A Priestess for the Blind God (Legends of Rahasia Book 1)

Chapter Six

Elio, probably since any adornment he wears would just liquefy, is covered from head-to-toe in golden tattoos and a modified exercise Diviner's robe. It's as though he's been bathed in gold, marked with so many symbols of Cato the Elder, symbols like his sword and shield, symbols like his hand clutching Kane's eyes, symbols like the sun itself. Everywhere else, gold mimicking the blood of the gods, ichor, drips in golden ink down his warm skin, the blood of the Empire's enemies. His body is muscled as a warrior should be, wearing a white-cloth-wrap made of fine blended silk to ward away heat, leather sandals with metallic spikes beneath to dig into fallen enemies' flesh.

Yet, in Elio's gold-rimmed, shrewd eyes, beneath the hair shorn short to keep opponents from grabbing onto him, I see turmoil.

His gaze latches onto Ryu's face, studying it with something I cannot decipher.

Remembering himself, he raises an eyebrow, looking to the ground. Kneel, subjects.

Ryu and I fall to the earth, the strange moment where Elio gazed at Ryu has passed. Elio turns instead to Alef, standing guiltily at the entrance to the prince's harem.

"Those are my women." I shudder as he refers to them like cattle, just another possession in his gilded hands. "Shouldn't you be guarding the borders of this camp, Alef? Or perhaps you are suggesting that I am too weak to guard my own tent."

Alef falls flat on his face at that, looking as though he wishes he were a worm to burrow beneath the very earth. "Never, my prince."

I glance at Ryu, and despite our shared apprehension, we smile to see that Alef falls so low. "Where he belongs." Ryu mouths to me. I stifle a giggle.

That giggle turns into a choking sound when Elio snaps his attention to me.

"Ah, the heir of Lord Ngayoh." He walks to me. I notice how he doesn't refer to me derisively as girl or spawn. Instead, he addresses me as he would any Diviner. It doesn't make me any less frightened of his wrath, but at least he's as respectful as he is heroic.

"My prince." I bow lower, but Elio's already moved onto Ryu.

He bends closer. "You are the son of Advisor Hakim."

Flushing, Ryu wrings his hands shamefacedly behind his back. "No, my prince. I am legally obligated to inform you that I am his... I am Ryu, his concubine's bastard."

I glower as Alef snickers at Ryu's shame.

"Ah," Elio doesn't waver. "No, I am never wrong Ryu. You are the son of Advisor Hakim." Ryu and I stare, aghast, at the young prince. This pronouncement doesn't just legitimize Ryu.

It gives Ryu a legal claim to his father's fortune.

"I thank you, my prince," Ryu dares to stare up at the man gilded like the sun, "but I prefer being called a bastard. I would not negate my mother. She loves me very dearly, and it would betray her to pretend I am anything greater."

The entire campsite doesn't even breathe as Ryu squirms beneath Elio's gaze.

"You spoke back to me." He informs us, as though he does not believe it either.

Ryu lowers his neck, waiting for the executioner's axe. "Forgive me."

No axe arrives. Instead, Elio touches Ryu's shoulder. "You would risk your life for your mother's honor, a concubine." His touch is soft, and at that time, the sun reappears in the sky. It falls gently on both Ryu and Elio, the two men haloed in light, like a scene from that decorated tent, a fable. "Ryu of Hakim and..."

Here he turns uncertainly to me.

"Ode."

He nods graciously. "Of course. Ryu of Hakim and Ode of Ngayoh, you will dine with me tonight. And you, Alef! Get back to patrolling the walls as my father commanded you to." Ryu and I fall over ourselves thanking him for this honor.

Dining with the Chosen heir is an honor, and coming from Elio, a command.

***

Hello my Champions!

Anybody smell a ship? I do.

Best

Sophia