Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
RANA
Rana blinked, bringing the room back into focus. “Was that a command or request?”
The corner of Kamaran’s mouth tilted up. “Whichever is more likely to get you to cooperate.”
She tilted her head to the side as she studied him.
His posture was relaxed and comfortable, lacking the stiff formality that she had seen him wear during formal events, but despite the smirk on his face, she could see the hint of vulnerability behind his eyes.
“And if I say no?” she asked, testing the waters.
He deflated. “You don’t have to.”
For whatever reason, he truly wants this.
But what is his angle? I may have been wrong about the situation with Yasmin earlier, but that still doesn’t mean he’s not up to something.
He’s a flirt, and he’s unpredictable, and his charisma makes it far too easy to want to like him, which makes him dangerous.
There’s a reason he has the reputation he does.
But the flash of genuine disappointment across his face did her in.
She sighed. “Oh, alright.”
Kamaran’s brightened, his face mirroring the excitement and anticipation of a puppy being offered a bone. “Really?”
His boyish grin did funny things to her insides, but she stubbornly refused to attribute the fluttering feeling to anything but too many pieces of Adhavian Delight.
She attacked the hem of the dress she was working on with renewed vigor to give her something else to focus on.
“But, as Teta always says, there are some rules.”
“Name them.” He shifted back further into the cushions.
“First of all, you have to trust the Storyteller. No complaining or arguing if the story isn’t going the way you think it should.”
He nodded. “No complaining. Got it.”
“Second, just because your ears are busy doesn’t mean your hands can be lazy.” Rana paused her needle long enough to stretch out an arm and drag over her basket of thread and ribbons. She shoved it towards his feet. “I talk, you untangle.”
He leaned forward, pulling the basket up and plopping it on his lap. His eyes widened as he took in the chaotic mess of loops and tangles. “What happened here?”
“Zade,” Rana answered, narrowing her eyes at the fox in question.
He lifted his head at the sound of his name and blinked innocently, followed by an adorable, tiny yawn that revealed his sharp teeth and small pink tongue.
“Not only is he a comfort-seeking menace, but he also likes to terrorize anything that resembles string.”
“And you still choose to keep him around?”
“Because he’s such a cute little baby and he’s so soft and snuggly.
” Rana’s voice lifted an octave as she bent in half to bury both hands in the soft fur on either side of Zade’s face.
He leaned into her scratches with a low murr, and his fluffy tail thumped against the woven rug.
“Right? Cuteness covers a multitude of sins.”
Kamaran chuckled. “That’s good to know. I’ll have to keep that defense in mind.”
She straightened. “Unfortunately for you, Your Majesty, I’m afraid you’re far past the days of cuteness.”
“I never said I was talking about myself.” His eyes sparked with mischief. “Though I do find it interesting that my face is the first thing that came to your mind.”
“As an example of something that isn’t cute.”
“But you were still thinking about it.”
Rana rolled her eyes, tamping down the unexpected and rather inconvenient thrill of excitement that thrummed in her chest at their conversation.
The longer she spent in his presence, caught in the intensity of his unwavering attention, the better she understood how he could have earned his reputation.
“Your humility is truly a thing to behold. Do you want a story or not?”
He immediately shifted, adopting an obedient and submissive posture. “I do.”
“Then start working.” She flicked her fingers toward the basket and waited until he had selected a suitably large knot before reclaiming the makings of a dress she had abandoned.
She settled back against the stack of cushions as her mind shuffled through the collection of stories her Teta had taught her over the years.
A tiny smirk pulled one side of her lips up as an idea formed. She cleared her throat.
“Long ago, in a little kingdom not much different than ours, there lived a handsome prince.”
Kamaran grinned. “I like this story already.”
Rana brandished her needle. “No interruptions!”
“Of course. My deepest apologies.”
She glared at him with just enough severity to mean business. “The prince, though he had been blessed with wealth and privilege, still found himself discontent with his life, and he spent his days chasing after frivolous pastimes and beauty that wouldn’t last.”
Kamaran grimaced but wisely kept his mouth shut.
“One evening, while walking in his garden, the prince discovered a golden ball hidden amongst the roots and leaves of a rose bush. He picked it up, immediately entranced by the way it felt in his hands and the way the gold shone in the setting sun, and decided then that it would be his.
“He continued on his way, whistling merrily as he went and tossing the ball back and forth between his hands.
As he drew closer to the center of the garden, however, he was surprised to hear the sound of sobbing, and not long after, he came upon a woman huddled underneath a tree with her head buried in her hands.
“As she lifted her tear-stained face, Prince Kamden—”
The Sultan snickered. “What an original name.”
She cleared her throat pointedly. “Prince Kamden,” she repeated with emphasis, “was struck speechless by her beauty, which was made all the more tragic by the trail of tears that ran down her cheeks. He rushed to her side, falling to his knees beside her and asking, ‘How can I help? Are you hurt?’
“The woman took a deep, shuddering breath as she wiped her face. ‘I’ve lost something precious to me,’ she said.
“‘What is it?’ Prince Kamden asked. ‘I would be happy to help you search for it.’
“She smiled at him, and Prince Kamden felt as if the sun had emerged from behind a bank of clouds. ‘Oh, thank you! I’m looking for a golden ball.’
“‘A golden ball?’ the prince repeated. He felt a sinking sensation in his chest as he tightened his grip on the ball that was still clutched tightly in one hand. He shifted slightly, angling his shoulder to hide his hand behind his back. ‘What does it look like?’
“‘Well, it’s gold,’ the woman laughed, and the bright hopefulness in her eyes caused a pang of guilt to pierce Prince Kamden’s heart. ‘And about the size of an apple.’
“‘What does one do with a ball made of gold?’
“‘Oh, no. It’s a golden ball, not a ball of gold.’ The woman shook her head. ‘A ball of gold would be terribly impractical.’
“Prince Kamden offered her his most charming smile. ‘I stand corrected. What does one do with a golden ball, then?’
“‘I’m afraid that’s a secret,’ the woman answered.
She rose to her feet, and the prince was surprised to find that when she stood, her eyes were nearly level with his own.
‘But I’m incredibly grateful for your offer.
Golden balls are incredibly rare, and it took me several years of intense, tedious study and painful searching to find it in the first place. ’
“Prince Kamden’s smile faltered, the thoughts of doing the right thing and returning the ball to find one of his own chased away by the idea of such overwhelming effort. ‘Perhaps we should retrace your steps. Why don’t you lead the way?’
“She nodded and stepped past him, and once her back was to him, Prince Kamden slipped the ball into his jacket pocket. They searched the garden for several hours, but of course, found nothing.
“As the sun was setting, Prince Kamden offered her a sad, sympathetic smile. ‘I’m so sorry I wasn’t able to help.’
“The woman’s demeanor changed in an instant, and her eyes were sharp as she seemed to peer into his very soul. ‘I’m sorry as well, Your Highness—both for you and for your kingdom.’
“Before Prince Kamden could open his mouth to respond, the golden ball in his pocket suddenly burst into flames, burning a hole through the fabric until the incriminating sphere dropped to the ground and rolled to a stop by the woman’s feet.
She bent down and picked it up, the flames snuffing out the moment her fingers made contact.
‘It seems your search didn’t leave you quite as empty-handed as you wanted me to believe. ’
“Prince Kamden’s blood ran cold, and he held up his hands as he put a few more steps of space between them. ‘I can explain!’ he began.
“The woman shook her head sadly. ‘There’s no need. I’ve already seen all that I need to know. You’re as cold-hearted and indolent as a reptile, Your Highness, and it’s only right that your kingdom should see you for who you really are.’
“The woman’s hands began to glow with a cold blue light, and with a flick of her wrist, she sent a stream of magic shooting across the distance into the center of the prince’s chest. He screamed, falling to his knees, as the light enveloped him, growing brighter and brighter until it disappeared with a final flash.
“On the rocky path, where Prince Kamden had been standing, was a small, gray-green lizard with a fringe of spikes where his crown had been.”
Rana tied off her thread and snipped the excess before holding up the garment to examine her handiwork. Over the fabric, she caught Kamaran’s eyes as he leaned forward. “What happened next?”
She shrugged. “He probably ate a bug or two.”
The Sultan shook his head. “No, I mean, how does he turn back into a man?”
“Who’s to say he does?”
“You can’t just end the story like that.”
She carefully folded the dress. “I direct your attention to rule number one. No complaining or arguing.”
“But he’s a lizard.” Kamaran crossed his arms.
“Such a shame. He should have made better choices.”
“How is he supposed to break the curse? There’s always a way to break them.”
Rana lifted a brow. “Is there? Maybe some princes are just lizards.”
“There has to be.” There was an edge of desperation in his voice that struck a stark contrast with the cool, smooth demeanor that he normally wore.
She pulled her legs in and stood, taking a moment to stretch out her lower back. “Tonight there isn’t.” She snapped her fingers, beckoning for Zade to follow her as she made her way to the door.
“Does that mean another night your answer will be different?”
Rana paused at the threshold, looking over her shoulder and offering him a small smile.
“I guess you’ll have to wait and see.”