The Royal Curse

Thirty Two - Wendigo

Senna Aldorban

Havoc ensued around me as the ship docked. The familiar distant sight of domed buildings, sand, and limestone meeting dust clouds hugged my insides, especially after the months I'd had in Entorre City. Wendigo, although one of the oldest cities in the Main Continent, bustled with life.

Arkan slapped down a walkway to the mainland and ran ahead of me, a crowd forming. Familiar faces lined around, some I remembered from events, others from seeing portraits of them. "Out of the way, everyone!" Arkan shouted, leading the crowd a safe distance away so I could walk down.

A heavily decorated carriage drifted in front of me. From behind it, Arkan spun and lifted a brow, impressed. I apologized, saying, "Sorry, it's just my—"

"Senna, darling!" Alice and Father leapt out the carriage, my brother embracing me as Father gleamed at the sidelines. "About time. We got worried something happened to you."

"I wrote to you in Entorre I'd be coming, no?" I mumbled into his shoulder, pulling away to embrace Father.

Alice shrugged, readjusting his hair bun with his heavily tattooed hands. "Well, after what Kace did, we thought he could've wrapped you into it."

What Kace did? All I told them in the letter was that I was coming back to Kandose; I never listed a reason. But as Arkan spun from a Entorrean media personnel, the paper he held in the hand probably had all the answers. Before he could say anything, I took the paper—realized it was four newspapers, not just one—and read them myself.

Prince Kace Claims To Have Sent Princess Senna Away

Well, I knew he didn't like me, but I didn't think he'd stoop as low as lying about why I left.

Prince Kace Announces Alliance With Thaeleckean Vigilante Ashe Knightley

The man who was originally thought to have killed Manea and Nicholyn? Of course he'd befriend him—after all, his hatred was at Thresan and my family.

The Greatest Plot Twist—Valarya de Mertaire and Ashe Knightley Are Married

My eyes nearly bulged as I read that headline. How the hell did all this happen on a one month voyage overseas?

And the final paper—I shoved the paper in Arkan's hands after reading it.

The Next Dark Prince—Or Perhaps Dark King. Prince Kace Kills King Lius At Triannual Gala

"Kace did not kill his father," I said.

Alice and Father hushed, waving me into the carriage. "Don't speak too loudly—"

"He'd never do that, Father! You don't know him. He'd never... I know he hates Lius, but never enough to kill him."

They exchanged a glance, then Alice sighed. "Look, Senna, believe me, we wish this wasn't true. A royal killing another royal isn't something we take easy, even if we don't like Entorreans. Murder is murder." Crossing his arms, he turned his gaze out the window at the crowd that was being backed up by the guards. "But Kace openly admitted to killing him, and everyone is justifying it because of Lius's involvement in a trafficking ring."

"Yes," I started, jerking my brother's arm to bring his attention back to me, "I would know. I caught the Ring in act mid-auction."