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I was not about to let the Martian prince walk all over me. I raised my chin and looked at him defiantly. His eyes glinted as he smiled smugly. A spark erupted. I knew how to subdue him. I looked back at the star in the gilded cage and its uncharacteristically flat appearance surprised me. I looked back at the prince and I realised what the glint in his eye was. It was not his eye at all that was glinting.
My hands were chained and my body bound. I was surprised he thought that could stop a Prabhas. Maybe it was a commentary on my performance so far, I had been helpless and foolish.
An energy surge alerted me to the shifting balance between the two of us. Just as I sent out a wave of cold and blinding light, he retaliated with fire and laughed. I was thrown back by the impact a little but managed to hold my balance as I intensified the light. The heat from the fire was trying to melt my ice but I recollected the lessons I had seen my mother giving and in my own training sessions.
I sent out ice as a thin jagged knife that stabbed him hard. He cried out loud as he clutched his chest. Before he could get up and grab me, I had used the fire to cut the bonds and free myself. My star, my dear star, hiding behind the hero and waiting for the opportune moment, added energy to my attacks and we escaped before he could summon forces.
Laughing, I held the star in my cupped hands. "But you were in the cage!" I exclaimed, least expecting a response.
"So he thought too," a voice spoke in my head. My eyes widened. "You speak?"
"Not speak... But you understand me, just as I understand you," the voice said. It had an echo that gave the voice in my head deep. I brought it close to my heart as we sailed towards earth. "What more wonders can you do, my little one? Do you have a name or shall I give you one?" I asked.
"Give me one... Each one who has held me called me by something dear to them."
"My name is Tara... You be Tiara. My Tiara."
The star winked.
We touched earth and up sprang soldiers. I was relieved to see Amrit safe and sound. I ran to him shouting, "I was worried! Are you ok?"
"Yes," he replied, holding me by my shoulders and keeping me at an arm's distance. He inspected me and asked, "Are you alright?"
I nodded.
"And the prince?"
I hung my head in embarrassment. In escaping Mars, I had forgotten all about him. "I can get him, though!" I said.
He shook his head. "We cannot risk it. In any case, he is lost to us as his aura was all eaten up by the Martian inhabiting him."
"We can't just abandon him!" I shouted, shocked at Amrit's attitude. "Also, don't you need him for the Sacred Shell?" Belatedly, I realised I had forgotten all about that too. I clutched my Tiara and silently vowed to bring both back from Mars. This time, I would go voluntarily and not be dragged there by deceit or force.
I turned away and saw the Rajguru, my parents and the king hurrying towards me. I told them what had happened and my escape without the two most critical things.
The king surprised me by generously forgiving me, "We cannot help collateral damage in war... I couldn't have borne seeing Ajat the way he is, in any case."
I was stunned and about to protest when my mother held my hand and locked eyes with me, warning me to keep quiet. I swallowed my anger but said firmly, "It is not about you, King, but about him. We cannot leave him there."
I turned around and stormed away.
(Continue for the next chapter, click here)
To read the previous chapter, click here
I was not about to let the Martian prince walk all over me. I raised my chin and looked at him defiantly. His eyes glinted as he smiled smugly. A spark erupted. I knew how to subdue him. I looked back at the star in the gilded cage and its uncharacteristically flat appearance surprised me. I looked back at the prince and I realised what the glint in his eye was. It was not his eye at all that was glinting.
My hands were chained and my body bound. I was surprised he thought that could stop a Prabhas. Maybe it was a commentary on my performance so far, I had been helpless and foolish.
An energy surge alerted me to the shifting balance between the two of us. Just as I sent out a wave of cold and blinding light, he retaliated with fire and laughed. I was thrown back by the impact a little but managed to hold my balance as I intensified the light. The heat from the fire was trying to melt my ice but I recollected the lessons I had seen my mother giving and in my own training sessions.
I sent out ice as a thin jagged knife that stabbed him hard. He cried out loud as he clutched his chest. Before he could get up and grab me, I had used the fire to cut the bonds and free myself. My star, my dear star, hiding behind the hero and waiting for the opportune moment, added energy to my attacks and we escaped before he could summon forces.
Laughing, I held the star in my cupped hands. "But you were in the cage!" I exclaimed, least expecting a response.
"So he thought too," a voice spoke in my head. My eyes widened. "You speak?"
"Not speak... But you understand me, just as I understand you," the voice said. It had an echo that gave the voice in my head deep. I brought it close to my heart as we sailed towards earth. "What more wonders can you do, my little one? Do you have a name or shall I give you one?" I asked.
"Give me one... Each one who has held me called me by something dear to them."
"My name is Tara... You be Tiara. My Tiara."
The star winked.
We touched earth and up sprang soldiers. I was relieved to see Amrit safe and sound. I ran to him shouting, "I was worried! Are you ok?"
"Yes," he replied, holding me by my shoulders and keeping me at an arm's distance. He inspected me and asked, "Are you alright?"
I nodded.
"And the prince?"
I hung my head in embarrassment. In escaping Mars, I had forgotten all about him. "I can get him, though!" I said.
He shook his head. "We cannot risk it. In any case, he is lost to us as his aura was all eaten up by the Martian inhabiting him."
"We can't just abandon him!" I shouted, shocked at Amrit's attitude. "Also, don't you need him for the Sacred Shell?" Belatedly, I realised I had forgotten all about that too. I clutched my Tiara and silently vowed to bring both back from Mars. This time, I would go voluntarily and not be dragged there by deceit or force.
I turned away and saw the Rajguru, my parents and the king hurrying towards me. I told them what had happened and my escape without the two most critical things.
The king surprised me by generously forgiving me, "We cannot help collateral damage in war... I couldn't have borne seeing Ajat the way he is, in any case."
I was stunned and about to protest when my mother held my hand and locked eyes with me, warning me to keep quiet. I swallowed my anger but said firmly, "It is not about you, King, but about him. We cannot leave him there."
I turned around and stormed away.
(Continue for the next chapter, click here)
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