บท 8: Poisoned soup

The entire dinner room fell into disarray. The guards surrounded the royals and safely moved them away from the wooden table.

"Tell me maid who else handled the soup" Head king's guard enquired the petrified maid.

"I.... I don't know. This was directly provided by the imperial cook. I saw... i saw no one else handle it but me," she stuttered.

Ambai stood in the corner near a wooden column with Zhong. In the same corner she saw the same five guards that ambushed the Queen and her when she was a baby. Uncontrolled fury emerged from inside her, burning like fire. 'These imbeciles,' she gritted her teeth glaring at them.

'I will kill them. They deserve to die.'

Zhong held her palms tightly and whispered, "Calm down prince."

Something in his soothing voice calmed her turbulent thoughts. She took a deep breath and breathed out. "Zhong," she whispered and glanced up at him. He nodded with a calm look on his face.

They had just met but somehow it felt like she knew him for a long time. 'Why does he feel so familiar,' Ambai thought shuffled her feet.

"Eru, Zhong, go back to your room. Guards protect the prince." her father ordered snapping her out of her confused state. 'Wait, I will make you all pay,' she glanced back at the five guards with a clenched palm.

'What is this?' her eyes went wide glancing at the guards

Ambai stopped by the door and peered at the guards. The lead assailant's forehead started shimmering and a glaring number Seven appeared on his forehead. Then numbers started appearing on all of their foreheads. All five of them had the number eight, nine, ten and eleven printed on their forehead.

'What are those numbers? What does it mean?' with a grave look she walked out with the golden armored guards.

'This poisoning incident, they might have a part in it. I have to warm my parents,' Ambai stopped in the middle of the hallway.

"Your highness, please follow us. We need to escort you to safety," the king's guards said.

"But my parents…."

"Don't worry, they can handle this issue," Zhong whispered.

Blinking back her tears she followed the guards to her room. She plopped on her bed and the other guards stood in a circle around her. Zhong stood outside this circle glancing at the door with vigilance.

Ambai held her chin and glanced at the floor. 'Do they represent the number of enemies? But if so Gaius was not evil, he never harmed me. Then what the hell are those numbers?' She thought.

'Gaius's death needs to be investigated.' She bit her lips.

"Can you find Ms. Yelli for me," she asked one of the guards.

"Yes your highness," he replied and went to find her.

Yelli came running into the room and hugged her. "My poor little boy, are you okay? Are you hurt?" she twirled me around to check for any wounds.

"I am not hurt Ms. Yelli. But instead I want you to tell me something. You have to promise you will only tell the truth.

She tilted her head and inquired, "What is it, prince? What do you want to know?"

"I want to know more about Gauis's death," Ambai said in a serious voice.

"This.... my prince the king forbade me from telling you," She said in a troubled voice.

With her jaws clenched, Ambai stood up from the bed. "I want to see my father and mother." She gritted her teeth and thought, 'Only they would be able to provide me the answers I need.' She strode over to the door but a guard stood in front of her blocking her way.

"Your highness, according to the kings order we can't allow you t leave this room," he said with a determined look.

"I will be back soon. I just want to see them," Ambai whispered glancing at the ground.

"Sorry, your highness," the guard said shaking his head.

"Fine," she stomped over to her bed and pouted. 'Why are they hiding things from me?' she huffed and rolled on the bed. 'If they don't want to tell me then I have to find it myself,' she thought pulling the duvet on her face.

The guards slowly filed out of the room by midnight. She pulled her duvet from her face slightly and glanced at them. 'Thank god, they are gone.' She slowly got out of her bed and ran over to her wardrobe. A pair of black pants and shirt stood out in front of the row. 'This will help,' she thought and wore the outfit quickly.

She walked over to the door and opened it slightly. She popped her head out and glanced at the door guards standing nearby. 'Shit, how am I going to get past them?' she closed her door and bit the insides of her cheeks.

Her eyes rapidly moved around the room. 'Hmm, what can distract them?' she glanced at her ruined bed. "I've got it!" she rushed over to her bed and filled all the pillows inside the duvet.

She glanced at her artwork and patted her own shoulders. "Ah, the classic pillow puppet," she patted the bed. She lightened a small candle on the table near the door.

"Guards, can you come in and extinguish the candle," she mumble mimicking her sleeping voice. When the doors opened from outside, Ambai ran and hid behind the door.

"Your highness," the guards bowed towards the bed.

Ambai slowly moved away from the door and out of it. 'Silly guards,' she smirked and ran towards the right hallway. She scouted the premises hiding behind a wooden column. 'Coast clear,' she chuckled and moved towards the next column and did the same.

Somehow the guards were scarcely spread across the hallways so it was very easy for her to sneak past them.

'This is too easy,' she murmured sneaking past another guard. She sneaked around until she reached next to the doors with huge wisteria trees next to them. 'Royal library is here. Hmm, Royal room of records is right next to this,' she thought hiding behind another column.

Two of the guards who were supposed to be on rotation were roaming around nearby.

"Hey hey, why don't we go for a drink?" one of the guards in black armor hugged the other.

"No we can't, we are on duty remember," the other guard pushed him away.

"Come on, don't leave me high and dry," the guard in black moaned pushing the other guard to the walls.

"Stop, the next rotation will be here," the guard blushed and pushed him away.

"Look at these love birds going at it," Ambai whisper peeping her head from behind the column.

"Who goes there?" the guard in black became vigilant. He held his sword in his hands and walked slowly towards the column she was hiding.

'Shit, oh shit, I'm screwed,' she internally screamed. Closing her eyes, she pushed her body as flat as possible to the column and held her breath.

"Squeak," a small sound was heard from her feet. Petrified she glanced down to find a small rat on her shoes. 'Don't scream. It's just a rat," Ambai bit her lips firmly. The rat soon ran away from her out into the hallway.

"Oh, it's just a rat," the guard in black let out a breath and sheathed his sword. "Baby lets continue what we were doing," he whispered and darted to the other guard.

Ambai let out a deep breath and panted. 'That was so close,' she turned her head to peep out but someone hugged her body and muffled her mouth.

"Shh, it's me," the shadowy figure whispered.

She gulped and slowly turned her head towards him. 'It's just Zhong,' she let out a breath. Smug smile graced upon his face.

"What is this sneaky rat doing in the hallway?" he whispered close to her ear.

"Who are you calling a rat ah?" Ambai pinched his biceps.

"Hiss, I meant that rat," he nodded towards the rat in the hallway.

"Oh, I thought you meant me," Ambai whispered.

"I did imply you were a rat as well," he silently chuckled.

"You…. What are you doing here?" Ambai pinched him again.

"Hiss, stop with the pinching. I saw a suspicious figure sneaking around so I followed it. Who would have known that it was you," he breathed deeply into her ears.

Flinching, she moved further away from him. "Stop breathing in my ear. It tickles," she whispered putting her hands on his chest.

"Hmm, I didn't expect the prince to like fondling people as well," Zhong whispered with a dramatic sigh.

"Fuck, I am not fondling you," she pushed him away and peeped from behind of the column. "Coast is clear," she smirked.

Zhong pulled her back and whispered in her ears, "It is not clear." he pointed towards the inconspicuous corner. The two guards were deeply kissing and letting out passionate moans.

Ambai felt her blood flow rapidly to her head and her face started heated up. 'Aren't we in the same position as them,' Eyes wide she looked at Zhong and slightly pushed him away. "Maintain one feet distance," she whispered holding her hands in-between them.

Zhong smirked and came closer to her. "What is it prince? Do I intimidate you?" he whispered into her hair.

"Mnnn," aloud moan was heard from the distance. 'These guys going at it like bunnies,' she felt her face heating up even more. "No, no, why would I feel intimidated?" she blinked rapidly glancing at the ground.

He held her chin and raised her head. "You can't even look me in the eye. How are you not intimidated?" he whispered into her ears. He held her face in his palm and caressed her with his thumb. "Where is your mask?" he whispered in an odd tone.

"Mask? Oh I completely forgo about it?" Ambai searched her pockets and came out with her veil. "I have my veil," she lifted it proudly to his face.

He furrowed his brows. "What is the use in having it in your pockets? Wear it."

"Okay jeez, you are such a buzz kill," she mumbled wearing her veil.

"What's a buzz kill?" Zhong gave a confused look her way.

"Nothing you need to know," she snapped and peeked out again. "They're gone. Let's go," she mumbled and stepped from behind the column.

She slowly opened the door and squeezed into the gap. She popped her head from the inside and whispered, "come in soon." The guy rolled his eyes. He pushed the door ajar and walked in comfortably.

"Close it soon," she patted his hands. He rolled his eyes ones more and closed the door.

Ambai walked slowly in the candle lit room. A small breeze from the windows made her subconsciously shiver. "This place gives me the creeps," she mumbled walking slowly towards the shelves.

"So what is your plan?" Zhong said.

"I'm here to investigate the suspicious death of Gaius," Ambai whispered. She pulled a huge book from the shelf and flipped through it. "I need the official records of the healers," she mumbled placing the book on the shelf.

"You mean this," Zhong lifted a small book.

Ambai rushed over to him and took the book from his hands. "Now, let's see. a's, b's, where are the g's." she flipped the book even more and found the page she was searching for. "Aha, Gaius,"

"Gauis Halius pronounced dead at 7.00 am.

Body: not found.

Cause of death: landslide at Haebar Mountain.

Reason for his visit: Therilium flower to cure the prince.

Rewards: funeral fit for the royals; 1000 gold coin.

Dependants: Grandson Zhong Halius."

"Hey Zhong, it says that he was your grandfather," Ambai gave him a questioning look.

"Yes, he is," he answered with a nonchalant look.

"Why didn't you tell me what happened to him," Ambai whined. "We didn't even have to take the trouble to sneak out." She pouted and slumped on the nearby chair.

Zhong turned facing a large mirror and was clenching the book in his hands. "Hmm" he hummed and glancing at the ground.

Ambai glanced at his from her chair and saw his mysterious smirk. 'Why is he smiling? Wasn't this guy crying buckets for him?' she sat up on the chair and tapped the table. 'Was all his tears fake?'

Scrunching her face Ambai stood up and walked over to him. "Hey what is your grandfather's surname? It's not given here. Usually they name it." He remained silent at this. "The way he died was also too tragic," she shook her head. She subtly said looking up at him through her lashes.

After a moment of silence he said "He was killed by the demons," in a small voice. He did not face her when he said this. He was looking at the mirror attached to the bookcase.

'Oh, my god this guy is a scammer,' Ambai thought with my eyes wide open. 'He could be the one, who tried to poison my family,' she stepped away from him.

Their eyes met through the reflection. He smirked and whispered, "Are you scared little prince?" he turned back slowly. "Are you doubting my identity now?" he started walking closer to her.

Ambai gulped loudly. "I—I don't doubt you. It's just that—that …" she stepped back and her back hit one of the shelves.

"Looks like you do," Zhong chuckled.

This snapped something inside of her. Stepping forward, she held him by his collar and pulled him down to her height. "Who are you?" She said looking deeply into his eyes. He tried holding her face, but she pulled back.

He directly pealed her mask off and said, "Very smart little prince. You figured it out easily. But my little prince, why did you make the mistake of confronting me?" his eyes shimmered red as he looked intently at her face.

Eyes wide Ambai stared back at him. 'Shit, why did I confront him?'

He held her waist and pulled her closer. Her heart started to pound rapidly. "Answer me, who are you?" She questioned him in a small voice.

He bends down to her ears and said, "I am the devil. What can you do about this information?" in a conceited voice.

'I got too impulsive and offended this demon.' She trembled glancing into his blood red eyes. Her hands turned cold and numb.

"What have you done with the real Zhong?"

"Him? He is right here," he pointed towards the mirror.

Ambai saw a teenager that looked just like Zhong, tapping on the mirror's reflection with tears streaming down his face.

'Darn, I am shooketh,' Ambai gaped. "Did you posses his body?" Her voice trembled as she voiced her thoughts.

Zhong held her chin and turned her face towards him. "Tsk,Tsk, this poor boy wanted to kill himself but I saved him. So his soul remained in his body." He gazed deep into her eyes and whispered, "Do you think I am scary now?"

Ambai's breath came in pants. "I don't—don't know," she shook her head and glanced up at him. "But did you try to poison my family," she gazed deeply into his eyes.

His eyes did not waver as he whispered, "I didn't." He smirked "But, I was the one who made the maid spill the soup."