Alex brushed his fingers over the bandage a servant had wrapped around his shoulder earlier and glanced at William. The strip of cloth around the mage's head was stained red — proof the bleeding hadn't stopped yet.
"Are you all right?"
The mage touched his temple. "It's just a scratch. It should stop bleeding in a few hours."
"Why did you come here? You could've left."
"Because my prince is too much of an idealist, and I've learned by now he has a tendency to get himself into trouble."
Alex grimaced. "Says the one who picked a fight with a guy the size of a mountain."
William folded his arms. "He was annoying."
"Couldn't you use magic? Or have you already run out of it?"
"I used it up to kill the guard at the entrance."
Alex stared at him in surprise. "That was your doing?"
William looked away. "I couldn't let you go alone. Even if I didn't agree with your plan, I had to follow you."
"You could've told me. We could've handled it better together."
"I'm sorry. Sometimes I'm too proud."
Alex sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. The wound on his shoulder pulled every time he moved, and he was starting to feel truly exhausted — but they still had an enemy to face.
"William, do you really think my life is more important than yours?"
"To me it is. But I suppose you don't see it that way, do you?"
"No." He pointed a finger at him. "So don't say stupid things like you're expendable or that it wouldn't matter if you died, because it matters to me. The lives of others always matter to me."
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He didn't want to see anyone die ever again.
William lowered his gaze, his brow furrowed as if deep in thought. "I'm sorry. I didn't think my words would hurt you that much."
"What hurts me is knowing you don't value your own life." Alex rubbed his forehead. "Just promise me you won't die for me. I promised Sven I'd bring you home, and I don't intend to break that promise."
A faint blush colored the mage's cheeks, and his eyes grew even more evasive. "I promise."
-------------------------------------
After getting their wounds treated and reassuring the servants and Lord Lynden's daughter, Alex and William stepped aside to work out a plan.
Lady Lynden joined them, still clutching the crossbow. Her eyes were fierce, and she possessed the willpower of a lioness.
The mage sat down on a crate. "Reyne uses corpses as a source of magic. He must've used poison to kill as many deer as possible and draw power from them."
Alex folded his arms. "And at the same time, he sent a message to the crown to lure me into action."
William nodded. "The good news is that the magic he's using isn't particularly efficient. It needs several corpses to draw from. But it's the only option if someone doesn't have a familiar."
"Couldn't he be keeping it as a secret weapon?"
"I doubt it. If he had a familiar, he wouldn't be using the dead. It takes too much focus and has harmful effects on the body."
"So he has no choice."
"No. Considering he has a grimoire, I'd guess he either lost his familiar or ended up with an empty grimoire. It happens sometimes, though very rarely. Spirits only die if killed by other spirits."
Lady Lynden tucked a brown lock of hair behind her ear. "Is there a way to neutralize him?"
"Another mage could." William glanced at Alex. "But without Caedos, I can't do anything."
The prince lowered his gaze. It was his fault—he should've stopped William from sending the amphiptere away.
"Maybe we can distract him," Lady Lynden murmured. "We don't have soldiers, but crossbows are easy enough to use. And Your Highness could kill him with a sword."
William frowned. "That's risky."
"Do we have any other choice?"
"We could wait for reinforcements."
Alex sighed. "But we don't know when they'll arrive." It might be that very afternoon — or the next day. "And besides, Reyne will soon realize we've freed the hostages. He'll come after us, and we can't risk these people's lives. There's a child here too."
Lady Lynden paled, her hands trembling.
William furrowed his brow, touching his chin thoughtfully. A strange light flickered in those poison-green eyes.
"Maybe there's a solution, but… Your Highness probably won't like it."
Alex stiffened. "If you're planning to sacrifice yourself, you—"
"No," the mage interrupted. "No sacrifices. But you still won't like it."
"William, I want to save these people. I don't care what it costs me, or what you ask me to do. I have to protect them. It's my duty."
William held his gaze, then turned toward Lady Lynden. "My lady, may I have a word with His Highness in private?"
The noblewoman flinched and nodded, then walked back toward the servants and the little girl.
William turned back to look at the prince and gestured him to follow.
They left the small hut and walked a short distance along the forest's edge. The mage seemed tense for some reason, and Alex couldn't help wondering what he was hiding.
When they were far enough away, William stopped and turned around.
"Do you remember when I told you that there are three sources a mage can draw magic from? The strongest one is the magic of spirits, then comes the magic of the dead, and finally the magic of men."
Alex raised his eyebrows. "People can be sources?"
"Yes, but it's an extremely rare trait. Those who are sources can't use their own magic, but another mage can. Nowadays, it survives in only one bloodline. Yours."
His heart sank, and Alex took a step back. What was he saying? "My family?"
William nodded. "That's the real reason the Crown Pact exists. The monarch binds themself to a mage, lends them their magic, and the mage swears loyalty in return."
"My father never told me that."
"He would have, when the time for the oath came."
"But why? You mages have the spirits. You don't need us, do you?"
"It's an ancient ritual. It's possible it was created to prevent your kind from becoming unstable. Perhaps one of your ancestors was a particularly powerful source, and only a mage could stop that magic from causing harm."
"And in exchange for that magic, they demanded the mage's absolute loyalty. To prevent him from turning against the source."
William nodded.
Alex ran his fingers through his blond hair. None of this made sense—he didn't have any magic. Unless…
"Is that why I get that tingling whenever I touch you?"
"Yes. I believe it's a reaction to the magic inside you."
"If I bind myself to you, what happens?"
William crossed his arms, and his expression darkened. "I'll be able to draw from your magic and fight Reyne on equal terms."
"And that will be enough?"
"I believe so. You're a much richer source than your father or sisters. Maybe that's why you were meant to be king."
Alex clenched his jaw, rage coursing through him. He had always thought it was a cruel joke of fate—but maybe his father had forced his elder sisters to renounce the throne just so he could become the heir. And for what? Some stupid magic? Was anything in his life real?
He clutched his shirt, opened his mouth to draw a breath, but something was closing up his throat. He had to breathe—why couldn't he? Why did he feel like he was suffocating?
"Your Highness." A warm, gentle hand rested lightly on his cheek.
Alex lifted his gaze and found himself staring into William's poison-green eyes, so close he could have kissed him. When had the mage moved closer? Why was he touching him? He didn't even like being touched, did he?
William brushed his cheekbone and, with his other hand, caught his wrist, gently prying his fingers from the fabric the prince was gripping. "Please, breathe."
Alex inhaled and exhaled. He did it several times, until the burning in his lungs eased and the panic subsided.
William guided him to sit on a stump and knelt before him. The mage's fingers lingered, light as butterfly kisses. "Are you all right?"
"I think so." It was half a lie, but William's presence had at least brought him back down to earth.
Alex rubbed his eyes—they stung again, damn it.
"My life feels like a cruel joke."
"It isn't. This doesn't change who you are. You can still live your life without binding yourself to me."
"Are you sure? I won't go mad?"
William shook his head. "I doubt it. But I can't promise you."
Alex let out a bitter laugh. "You're not very comforting."
A faint blush spread across the mage's cheeks, and his gaze slid aside again. "Well, I'm not very good at it."
The prince felt the impulse to brush his cheek, to touch the beauty mark beneath his eye, but he held back. "Do we have alternatives?"
"Waiting for your father and Caedos."
Alex sighed. They couldn't really afford that. "If we do this, will you be safe?"
William blinked, surprised. "Are you worried about me?"
"You're a hemophiliac, and I might hurt myself."
"I'll be fine, don't worry. Besides, you promised to protect me and you never go back on your word."
William stood and offered him his hand. Alex looked at him in surprise, then brushed his palm against the mage's. The now-familiar tingling ran across his skin.
He took William's hand and rose to his feet. William smiled, and Alex's heart skipped a beat. By the spirits, could he really make such a… sweet expression?
"Thank you, Your Highness. For trusting me."
"I do trust you." Even though he barely knew him. "And to be honest, I like you, William." He smiled. "You're just a little strange."
The mage's cheeks reddened, and he quickly pulled his hand away.
Alex frowned, puzzled. What had he said wrong this time?
William nervously toyed with a lock of hair, his gaze fixed on the ground. "We'd better hurry. Reyne could reach us at any moment. So... please, take off your clothes."