Chapter 4

The non-royal warriors had gathered in the training field, where they were receiving special instruction from the royal warriors' masters, including Prince Jing himself.

"Attention!" bellowed a man in his forties, his dark skin glistening under the sun. Like most warriors, his body was muscular and solid, a testament to years of rigorous training. "Today, we are joined in training by Prince Jing, his warriors, and his trusted masters. As you already know, the Northern Kingdom has declared war on us.

"In these dark times, the Western Kingdom stands as our ally and will fight by our side. Meanwhile, the Eastern Kingdom has chosen to remain neutral for now, though it’s highly likely they will align with our enemies sooner or later, driven by their fear of being attacked by traitors. We are well aware that many rebels and tribes have joined forces with them against us, hoping to gain access to our energy source and resources if we are conquered.

"Warriors, let us give our lives on the battlefield!" he roared with fervor, igniting the same spirit of determination in the others.

The warriors were divided into groups, each led by a non-royal master and a noble commander. Master Lee and Prince Jing were tasked with training the best non-royal warriors, among whom was Leela.

After several hours of intensive training, the group led by Jing and Master Lee took a break. Leela seized the opportunity to fetch water and bring it to her instructors.

“I don’t understand why you even train with us when you never step onto the battlefield,” said one of the two women who approached her. Both looked intimidating, with their muscular builds and towering height.

“Maybe she’s here for the warriors’ amusement. What else could this bitch be good for?” sneered the other.

Leela was about to unleash a torrent of sharp retorts when the prince unexpectedly intervened.

“She is undergoing trials for a special mission among my elite warriors,” Jing stated coldly. The women turned pale as they realized who had spoken, their features frozen in terror.

“Such insolence deserves punishment,” Jing continued, his voice unwavering. “Your foolish and disrespectful words have insulted not only her but all of us.

“My camps are no brothels, and none of my warriors are here for anyone’s entertainment.” Turning to two nearby masters, Jing called them over. “What punishment do you recommend for a woman who has insulted the crown and the King’s warriors?”

The crowd fell silent, stunned. The accused woman, Danna, was one of the best among the non-royals and highly esteemed.

Sensing the gravity of his disciple’s situation, one of the masters fell to his knees before the prince, pleading, “Please, forgive Danna’s thoughtlessness, my lord!”

“I will not tolerate such offenses among my warriors,” Jing replied with icy resolve. “However, if she apologizes to the warrior she insulted, her punishment will be reduced to three days in the dungeons to reflect on her actions.”

The master gave the girl a pleading look, knowing how proud she was. To his surprise and relief, Danna nodded in agreement and knelt before Leela, her gaze lowered.

“Warrior, forgive my ill-intentioned words,” she said.

Leela gave a slight nod in response. Immediately, two warriors seized the woman and led her away to be imprisoned.

“Master Lee,” the prince addressed Leela’s mentor, “I need Warrior Brown to accompany me. We have a pending training session to attend.”

Master Lee nodded respectfully, and the prince began to walk away from the camp, with Leela following close behind.

They vanished into the forest, walking in silence for what felt like a long while. When they were far from the others, they stopped by a green, crystalline river surrounded by trees, where a small waterfall cascaded down.

Jing stepped into the shallow waters without a word, and Leela followed him without question, though her gaze darted around, intrigued and filled with curiosity.

The narrow path led them to a cave. They walked for another five minutes before Jing came to a halt. He turned to face her, their eyes locking, and Leela began to tremble with nerves.

Jing frowned as he noticed her reaction.

“Leela, you make yourself weak when you let your emotions control you. That’s the reason I haven’t officially designated you as a spy yet—you’re still fragile and don’t act like the warrior you’re meant to be. Instead, your behavior resembles that of an ordinary girl.”

“I’m not just interested in your skill in battle. I need to see your strength of character and discipline. At the same time, I need to trust your sound judgment and emotional intelligence.”

His cold and rough way of speaking about her left a bitter taste in her mouth. Her sad and embarrassed expression didn’t go unnoticed by the prince. Without warning, he grabbed her by the waist and pressed her against the wall, trapping her with his body.

Confusion and fear flooded her, as she hadn’t expected such an abrupt move from him.

Suddenly, Jing brought his face closer to hers and brushed her lips with his. She, on the other hand, was trembling from the unexpected proximity.

Jing locked eyes with her as if waiting for some sort of reaction, but Leela remained still and stunned. He leaned in closer, his voice a low whisper near her ear.

"These feelings you have for me make you weak and dull your reflexes. Right now, you’re easy prey."

He brushed her cheek with his thumb, his expression sharp and laced with irony. Leela, however, stayed frozen in place.

Jing took advantage of her disorientation, grazing her lips with his. Though his movements had been confident at first, hesitation crept into his gestures, and it was clear he was waging an inner battle.

Leela, noticing the prince’s internal struggle and his faltering resolve to fully commit to the kiss, let her impulsive nature take over. She kissed him.

Jing’s almond-shaped eyes widened as he felt his subordinate’s lips pressing boldly against his. He didn’t move at first, but Leela continued tasting his lips as if they were lovers.

After a few moments of stunned silence, Jing grabbed her face with both hands and returned her daring gesture. He couldn’t pinpoint when he’d lost control or the thread of his reprimand—he had only meant to provoke her to prove his point.

How could I have fallen into my own trap? he thought, horrified.

Jing’s tongue sought hers, but Leela, inexperienced as she was, quickly began to lose her breath. Noticing her struggle, he pulled back, his thoughts scattered. He couldn’t believe what he had just done, nor the effect the impulsive act had left on him.

“How dare you kiss the prince?” he demanded, his voice uneasy and laced with nerves. Jing was far from his usual calm demeanor, his eyes filled with confusion and astonishment.

“Forgive me, Your Highness, but you started it,” she retorted, crossing her arms. She feigned composure, though, in truth, she was just as confused, nervous, and overwhelmed. It all felt surreal—their shared moment, his reactions, and her own boldness.

“I started it?” He shook his head, incredulous. “Leela, it was you who kissed me so shamelessly. That was audacious and entirely inappropriate.”

She responded with an ironic smile, driven by the frustration his blatant hypocrisy provoked.

“It was you who cornered me and pressed your lips against mine. All I did was finish what your hesitation wouldn’t allow you to do. So, Prince, don’t tell me this was just another one of your bizarre lessons,” she retorted, offended by his audacity.

“Of course it was!” he raised his voice. No one—except for Lars—had ever confronted or challenged him so directly. This girl was insufferable, an insolent pest who made him lose his composure. “I only wanted you to understand that your feelings for me make you weak. They prevent you from becoming the true warrior you’re meant to be. Emotions like these only serve to destroy you.”

“Ha!” she scoffed, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Feelings? I think you’re mistaken, Prince,” she countered.

In response, he closed the distance between them once more, a malicious smile playing on his lips.

“Do you think I’m so inexperienced that I haven’t noticed you spying on me?” Her eyes widened, and her cheeks turned crimson. She was in trouble. “Or... what about the way you get so nervous during our training sessions? When I’m not present—no, better yet, when you think I’m not present—your reflexes and techniques are extraordinary.”

“You’re focused, strong, and without weakness. Yet, the moment I’m near, you become someone else entirely. You turn into an ordinary girl, Leela. But you’re not like other women. If you’re going to take on the challenge of becoming my chosen spy, you’ll have to forget what it means to be human. You’ll have to swallow your emotions and feelings whole.”

She held her breath, her muscles tightening. She knew she had to let go of him and end the obsession that could only lead to trouble. Yet, his cruel and unrelenting way of addressing her stung deeply, wounding her pride and threatening to trample what little dignity she had left.

“Prince,” she said, her voice firm despite the storm within, “perhaps I’ve admired you more than I should have, but it has nothing to do with what you’re insinuating. I regret that my lack of discretion caused you discomfort, and I promise to focus on becoming the best spy in all of Destello. I will no longer be that ‘ordinary girl’ you speak of,” she declared with conviction.

“I should hope so,” he muttered through clenched teeth.

“But, Prince,” she added, drawing his honey-colored eyes back to her, “I see no reason to keep delaying my official designation as a spy. And regarding the kiss—” she paused, needing to release the anger threatening to consume her, “we were both to blame. It would have been an affront if I hadn’t reciprocated, savored, and enjoyed it. But let’s not pretend you were the saintly dove in this scenario. You could have stopped and reprimanded me. Instead, you seemed to enjoy it far more than I did.”

The prince’s eyes looked as though they might pop out of their sockets at her words. Unfortunately, she was right. How could he argue with that? Clearing his throat, he searched for a response—if he even had one.

“I’m a man,” he finally offered, though his tone was uncertain. “You’re beautiful and bold. I simply played along.”

“Yes, I’m aware that not even the prince can resist that primal male instinct to take advantage of such opportunities,” she replied, disappointment heavy in her voice.

“Don’t misunderstand me. It’s not as if I go around letting just anyone kiss me, Leela. But we should let this matter end here and forget about it.”

She nodded, relieved.

“In any case,” he continued, “I brought you here for another reason.”

From his pocket, he pulled out a crystalline brownstone, which she eyed with curiosity.

“It’s a key,” he explained, understanding her silent question. “This key…” He stepped toward the rocky wall and inserted the stone into a small crevice, “…opens the door to your new hideout, official spy.”

He smiled as the wall shifted, revealing a hidden entrance.

“Inside are the most guarded secrets of my leadership among the warriors. This is also the hub of all the advanced technology we use in Zafiro. Though you didn’t pass this final test with flying colors, it’s time for you to officially join the ranks of my best spies. Congratulations, Leela Brown!”

Leela nearly jumped with joy.

'An official spy! I can’t believe it!' she celebrated in her thoughts, her eyes welling with tears of happiness. At last, years of hard work and sacrifice had borne fruit.