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

Her
chest was completely flat. In fact, her whole body looked like that
of a boy.
    “Wooter has bigger boobs,” Kirat had smirked,
prompting Behrat to launch a kick.
    “She’ll be beautiful someday,” the Queen
insisted, turning an icy gaze on the two princes.
    “In about a million years, if you live that
long,” Kirat whispered, eyeing his own future bride, Lady Elise de
Kirkut. Even though she was still fourteen, she was tall and
elegant, with straight, blonde hair, ruby lips, and best of all,
boobs.
    This was at the last Holiday Ball, when all
the people were paying their respects to the Royal Family. That’s
before everything fell apart, and they were still celebrating
life.
    After which, Behrat hid behind the curtains,
so his mother wouldn’t make him dance with his future bride. Reva
was standing by the dessert table trying not to eat any of the
cakes, looking ridiculous is a blue dress with nothing filling up
the front.
     
    Behrat gazed out the window, at the stars
rising overhead as nighttime fell for the last time on his home
planet. Tomorrow, he’d be up amongst those stars. Tomorrow, he’d be
on his way to a distant and foreign one. Tomorrow, both Reva and
Elise would be on their own ships, with their own families, heading
there, too.
    “Are we all going to make it?” Behrat asked
his friend, who he could almost see in the silvery light of the
Rozarian moon.
    “Some will. Some won’t. That is the way of
it.”
    “What about Reva?”
    Behrat’s friend smirked, almost in the same
way that his brother did, or at least, this was how Behrat imagined
his friend responded. He wouldn’t answer yes or no. Behrat could
never nail him down to a definitive answer, which made Behrat think
that maybe, he was really an imaginary figment after all. The
prince still liked him, though. It was better to have an imaginary
friend, than no one.
    Down the hill at the base of the palace, the
evening lights of the city flickered on. Behrat liked to watch that
bright one directly across from his window, even though it was far
away, on the other side of the river. Like an enormous star, its
familiar flashing kept him company when he couldn’t
sleep.
    “It’s the entrance to a shopping
mall, you idiot,” Kirat had said, when Behrat had asked how a star
could be so low to the ground. They were in the midst of a Heroes & Conquerers battle on level twelve. “They keep it lit brightly so
everybody will know that the mall is still open. It’s called
advertising, doofus. It’s a big sign that says, Come Shop Here .”
    “Oh,” Behrat had said, and let Kirat win the
round, so he wouldn’t get punched or called any other
names.
    Behrat had never been inside a mall. In fact,
there were precious few times he had gone outside of the
palace.
    It wasn’t safe , they always said. Not until Kirat
married Elise, and had a son .
    Then, someone else would become the spare
heir, and Behrat would be free to go and do whatever he
wanted.
    Then, it would be too late. The shopping mall
would be gone, as well as all the restaurants and cafes.
    Tonight, people were shopping, or sitting
outside, sipping coffee and eating cakes. Tomorrow, they’d all be
dust. Karupatani would be dead, except for the King and all of his
dukes, who would be racing away, hoping they managed to
escape.
    In the meantime, Behrat would be trapped
inside his spacesuit, needing to use the bathroom, but having no
way to get out, and do it. His brother would be laughing at his
predicament, and calling him a fool. The Queen would hungry for her
treats and bread, while his father, the King would be hiding alone
in his own room, consulting with his imaginary friend, and writing
nonsense in his books.
    “You’re coming with me, right?” Behrat turned
to the shadows, to the ghostly image of his own imaginary
friend.
    “Of course, I am. I’m right here, behind your
shoulder.”
    “And, you’ll be there tomorrow?” Behrat
persisted.
    “And, the next day, and the