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She laughed. “You are in denial.”

“Did you think I would never find out about Enzad, the bastard?”

Her face lost all color and she took a step back. “I…”

“Enzad is your brother’s bastard, is he not?”

“H-he is dead. His home burned to the ground. My uncle said so himself,” she mumbled.

“Your uncle? You would trust the man who raped and defiled you?”

She panted, clenching and unclenching her hands.

“Enzad escaped the fire. Unfortunately, his mother and other siblings did not survive.”

“It doesn’t matter. He is just a boy.”

“A boy who is still the heir to the Isles of Contra. He is old enough to hold an ax and wear a crown, I presume.”

“Nooooo,” she hollered.

“Enzad is quite angry. So angry, in fact, that he’s seized your Isles. While you were here plotting and scheming to obtain what doesn’t belong to you, he has gotten his revenge. So, I ask you again, princess, how much longer do you wish to play these games and lose? As I’ve said before, although I am bound, I am right where I am supposed to be. This is my domain.”

Sanjit went berserk, hollering and screaming and picking up objects and throwing it across the dusty room. She picked up an iron kettle holding some water and threw it straight at me. It knocked me in the head and although pain ripped through my skull, I didn’t cry out.

“Surrender,” I rasped.

“Never!”

She fled from the room.

“Larj!” I heard her cry out as the guards locked my dungeon door.

“Yes, my queen.”

“That little runt Enzad the bastard has seized the Isles. We must get it back. We must take him out before it’s too late.”

I grinned and glanced toward the tiny 12x12 inch window. The sun faded in the distance. Although, I had won a small victory, I was still scared. Not for myself. But for Visla’s life. I begged to the gods and to the fates to help her reach Xtarra safely.