32 Return to Nephosian Palace (1/2)

Princess Zelea put a finger over her lips, and she motioned for him to sit next to her.

Koji obeyed.He felt guilty for cheating on his wife, even though he knew that Zelea didn't blame him for choosing to offer his seed in exchange for the precious plant.They had no luck in finding any during their search in the lower sections of the mountain.The only place they hadn't looked was near the pinnacle where the Immortal Phoenix lived.He quietly handed the one-thousand-year-old ginseng root, which she accepted with a nod.

Zelea placed the plant in a jar and stored it inside her spatial ring.She looked at her husband again and remarked, ”There's something different about you.”She didn't want to ask what happened inside the secret garden because Zelea didn't wish to hear the horrible details of his sexual encounter with the dryad.Thus, she made an implicit reference.

Koji remembered the experience of being controlled like a puppet by Ajuga, and he involuntarily shuddered at the memory.

The lamia sensed his fear and gave him a tight hug.”It's alright.You're safe now,” she reassured him.Zelea sighed inwardly.According to legend, dryads usually forced their lovers to remain forever.Thus, she feared that Koji wouldn't return.Zelea felt a significant change in her husband through the bond, but she couldn't pursue her inquiry while the centurions were listening.

The lamia used her Telekinesis to turn Koji around and made him lean his back into her chest.She wrapped her arms around him again and said, ”Sleep.”Zelea used their special link to force him to obey her mental command.

The tension in Koji's tension disappeared as he lost consciousness.

Zelea uncoiled her snake body and recoiled it to wrap around her and her husband.She feared that the dryad might have second thoughts about letting Koji leave and kidnap him.Thus, the lamia wrapped her snake body around him to ensure that the dryad couldn't snatch Koji from Zelea.She closed her eyes and fell asleep with her husband.

***

Princess Zelea felt a hand gently shake her shoulder.She opened her eyes and saw it was Xanthur.

”Princess, it's time to get up,” the centaur said.Xanthur saw Koji bundled up with his wife.He wondered if the young man was lucky to be so close to her.Or perhaps Koji was cursed because the lamia was possessive of him!But the centaur remembered that Zelea gave her Bonder permission to offer his seed to the dryad in exchange for the ginseng root.Xanthur wondered if Koji had obtained the precious plant from the dryad.

Zelea noticed the question in Xanthur's eyes.With a thought, she pulled the one-thousand-year-old ginseng root out of her spatial ring and handed the plant to him.

Xanthur quickly counted the leaves, and he estimated several hundred.He knelt before her and bowed his head.”Thank you!” he said.

”You're welcome,” the princess answered with a neutral facial expression.The cost was high, and Zelea wondered if she and Koji made the right decision.But they were part of the Royal Family of Nephosia, and pleasing both the Mistress of the Forest and the Hapta Kingdom would yield tremendous political benefits.Thus, she brushed aside her ambivalence over the matter.The lamia slowly uncoiled her snake body.

Koji felt the sudden loss of warmth, and he stirred awake.He noticed that his wife was hugging him tightly.Koji rubbed his nose in embarrassment.”Um, can you release me?” he asked meekly.

Zelea pouted.”Oh, fine!” she huffed and removeded her hands from his chest.

Koji dropped to the ground; he performed a series of stretches to loosen the tension in his muscles and joints.He ignored the stares from the centurions and stretched for five minutes.

Zelea ate her rations as she watched his performance.

Finally, Koji stopped and held out his hand.

Xanthur passed him a share of the rations, which Koji quickly ate because he was anxious to leave the mountain and Ajuga behind.

The centurions noticed Koji's anxiety, and their hearts felt heavy as they pondered what the young man endured at the hands of the dryad for their sake.Their respect and loyalty toward Koji became sky high.

Once Koji finished his meal, Xanthur stomped his hind leg on the ground.The centurions quickly formed a circle around the Royal Family.”Move out!” the leader barked and headed down the mountain.To their surprise, the party encountered no beasts during their trek.The dryad's promise of their safety rang in their minds.

As Princess Zelea slithered next to Koji, she kept one eye on him as if her stare could elucidate the difference she felt within his body.

The party returned to the cocoon to retrieve Vishura because she never showed up at their camp during the evening.But when they reached the spot, no trace of Vi's encampment remained.

Koji wanted to search for Vi, but the others outvoted him.

”Vi probably returned to the Arena,” Zelea said.

The young man nodded while doubting her explanation in his heart.After all, the Centurions needed to return home ASAP.And they couldn't do so while guarding Koji and Zelea.

The party reached the base of the mountain at dusk.But waiting for them were Mylia and the other half of the centurion mission.

Xanthur approached the ambassador and knelt.He took the thousand-year-old ginseng root out of his saddlebag and presented the plant to her.