The Moon Dancer

Chapter 29

"Judar, you shouldn't go." Kougyoku said, blocking Judar's way out of the palace they had been staying in.

"Shut up, this had nothing to do with you." Judar snarked as he pushed past Kougyoku. She frowned and grabbed his arm.

"Don't get into another pointless fight. You almost died last time. I won't be around to rescue you at the last moment again." 

"Let go of me! I don't need your help!" Judar snarled, smacking away Kougyoku's hand. She looked at him with anger in her eyes.

"What's the matter with you? Recently you've been acting so differently."

"Get off my fucking back, I've always been this way." Judar scoffed, "Now leave me alone. Don't you have some king to marry or something, that's all you're good for anyway."

The sting of Kougyoku's slap seemed to vibrate through Judar's entire body. His shock turned to anger as he turned his face back to her. The string of curses died on his tongue when he saw Kougyoku's teary eyes.

"You're such a jerk. Go to that stupid fight, I don't even care anymore." Kougyoku sniffled. She turned and stormed away, her robes swishing with every angry step she took.

"Wait-" Judar called out, but Kougyoku ignored him. 

Judar scowled, his mood turning dark. He clenched his fists tightly and gritted his teeth. Whatever, who cares what that stupid princess though anyway. It didn't matter if she hated him, everybody hated him anyway. 

Nobody stuck around him, they all leave eventually. Even Ruhya left him.

Judar grimaced, he really needed to stop thinking about her. Ruhya was nothing but a liar that left him high and dry.

Judar hated Ruhya...at least, that's what he kept telling himself.

"Arh! Snap out of it! You need to focus on beating the shit out of Peli." Judar chastised himself, gripping his hair with frustration.

After a few seconds of collecting himself, Judar was ready to go. With determined steps, he strided over to the window and jumped out. 

The night air felt cool against his skin, a stark contrast to the hot emotions boiling in his veins. The buildings below become more and more simpler as Judar flew farther away from the palace. 

Judar wished he had brought a flying carpet when he realized the slums were much farther away than he originally thought. Eventually, the building the Snake Charmer had described came into view. It was the only two-story building around, so it was very hard to miss.

"Peli's room is the one with yellow curtains that has a view of the ocean." Judar repeated aloud to himself. The Snake Charmer said she would put a candle in his window if possible, but there was no candle in sight. 

A sigh escaped Judar's lips as he circled the building from the air. A pop of yellow caught his eye from the side as the curtains flapped in the breeze. Judar's eyes steeled over as he landed on the small balcony. He took a deep breath and pulled the curtains back.

Judar's heart throbbed and his entire body froze.

Ruhya was sitting on a stool at a vanity in front of him. Her back was turned to him but she was facing a mirror so she could see Judar and he could see her face. Thick layers of bandages covered her neck.

Of fucking course she'd be in Peli's room. She had simply traded Judar for a shiner version, running from him and straight into Peli's arms.

Judar wanted to insult her and ridicule her, but his tongue refused to move. Instead, he simply stared at Ruhya with a painful expression on his face.