Warrior's Mind (Book 2 of The Warrior Chronicles)

Chapter 38

"I see." Raphael cleared his throat. "Then what do you plan to do?"

Leyla's plans had only ever gone as far as dissolving the engagement. "I will think of something."

"Think of something?" The Prorex raised his arrogant brow. "Then why don't I help you think?"

Getting up, he walked out from behind his desk, his hands clasped behind his back. "You can't go to the Greenlands, the Green King tried to frame you for murder only last week." He stopped in front of the glass wall, looking out over the islands of the inner keep and the cloudless sky beyond. "You can't go to the Warrior Kingdom, their Queen tried to kill you only a few days ago."

Leyla fidgeted, not liking his train of thought, but knowing he was right.

"The Healing Lands could be an option, if you want to be a test subject for the rest of your life."

"How did you-" she stopped short. With the network of Light Spies across Gaia, it wouldn't have taken Raphael much to find out  that the Healers wanted to experiment on Leyla's body because they believed she healed differently from anyone else in the Four Kingdoms.

"The No Lands are also not an option," Raphael continued 'helping her think' in his irritatingly disinterested tone of voice. "Aside from the obvious dangers, No Landers think of Warriors as their greatest enemies and you were once a Warrior officer..." He turned around, crossing his arms over this chest. "So that leaves you with the Land of Light, but I'm afraid the chances of the Leader allowing you to stay here without honouring our engagement, are slim."

"Are you done?" Leyla grimaced. "I can come to an agreement with the Green King-"

"He won't listen long enough for you to negotiate, do you not remember what kind of man he is?" Raphael interrupted. Then seeing her set expression, he sighed. "I was just trying to show you there is nothing for you out there, but the truth is, the Leader thinks you know too much about the Land of Light. Our Kingdom's security relies on secrecy, so at this point, he would not allow you to leave."

The meaning of his words took a moment to sink in. "Are you saying I'm a prisoner, here?"

"You know that is a matter of perception," Raphael said softly. But his words hung in the air like icicles: He would not allow you to leave.

"Even after I spent years looking after Michael on Asch? Even after everything we've been through...he'd have me killed for wanting to leave?"

Raphael held his silence, which was all the answer she needed. Leyla took in a breath, exhaling on a hollow laugh. "I see. Well, since there is no freedom for me in the Four Kingdoms, I suppose the only option I have left is to return to Asch. Surely your great father can't consider me a security threat if I spend the rest of my life in a different dimension, right?"

Although he said nothing, a look of regret passed over Raphael's face, sending a prickle of apprehension down her back.

"What? Will he send people after me, even there? I thought no one could come back through the portals but me?"

Raphael squared his shoulders, "You can't go through the portal anymore."

Leyla's brows rose in confusion. "You mean the portal closed? But that day in the dungeon, you had the black substance in a vail. I could just use that , couldn't I? If you can just help me get another tube full, I can be gone before your father comes back from the mountain."

This was not what she had hoped for, but Leyla couldn't become the Leader's prisoner. If Raphael would provide her with a vial, no two vials, she could go back to Asch and regroup. Once she found something she could offer the Green King that would gain his favour,  Leyla could come back, settle into his territory and make a new plan on how to find her father. Yes, that would work. It had to work.

"You won't be able to go through the portal," Raphael said again. His gaze dipped to her wrist for the tiniest moment, then he looked away. "I'm sorry."

It was his apology that triggered the feeling of dread. Leyla looked down at the bracelet, suddenly needing to fling the thing from her wrist. She turned it, looking for the latch, but there didn't seem to be any. "No." The word was a whisper as she pulled at the bracelet, tugging at it with all her might. The metal cut into her skin, blood appearing above her wrist bone, but she still couldn't get it off!

"Stop!" Raphael was beside her in a flash, holding her arms. "You're going to hurt yourself."

Leyla pulled away from him, taking two steps back and holding up her arm. "Is this why you left me in the White Gardens? Were you preparing this...this shackle to stop me from going back to Asch?"

Something that might have been guilt flashed in his eyes, but in a blink it was gone. "You will make a great leader for the White Gardens. You are strong, intelligent, honourable. You are special, and there is a high chance that our child will also be as special as you." His tone was unbending as he continued: "As Prorex, it is my duty to put the good of my Kingdom ahead of everything else and you, Lieutenant, are good for my Kingdom."

Leyla looked past Raphael's shoulder and out the windows, seeing nothing. Fury, hurt, revulsion, shock, she gathered all the feelings that were coursing through her and separated herself from them as she would on a battle field. From this moment on, she would have to be smart. She was inside enemy territory and survival depended on a good strategy. When she next looked at the Prorex, she felt a blissful calm.

"I see," she said after a moment, her tone mild.

"You see?" Raphael seemed bemused at her sudden change of attitude.

"Yes, I see," Leyla nodded. She brushed at her wrinkled dress, then touched the sweat streaked arms, "I seem to have made a mess of this dress. I will go get changed." She turned on her heels, making sure her steps were slow and steady.

"Leyla?" Raphael called uncertainly.

"Hmm?" She looked over her shoulder, her brows rising with gentle curiosity.

For the first time in their acquaintanceship, Raphael seemed at an utter loss for words. That at least, gave her some pleasure.

She waited a moment longer, then gave him a small smile. "If there's nothing more, I'm quite tired."

And with that she left the room.