Nong didn’t reveal him to the King after all and she couldn’t figure out why.
When her governess finally led her back to her room she had glanced at not-Prince Edan one last time and to her surprise she saw that he was trembling. His fingers fumbled again with each other. The King was going over travel plans but she could tell the imposter was not listening. His mind was clearly somewhere else.
It was well after midnight but Nong kept tossing and turning in her bed going over her vision and the mysterious stranger’s behavior. The crickets’ hum that she usually enjoyed dozing off to started to become annoying. She finally got up deciding to get a drink of water when she noticed a shadow on her balcony. Before she could manage a scream she was overcome and flung back on to her bed.
Not-prince Edan’s face came to view. He was on top of her. His glamour shifting around his broad shoulders. Up close it was like a cloud made of silver particles. One of his hands over her mouth. The other straight across her chest. She tried to buck and kick but it was useless.
“Promise me you won’t scream,” He whispered sternly.
She nodded and he moved away. She punched him so hard he fell off the bed.
“Is this how you treat your prince?!” He shouted getting back up to his feet. His cheek bright red.
Nong jumped off the other side of the bed. “Let’s cut this charade shall we? I’ve known you weren’t Prince Edan since the first moment I saw you. What I don’t know is who you are or what you’re doing in his place?”
“Keep your voice down!” Not-prince Edan whispered back.
“Is Prince Edan dead? And what are you trying to reveal with this prophecy?” Nong kept asking.
“No one is dead!” the imposter scowled, “Yet!” He rubbed his face and glared at her.
Nong’s heart jumped at this bit of information. Her prince might be alive!
“Where is he…? And who are you? What do you want?”
The stranger straightened his posture. His eyes began to glow in the darkness of her room. Was it the candles illuminating them or something else? Nong watched his glamour roll about like the waves of the Jade River. It was beautiful she had to admit to herself. She’d never seen anything like it.
“Prince Edan is safe and sound back at the ruins. My name is Ru Feng. I am the spirit of the beast underneath the old castle,” He crossed his arms, “And I need your help Bird Witch,”
Nong stood there stunned and then took a step back. She took in his delicately pointed ears, his long, dark hair, and those golden eyes. Of course he wasn’t human. No human would be able to use magic except for those of the Bird Clan like herself. But he wasn’t from her clan…He was something much worse.
She was a bird cornered by a beast.
“I’m not…” she gulped carefully, “…helping you devour the world,”
He tilted his head slightly hiding his expression in the shadow. He sat on the edge of Nong’s bed. With his back to her he quietly said, “Who says that I want to devour the world?”
“What?”
Ru Feng sighed, “I don’t want to destroy the world. I want to be free of this curse on me,”
“But the first trigger has already passed. Prince Edan didn’t return from the North as he promised,” Nong argued.
“And we’re going to prevent the second trigger by keeping
his spirit safe in my lair,” He turned to her, “He’ll never die as long as I am
in his body. I saw you in his memories. You’re the only one who can use magic!
You’re the only one who can help me,”
“How can I trust anything you’re saying?” Nong asked. “You’ve possessed Prince
Edan’s body! This could all be a trick!”
Ru Feng waved his hand in exasperation, “He let me borrow it! He said it’d convince you!” He stood and walked around the bed coming up to Nong. She had to raise her head to look him in the eyes but he leaned into her.
“Even if you don’t believe me…in a month’s time my true form will awaken. And then there won’t be anything anyone can do,” He growled.
Nong sucked in a breath. Could she believe him? She needed to see Prince Edan to confirm all of this.
“I have to see Prince Edan first. Once I see that he’s alive and safe as you’ve said…then I’ll help you find a way to break your curse. If I find out you’re lying…I’m sticking with the King’s plan,” She tried not to tremble.
Ru Feng breathed, “Fine,” He said and stepped back. “Thank you,”
His eyes softened but Nong could hardly focus. She watched him make his way silently out through the balcony. She had promised to help him but she couldn’t even cast a spell let alone break one. She was doomed and she didn’t even need a vision to see that.
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