Kudisha Departure Episode 1 Journey to Rehnor series by J. Naomi Ay Read Free Book Online

come
out. It disarmed Wooter, though. Maybe, it even saved her life. Or,
maybe, it set her up to die.
     

Chapter 7
     
     
    Behrat was thirteen when it happened. He was
still a little boy. His voice didn’t even crack. His brother, Kirat
had just turned fifteen, and was pretty much already a man with a
few wisps of black facial hair growing above his upper
lip.
    Not that it would have made a difference.
Being old enough to grow a tiny mustache wouldn’t have made the
situation any less horrific, or easier to withstand. In fact, in
some ways Behrat was handling it better. He didn’t feel pressured
to try to change a course that was already set in stone. It would
be like trying to resuscitate a body that was already dead, and
just waiting to be buried.
    Behrat’s biggest issue was what to take with
him. Space was limited. Weight was a concern, and time was of the
essence. He was too old to bring along toys, other than a game
system, which would be useless as soon as the batteries died.
Behrat wasn’t much of a reader, so he didn’t want a tablet or a
bunch of books. He could haul some of his clothes, but pretty soon
they’d be useless too. Everyone said it wouldn’t be long until he
had his growth spurt, and then, he’d need all new everything, even
underwear. All the clothes he brought now would be useless, as
there was no one smaller than him coming along. These fine silks
and woolens things that his mother said were so nice would probably
be ripped up to use as rags.
    Briefly, Behrat wondered who would sew him all
his new larger stuff when he needed them, since the palace
seamstresses were remaining back on the planet. Not his mother. She
always said she couldn’t sew on a button. Who would make him a pair
of shoes when his feet were size thirteen? Like his brother’s.
Everyone had said, Behrat was going to be just as big.
    He supposed he could always wear his brother’s
old things, especially if he didn’t have anything else. Maybe it
was okay for the second prince to wear hand me down clothes? After
all, he was the spare heir, the guy who was born just in case. Like
insurance. He was needed only if the real heir died.
    “Don’t worry about that,” Kirat always said,
punching Behrat in the arm. “I’m not going anywhere. But, if I do,
I’m taking you with me, so you had better not be plotting my
death.”
    That was fine, actually. Behrat never wanted
to be king. Not for a minute. No way. That was Kirat’s job, and he
could have it. All Behrat wanted was to play games, or watch
movies, and play ball. That’s why he decided to bring his soccer
ball along. That was it. That was the only thing he packed in his
small bag.
     
    The day before, Kirat had told him their
father was spending the entire day and night at the Holy Temple
prostrate in prayer. That meant it was the last day, unless some
miracle happened to stop it.
    “He wanted me to come with him,” the elder
prince had said casually, as if this whole event was just a boring
interruption to his routine. “But, I told him I couldn’t. I need to
pack. I need to organize my stuff. If I’m leaving forever tomorrow,
I need some time to get ready.”
    “And he accepted that?” Behrat asked, looking
up from his game system. The very game system he had decided to
leave behind.
    Kirat shrugged, and walked away.
    “Who cares what he thinks. He’s going to be
king of nothing.”
    “He’s still our dad.”
    Behrat smiled, even laughed a little because
that was the kind of reaction Kirat wanted. Behrat would have gone
to the Temple, though. Considering the circumstances, praying was
probably something everyone ought to do. The King didn’t request
his presence because Behrat was still a little boy without any
facial hair, and a voice that didn’t crack.
    Instead, the younger prince lay upon his bed
on top of his heavy quilt, wondering what sort of bed he’d have on
the spacecraft tomorrow. Maybe, he’d have to sleep in chair,
strapped in tightly,