"We should not simply search the entire city for newly born babies, brother. How are we going to tell which one is the child if we search for her in that way? That's stupid. What if we get the wrong baby and think she is the child of the prophecy?". Leon, the second son of the ruler, said to Jay, and I wouldn't hide it. He was right.
I was so blinded by my feelings for the first son, Jay, that I didn't notice that his strategy had a lot of plot holes inside them.
"Then what do you suggest we do? Do you expect us to sit down and do nothing?". Jay asked him and sounded annoyed. Or was I the only one who noticed it?
Rather than replying to Jay, Leon stood up from his throne, making me naturally become curious. I wanted to see what he was about to do.
He stepped down from the golden and red carpeted stairs which led to the thrones, and he walked towards lady Katherine and me.
My breathing hastened, and I tried the best I could to avoid eye contact with Leon or any members of the chosen family.
With Leon heading in lady Katherine and my direction, the eyes of the chosen family, including Jay's eyes, were fixed on us, and I felt really awkward, intimidated, and lacked confidence, unlike lady Katherine, who confidently kept her chin up. Was this a bad time for me to request the ground to swallow me?
Sooner than later, Leon stood in front of Lady Katherine, and she looked up at him.
"You are a seer, Lady Katherine. Don't tell me you have not seen something that could tell us which child exactly is the child of the prophecy? Besides that, are you very sure that the first page of the book of prophecy didn't leave any other clues other than the written word, 'The child is here'?". He said to her, and he sounded like Lady Katherine was hiding something.
How could he ask Lady Katherine this kind of question?
Was he assuming that she was a liar?
I was expecting lady Katherine to, at least, display a little bit of annoyance with him, but she smiled.
She smiled?!
Why was she smiling? Did this mean that the second son was right?
"You are smart, noble Lord Leon. You are right. Those weren't the only words that were written on the first page of the book of prophecy. I came here in a hurry and almost forgot about it. Pardon my mistake". Lady Katherine admitted, and I subconsciously gasped in disbelief and covered my mouth in the process, using the palms of my hands.
When I realized what I had done, everyone's eyes were on me.
Especially Gemma, who frowned at me, with her fierce gaze that looked like it could kill me, even though we were sitting feet apart from each other.
'Please, just swallow me already'. I begged the ground desperately as I lowered my head and also my gaze.
"Tell us, lady Katherine. What were the other words written in the book of the prophecy?". The ruler asked her and sounded impatient.
"The child would have a birthmark that resembled the shape of a crown". Lady Katherine announced.
"Guards". The ruler called out suddenly.
His voice was not that loud, neither was it barely audible to hear.
It was sharp and was filled with authority.
Immediately, the doors to the throne room opened, and the heavy, but organized footsteps of the guards were heard as they matched in.
When they got close to the ruler and his family's thrones, all the guards (ten of them), who stood five each in a row, knelt down before the chosen family.
Their uniforms were completely different from the other guards I had seen earlier. The same guards who did not chase away the seer or me when we made our way to the throne room.
Also, those guards from earlier, their uniforms were blue.
But these guards... their uniforms were black and dark blue.
If I am not mistaken, they are the ruler's personal shadow guards.
I have heard about them before, but this was my first time meeting them in person.
They are called the shadow guards because they move in the shadows like air.
You would never notice their presence unless they revealed themselves to you, like they are currently doing now.
"Spread out. All of you. Search the entire city of Gwafindol for a newly born baby who has a crown birthmark. Once you find the child, bring her to the mansion immediately! And make sure that the revelation concerning the child's birthmark remains with you! Do you understand me? It is an order". The ruler declared.
"Understood, High Noble Lord Maxwell!". The voices of the shadow guards sounded like a terrifying roar.
At once, they rose to their feet, bowed before the ruler, and left the throne room so fast that my eyes could not follow their swift movements.
Since the seer had executed what she had come to the throne room for, she was permitted to excuse herself by high noble Lord Maxwell, after she requested it.
Hurriedly, I held onto Lady Katherine's hand and helped her out of the throne room. Not to deceive anyone, but I helped Lady Katherine quickly for my sake.
I really couldn't wait to get the heck out of the throne room.
I have had enough awkward moments being there. And I wasn't in any way ready to prolong it.
My poor heart would not be able to endure it.
….
Author Tina Nwuba: "If you are enjoying this book so far, my awesome readers, please support, support, support, and lastly, leave a comment, a review, and vote with plenty of power stones, and share".