The prince’s sharp features tighten into an imperious glare, but before he can snap back, his bodyguard steps forwards.
The bodyguard is a beast of a Glowranth. Where the prince is lean and graceful, this one is towering and broad, his blue skin a shade darker, his glowing markings subtler, almost hidden in the shadow of his massive frame. His voice, when he speaks, is a low rumble in their native language.
I glance at Solan for a translation, but I don’t need to ask. His voice slips into my mind, warm and steady.
“He’s saying that it’s possible you’re telling the truth. The prince shouldn’t make rash assumptions.”
The prince snaps something back in Glowranthian, and for a moment, the two of them argue, their voices a mix of sharp and guttural tones.
“What’s he saying now?” I ask, casting a wary glance between them.
“He says it’s impossible for the human you found to be his fated,” Solan replies aloud, his voice tinged with irritation. “He’sbasing that on….” Solan pauses, then lets out a scoffing laugh. “On your strength. He thinks you’retoo strongto not be his fated.”
I gape at him. “Are you serious? What kind of logic is that?”
The bodyguard cuts through the prince’s tirade with a firm, measured response in English. “My prince,” he says, his voice deep but calm, “there is merit in his words. If the blood is not his, we must consider that the human he speaks of is the one you seek.”
I blink in surprise at the sudden switch to English. Solan arches a brow, clearly as taken aback as I am.
“Wait, you speak English?” I ask, though why I’m surprised, since the prince spoke English better than some Aussies I know, is beyond me.
The bodyguard inclines his head slightly. “I do. My name is Kael.”
“Well, Kael,” I say, pointing at him with a faint smirk, “you’re already my favourite Glowranth in this conversation.”
The prince bristles at that, his bioluminescent markings flaring slightly.
Solan, though still fuming, lets out a quiet snort at my attempt at humour.“Careful,”he says in my mind, his voice tinged with reluctant amusement.“You’re going to make him jealous.”
Kael steps forwards, his massive frame casting a shadow over the prince. “We must consider what is best for all involved,” he says firmly. “If the human you found truly carries your bond, then they are in danger. The queen will stop at nothing to claim them for her own purposes.”
The mention of the queen sends a ripple of unease through the group. Even the prince’s arrogance falters slightly, his expression tightening.
“Hold on,” I say, stepping closer, “didn’t you disappear? Everyone thought you’d been sucked into a merge. But you… you ran, didn’t you?”
The prince’s sharp gaze locks onto mine, and for the first time, there’s something other than haughtiness in his expression. There’s anger, yes, but also something raw.
“I left,” he admits, his voice low, “to find my fated. To find them before my mother did.”
The admission hangs heavy in the air, and for a moment, the tension shifts.
Kael nods, his glowing markings pulsing faintly. “We have been tracking them since the last rift,” he says. “Not the one from earlier today.”
I control my expression, aware that the last merge before today’s was the one I came through. It must mean more than one happened at the same time. I wonder if that’s happened before.
“We have always been a step behind.” His gaze flicks to my bloodstained shirt. “This is the first sign we’re close.”
Shanae, who’s been quiet during the exchange, steps forwards. “So you want your human?” she asks, her tone sharp. “We can’t take him to the camp. It’s too dangerous.” She glances at her team.
“That’s not your decision to make,” the prince snaps, his arrogance back in full force.
“Actually,” Shanae retorts, crossing her arms, “it kind of is. See, I’m the one who’s responsible for keeping this group alive. And if you think I’m just going to hand over a Riftborn to you, you’ve got another think coming,Your Highness.”
I’m pretty sure she’s taking the piss with that emphasis, just like I did.
A faint smile tugs at my lips. Shanae’s got guts, I’ll give her that.
“What do you want, then? In exchange?” the prince demands, his bioluminescent markings flaring brightly.
