The Magics of Rei-Een Box Set

by Georgina Makalani

  ‘The hidden princess has already proven herself too ready to fight for the Empire. She would not fight against it.’

  ‘She was prepared to fight the crown prince,’ he said.

  ‘She was trying to protect him,’ the hunter said. The first words he had spoken. ‘She knew what he was battling with, and she wanted to ensure he was safe.’

  ‘How do we know the girl is safe?’ someone else asked, and although the empress scanned the group, she couldn’t determine who it was.

  ‘Because she stopped the prince, almost killing herself in the process. She insisted on standing up for the Empire. And she has done all she can to help bring the prince in, despite the threat to both him and herself.’

  The murmuring started again amidst the ministers, and the empress was sure there was not just discussion, but some argument about what they had heard. It might be that they did not all feel the same. But the advisor stood silent, his hands clasped before him and a sour look upon his face. He would not be easily swayed, the empress determined, and she was disappointed that a man she had thought loyal to their family would be so quick to give them up.

  The hunter must have had a similar thought. Resting his hand on his sword, he bowed towards the emperor and made to leave.

  ‘I’m not sure we are finished here,’ he said.

  ‘I don’t think we are going to get very far. I’ll check on the princess and decide what we shall do with the crown prince while we consider what can be done with the magics.’

  ‘I think we have far more to discuss. But I think the ministers could take their leave.’ The emperor looked older and more tired than the empress had expected, and she wondered if he would consider allowing the ministers to take Remi into custody. Although she doubted it would end there.

  Chapter 10

  Remi watched the general walk ahead as the soldiers surrounded them. Despite the number of men, he didn’t feel threatened. He knew they would do whatever Lis asked of them. He recognised many of the men from the hidden princess guard. They tended to pay more attention to her than to him, and at first he had thought it was because they feared her. But they were watching out for her, ensuring she was happy and comfortable walking beside the prince who had tried to kill her.

  The disappointment leaked from him in a sigh, and the swords moved in their sheaths as Lis turned to him.

  ‘What is wrong?’ she asked.

  He shook his head. ‘Where are we going?’

  ‘Back to the laundry,’ she said. ‘I think. What do you think, general?’

  He nodded solemnly but kept moving ahead.

  ‘You don’t want to lock me up?’ Remi asked, regretting the move as the general stopped.

  ‘Would you rather we put you in the prison? Would that make it easier for your magic friends to find you?’

  He shook his head, noticing that Lis watched him too closely. ‘Are you scared of me?’ he asked without thinking.

  ‘Should she be?’ the general asked for her, and Remi shook his head.

  ‘Maybe the general should stay with you in the big room, and I take a smaller one,’ she said softly.

  ‘You are scared,’ he said, reaching for her arm, but she pulled it back out of his reach.

  ‘I’m not scared,’ she said, her chin held high and her voice too loud. ‘I’m sure it is not right that we stay together.’ Her cheeks blushed brightly.

  ‘You didn’t mind…’ He stopped when she looked away.

  ‘I was relieved that I hadn’t killed you,’ she said as they continued towards the laundry. After some time in silence, she asked, ‘How long do you think until they try to find you?’

  ‘I don’t know that they will,’ he said.

  ‘They need you for their plan, don’t they?’ the general asked.

  ‘They might have got all they wanted,’ he said.

  ‘They might have got wind of the princess being alive, and where she is,’ one of the soldiers said. ‘You are more a danger to her now than you were as a hunter.’

  ‘I didn’t try to kill her,’ he said to the man.

  ‘And yet you very nearly did,’ the man snapped back, the anger behind his voice surprising the prince. ‘You were supposed to protect her, to keep her hidden until she could be your wife. Yet you only brought harm and fear her way, siding with the magics who want her dead.’

  ‘That will do,’ the general murmured from the front, and Lis gave the man a friendly smile.

  Remi’s heart skipped. He shook his head to dispel the feeling and tried to remember how he had slept with her against his body, her head on his shoulder. His tensions eased. When he refocused on the world around him, he noticed she was watching him again, and he smiled. She bowed her head and looked away. Did she think he could be a threat, that he was scouting her out for the magics? She had seemed so relieved the night before, so comfortable standing between him and an army of men.

  ‘Was it simply the relief?’ he asked.

  ‘Sorry?’ She turned to him as they continued towards the laundry.

  ‘That you were so accepting of me yesterday—was it only because of your relief that I wasn’t dead?’

  She shook her head. ‘I knew you weren’t yourself,’ she murmured, watching the street ahead of her rather than him. ‘It is so quiet,’ she said.

  When the general turned back to say something, a fireball flew towards them. Before he could act, Lis was standing before the general, her hands raised, and the soldiers surrounding them. Another fireball hurled towards them, but it stopped midair and dissipated.

  ‘Keep moving,’ the general said through clenched teeth.

  Huddled together, they moved through the open space and into a narrow pathway.

  Lis swayed to the side, the general put his arm around her, and they ran faster. Remi was swept up in the movement of the soldiers rather than any forward momentum of his own. He tried not to let Lis out of his sight as they moved forward and the group ahead of him disappeared through a gap between two buildings. They were close to the laundry, but Remi wasn’t sure it was going to do them any good. It appeared the magics had them as another fireball sailed overhead.

  His main concern was reaching Lis before any more magics showed up. She wasn’t as well recovered as he had thought, and although she appeared as strong as she had been that day, it certainly wasn’t the case. If she couldn’t protect them with her barrier, she might not be able to protect herself at all.

  He pushed a couple of the younger soldiers out of the way, trying to get to her—she always seemed to be out of his reach. As he made his way forward in the group, he soon found that they had stopped. Lis was leaning heavily into the general.

  ‘Can I take her?’ he asked.

  ‘Where would you take her to?’ the man asked, his arm tighter around her shoulder. Lis, with her eyes closed, didn’t even move.

  ‘I simply meant take her weight,’ he whispered. ‘What can you see?’

  ‘Nothing. I don’t suppose you could use some of your hunting skills and see if there is anyone around?’

  Remi nodded and pushed to the front of the narrow space between the buildings. He wondered briefly why they had come this way, but then it could have been just to keep them out of sight. Not that they had seen anyone yet. He tried to keep within the shadow of the building and closed his eyes. There was something in the distance, but he wasn’t clear on what exactly it was. No one was using any magic at the moment.

  But the fireballs had been a good indication that there were fire bearers around. Perhaps the priestess had seen something that had led to them realising the princess was still alive. Because she hadn’t seen that before—or if she had previously, she hadn’t been willing to share that information with Remi. She may have felt there was an advantage to his not knowing, that it gave her power over him.

  He blushed at the idea of her and looked back just as Lis opened her eyes. She seemed to stare for a moment before closing them again. He didn’t think he could be separated
from her again. A breeze blew over his skin, making him shiver, but it wasn’t magic. Whoever had been out there had disappeared. But they might be waiting to follow them.

  ‘People will know where we are,’ he whispered. ‘It wasn’t hard for me to learn where you were hiding; it won’t take the magics long either.’

  ‘But we will be ready for them,’ the general said. He lifted Lis easily into his arms and nodded to a soldier, who headed out into the street before them. Nothing happened, and the general followed with the princess in his arms.

  There was no sign of magic or magics on the rest of the journey to the laundry, which still looked like a working laundry when they reached it. Remi wondered what had happened to the girls who had worked here. Like the rest of the island, they had gone. Would they ever come back?

  Despite the earlier idea of the princess moving, the general carried her into the large room and then waited while Remi raced forward and unrolled her covers. The general laid her down carefully and then covered her up.

  ‘What is it?’ Remi asked, sitting on the edge of the platform.

  ‘She isn’t healed enough yet. She can hide, but a barrier to protect us all was simply more than she was able to handle.’

  ‘I’m sorry,’ Remi mumbled, more to Lis than the general. It was the fight between them that had caused so much of the trouble and taken so much from her.

  They sat in silence around the sleeping princess. Remi could hear the soldiers outside walking back and forth across the doorway, and he was grateful they hadn’t followed them in. He was pleased the men had continued to keep her safe and watch over her, but they had quickly formed a dislike to him, and he wasn’t sure if he could turn it around. Or even if he deserved their respect.

  Lis murmured in her sleep and then rolled over. The general sighed and ran a hand over his ragged face. He appeared to have aged so much since Remi had last seen him, and Remi was sorry he hadn’t really focused on the man the day before.

  ‘Has it been so bad?’ he asked softly.

  The other man nodded.

  ‘I really thought I had killed her,’ Remi said.

  ‘We all did,’ the general murmured. He ran a hand over her forehead, brushing away a loose hair. ‘I was so sure she was gone. I think the healer did far more than he had before to bring her back to us. Enough that she worries for him. Any talk of bringing him back from wherever he is hiding is quickly shut down.’

  ‘She has always done all she could to protect him,’ Remi said.

  ‘And so she should. He is a good friend to her. She is lucky to have been surrounded by those she has been.’

  ‘Does that include me?’

  ‘No,’ he said matter-of-factly. ‘You left her.’

  ‘It wasn’t by choice,’ Remi said. But in many ways, it was. He had been fed all sorts of information, and much of it he had felt in his heart wasn’t the truth, yet he had followed it anyway. ‘I never wanted to hurt her,’ he whispered instead.

  ‘You have said that before, and yet you nearly killed her.’

  ‘You sound like Wei-Song,’ Remi said, louder than he intended. Lis groaned and opened her eyes.

  The general glared at him. ‘Rest,’ he said.

  ‘Did they follow us?’

  ‘We don’t think so,’ Remi said, and she turned towards him. He waited for her to smile, but she didn’t. Her eyes closed again. ‘Maybe I should move into one of the other rooms,’ he said, but she reached out then and took his hand.

  ‘There aren’t any other rooms,’ the general said. ‘Despite what we think and whether it is appropriate or not, it may be best you stay close to her.’

  Remi looked at him with surprise. Then he nodded slowly. If they were discovered in the night, he would rather be close to protect her.

  Chapter 11

  A soldier ran into the room and stopped, bowed to the emperor and the empress and then rushed towards the hunter. He stepped up to Hui Te-Sze.

  ‘Magics have attacked the princess,’ he murmured.

  Te-Sze looked at the emperor and then turned to the man beside him. ‘And?’

  ‘She held them back.’

  ‘How many?’

  ‘We didn’t see them. It took a lot out of her.’

  ‘Your Eminence,’ the hunter said, stepping forward. ‘It appears that the princess and the crown prince were attacked on their way back from their audience with you. I would like to see how they are.’

  ‘You have just been told,’ the emperor said. ‘If we don’t find a way to end this, there will be more attacks.’

  ‘I fear their attacks will be focused on the prince and princess.’

  ‘I thought they understood Remi to be on their side,’ the empress added.

  ‘I fear they have doubts now that he has returned to the princess.’

  ‘If they stay together,’ the emperor said. ‘She may not want him.’

  ‘She has returned because of him,’ the hunter said.

  ‘But is it enough?’ the empress asked, stepping down from the platform beside the emperor and crossing the floor with surprising speed. ‘Can they stop this together?’

  ‘The prophecy seems certain that they will. Now that she has chosen to be here, it will be different.’

  ‘I do hope you are right,’ the empress said.

  ‘May I take my leave?’

  The emperor nodded, and the hunter moved quickly from the room and across the Palace Isle towards the laundry. He tried to be aware of his surroundings in case there were more magics about, knowing he might also be a target. Yet he raced to ensure the little princess was safe. He knew she would do all she could to keep the prince and the soldiers from harm, and she wasn’t ready for a battle of any kind. She might not even be ready for a single fireball.

  The compound was dark when he reached it, and he moved confidently through the open hallways and straight into the large room that had once housed so many laundry girls.

  A soldier drew a sword but stopped midway, recognising him for who he was. He bowed. At least they were ready. There was only one soldier inside the room, but he was sure many more watched from the shadows outside, as they had done the night before. Only he didn’t think all those trying to get to the princess would be as thoughtful of her safety as the crown prince. If he was the crown prince any longer. Despite his father’s wishes, the ministers were too keen to have him removed.

  Te-Sze drew in a breath as he focused on the prince in the dim light, sitting cross legged on the platform and watching over the sleeping princess. The general was nowhere to be seen. The prince glanced up at him, nodded once and turned his attention back to the princess.

  ‘Is she well?’ Te-Sze asked, stepping closer and trying to keep his voice low.

  The prince nodded once, then shook his head. ‘She does too much,’ he said.

  ‘She does what she can to keep us all safe, when we should be protecting her,’ the guard by the door said quietly.

  ‘She is not as strong as she could be,’ the prince admitted sadly. ‘And it is my fault.’

  ‘No,’ she murmured in her sleep. Te-Sze wondered if she had heard what was said, or if she dreamt of something else.

  ‘She is too good for me,’ the prince continued. ‘But you always knew that,’ he added with a sad smile.

  ‘I thought you too good for her,’ Te-Sze admitted. ‘It wasn’t so long ago I wanted you to run her through. And then where would we be?’

  Remi smiled and then looked back at the sleeping woman.

  ‘She is not what I thought she was,’ the hunter admitted, ‘and neither are you.’

  ‘I’m not sure what I am,’ the prince said. ‘I may be more dangerous for the Empire than I would like to admit. The ministers may be right.’

  ‘I doubt that. And your father is determined they are not.’

  Remi sighed. ‘What will he do?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ the hunter said. ‘I don’t think he knows yet what he will do, but your mother will speak
for you.’

  The prince nodded slowly.

  ‘I wonder if the Empire will ever be what it was again,’ Te-Sze mused.

  ‘What it was before the magic war, or before this? I don’t think it will ever be quite the same. The hidden princess traditions are gone. You may very well be looking at the last one.’

  ‘What will happen then? What will you do if they take away your crown?’

  ‘I was never destined to be Emperor,’ Remi said.

  The hunter thought he detected some sadness there. But he was unsure if it was because of the state of the world or because of Remi’s brother. Te-Sze waited before he asked again, ‘What will you do?’

  ‘Leave. Find somewhere they will accept us for what we are, who we are.’

  ‘We?’ the hunter asked.

  Remi glanced down at the princess. Te-Sze knew the prince had loved her from the start, but he had always thought the princess would return to her father and her island, if given the chance. He wondered now if that was the case. She had returned for the prince. What would she do for him if he could no longer remain on the Palace Isle?

  ‘I’ll check on the men. I think you should get some rest, but keep an eye out, or your senses. We don’t know what they might try.’

  Remi nodded, never taking his eyes from the princess. The hunter sighed, then bowed and left them to it. He would most likely keep watch over her all night. He wondered if the prince had been impacted by their fight. If his magic was subdued and he had only handed himself to his father so easily because he wasn’t able to fight them.

  Despite what he had heard during the day, Te-Sze knew that Prince Remi was the right man to rule the Empire, only several things had to change before that could happen. He nodded silently to the men he passed. Without checking on the general, he disappeared into his own small room.

  The high priestess tried not to sigh as she looked at the dark water of the pond. Chonglin stood beside her, sighing loudly. She was disappointed that the prince had been so quick to disappear with the rumours of the princess’s survival. And although they had sent men to check on what he did and where he might be, she wondered if they had lost him.