The Princess and the Writer

CHAPTER SIX

The Baya people were now a force to be reckoned with in the land. Ever since the fall of the great Princess Nena, it had been easy for them to subdue the Zuri and to bully them, and Nadira loved to bully people around. It was a pity that the book of spells had not yet been found. She would have been even more feared than she was now.

The Baya leader sighed and shifted in her seat.

"Will we never find that silly book?" she demanded. "Where could it possibly be?"

Her thoughts were interrupted by Khin; one of the men she had sent after the annoying Lupa and Chelle. Word had reached her that those two spoilers were planning on looking for the writer in order to convince him to set things back to the way they were. In other words, they wanted the writer to destroy her. Absolutely out of the question.

One look at Khin and Nadira knew he had disappointing news.

"Nadira-"

"How dare you," she spat out.

Nadira stood and went to him, annoyed.

"How dare you fail at this simple task - because that is what you want to say to me, isn't it?"

Khin lowered his gaze and said nothing. He was tired and he was hungry. The journey to and from that other world had been draining. The last thing he needed was a lecture from her. Unlike him, she was short and weak. He could easily break her in two, but no; he was loyal more than anything else. He, Nadira and Teral had been friends since they were children.

"We didn't arrive in time," Khin said simply. "Chelle and Lupa found her and have brought her to Redeem."

"Her?" Nadira hadn't expected this. "Interesting. I had expected it to be a man."

Khin said nothing.

"Where is Teral?" Nadira asked him.

Again Khin said nothing. It was not due to her abrupt change of topic. Nadira did it all the time. He was used to it. He remained silent because he knew exactly where Teral was.

"Where is he?"

"He is out hunting."

That was a lie...sort of...depending on how one chose to look at it. To some extent one could call Teral's habit of chasing after whichever female that crossed his path hunting. As usual, Khin was sworn to secrecy about it lest Nadira found out and had a fit.

Nadira frowned. "Always out, always hunting. Well when he comes back tell him I want to see him."

Khin sighed and turned to leave the room.

"Don't I always?" he responded.

"Khin."

The tall man stopped and looked back. Nadira had sat back down. She looked at him as if they hadn't been friends for all those years, but rather master and subordinate.

"The writer; find her for me." Her voice was ice. "And kill her."

Khin turned and left.

Anne followed her companions in silence. They had left the forest and were now heading to a nearby village. There was a friend there who was in on their plot and would help them. At first Anne was worried that they would be spotted by the Baya men who had tried to stop them the previous night, but the land was empty, devoid of human activity. Anne found it strange. Redeem was supposed to be a land where people roamed freely and socialized and had fun, but there was not a single being in sight. Just how many changed had her thoughtless actions caused?