by a look of uncertainty, her eyes directed at the ground rather than at him.
“Iris Mackia,” she introduced. “Master of Nature.”
This time, Eric was completely thrown off. He had expected a similar reaction to her as either Nyx or Sinna, but instead, he found that his sense wasn’t put on alert by her. If anything, the reading he got from her more resembled what he felt when he first tried to read Ryokumo, as if this woman who called herself Iris could be a potential ally as well.
What the hell is her deal? Could she and Ryokumo be working together or something? Or…is Ryokumo not the only Master who could be helpful to me?
He realized that just being in the presence of the Masters had given him quite a bit more to consider, and he found his brain hurting even more. So much was happening in so little time that he wasn’t sure he’d be able to keep up with it all.
“Now, we will better explain the circumstances of his discovery another time,” Reigious said once the introductions were complete. “But first, like I said earlier, I want to decide what to do with the boy. According to Nigreos and Album, Mr. Reiner already has a certain level of training, but seeing as they’re the only ones who have a good idea of his skillset, I thought it would be best if we all got an idea of what he could do.”
Eric’s body went cold, and the implications of what Reigious meant made him realize that he hadn’t been brought there for a simple meeting.
What’s he going to make me do? Am I going to have to fight one of them?
But the prince’s next words were just another surprise thrown onto the pile that had been weighing him down since he left the dungeon.
“Which is why I will be challenging him to a duel.”