Chapter 9.1

Prince Jing had his own residence near the palace. It was a secluded spot surrounded by lush trees and beautiful gardens, very exclusive and private, where only a select few people were ever invited.

Master Lee handed Leela a document related to this place.

“This is an invitation from the prince to his house,” he informed her with the calmness that always characterized him. Leela’s eyes widened in astonishment.

“Th… the… prin…” she stammered.

“Leela, either articulate your words properly or don’t speak at all,” he reproached her, losing patience. She took a deep breath to regain her composure.

“The prince invited me to his house?” she finally said.

“Why are you so surprised? You’re under his command, and you’re his favorite warrior.”

She nodded, blushing. Then she hurried out, heading toward the prince’s luxurious residence.

She arrived at the entrance and showed the letter to the guards standing at the massive gate. The enormous wooden doors opened, granting her access to that impressive place. Her eyes widened in wonder. The estate was vast and surrounded by nature; a long, cement pathway led up to the door of the luxurious house, lined with gardens, plants, and a few fountains adorned with fine sculptures.

A butler came out to greet her.

“This way.” The well-dressed servant, his hands covered by golden gloves, gestured to the right — apparently, they wouldn’t be entering the mansion but would instead follow the path leading to the backyard.

She was fascinated by the beauty of the place, and her eyes took in everything around her openly, unable to hide her amazement. She gazed in delight at a small pond lying beneath a wooden bridge, adorned with plants and flowers.

There were also bamboo, fruit, and ornamental trees scattered around the large patio. The sound of the pond was soothing, as was the gentle trickling of a small stream that emerged from somewhere among the trees surrounding the property and flowed into the beautiful pool of water. The air smelled of fruits, spices, and flowers. She had never seen such a beautiful place, where she could even glimpse the pink mountains of the Crystal Tribes’ lands.

Those mountains were famous for their distinctive color and were located on the southern kingdom’s border, separating it from the tribes of Mount Crystal.

Leela inhaled delightedly, enjoying the fresh and soothing air. Meanwhile, the servant quietly withdrew. She was so absorbed in the beauty of the place that she didn’t even notice the prince.

“Welcome to my home, Leela!” His voice snapped her out of her daydream.

She instinctively bowed and searched for him with her eyes.

She could hardly believe what she was seeing. The rough, arrogant prince was sitting on a small wooden bench in front of an easel, blending beautiful colors on a palette filled with different shades of paint. The canvas before him depicted a sublime landscape that, with every stroke, was coming to life.

Leela’s gaze lingered on his perfect, broad back, which was bare, adorned only by his long, straight hair flowing freely down it. He wore nothing but loose white pants, the kind he used for training. The prince kept applying brushstrokes without yet turning his face toward her.

In silence, Leela admired the scene that nature had gifted her eyes: on one hand, the stunning surroundings, and on the other, the handsome prince. She felt a slight shiver run through her body, enchanted by the discovery of this sensitive, beautiful side of the man who drove her crazy.

She noticed a small golden table beside Jing, where a wine glass rested. He picked up the glass gracefully and turned toward her, allowing her to take in the sight of his handsome torso.

'What’s with his obsession with being shirtless?' she thought, trying hard not to drool.

Her gaze flicked to his lips as he took a sip, his eyes closed, savoring it with such delight. She found herself licking her own lips, longing to taste even just a drop of that deep red liquid he was enjoying.

Jing opened his eyes and gave her a playful smile.

“I really like wine, Leela,” he said.

Her eyes drifted to those moist, tempting lips, and she couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to taste the wine from them. She recalled that bold kiss they had shared in the cave, and the memory sent a sharp pang through her stomach. Too bad she’d have to settle for that memory, knowing full well it wouldn’t happen again.

“I didn’t know the prince liked to get drunk,” she blurted out — and immediately panicked. Why couldn’t she control what she said?

Jing laughed.

“As insolent as ever!” he chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. On the small table lay a folded ethnic-style shirt, one of those loose, buttonless ones with a V-shaped neckline and a little tie at the front. He tossed it into the air, jumped up, and slipped it on in one swift, graceful motion — in a matter of seconds, he was dressed.

Leela narrowed her eyes in response.

'This prince just loves to show off,' she thought.

“You’d better rein in that tongue, Leela, or your recklessness and insolence will lead you to ruin,” he scolded as he approached her with a mischievous smile.

“Forgive my insolence, Prince,” she replied, giving him the same smile back.

“By the way, I do enjoy a glass of wine now and then, but I’ve never been drunk,” he clarified.

“I see…” she said with a playful glint. “You’re a disciplined man who doesn’t allow himself the luxury of losing his reflexes.” She smiled slyly. “The only time I saw you drop your guard was when we kissed.”

'Damn it! Not again,' she scolded herself inwardly. She really needed to control her tongue. Why did she always act this way around him?

“What did you say?” the prince stepped closer, his expression darkening. “We didn’t kiss — you kissed me. I forgave your boldness on the condition that you’d forget it. If you bring it up again, I won’t be so generous.” He leaned in close, making her shiver. “I know it’s hard for you to forget, but it’s an order.”

“Ha!” she exclaimed, offended. “As if it were such a big deal! I’ve kissed better, Prince.” She seized the chance to get back at him — after all, he had once used those exact words on her, though in a different context. She promised herself this would be her last act of insolence.

For his part, Jing laughed as he felt his ego take a hit.

“No woman… None, Leela, none…” He couldn’t even finish the sentence; he was genuinely offended. “You’re getting revenge!” he concluded. He began laughing like a madman, and Leela grew nervous, unsure if he was laughing out of amusement, nerves, or the sting of her comment.

“Everyone fears me, Leela. Why don’t you?” he asked suddenly, regaining his composure.

“I fear no one, Prince,” she lied. In truth, she did fear him — but only because of all the feelings he stirred up inside her.

“I see…” He smiled flirtatiously, but inside, he was a mess, hating himself for letting her insolence and boldness slide. He didn’t understand why he gave her so much power, nor why he secretly loved it when she talked back. She was supposed to just nod obediently like all his subordinates. He couldn’t figure out what it was about that woman that drove him crazy.

“I imagine you didn’t send for me just to talk about how well you kiss.” Leela changed the subject to avoid putting her foot in her mouth again, and he couldn’t help but laugh once more.

“So, you admit it,” his pride wouldn’t let him reason. Leela rolled her eyes at his insistence. “Did you know that expression you just made is considered an insult?” he reprimanded her. “And insults against your superiors are punishable.”

“You decide what the best punishment is,” she answered defiantly.

“Leela, if I punished you for every insolence, you wouldn’t be alive. At least pretend in front of others, because if you treat me like this in front of everyone else, I’ll have no choice but to treat you like them.”

Leela was stunned by what she heard. He treated her differently? She couldn’t help but blush.

“Don’t get any ideas,” he warned, as if reading her thoughts. “I have no interest in you. If I treat you differently, it’s because of who you are on my warrior team; it has nothing to do with anything personal,” he clarified indifferently.

That stung. She knew he would never be interested in her, yet hearing it spoken aloud really hurt.

“Don’t worry, even if it doesn’t seem like it, I know my place.” Her eyes reflected sadness. “I’d like to know what you need from me. I’ve been here half an hour, and you still haven’t told me why you sent for me.”

“I decide when I tell you whatever it is I have to say.” He looked at her seriously.

“Fine, Prince.” She crossed her arms casually. “Take your time.”

Jing shook his head with a mocking smile and then took a deep breath.

“As you know, the Northern Kingdom has declared war on us. They want to take control of Sapphire because here lies the source of energy that keeps the balance in our world. I’m investigating the connection Deon has with all this, because if he weren’t important, Dimitri wouldn’t be tangled up with him.”

“I thought the target was King Miha,” Leela said, intrigued.

“It’s what I thought when you sent me that information, but I have a feeling this alliance isn’t just to convince the King of Met; I think there’s more to it.”

“True… That strange man mentioned something about the energy source…” She paused thoughtfully, “If no one has seen the source, how can they be so sure it’s real? I don’t see the importance in that.”

“You’re very outspoken, Leela.” Jing smiled amusedly, as this was considered a sacred and valuable topic for the royal family. “It’s believed there are other worlds. Worlds parallel to ours and impossible to access unless the source is used.”

“Wow! That’s new to me.”

“I need you to undertake your first mission as an official spy. It’s believed they sent messenger spies to the city of Met. Leela, you know this is your trial to become formally official; therefore, be cautious because I am not allowed to help you,” he said with warning and concern, handing her a sealed paper.