DAUGHTER OF THE WILD

Chapter 2: The Truth Unveiled

The drive home was steeped in silence. The city lights flickered past as Suka kept his hands firmly on the steering wheel, his mind spinning with everything his mother had said. Beside him, Susan stared out the window, holding Zara protectively in her arms.

When they arrived at their apartment in Brooklyn, Susan wasted no time. She carried their daughter inside, gently tucking her into bed. Zara stirred slightly but remained fast asleep, her tiny fingers clutching the edge of her blanket. Susan brushed a kiss on her forehead before quietly stepping out of the room and shutting the door behind her.

She found Suka in his study, seated behind his desk with a glass of whiskey in his hand. His gaze was distant, lost in thoughts that she knew had been buried for years. The dim lighting cast deep shadows on his face, making him look more tired than she had ever seen him.

“Suka, I need answers. Now.”

Her voice was sharp, but there was an undertone of fear. She was angry, but more than that—she was scared. Scared of what she had heard tonight. Scared of what it meant for their daughter.

Suka sighed and looked up at her, taking a slow sip from his glass before setting it down. “My full name is Sukachasa,” he began, his voice low but steady. “It means ‘Son of the Wild.’”

Susan frowned. “What does that mean? What does any of this have to do with us?”

He exhaled, rubbing his hands together. “It’s a long story, honey. You’ll need to sit down.”

She hesitated for a second before obeying, settling into the chair opposite him. Her heart pounded as she waited for the truth that had been hidden from her for so long.

“I am the crown prince of Matmba,” Suka said finally. “A small, hidden country in Africa. Only my people can enter and leave. For centuries, we have remained isolated, protecting what is sacred to us. But I never wanted the throne. I wanted to see the world, explore, and live beyond the borders of tradition.” His eyes softened. “And that’s how I ended up here. With you. The love of my life. And our beautiful daughter.”

Susan stared at him in disbelief. “You’re telling me… you’re a prince?”

“Yes,” he admitted, nodding.

She shook her head. “That still doesn’t explain why Zara is in danger.”

Suka closed his eyes, his jaw tightening. “Everything, my love. Everything comes back to Zara.” He opened his eyes again, and there was something in them—a pain, a burden he had been carrying for years. “She is a princess. And more than that, she is the prophecy.”

Susan swallowed hard, a lump forming in her throat. “What prophecy?”

Suka leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. “Before I was born, Matmba was not just a hidden kingdom—it was powerful and vast, known for its beauty and the strength of its people. We had something unique, something that made us different from the rest of the world. A substance called Sunha.”

Susan frowned. “Sunha?”

He nodded. “It’s a green liquid—sacred, rare. It grants incredible strength and abilities, more than what any normal human could ever have.”

Susan’s stomach twisted. “You’re saying your people have superpowers?”

“In a way, yes. Sunha enhances everything—it sharpens the mind, strengthens the body, and connects the soul to nature itself.” He paused. “But centuries ago, a princess of Matmba fell in love with an outsider. She trusted him, brought him into our lands, showed him everything—including Sunha. But she didn’t know he had ill intentions.”

Susan’s breath hitched. “What happened?”

“He stole some of the Sunha and took it back to his home country. There, his people modified it, experimented on it—turning it into something unnatural, something dangerous. And then, he returned, leading an army to raid Matmba. They slaughtered our people, took everything they could, and nearly destroyed our way of life.”

Susan covered her mouth, horrified. “Oh my God…”

“One of the things they stole was an evil blanket, a cursed artifact once worn by our greatest enemy—Mutukunza.”

“Mutukunza?”

Suka nodded grimly. “He was a warlord, a destroyer. A man so ruthless that even death did not erase his name from history. Our ancestors fought against him, and he was ultimately slain by a warrior chosen by the spirits—the Kunakuna Warrior.”

Susan tensed. “The what?”

“The Kunakuna Warrior,” Suka repeated. “She was a woman granted the power to control and communicate with all wild animals. Through them, she could see, hear, and command. She was the mightiest protector Matmba had ever known.”

Susan felt her heart pounding in her chest. “And what does this have to do with Zara?”

Suka swallowed hard. “A prophecy came to my mother. It warned that Mutukunza would rise again. That he would return, seeking revenge and Sunha—not just to control Matmba, but to destroy other nations as well. And with our kingdom now smaller than before, we are more vulnerable than ever.”

Susan gripped the armrests of her chair. “So… our daughter…”

Suka nodded. “Zara is the one chosen by the ancestors. She is the next Kunakuna Warrior. The child born under the star. The only one who can stop Mutukunza.”

A heavy silence filled the room.

Susan’s mind raced, struggling to process everything. “But… she’s just a child,” she whispered, shaking her head. “She’s four years old, Suka. How can she be the one to stop someone like that?”

“She won’t have to—yet,” Suka said quietly. “Her powers will fully manifest when she turns twenty-one. But Mutukunza’s followers know this. They are already looking for her.”

Susan’s breath came in quick gasps as reality set in. “That’s why your mother said he will come for her…”

“Yes,” Suka admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. “And if they find her before she comes into her full power… they will kill her.”

Susan shot up from her chair. “We need to leave.”

Suka reached out, grabbing her hand. “We can’t just run, Susan. There are places they can’t reach us, but if we go into hiding forever, Zara will never learn who she is. She won’t be prepared for what’s coming.”

Tears welled in Susan’s eyes. “She’s our baby, Suka.”

“I know,” he said, pulling her into his arms. “That’s why I won’t let anything happen to her.”

Susan buried her face in his chest, trembling. “What do we do?”

Suka’s expression hardened. “We get ready. We train her. We make sure that when the time comes—she’s strong enough to survive.”

Outside, a shadow moved across the street. Unseen eyes watched the apartment, waiting.

The hunt had begun