Light from the Shadow

Chapter 20

"Rishi?" Ayna asked, looking surprised. "I didn't know you are interested in him." She had invited Kuan to have breakfast with her this morning. The two of them were chatting as they ate in her room.

Flustered, Kuan quickly denied it. "No, no... it's just that... the two of you seem close..."

"Is it?" Ayna mumbled.

Kuan could not forget what he saw last night. Ayna and the librarian, walking together at night, talking so closely. It was not the first time either. The princess cared and treated his injury when he first saw him in Lord Kanan's mansion too. First time? No, he was sure he had met him somewhere before. But where? His face looked familiar. The librarian did mention that he met his father before. But when? Was he someone from Tehra Clan?

"He is working as my tutor too, maybe that's why?"

"Tutor? You mean... for that national exam...?" Kuan remembered the time he heard she aced all her exams back then.

"That too... but now he is also teaching me..." Ayna paused, wondering if she was allowed to talk about her magi. "... other things too." She decided not to, not here.

Kuan knew what it was. Magi. Remblan's ancient power, known only by a few people. Kuan happened to witness the said power when he went to Remblan last time. On the day he was about to return to Solbaru after Ayna's birthday banquet, the king had seen him climbing a tree in the garden.

"May I ask what you are doing there?" The king had asked. He seemed amused.

"Ah... I'm sorry... there is a cat..." Kuan pointed to a cat not far from him. He was embarrassed to be seen in his current state. King Ekua pondered. The cat looked like it was afraid to jump down. The monarch saw a few scratches on Kuan's face.

"I think the cat is afraid of you. You should come down." He told the prince.

"But the cat..."

The king waved his right hand and at that moment, Kuan thought he was hallucinating. The branch on which the cat was sitting on, gradually grew downwards, spiralling towards the ground and then stopped. Seeing a way down, the cat followed the newly created path and arrived safely on the ground. It meowed at the king and then left.

"How..." Kuan's mouth was still wide open. He could not believe what he just saw.

The king chuckled. He put a finger in front of his lips and winked at him. Later, Kuan realized that he forgot to thank him.

"Are you done?" Ayna's sudden question brought him back to the present.

Kuan nodded. "Yes... yes."

"Shall we go out for a walk?" She asked. "I haven't had the chance to explore the city..."

"Sure! Let's go." Kuan accepted.

Just as the two of them stepped out of the room, the door from the room beside hers, opened too. Both were surprised to see who came out next door. Ares? Something felt off. That room... was it not Rishi's? Ayna thought. What was the princess doing there? Kuan felt the same. What was his sister-in-law doing here? This is the foreign representatives' quarters. She should not have any business here.

He was about to call his brother's wife when he saw the librarian came out from the same room.

"What... what are you doing here, Ares? With him?" Kuan asked.

"Oh... Kuan... I..." She stuttered, as if she was just caught red handed doing something she was not supposed to.

Rishi smiled. "The princess just lost her way here."

Kuan frowned. "Do you seriously think I'd believe that? This is her home! How can she get lost in her own home??"

"Stop it, you two." Ares said. "I... I just came to see him because I have something to ask... about... about Remblan."

"Hah?" His sister-in-law was a terrible liar.

"Anyway, I have to return now. I hope you have a pleasant day." Ares lowered her head to the guests and quickly removed herself from the scene.

"I should continue my reading too so..." Rishi noticed Ayna standing beside Kuan. Her expression was... strange. "Your Highness, are you okay?"

She turned to him. Her eyes looked like she wanted to ask something but she held back. "Yeah..." was the only response she gave.

"Let's go, Kuan." She pulled the prince's arm and walked the other way, leaving Rishi alone in the corridor.

"Were you shocked?" Kuan asked when the two were alone, sitting inside a tea house. They had just finished strolling around the city. It could have taken longer but seeing Ayna's low mood, he decided to cut the walk short.

"What about?" She asked.

"That librarian and Ares... it was obvious that they were hiding something." Kuan sighed.

Ayna hugged the cup in front of her with her hands. "I don't know." They probably knew each other. He said he had met the emperor before. But what was this feeling? Her chest hurt. She took a sip of her tea.

Kuan looked at her. "Do you like him?"

Ayna almost choked on her tea. "Wha... what? Who?"

"I mean... you seem to be greatly affected by what happened this morning..." Kuan passed her a napkin.

Ayna wiped her mouth nervously. "I am not affected by anything." She got up from her seat. "It's late. Shall we return?"

Kuan looked at her and then nodded. "Yeah. Let's go back."

On their way back, Ayna did not say anything. She just looked lost in thought. Kuan could guess what she was thinking as he too, was thinking about the same thing. Kuan had known his sister-in-law since they were children. Ares was a righteous, cool-headed woman. She was not the type who would do something that brought shame to the family, much less chasing after a man behind her husband's back. Did she know the librarian? He had had this feeling that he knew this man. Was he someone from their past?