Whispers Of Desires: A Sense Of Truth {Book 2}

꧁༺ 𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓧𝓧𝓘𝓘: - 𝓐 𝓝𝓮𝔀 𝓓𝓲𝓼𝓰𝓾𝓲𝓼𝓮 ༻꧂

Kazi walked up to a full-length mirror, her heart thudding in her chest. She couldn't believe the person staring back at her. Her short braids were gone, replaced with tight curls that framed her face. The soft, comfortable cloth bound her chest, obscuring her feminine curves. The dark pants and long-sleeved shirt hung loosely on her frame, but Nia had assured her they would fit just right once she put them on.

Then the door opened and in came in Ren, his expression carefully neutral. He took one look at Kazi and then finally spoke up. "Kazi," he began cautiously, "I... I have to say, you do not exactly scream 'Althean guard.'"

Kazi raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk tugging at her lips. "Really? I thought I looked quite dashing."

Nia burst out laughing. "Oh, Kazi, you are dashing. But let us be honest, dashing is not exactly the goal here. You look a bit... well, how can I put this delicately?" she paused, tapping her chin as she considered her words.

"Feminine?" Kazi finished with a sigh.

"Exactly!" Nia exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "Look at it this way, Althea is known for its feminine guards. You will blend in perfectly as a slightly more feminine guard." She smiled encouragingly.

"As long as you can stay safe. Now, how exactly are you going to become a guard in Althea?" Ren asked, trying to keep his voice casual.

"Leave that to me, dear Ren. I have already taken care of it." Nia winked, her voice lowering conspiratorially. "While you were transforming, I asked my personal handmaiden Qadira to write a letter to King Eldarion."

"About?" Ren asked cautiously, his expression growing more guarded.

" I expressed my desire to send my nephew – you, of course, Kazi – to Althea for a period of cultural exchange. To truly experience the Althean way of life." Nia grinned slyly. "King Eldarion has graciously accepted our request and has already sent word for you to arrive at Althea's gates as his personal guest."

Kazi's eyes widened. "Cultural exchange? Ren, I know how to fight, not... sip tea and discuss poetry!"

Nia waved a dismissive hand. "Details, details. Besides, you will be a guard, assigned to protect one of the royal children. A perfect position to observe, gather information, and hopefully, catch our traitor red-handed."

Kazi looked from Nia to Ren, trying to decide if she should be worried or reassured by their calm demeanours. "Alright... I will do my best." She took a deep breath, steeling herself for the task ahead. "When do I leave?"

"The letter mentioned a cultural exchange, which typically takes a few days to finalize. I would say by next week at the latest." Nia replied, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. "In the meantime, we will have to keep up our training. You will need to be in top form when you arrive."

"Thank you." Kazi said softly. "Both of you. I would not be able to do this without you."

She moved towards Nia, careful not to bump into her pregnant belly. Stretching out an arm, she wrapped Nia in a gentle hug. "This means the world to me."

Nia returned the hug warmly. "Just be safe, Kazi. And remember, be careful what you say and who you trust. The traitor could be anywhere."

Kazi stepped back and turned to Ren. "Thank you, Ren. For everything."

Ren held her gaze, his heart pounding in his chest as he realized the gravity of their situation. "Be careful," he finally managed, his voice husky with unspoken emotions. "And come back to me... safe."

"I always come back safe," Kazi assured him, playfully pushing his shoulder. "Now, stop looking at me like that. I have a kingdom to infiltrate!"

"Have you told Father everything?" Nia asked, her brow furrowing slightly.

Kazi shook her head. "Just a brief explanation about the traitor. I did not want to worry him with the details."

"Good," Nia agreed, nodding in approval. "The fewer who know, the safer everyone is."

Kazi glanced towards Ren. "Ren," she said firmly, "while I am gone, I need you to take care of the army. You are the best fighter I know, and the troops respect you."

Ren met her gaze, his own emotions swirling in his dark eyes. "I will," he said. "Tell me what to tell them. Tell everyone."

Kazi considered this for a moment. "Tell Father I have received an urgent request to handle some important business outside Niameda," she instructed. "Tell the army the same thing. That I will be back soon, but it may take some time."

Ren nodded, understanding the delicate dance they were playing. "Consider it done, Kazi. You focus on finding that traitor. We will hold down the fort here."

"Thank you, Ren," she said, her voice sincere. "I couldn't ask for a better friend."

Ren's gaze lingered on her face, wishing he could tell her how much he...never mind. He cleared his throat, breaking the unexpected tension. "Be safe, Kazi," he finally managed. "And remember, no matter what happens, you have people who care about you waiting for your return."

Nia watched Ren's expression...the way he stared at her sister, the way his hand curled into a fist at his side. She knew exactly how he felt. They both did. And she couldn't help but wonder if Kazi felt the same way. Nia cleared her throat, drawing their attention back to her. "Alright, enough of that. We have got to prepare you for this mission."

❤️Just wanted to point out how ironic it is that Nia can see Ren clearly likes Kazi but couldn't tell Kiyoshi liked her.😂