Yishume nesithupha

Riley's POV

I watched as Nikola ran into the forest like a lunatic without two brain cells to spare for strategy. I watched her ghost run her hands through her hair and sob into her elbow. Pathetic. I walked over to her and for the first time, I actually spoke to her directly.

"Melissa?" I asked. She looked up at me with her alien eyes. Honestly, what mortal had purple eyes? Her gods were strange in their designs.

"Why did Nix run off like that?" I asked. She raised an eyebrow at my choice of nickname. I rolled my eyes as she teared up again.

"Min…min bror," she whispered, her voice cracking, "they took him."

"They left us tho'. It was fast – we were in a deep sleep and then *poof* they were gone with the ghost," Desaley spoke as if still in shock. What were these things if they could rattle the braided haired warrior? I knew my pride mate – he was not easily rattled.

I awkwardly placed her hand on her shoulder, squeezing it. I was an only child, but the pride was my family. Losing one of them would feel like losing a part of myself.

"Nix will get him back. She … loves you two – she'll do whatever it takes," I said, the words taste foul leaving my tongue, but I forced a smile as I said them. That's when her alien orbs lock with mine; there was something unsettling in them.

"That's what I'm worried about," she whispered. I quirk an eyebrow in confusion but before I could ask her anything further, a loud voice interrupted me.

"Princess!" the voice called out. I turned on my heels and see a worried Quaahir rushing towards us. Zain is trailing behind him as if they have all the time in the universe to spare.

"Where is she? What (inhale) what happened?" Quaahir wheezed out. I rolled my eyes at the toned boy as I watch him steady himself and gulp down air. His muscles were more aesthetic than functional but that was expected from his kind.

"Your dumbass of a friend went charging into the forest alone to find her," I met the alien eyes, sighing "her brother was taken by a group of unknowns."

This is the moment that their majesty makes their entrance into the conversation, "Finally, something interesting. Well, what is everything waiting for? Orí to paint a path towards Nik?" I wasn't sure if their enthusiasm was due to desperation to find their friend or boredom. Knowing Zain, it was the latter.

"Oh please, we all know you'd only ever follow Oshun," I quipped at the beautiful chief. They merely shrugged and smirked. When Quaahir smirked at his friend's expense, I gave him a pointed look. They were both powered by sensual energy – of course, they both bowed at the altar of the goddess of sensuality.

We really didn't have time for any of this. We needed to get to Nix before she did anything that we would regret. I signalled for the warriors to suit up.

"I think you should stay here. Nikky would not want her ward to be in danger as well," the phantom pixie beside me foolishly suggested. How dare she dictate my place within my OWN kingdom?

"Who do you think you are to speak on Nix's behalf?" I asked her slowly.

She didn't even blink before replying, "hers."

That was it. I took a threatening step towards the idiotic girl who had the audacity to claim things she has no business claiming. I wondered what happens to a ghost when it died. Before I could find out, Desaley nudged my arm, nodding towards one of my scouts that was running towards me. She informed me about something disturbing one the eagles had seen – a fire – Nikola Achebe.

Fuck.

The rest of our reinforcements were not here yet – they wouldn't be here for hours and I couldn't leave my home defenceless. I looked in front of me – I was the princess of the lions and Desaley was one of my most promising warriors. To my right was the world's most callous werehyena and to their right was the Arabic incubus who was infamous for bringing empires to its knees – normally in front of him. Reluctantly, I realized we had a ghost as well – one with a talent for water tricks. She wasn't as useless as I wanted to think. We would have to do for now. Either that or We allow Nix to raze the kingdom to the ground.

"Let's go! The reinforcements can trail behind us when they get here," I said and nodded towards a small group of warriors to join us. This would be enough for now.

Zain grinned, Quaahir smirked and the ghostess looked like she was ready to faint. Perfect.

We made quick work of the first kilometres of forest. I had sent two warriors to scout the territory ahead in the direction of the sighted blaze. They would alert us if we were nearing her. I was trying to track her by scent, but little miss volcano was making that really difficult. She had burned her scent out of the trees without leaving a single trace of her flames to follow. Just great.

"So how do you and sparky know each other?" Quaahir asked our unwelcomed companion. She smiled at him; her eyes still red from tears.

"We found her." What the hell was she on about?

"Sammy en I … eh, we found her one day. We were …," she looked down at her hands, "We heard fighting and Sammy went to help and he fought off her attackers. She was barely breathing when we found her. The entire place was on fire." That hurt me more than I could imagine. The thought of losing Nix without even knowing made me want to throw up. She continued to talk about how they got to know each other and how she basically "healed Nik back to life". That made me to slap her and hug her at the same time.

I walked ahead, trying to ignore the ghost's trip down memory lane about how her brother and Nix are her whole life and how the three of them have a bond stronger than life itself. It was pathetic how hard she was trying to push her place in Nikola's life down everyone's throats.

We reached a fork in the trail, but I was not about to admit that we were lost. I just kept walking to walking towards the wall of trees, hoping on of the scouts would give me a hint but I couldn't hear or see either of them. I chose a path at random.

"Which territory are we in?" Quaahir asked. He was from the northern region; besides childhood visits, he had no knowledge of the surrounding areas to the south.

"We are entering the Koda region. So, do me a favour and try not to anger anyone – we are not on the best of terms," I said. The rest of the group regarded me with slight confusion. Sure, everyone knew the history of the bear shifters, but I doubt they ever heard the full story.

"Koda as in Bears?" Desaley growled. I just shook my head and kept walking. I was ahead of most of the group, but I heard bickering behind me. I stopped in my tracks and glared at them.

"What?" I asked, glaring at them. Zain looked satisfied with themself; Quaahir and Saley just looked annoyed.

"Don't worry, the boys and I were making a little wager. Whoever gets the first bear gets to keep it – I'm excited about the new coat. I hope we get a mixed bread – I love merged fur in autumn," I rolled my eyes at Zain's overly enthusiastic plans. Turning my attention forward, I still couldn't catch a trace of the scouts.

"I don' think we are going the right way. Nik is in that direction," the ghost piped up, fiddling with that ridiculous pendant around her neck.

"How would you know?" I asked. I hope she can hear the acid in my tone. Of course, she looked unfazed.

"Dis," she said, lifting up the pendant (finished off with the Achebe crest), "it helps to find her." I wonder what the former King would think of a ghost carrying his family sigil. To all of our surprise it glowed – the onyx gems illuminated into a volcanic red. Nikola!

"We need to hurry," she said. Duh.

Reluctantly we followed the ghost as she ran through the forest. Ducking branches and side-stepping foliage, who knew she was so agile. We ran until I caught a distinctly familiar scent. Burnt wood and the ash of leaves. We were close.

"This way, I can smell her flames," I said, giving the ghost a smug look. This was my land.

We all picked up our pace and by the time I saw the fight spark of a flame, I sprinted forwards. I'm on my way Nix, I said to myself.

We reached the former Koda settlement. It was burned to the ground, but it was eerily quiet. It was a small settlement with remnants of less than a dozen wooden cabins. I hope they got out. Please tell me that the escaped in time. I prayed for this until I was standing in front of an enflamed Nikola. She was holding a pendant, similar to the ones that both Melissa and I had.

Samuel.

No.

"Nix," I whispered. She clenched the pendant in her palm and then looked up at me. She didn't speak. She looked past me, towards someone behind me. For the first time in my life, my heart was breaking for a ghost.

As I looked back into the blazing eyes of Nikola Achebe. She was not completely there. Whoever was stupid enough to stab an Orisha in the heart, was about to meet their ancestors.

"Nikola?" I asked one last time before a sinister smile spread across her lips.