Run

Kin stared at the green liquid bubbling on the ground where it had landed, his stomach twisting. If he hadn't reacted quickly, he could only imagine the horror that might have unfolded. He raised his eyes to meet the beast's gaze—a creature with two pairs of red eyes, four legs, and two antennae. The beast wasn't particularly large, so Kin figured it wouldn't be much of a threat. But then, the number of eyes began to increase, doubling from four to eight, then sixteen, and soon there were far too many to count.

He didn't wait for another second.

"Run!" he shouted to Jamila. She obeyed instantly, urging her drasnel forward with Kin close behind. Fortunately, as a noble, Jamila had mastered the basics of riding, which gave them a fighting chance. She even seemed to have a better knack for it than Kin, whose own steed struggled to keep up with hers.

Am I really that bad? Kin thought, a mixture of frustration and bemusement crossing his face.

Behind them, the beasts gave chase, moving in droves, each one driven by an insatiable hunger. Kin cursed under his breath. "Why are they all chasing us? It's not like the two of us can satisfy a whole horde!"

He watched for the telltale flash of green liquid, expecting another acid attack. But oddly, the beasts weren't using that tactic. Glancing back, he saw a larger creature among them, its eyes glowing green, not red. It wasn't moving as swiftly as the others, but its massive bulk suggested strength beyond anything he'd faced before. Kin counted only one of these green-eyed beasts, but the smaller red-eyed ones had to number close to fifty.

"Ashell, how many arrows do I have left?" he asked.

"Thirty-three," Ashell replied, her tone unbothered.

"Not nearly enough," Kin muttered.

"Then aim wisely," Ashell quipped, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

He sighed, a bitter smile tugging at his lips. "Aim wisely? In this chaos? Who do you think I am, General Khan?"

"Consider it training," she replied smoothly. "Targets won't always stand still, after all."

"I understand hitting a moving target," Kin replied as he watched the beasts closing in. "But hitting one while I'm also moving? That's not exactly ideal."

"Since when has anything about your life been ideal?" Ashell replied, not missing a beat.

Summoning his bow, Kin drew it taut, an arrow materializing on the string. With one swift motion, he released it. The arrow flew through the air and struck one of the red-eyed beasts in front of the larger green-eyed one, burying itself between the creature's eyes.

The green-eyed beast took this as a provocation, letting out a high-pitched screech. Its piercing cry sent the red-eyed creatures into a frenzy, and they surged forward even faster.

"Nice shot," Ashell mocked.

Gritting his teeth, Kin loosed another arrow, and another, each one finding its mark on a different beast. But the horde kept coming, relentless in their pursuit.

"Keep moving!" he shouted to Jamila as she rode ahead of him.

"How many arrows left?" he asked Ashell, releasing another shot as he did.

"Two," she replied.

"Damn it," Kin muttered, spurring his drasnel to move faster. But the beasts were gaining, and he knew he'd have to come up with something else, and quickly.

Taking a deep breath, he called out to Ashell. "I have an idea, but I need your help."

"What do you need?" she asked, her tone suddenly serious.

"It seems that every time I aim at the green-eyed one, it orders the red-eyed ones to take the hit. I want to trick it, but I'll need you to control the power on my fingers for a split-second delay."

"Oh, I see," Ashell replied. "But I can only give you the power; you'll have to control the rest. Just like the Eyes of Ra."

Kin nodded, summoning his final two arrows. He drew his bow, feeling the familiar surge of Ashell's curse through his fingers. He had only a second to make it count. It was already difficult enough to hit moving targets while in motion himself, especially as he had to glance over his shoulder to aim. But Kin had trained with the best: his Uncle, Farouk, General Khalifa, and even the legendary General Khan. If not for his past laziness, he could have been a master archer by now. Maybe it's not too late, he thought.

With a steadying breath, he released both arrows. They flew through the air, aimed squarely at the green-eyed beast. As expected, a red-eyed creature leaped into the path of the first arrow, intercepting it. But Kin had slowed the second arrow, delaying it by just a fraction of a second. The green-eyed beast didn't anticipate the second arrow's timing, and it flew unhindered, striking it right between its four eyes.

The beast stopped in its tracks, faltering before collapsing to the ground, lifeless. Instantly, the red-eyed beasts abandoned their pursuit, turning toward the corpse of the green-eyed creature. Without hesitation, they began to devour it, completely ignoring Kin and Jamila as if they were no longer even there.

Kin let out a long sigh, watching the creatures tear into their fallen leader. "How barbaric," he muttered, guiding his drasnel to catch up with Jamila. When he reached her, he told her the coast was clear.

She looked at him for a moment, her eyes unreadable. Once again, this boy she had dismissed for so long had saved her life. And as she stared at him, she felt an overwhelming gratitude and something else—something that made her feel unworthy of his protection.

That night, they made camp under the stars, lighting a small fire to keep warm. Kin lay back, gazing into the flames as the quiet of the desert night enveloped them.

After a long silence, Jamila finally spoke, her voice soft but carrying a weight of curiosity and vulnerability. "Why are you doing this?"

Kin looked up, surprised. "Doing what?"

"Risking your life for me," she clarified, her gaze unwavering.

Kin met her eyes, pausing to consider his answer. When Rashid had tasked him with watching over Jamila, he'd initially thought of it as an obligation—and maybe a means of gaining an ally. There was still a part of him that hoped Jamila might one day consider joining his future court. But beyond that, there was a deeper reason. She was connected to his dreams of reclaiming what was rightfully his. A future with Jamila would secure him a powerful ally.

Taking a breath, he finally replied, "Because when I take back my throne, I want you to be the Sulten of Bintan."

Jamila's eyes widened at his words. At that moment, she saw a side of Kin she didn't really understand before—a young man driven by conviction, a little crazy, but, he had a vision of a future, and it required her in it.