A writer's journey

the cure

Both of them don't have much time left to live!” The old ape slammed the book down, as if the force of the action would make his words more meaningful. The sound echoed through the room, amplifying the gravity of his statement.

The Green King’s eyes narrowed. “What secrets are you both keeping from me?” he demanded, his voice a low growl that made the air feel heavier.

I stood there, caught in the tension, unsure whether I should confess or keep silent. The weight of the brown ape's ominous words hung over me like a thick cloud. But the truth would come out sooner or later. Selena's eyes were already on me, waiting for an explanation.

The room became deathly quiet, with the trio—Selena, the Green King, and the brown ape—all staring at me in anticipation. I cleared my throat, but nothing came out. How could I explain this tangled mess of lies, mistakes, and secrets? My heart raced. If I told the truth, would it really be worth the risk? Or would it lead to our doom?

The Green King’s patience, however, was wearing thin. “Is it some kind of heavenly secret? Spill it already! I have other matters to attend to!” His voice boomed with frustration, sending a wave of unease through the room.

I couldn’t keep the secret anymore. I knew it. But just as I was about to speak, the sound of hurried footsteps broke the tension. The door burst open, and a guard rushed in, his face flushed with urgency.

“Your Majesty, forgive the interruption. We’ve received an urgent message from the eastern realm. A group of humans were captured near our borders, attempting to sneak inside.”

The Green King’s eyes flared. “Are you idiots?! Get rid of them and stop bothering me! I’m in the middle of something important!” He waved the guard off dismissively, but the guard didn’t back down.

“One of them has that thing, Your Majesty!” the guard persisted, his voice trembling.

The Green King’s demeanor changed instantly. He shot to his feet. “What? Lead the way.”

He turned to the brown ape, “Elder, you’ll have to accompany me to the site.”

Without another word, they left, the sound of their footsteps fading as they made their way to the eastern borders. I was left alone with Selena.

The tension in the room was palpable. Selena sat up in her bed, her face filled with confusion. “What secrets are you keeping from us?” she asked, her voice soft but sharp with concern.

I knew this was it. I couldn’t hide anymore.

“Selena, while you were unconscious…” I began, recounting everything that had happened since Diana saved us from the kidnappers. I told her about the forced duel, the strange traditions of the Green Monster Clan, and the monster princess Diana’s involvement. I explained the chain of events that led to this very moment, the pressure, the hidden truths, and my fear of what would happen if we couldn’t survive this.

As I spoke, I could see the confusion and worry in Selena’s eyes slowly turn to understanding. She wasn’t angry. She was just… lost. But then, the door opened again.

A familiar green guard entered.

“Prince Consort, your presence is needed in the throne room.” He knelt, his head almost touching the ground as he addressed me.

I looked to Selena, my heart heavy with the burden of what I had just confessed. “Stay here and rest. I’ll be back soon.”

She nodded, but there was a sadness in her eyes I couldn’t shake. I followed the guard to the throne room, my mind racing.

When I entered, I was greeted by the sight of monsters and humans alike, all kneeling in front of the Green King. The tension in the room was thick, and I could feel every eye on me. But the most unsettling thing was Treasure’s gaze. The mix of excitement and concern in her eyes made my heart race. I had no idea what she was about to do, but I couldn’t afford for her to mess this up.

“Welcome the Prince Consort!” the guards announced.

As I walked in, all eyes were on me. The Green King smiled, his expression warm as he patted the empty seat beside him. “John, come. Sit beside me.”

The room was filled with humans—five of the kidnappers and ten of the kidnapped, including Treasure. I could feel the weight of their stares, and I had to force myself not to look at Treasure. I was doing my best to send subtle signals, hoping she wouldn’t shout out “Daddy” or do anything else that could expose our ruse.

The leader of the kidnappers, Audu—the one who had saved us previously—stood in the corner, his eyes narrowed with suspicion. I could sense his growing doubt.

“John,” the Green King began, his voice drawing my attention back to him, “I called you here because the Old Ape has found a cure to your death curse, but it comes at a price.”

I swallowed hard, already bracing myself for whatever that price might be. The Brown Ape’s gaze was icy—full of barely contained rage as he watched me.

“Elder, tell him what to do,” the Green King gestured for the ape to speak.

The Brown Ape’s eyes burned with malice as he looked me over. “You and these people have one thing in common. The same source of the curse.” He paused, his voice dripping with venom. “It seems you were all cursed by the same person. This type of curse is used to prevent the cursed from running. So the main question is: what did that bastard ask to steal this time?”

The room fell silent as the question hung in the air.

I could feel the walls closing in on me. The truth I had been hiding, the curse that was slowly eating away at me—it was about to be revealed.