William cast a brief glance at Myrina, then returned to Alex. "Do you usually go around carrying young ladies?"
"She's my younger sister, Myrina. She fell and twisted her ankle; I'm taking her to the kitchens to get it treated."
"My apologies." The mage gave a stiff bow. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness."
"T-the pleasure's mine," she stammered.
Alex rolled his eyes. By the spirits, there really was someone who could silence his sister!
"Do you need a hand, William?"
The mage raised his eyebrows, looking surprised. "For what?"
"Getting ready for the journey… I don't know. If you need help with your luggage, you can ask."
"There's no need for attendants; I can manage on my own."
"No, well… actually, I wanted to help you myself."
"You?"
Alex parted his lips and only then realized what he had just said. He had really volunteered? He, the Crown Prince?
If anyone from the court had overheard, it would be on everyone's lips for the next ten years. A prince did not stoop to serve a commoner.
Yet he had said it, just out of kindness. The mage didn't even deserve it.
"Forget it. Pretend I didn't say anything."
"Hey, you! Mage!"
A noble, whose name Alex didn't remember, was striding toward them, fists clenched. He stopped in front of William and pointed a jeweled finger at him.
"I demand an apology!" he shouted. He hadn't even noticed the prince standing there.
The mage looked down at the finger, then back up at the man's face. His lips curled slightly into a faint, annoyed smirk. "Step back. You're too close."
"You…! How dare you?"
"You are loud and disturbing the entire court." William gestured toward Alex. "And Their Highnesses."
The noble spun around and, as soon as he recognized him, went pale. "Your Highness, I… I…"
Alex smiled. "Is there a problem?"
"Of course there is! This… mage," he curled his lips in disgust, "has disrespected me. I demand a public apology."
"Is that true?"
William averted his gaze as if bored. "He humiliated himself. He cannot blame me if he is incompetent."
The noble trembled. "I am not incompetent! Your Highness, I request your intervention."
Alex glanced around for a way out, but the shouting had attracted a small crowd. Fleeing would only make him look like a coward, yet he had no desire to defend either of them.
He sighed. "What happened?"
"This commoner dared to make a fool of me in front of everyone."
William frowned. "I repeat: you humiliated yourself by babbling about economics without understanding anything. Cutting taxes in the southern duchies won't revive trade."
"How dare you! You are a nobody without a shred of noble blood. What do you know about how our kingdom works?"
The prince swallowed his anger and stepped in before the mage could snap back and escalate the argument. "That's enough. William, apologize to him."
The mage gave him a sharp look, clearly unhappy with his decision. But glaring at him was pointless; his hands were tied. Alex couldn't defend him, at least not in public. He hated himself for it.
A satisfied smile spread across the noble's lips. "Did you hear what His Highness just said? Bow."
William's expression darkened, and he slowly knelt before the man, bowing his head. "I ask your forgiveness, sir."
Around them, murmurs of excitement spread through the crowd.
Alex pressed his lips together. Bastards… There was nothing entertaining about watching someone forced to bow like that.
Myrina wrapped her arms around his neck. "Alex, do something," she whispered.
Do what? If he had asserted his authority, he would have lost the few supporters he still had at court.
The noble lifted his foot and placed it under William's nose. "Kiss it, you filthy Xianese mutt."
Alex clenched his jaw, his anger burning in his gut. Mutt? How dared he?
He shoved the noble, who lost his balance and toppled to the ground.
"He apologized!" Alex roared. "What kind of man humiliates someone like that?" He turned to the crowd of onlookers. "And you, don't you have anything better to do? Clear out!"
The crowd dispersed amid murmurs and rustling clothes. Even the noble got up and slunk away, casting one last murderous glance at the mage.
Myrina planted a kiss on his cheek. "Well done, brother! I'm proud of you."
"I don't doubt it. I'm the one who's going to get in trouble anyway."
"If it happens, I'll defend you."
Alex had no doubt, though he didn't think his sister could truly make a difference.
He turned to William. "You owe me a favor."
"You shouldn't have intervened."
"I can't stand bullies. And you didn't deserve such humiliation."
"I am no one, and he is a noble. Defending me is illogical."
"Then you're lucky I'm famous for doing illogical things."
The prince held out a hand, but William ignored it and stood on his own. He brushed off his silk tunic and gave him a detached look. Then he lowered his eyes to Myrina's ankle, pursed his lips in a grimace, and walked away silently.
Without even a word of thanks.
Yet for a moment, Alex thought he saw a flash of shame in his poison-green eyes.
He sighed. "Why did I defend him?"
"Because you're a good person," Myrina replied. "Good people do that."
"And end up in trouble for doing good deeds?"
"Sometimes."
Alex shrugged. It was better not to think about it. "Let's go fix your ankle, little sister."
------------------------------------
Alex set his sister down on a bench and knelt before her. He removed her shoe and stocking and inspected her ankle carefully. It was swollen and bruised, but it didn't look broken.
"Does it hurt?"
"A little, but I can manage."
Alex pressed the swelling. Myrina grimaced but didn't cry out. No, nothing seemed broken.
"It needs to be bandaged. It'll hurt for a few more days."
"Great. Now I have an excuse to stay in my room and read all day."
Alex asked for some ointment and bandages, then tended to her ankle. His sister stayed silent the entire time, enduring the discomfort with a mix of stoicism and stubborn resolve.
When he finished, he pinned the bandage in place and studied her face. Her cheeks were streaked with fine scratches, and there was still some dust lingering on her skin. He'd have to treat those too.
"Your Highness?"
Alex started and turned around. William was standing behind him, holding out a small jar with a honey-colored substance inside.
"For the princess's scratches."
Myrina straightened up, beaming. "Oh, th-thank you, William!"
Alex tried not to roll his eyes and took the jar from the mage's hand. "What is it?"
"A healing balm. It soothes the pain and prevents infection. And it smells like honey."
"You made it yourself?"
"My mother did. Don't you trust me?"
Alex gave him a look. "I don't see why I should doubt you. The only thing you've ever attacked is my reputation among the nobles."
"I never asked you to defend me."
That was true, he hadn't. But how could he expect Alex to just stand by and watch?
"Would you rather I had done nothing?"
"No," the mage replied. "But perhaps it would have been better for your reputation."
Alex turned the little jar over in his hands and gestured toward the bench. "Sit down. I'll finish treating my sister, then we'll talk."
William obeyed, and Alex turned his attention back to Myrina's scratches.
His sister kept quiet, sneaking glances at him and the mage. A spark of curiosity shimmered in her blue eyes. It was the same look she always had when faced with a mystery she wanted to solve. He wondered what, exactly, was running through her head…
Once he was done, Alex closed the jar and handed it back to William.
"I'm going to get a book," Myrina said.
"Be careful not to strain your ankle."
"Don't worry!" She put her shoe back on and slipped out of the kitchens.
An odd silence fell between them. For some reason, William seemed uneasy, and Alex wasn't sure how to begin. He didn't want to scold him, but the mage needed to understand how to behave among nobles.
The mage cleared his throat. "I didn't take you for someone so kind."
Alex shot him a glare. "Do I really look like a cruel monster to you?"
"No, but… you're a prince. Princes aren't supposed to kneel before anyone."
"But she's my sister! If I can't take care of her, how could I ever take care of an entire kingdom?"
William parted his lips, a strange light flickering in his eyes. "But you defended me, too."
"I already told you. I don't like bullying, and I won't tolerate it in my court."
"You could get in trouble for that."
Alex hesitated. "He might complain to my father, but I'm not worried. I doubt I'll be reprimanded."
"But he'll talk to the other nobles. Your reputation will suffer."
"My reputation's already shaky. I don't think it'll make much difference. To them, I'm an inept fool anyway."
William frowned and grabbed his arm. "You shouldn't have. Reputation matters when ruling a kingdom. What will you do when you sit on the throne?"
Alex offered a bitter smile and rested his hand on the mage's wrist. That familiar tingling sensation spread across his skin, as it always did whenever they touched. He was starting to find it almost pleasant.
"I don't think I'll last long. I'll probably be a puppet king."
William let go of his arm, lips pressed into a hard line. "When we get back, I'll resign and leave. That way, you won't have to defend me anymore."
"It won't change anything," Alex said, "but I appreciate the thought. In the meantime, try not to provoke them. Most of them can barely tolerate your presence and they're all just waiting for an excuse to cause trouble. Don't give them one."
"This place is twisted."
"A bit," Alex agreed, meeting his gaze. "I don't regret helping you, and I don't want you to feel indebted to me. I acted on my conscience, and I have a feeling you'd have done the same for me."
William frowned. "How can you be sure? You don't even know me."
"Because you gave me the ointment for Myrina. You didn't have to, and you might have been the only one who noticed she was hurt and cared."
He reached out a hand to rest it on William's shoulder, then remembered the mage disliked being touched, and pulled back.
"You're a strange one, William. Terrible temper, far too sharp a tongue — but at least you're honest. That's rare at court, and I value it."
William lowered his gaze. "Then give me a post in some faraway fortress. Ask the king to grant it to me, and we'll be even."
"I will. Once we're back at the palace, I'll beg my father to let you go."
Even if it meant humiliating himself before the entire court.