Touch of Flame

“Are there any news from the X clan?” Malachi asked the messengers at the courthouse.

“The families Cavern, Snakeherd, and Waiwen are preparing.”

Malachi nodded, thinking it must be someone outside these families. He knew these families and they didn’t strike him as cunning. For them to prepare also defeated the purpose of removing king Tural. The person who wanted the throne would come forward already prepared.

Malachi frowned. It must be someone of higher rank than these families. Someone who found them easy opponents. Someone who would surely take the throne once King Tural was out of the picture. But who could that be?

“Which one of them is more fitting?” Malachi asked.

“The bloodline is very mixed. All have at least one purebred parent but it will be difficult to determine which is purest.”

That wasn’t surprising if all families were preparing. There would be a fight that he wasn’t very interested in. He wanted to find the culprit more than anything. The white dragons would find a leader sooner or later.

“Let’s hasten the process. I want them here sooner.” Malachi told the messengers.

They nodded and left to deliver his message. Malachi was left seated with his brothers.

“How are things between the two of you now?” Joel asked, referiing to him and Ravina.

“Good.”

“I am surprised she hasn’t left,” Kenan said and all of them glared at him. “What? I am just saying, I wouldn’t stay with the family of my father’s killer.” He stood up, pushing the chair back, and walked away.

Malachi tried not to let his brother ruin his mood. He had finally gotten many things off his chest with Ravina and he was already aware and accepted that this wasn’t easy for her.

Sometimes he wished he could let her go to find real happiness. To find a family that didn’t remind her of her horrible past but he couldn’t bring himself to do so. There was no one he trusted to take well care of her.

The court guard came to the hall. “King Malachi. You have a visitor from the X-clan.”

Malachi frowned. Could it be…?

“Bring them in,” he ordered.

His brothers shifted also wondering who it could be. Malachi had expected this somehow. Whoever set a trap for King Tural would be the most prepared and early to claim the throne. He was curious to see who it was.

The guard came back in with two women. One was a priestess from the way she was dressed but the other one… all of them paused for a moment. She was a beauty, no doubt. Also familiar, he thought trying to remember where he had seen her because he was sure he did.

Some blurry images flashed through his head. Did he sleep with her?

Eyes of ember and skin of honey. She was dressed in brown, the clothes hugging her body in all the right places. He could see his brothers staring. Saul seemed to recognize her as well.

“Prince… I mean king Malachi. It has been a long time.” She smiled.

He tilted his head, still trying to remember. Surely she was someone of high status and she came for the throne. Princess… something.

“I see you have a hard time remembering. It has been a hundred years and more after all. Allow me to reintroduce myself. I am princess Nazneen, daughter of King Shah.”

Princess Nazneen. He now remembered but he thought she was dead.

“I am sure you have heard mixed rumors about my disappearance. As you can see I am not dead.” She continued.

Then the rumors of her being locked away were true?

“Where have you been?” He asked.

“I was locked away and I have only recently been released.”

Only recently? Wasn’t it a strange coincidence? If he remembered correctly, her father Shah was very much against his father Khaos. He always tried to find ways to dethrone him. They were both very much alike. Equally cruel and if he remembered correctly she was one spoiled utterly rude princess. The kind that thought they were above anyone else.

“I am assuming you are here for the throne,” he spoke.

A subtle smile curved her lips. “I am here to take back my rightful place.”

Rightful place?

“You seem to have arrived at the right time.”

She frowned. “It seems…”

“How were you released?”

She paused, her eyes looking to the side. She was hiding something. Not a good sign. “My time was due,” she replied.

Lies. She was working with someone.

He gave the guards a nod and she sensed it immediately, ready to fight them but they outnumbered her and brought her down to her knees, holding her still.

The priestess looked worried. “King Malachi. She has nothing to do with the attack on you and your breedmate.”

“Why are you with her?” He questioned knowing priests were never involved in politics.

“She was recently released and I offered my help.”

“And she was released because her time was due?”

She hesitated as well.

“Bring me those who work with her and I might release her,” Malachi said.

The priestess frowned.

Nazneen stopped fighting the guards. “Why would I attack you and your breedmate?” She demanded to know.

“You tell me?”

“I did not.”

“Then how were you released?”

“I already told you. My time was due.”

Malachi sighed and gave the guards permission to take her away and lock her. With time she would speak. “You are making a mistake King Malachi,” and this time managed to fight off a guard. More of them came to hold her down. She wasn’t an easy one. It was her blood.

“King Malachi. I can assure you that she is innocent,” the priestess rushed to speak.

“But you are hiding something and not telling me surely means something.”

“As a priestess, there are certain things I keep confidential,” she replied through the growls of fight going on as the guards tried to drag her away.

He nodded. “I understand but this is also an important matter. I would suggest you cooperate to prove her innocence if she truly is.”

He found it odd that the priestess followed her all the way here. He should keep her too but he would let her go to know who else could be involved in this.

Saul gave him that look he recognized. He wanted to tell him something.

The priestess looked distressed. She seemed to want to say something but held back. Malachi gave her permission to leave and she walked away hesitantly.

Saul gave a signal to one of his men to follow her before turning to him. “The rumors said only her breedmate could release her.”

Interesting. If it was true, that made him even more suspicious. Her breedmate would surely have connections with people and with her release planned the disposal of King Tural and cleared the throne for his breedmate to become king himself. The question was if she knew or if he did it behind her back. Since she was here alone, either the rumor wasn’t true or he was hiding for a reason. But with his breedmate locked, he would surely come here to save her.