Page 4 of Warrior Princess
I nodded emphatically, my voice firm. “Yes. She does.”
Shiro's lips curled into a sad smile, a complex emotion flickering in his eyes that I couldn't quite read. “Good,” he murmured gently. “Very good. Let us bring her back.” With that, he turned and started towards the exit of the ritual hall.
I followed without hesitation, my steps quick and determined, leaving behind a scene of disarray: my father standing dumbfounded and the elders in an uproar, their protests fading into the background.
2
LEILA
Ibolted upright with a sharp intake of breath, my hand instinctively clutching at my neck where dried blood flaked beneath my fingers. My eyes, adjusting slowly, scanned the dimly lit cavern around me—a vast, echoing space where shadows danced along rugged walls, illuminated sporadically by the flickering light of torches mounted on jagged outcroppings. My gaze darted frantically, finally resting on Ronan where he stood a few feet away beside an unfamiliar member of the Crimson Clan. My heart hammered against my chest as I struggled to regulate my breathing.
I was dead, or at least, I was supposed to be. What happened?
“Leila!” Ronan's voice cut through the murky silence as he rushed to my side.
I glanced down at the cold stone altar where I lay, noticing the dried blood that encrusted my wrists from where they had been sliced. With trembling fingers I touched the now-healed scar on my throat, a cruel reminder of where Chief Aryan slit it, allowing my life to slowly ebb away until darkness claimed me.
“Ro—” My voice was a hoarse whisper, each word a struggle as I gasped for moisture.
Ronan wrapped his arms around me and gently smoothed the disarray of my hair. “You’re okay. Everything is okay,” he murmured, though I felt the tremors that coursed through his body.
“W-What happened?” I rasped. “How am I alive?”
Ronan stepped aside and gestured towards the man with him. “This is Shiro… the demon fox,” he explained. “I promised you he’d bring you back, and he did.”
Only then did I notice the white, bushy tail swishing behind the man, unmistakably marking his identity. My eyes widened in disbelief.
“T-Thank you,” I managed to stutter.
Shiro approached slowly, his eyes sweeping over me with a mixture of wonder and sorrow. “You,” he whispered, “you look just like her.”
I frowned, confused. “Do you mean the moon goddess?”
He nodded solemnly. “Yes, Celeste. I assume she is no longer with us.”
“No,” I replied, my voice steadier. “She died centuries ago in a battle with Keldara.”
A sad smile touched Shiro's lips as he lowered his gaze. “Right. Of course she did,” he murmured. “She always kept her promises.”
“Thank you,” Ronan interjected, gratitude lacing his voice. “If you hadn’t kept yours, she wouldn’t have survived.”
Shiro’s eyes met Ronan’s. “After Celeste put me to sleep, I promised myself that I would revive her descendant, no matter what, if it ever came to be. It was the least I could do for her.”
“For her?” I questioned, puzzled. “Weren’t you on bad terms with the moon goddess?”
Shiro sighed, and a look of deep regret shadowed his features. “At the end, we were… but it was my fault. I was too blinded by hate to see reason. She died without me being able toask for forgiveness... She was the one I loved most, and she died thinking I hated her.”
I cleared my throat, trying to offer comfort. “I’m sure she knew the truth.” My gaze drifted towards Ronan. “I know I do.”
Ronan squeezed my hands, his own still trembling from the aftermath of fear and relief.
I gave his hands a reassuring squeeze. “Are you okay?”
He nodded, then furrowed his brow. “Yes, I'm just... I'm just coming down from the adrenaline rush, I guess. Sorry,” he muttered, his voice reflecting a mix of relief and exhaustion.
I chuckled softly, my own nerves still jittery. “It's okay. If anything, I should be the one apologizing. When Chief Aryan approached me, he convinced me that I wouldn't be revived... that I couldn’t be, and I believed him. I’m sor—”
“Shh,” Ronan hushed me gently, his eyes earnest. “You don’t have to apologize. I know how my father can be. None of this is your fault. Once I deal with Keldara, we’ll leave here and never look back. I promise.”
