Child Beast

With steeds beneath them, Kin and Jamila crossed more ground each day. They moved cautiously, mindful of beasts lurking nearby. They encountered a few wild beasts, but Kin found them manageable and easy to deal with. Ferocious beasts were another matter entirely, but they had so far avoided those. As for magical creatures, those rarely appeared just anywhere, so Kin felt confident they were safe for now.

Yet his mind was preoccupied. The search for a rare crystal for Ashell's armor and a beast with a strong carapace to enhance its durability weighed on him. He needed something formidable. And after delivering Jamila to the Temple of Fates, he'd have to find Farouk and convince him to help reclaim what was rightfully his. But Farouk was in Jubai— completely opposite to their current direction. Kin sighed; the journey was far from straightforward.

As he thought over his plans, Jamila's voice cut into his thoughts, pulling him back to the present.

"How did you survive?" she asked, her tone curious yet hesitant.

Kin turned to look at her, and she asked again, "How did you survive the Night of the Fallen Sun? My father said Lord Jai captured you in the desert. How did you escape?"

A faint smile crossed Kin's lips. It was remarkable he had hidden his curse from Rashid, Jamila, even Ramon. Maybe I'm a better actor than I thought, he mused, a grin flickering across his face.

"Too bad there's no audience," Ashell chimed sarcastically in his mind.

Ignoring her, he turned back to Jamila. "I was the reason the sun fell. It was because of a curse I summoned."

Jamila's eyes widened, disbelief evident on her face. "You… summoned a curse?"

In response, Kin conjured his bow out of thin air, its dark, shimmering form materializing in his hand before vanishing back into the ether. "Yes, I did."

Jamila blinked, processing his words. "But… why did you hide it? Why didn't you tell my father? He could have helped."

Kin's expression darkened. "I don't trust your father. My father and Rashid never got along because of his dealings. So why would I reveal my secret to a man who only sees me as a tool for his own gains?"

Jamila fell silent, understanding the truth in his words. She knew her father's controversial role in the royal court. While he ruled Bintan, Rashid had always been a thorn in King Ken's side, profiting off the very things the King abhorred—slavery, and mining crystals with forced labor. Yet, her father's wealth had funded the kingdom. Though King Ken hated Rashid's methods, he still depended on Bintan's riches.

Still, Jamila pushed on. "You could have told me. I could've spoken to my father for you. Maybe he would have listened."

Kin chuckled darkly, though there was a hint of sadness in his gaze. "Really? You wouldn't have believed me. Besides, you always bullied me, remember? Why would I confide in the girl who went out of her way to make me feel like I was nothing?"

Jamila's mouth opened, then closed. She remembered it all too well—how she'd mock him for not being the type of prince she'd read about in her novels. Princes were supposed to be strong, brave, and handsome. Kin had seemed to her the opposite of all those things. But now, the boy she'd dismissed as a lost cause had saved her life countless times. He was still protecting her, even now.

"I thought… my father would've helped you," she said softly, the conviction fading from her voice.

Kin shook his head. "He would've used me, just like everyone used my father. Rashid and the other Sultans act like kings in their own provinces, pretending to support the kingdom but always with hidden agendas. They've all betrayed the royal family."

"My father didn't betray anyone!" Jamila's voice was sharp, defensive. "Maybe he stayed neutral because he was tired of bowing to every demand the kingdom imposed. Bintan has all it needs; we don't need the royal family draining us."

Kin's eyes narrowed, his gaze piercing. "Taxes? Every province pays them, Jamila. And it's not just about Bintan's prosperity—it's about the strength of Wize as a whole. If Wize falls, Bintan falls with it. You're isolated, in the middle of a desert with limited resources. Without the royal family's support, you couldn't last a month on your own."

Jamila looked away, unprepared to confront the image of her father as self-serving. "Maybe Bintan doesn't need Wize as much as you think. Maybe it's your father who was milking us dry."

Kin shook his head, a trace of sadness in his voice. "Your father isn't a god, Jamila. He's just a man—a man who thought he could avoid the kingdom's demands because of his wealth. But Bintan isn't self-sufficient, and no amount of crystal will change that." His voice softened, just a little. "I don't trust Rashid, but I'm doing this for you, not him."

In the silence that followed, they failed to notice the faint green glow of two eyes watching them from a cave nestled in the dunes above. A sharp clicking sound echoed through the air, followed by a sickening splash. Kin's senses flared, and he halted his steed abruptly, looking around.

A puddle of green liquid sizzled on the ground before them, eating into the solid rock and leaving a gaping hole.