Chapter 42: A Storm on the Horizon
The moonlight faded behind thick storm clouds as Oki and Prince Kimo stood side by side on the highest balcony of the palace—overlooking a kingdom unaware of the fire burning beneath its surface.
The prince's fingers twitched with magic barely restrained. His mind swirled with everything Oki had revealed. Bloodlines, lost memories, forbidden truths… and a mother who may still be alive, imprisoned somewhere beyond reach.
He turned toward Oki, his voice low. "Why me? Why all this for me?"
Oki met his gaze, her eyes softening. "Because you were never meant to be ordinary. You were always meant to rule—with power and compassion. And because… you're Elira's son."
The wind howled, as though reacting to the queen's name.
Below, the palace buzzed with whispers and tension. The king, though visibly changed, had begun attending to his duties again—but rumors still spread like wildfire.
"I don't trust her," one nobleman whispered to another. "That maid—Oki. Where was she when the battle happened? How does she return now, hand-in-hand with the prince?"
"Worse," another added, "no one remembers her face clearly during the chaos. She's… unnatural."
The king sat silently in the grand hall during a council meeting, listening. His hand clenched around his goblet. He already knew the truth—or part of it. Oki had saved his life. She had warned him that Kimo would soon face the greatest trial of his life. And she asked him for only one thing: "Protect your son. Be the father he never truly had."
The king rose suddenly, voice booming. "Enough slander. Oki risked her life for this kingdom. If anyone questions her again, they question the royal bloodline itself."
Silence fell like a hammer. But from the shadows behind the throne, the queen's eyes burned with hatred. Her fingers tapped a slow, calculated rhythm on the stone armrest. The citizens' gossip had served her perfectly. Jealousy had morphed into a weapon.
She walked alone to her secret chamber that night, where dark books lined the walls. There, she lit the enchanted flame and whispered, "He grows closer to her. We must act."
A voice responded from the mirror—a faint, distorted female voice. "Then break him… before he remembers the rest."
Back on the balcony, Kimo leaned against the rail, heavy with thought. Oki joined him.
"My prince," she said, brushing his hair from his eyes, "do you remember the dream? Of your mother?"
"Yes," he whispered. "I saw her again. She was smiling. She told me I'd always carry her strength."
"And you do," Oki said, her hand finding his. "More than you know."
He turned to her, raw emotion rising. "Then stay with me. No more secrets. No more hiding."
Oki smiled, but it was tinged with sadness. "Some truths must wait, even between those who love."
Kimo cupped her face gently. "Then let this moment be truth." He kissed her again—slower, deeper. A kiss not of urgency but of promise. Of a bond forged beyond bloodlines, beyond magic.
As their lips parted, Oki closed her eyes and whispered, "They'll come for you, Kimo. Those who fear what you are… and those who know what you'll become."
He looked out at the gathering storm clouds. "Then let them come."
To be continued...