Alex scratched his head. He didn't understand a thing and had no idea what to say. Usually, he knew exactly what to say.
"You don't look sick."
"You only notice when I get hurt."
"What do you mean?"
"My blood doesn't clot. If I get wounded, I risk dying from blood loss even if I'm treated."
"Even minor injuries?"
"It depends. A scratch on its own won't kill me, but if it takes much longer to heal, there's a higher risk of infection. More serious wounds are basically fatal."
That explained a lot, including why he had spent his childhood kept indoors. His parents must have thought it was the best way to prevent him from dying.
"So if I get hurt, you risk dying, right?"
William nodded. "But if I get hurt, nothing will happen to you. The Crown Pact is one-sided."
Alex frowned. "Then I don't think I understand."
"I can use my illness as an excuse to convince the king to send me away. If I tell him I don't want you to suffer in case I die from your injuries, he might agree."
"You should do it for yourself. Not for me. I'll be fine; you're the one risking your life."
"It's all I can offer you."
Alex pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a deep sigh. "Is that why you don't like being touched?"
William shrugged. "I don't trust people. They can be cruel."
He wasn't entirely wrong, but Alex wasn't that kind of person, and that lack of trust hurt him a little.
"So… what scared you before was the thought of getting hurt?"
"Yes. Thank you for saving me, you have quick reflexes."
"And you're capable."
A faint smile touched the mage's lips, then vanished almost instantly.
"Does my father know?" Alex asked.
William shook his head. "I didn't tell him. I didn't think it was important. I thought you weren't at risk, that your life was at court, and all I had to worry about was not cutting myself on paperwork, but… this changes everything."
"I don't get hurt often. I can be even more careful. We can find a solution."
William raised his eyebrows and stared at him for a moment, surprised. Then furrowed his brow and the mask of composure returned to his face.
"But you don't like me. You want another Court Mage, right? I'm offering you a chance to get rid of me."
He was right, but Alex wasn't so sure anymore about what he wanted.
William was an unfathomable mystery, yet something in his dark figure and the grace of his movements kept drawing him in. Maybe it was just the challenge he presented, maybe it was that tingling sensation Alex felt every time they touched.
Alex sat back down and rubbed his face nervously. "Why did you tell me? Being Court Mage is very prestigious. Anyone in your position would do anything to keep it."
"Because it's the right thing to do. I don't want to be the cause of your pain."
A faint warmth bloomed in his chest.
It was the first time a stranger had said something like that to him, and he didn't know how to take it. Did he say it because he was his future sovereign, because he was in debt to him, or because he really meant it?
Alex doubted the mage felt any fondness for him; if he did, he wouldn't have shot him those sharp glances.
The problem was that Alex was starting to like him more than he was willing to admit.
-----------------------------------
Lord Lynden wiped his forehead with a handkerchief and glanced around the main hall, as if the arched windows or the statues could offer him shelter.
"Your Highness, I am truly sorry, but no one had informed me and…"
"It's all right, we are traveling incognito. It's certainly not your fault that we were attacked."
Lord Lynden didn't seem to relax at all, so Alex ordered him to summon the gamekeeper and dismissed him.
"The Castellan used to be more approachable," he said as soon as the man left.
William was standing in front of a statue of a woman draped in royal attire, holding a scepter and orb, staring at it with a blank expression.
Alex approached him. "She was the first sovereign of my house."
"She was a beautiful woman."
"Maybe. Statues and paintings tend to make people look better than they were. An ugly queen or a disfigured king wouldn't inspire loyalty."
William looked at him with his usual detached expression. "Your father is a handsome man. And so are you."
"But in my case, I doubt it will be enough."
"In your case, the problem is your behavior."
Alex sighed. "You know I wasn't the one who was supposed to take the throne?"
William furrowed his brow. "And who was?"
"One of my older sisters. They're twins and were expected to agree on who would take it, but I was fairly certain one of them would accept the crown. Instead, they both gave it up to get married."
"Couldn't they have married anyway?"
"Their husbands were low-ranking nobles. Marrying them and taking the throne would have been scandalous, so they stepped aside. Honestly, I think it was just an excuse: neither of them wanted to rule and let the weight of the crown fall on my shoulders. But it's not like I wanted it either."
"That's no excuse to act irresponsibly."
Alex pursed his lips, annoyed. Fine, the mage wasn't entirely wrong, but couldn't he use a little more tact?
"Do you think I enjoy this?"
"To be honest, yes."
Alex tried to hold it back, but a laugh escaped his lips before he could stop it.
That man didn't have a shred of common sense! He said exactly what he thought to his face, without caring at all about the consequences.
Yet Alex couldn't even get angry anymore.
William frowned. "Did I say something funny?"
"No, it's just… you tell me everything you think, without any filter. It's strange."
Different. Almost freeing. As if they were old friends.
Few people dared that far, and Alex considered them all family.
The doors of the hall opened and a middle-aged man, small beard on his chin and a coat wrapped tight, limped toward them.
The gamekeeper.
Alex didn't remember his name, but recognized the gruff face and shifty eyes. He looked older than the last time Alex had seen him.
The man bowed. "Your Highness, did you wish to see me?"
"My father sent me to investigate, together with my mage, Master William Traver. I'd like to hear from you what happened to the deer so we can get a clearer picture and start the investigation tomorrow."
The gamekeeper shot the mage a brief glance and nodded, moistening his lips.
"There's not much to say. I found about twenty carcasses in a clearing not far from here, in the heart of the hunting reserve. No signs of bites or claw marks—it wasn't wolves, boars, or bears. Those are the only predators in the area."
"Were there any signs of weapons or arrows?"
"No, nothing. It looked as if they were asleep."
"Poison?"
The gamekeeper nodded. "I thought the same, Your Highness, but the poisons I know always leave traces."
William furrowed his brow. "Do you still have the bodies?"
"A couple. We're keeping them in the icehouse to prevent decomposition."
"You were cautious."
The gamekeeper shrugged. "The Lord Castellan said it was the best thing to do. He said that if the king sent someone to investigate, he might want to see the evidence."
Alex turned to William. "Can you do anything?"
The mage nodded. "Magic is like poison: it always leaves traces." He touched his chin thoughtfully. "But I'd also like to see the place where they were found, if possible."
"I don't think that will be a problem. The gamekeeper can guide us. We'll go tomorrow right after breakfast, is that okay?"
William gave a small nod, and Alex dismissed the man.
Once alone, he faced the mage again.
"Do you have any ideas yet?"
"I prefer not to draw conclusions before seeing it myself."
"But you at least have some theories, right?"
William hesitated. "Poisons always leave a trace, and that man seems knowledgeable. But he's not a mage; he can't see magical traces."
It was the same conclusion Alex had reached. It could only have been magic.
"Do you think it's a message to the crown?"
"After the ambush, I have little doubt. They didn't seem like brigands and were dead before we could extract any information from them."
"As if someone deliberately killed them to keep them from speaking."
They had risked their lives and survived only due to a string of lucky breaks. And because the mage was truly as powerful as he claimed.
Alex rubbed his forehead. "What a hassle! I wasn't ready to get into such a mess."
"It's fortunate that His Majesty ordered you to accompany me."
"Ugh! He just wants us to patch things up. My father is cunning."
"In any case, without you, I would have died." William bowed. "So, thank you."
Alex scratched the back of his neck, slightly embarrassed.
The thanks he usually received were little more than formalities, spoken to earn his favor rather than out of genuine feeling. The mage, however, was truly thanking him.
"I only did what I had to."
"That's not true, and we both know it. A prince doesn't risk his life for a subject. Protecting me was not among your duties."
"I told you. As a prince, I'm a disappointment."
William looked at him and pressed his lips together. He raised a hand and brushed the wound on Alex's arm. A tingling ran along their skin.
"May I tend to your wound?"
Alex felt his cheeks warm. "If you want, but it's not necessary. It's just a scratch."
The air between them thickened until it felt almost unbearable. A faint warmth spread from William's fingers into the wound. A moment later, the skin was whole again.
Alex rubbed his forearm, still feeling the heat of the magic. "Thank you."
"I only did my duty."
The doors opened, and Lord Lynden walked in, a broad, satisfied smile on his face, rubbing his bejeweled hands together.
"Your Highness! I've had the baths prepared. I'm sure the hot water will help wash away the day's fatigue. Of course, your mage can join you—I've even arranged a surprise."
Alex raised an eyebrow. "A surprise?"
"Yes, yes, I'm sure you'll like it. He's gentle and very skilled."
What on earth was he talking about? Some high-class prostitute?
William's expression darkened. "I'll retire to my chambers."
Oh no, he wasn't getting away that easily!
Alex grabbed his wrist. "You don't want to go to bed all sweaty and dusty, do you?"
"I can wash in my room."
"And miss the hot baths they've prepared? They're a tonic after a day on horseback. The water comes straight from underground and contains healing salts." Alex's lips curved into a victorious smile. "And your prince is ordering you—surely you wouldn't disobey?"
William furrowed his brow, his gaze colder and sharper than usual.
The mage didn't like it and would let him know as soon as they were alone, but Alex didn't care.
After the events of the day, he had discovered that he enjoyed the man's company.