HOOR

CHAPTER 9: GAYATRI

The general's nostrils flared as he considered my words. His grip on his sword tightened, but Surya stepped in, his tone calm but firm.

"Enough. We need to think about what to do next, not point fingers." He glanced at the general, then back at me. "Gayatri, you did well getting this information. Now we have to use it wisely."

The general huffed but reluctantly sheathed his sword. "We need a plan. If the king is in danger, we must act swiftly."

I nodded, my mind racing. "We can't let anyone know we're onto them. We need to protect the king without alerting the enemy."

Surya looked thoughtful. "We'll need to keep a close eye on everyone who comes near the king. And we should inform the queen discreetly. We need her to go back to the palace.

The general grunted in agreement. "Fine. But you," he pointed at me again, "stay out of trouble. We can't afford any mistakes."

I rolled my eyes but kept my mouth shut. We didn't have time for arguments. We needed to act.

Surya and I made our way back to the king and queen, careful to stay alert for any signs of danger. As we approached, the queen caught my eye and subtly nodded. She had noticed something was off.

"Your Majesty," Surya said quietly, "we need to speak with you and the queen in private."

The king raised an eyebrow but nodded. He led us to a quieter corner, away from prying eyes. "What is it?"

I glanced around, ensuring no one could hear us. "We intercepted a message. It says, 'Kill him.' We believe it's referring to you, Your Majesty."

The queen's eyes widened, but she quickly composed herself. "Who sent it?"

"We're not sure," Surya replied. "But we need to be vigilant. We'll be watching everyone closely."

The king nodded, his expression grave. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention. We must be careful. Trust no one."

As we returned to the crowd, I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched.
We had to protect the king. Failure was not an option.

-

The message gnawed at my mind. What if it was for the general and not the king? I had to think fast, but doubts clouded my thoughts. I scanned the area and noticed the king and queen talking in hushed tones.

"You must go back to the palace," the king said, his voice firm, a hint of desperation beneath the command.

"No, I must stay with you," the queen replied, her eyes were filled with determination and fear.

"Please," he urged. Reluctantly, she agreed, her eyes never leaving his. I saw my chance and stepped forward.

"I'll accompany her and keep her safe," I said, my voice steady, hiding the turmoil inside.

The king eyed me, skeptical, but nodded. " Please, keep her safe. I am putting my trust in you... Gayatri."

As we prepared to leave, the general intercepted me, his face a mask of fury. "If something happens to the queen, I will kill you," he hissed, his grip on my arm tight.

I rolled my eyes, a smirk playing on my lips despite the tension. "Yeah, yeah, you'll kill me. Got it." I paused for effect, then added with a smirk, "Maybe try some new threats next time. They're starting to get old."

His glare didn’t soften, but I caught a flicker of something in his eyes—perhaps respect or irritation. It was hard to tell with him.

I started to turn away but stopped, grabbing his wrist. Our eyes locked, and the intensity of the moment hung heavy in the air. "Be safe," I said quietly, "and keep the king safe."