by Sam Argent
Sebastian tilted his head at his shit-stirring brother. “Nice try, but all you have to do is ask her. She won’t lie for my benefit.”
“Terror to all and allegiance to none,” Demetrius muttered.
“He’s the youngest,” Pratchett pointed out. “Even Kevin has a soft spot for him. I wouldn’t trust him, Kraven.”
Kraven glared at Pratchett. “I’ll ask Diana later if he squealed, but even if he did, I’m still not telling you my secret.”
Digging his finger in Kraven’s chest, Pratchett pushed him against the table. “Now it sounds like you’re getting cozy with them. Both of you need to decide which of us you’re going to listen to, or I’ll make that decision for you.”
“Two years older doesn’t mean you can boss me around,” Kraven said as he dug his own finger into Pratchett’s chest.
Demetrius made eye contact with Sebastian and tilted his head to the side.
Sebastian had no idea what would distract him from a family squabble, so he turned to look. Their mother had made multiple trips to the wagon and placed bottles on her table in a disorderly fashion. In all his years, she had never allowed a fight between them to last when they were at market. She’d also stopped calling out her wares and her movements were jerky. Sebastian couldn’t remember hearing her speak for a long time and remembered the last he’d heard from her was right before Diana had insulted her. We argue and call each other names all the time, so I don’t know why today is different. He glanced at Diana’s table and saw her gaze roam to their mother every few minutes. Diana’s jaw stiffened as time passed and their mother still said nothing.
Pratchett backed up closer to Demetrius. “I think I saw a glimmer of red. That’s why Mother keeps looking down.”
“If her eyes are red, we won’t sell anything from her scaring the customers,” Kraven said.
“We wouldn’t need to sell anything if Father hadn’t paid Kevin to drag Sebastian home,” Pratchett said.
“Diana angered her, so why am I being blamed?” Sebastian asked.
“Look at her,” Demetrius said, jabbing his thumb in Diana’s direction. “She’s getting pissed too.”
Sebastian stared at Diana and Lady Orwell, who were growing into silent, angry mirrors of each other. “I don’t see why I’m being held responsible for anything.”
“You are the youngest and by default can be the cutest. Use that otherwise useless talent to calm Mother down and then ask Diana to apologize,” Demetrius ordered.
Sebastian’s eyebrow rose. “I see zero incentive to do either thing.”
“You’re the one least likely to be cursed, and James and the others are leaving Diana alone,” Pratchett said. “They’ve given up too, and I’m not doing it. You cost us money, so you make it up.”
“This is horseshit,” Sebastian said.
“Maybe, but I think James agrees,” Demetrius said.
Sebastian turned and saw James eyeing him and slanting his head in their mother’s direction. “I hate you all.”
“All that sucking up and you still have no authority,” Pratchett said.
“Go fuck yourself.” Sebastian took a deep breath and went to Lady Orwell’s side. She was dividing potions by strength with her head bent down. Sebastian opened his mouth just as Imegan stopped by their table.
“Have you had another argument with that disobedient girl?” Imegan asked.
Sebastian closed his eyes and wondered why nothing was going right that day.
“Imegan.” Lady Orwell spoke up for the first time.
“Yes?”
“If you don’t move away from me, I will spell your tongue to rot and choke you to death with puss,” Lady Orwell said without looking up.
Sebastian lowered his head into his hand and groaned. Imegan made a strangled sound and fled.
“I’m not in the mood, Sebastian.”
Sebastian sighed. How am I supposed to be cute? “How did you know you were in love with Father?” Gods, why did I say that?
Lady Orwell blinked, and her eyes flashed back to green. She stared at him suspiciously. “Are you serious?”
“Um, no. I don’t know why those words came out of my mouth. Sorry,” Sebastian said while sidestepping his way from behind the table. A hand firmly gripped his cloak.
“You may stay.”
“I didn’t ask to stay,” Sebastian said.
Lady Orwell’s eyes briefly flashed red again. “You’re going to stay.”
“Fine,” Sebastian said, knowing his mother’s strength increased when her fey blood surfaced. She used that strength to pull him closer.
“I know your brothers sent you, but I want you to answer my questions too.”
“I would prefer you ignored what I said.”
“It’s relevant to my mood.”
“What does that mean?” Sebastian asked.
“How does the prince see you?”
Sebastian shrugged. “I don’t know. A mysterious cloaked man who might be a little demanding.”
“What about after he saw your face?” Lady Orwell asked.
“A mysterious cloaked man with a surprise filling but still demanding.”
“Do you think he loves you or your appearance?”
“I think me. He told me he loved me before he knew what I looked like.”
“That is a positive first step.”
“You still haven’t answered my question,” Sebastian said.
“I thought you didn’t want me to.” Sebastian frowned beneath his hood, and his mother smiled. “I loved him when he first met me. He didn’t give a damn how beautiful I was and ignored me until he spied my apothecary badge.” Lady Orwell tapped the embroidered healer’s knot surrounding a poisonous flower. “He said he loved my style and invited me to watch him swindle a lord.”
“That’s romantic?”
“To be seen as a person and an expert by a stranger, yes, it was,” Lady Orwell said.
“That’s why what Diana said bothered you so much,” Sebastian whispered.
“Among my people, I was raised to be a doll that sat on a shelf and looked pretty.” Lady Orwell slid a nail across the side of Sebastian’s cheek. “Would you like to be called a doll?”
Something twisted in Sebastian’s stomach, and he thought back to others who didn’t see him as a person but as a thing. He shook his head vehemently, and his mother kissed the top of his head. Sebastian froze, not used to the affection.
“I do not want that fate for you, either. That is why I will support whoever you marry that is worthy of you,” she said.
“Did the same things happen to you that happened to me?” Sebastian asked.
“No. Strangers tried to make you do their bidding, and my family tried to make me do theirs.”
“That sounds kind of worse,” Sebastian said.
“Yes and no.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Because you are the only one who will understand. You can go back to the others. I’m calm now,” Lady Orwell said.
“All right.” Sebastian left her as she loudly hawked her wares to newcomers. He didn’t stop walking until he stood face-to-face with Diana.
“What do you want?”
“Apologize to her.”
“I must be hearing things, because I thought you just ordered me to be nice to Mother.”
“Think about what you said,” Sebastian said. “Think about how I’ve been treated without my hood and about what you called Mother.”
“There is no comparison,” Diana hissed. “She played you like a fiddle, and now you’re making demands to me like a miniature knight.”
“I don’t think she’s conning him,” James said. “She genuinely looked hurt.”
“What about all the times she’s insulted me? You don’t see me sulking and expecting an apology.”
“That’s because you accidently touched a bad memory,” Lord Ausher said.
“Do you mind explaining and being less cryptic?” Diana aske
d.
“Among the fey, the most beautiful are only expected to be on display and breed. Your mother is no exception, and her people would have gone to great lengths to mold her for that role contrary to what she wanted.” Lord Ausher looked at their mother. “It would have taken a shocking act to escape it. Insult many things, but not that.”
“You always talk about beating Mother and Father,” Sebastian said. “Can’t you do that by being a bigger person than both of them for once?”
“Diana, we’re going to be stuck here for days with her, and there’s the wagon ride back,” Demetrius said.
Kraven joined in. “Please, Diana.”
“All of you take a pay loss, and I’ll do it,” Diana offered.
“I’m used to awkward wagon rides, so I can live with Mother being angry,” Pratchett said.
James nonchalantly picked Pratchett up by the collar and dragged him closer until they were nose to nose. “Believe me, little brother, you’ll live with a lot more than awkward silence if you don’t get in line.”
“That’s easy for you to say. You have more money.”
“I’m joking, James, I’m not that bad,” Diana said.
“It’s hard to tell with you,” James said.
Diana flattened out her skirt and glared at the others. “I’m doing it, so I don’t want to hear another damn word about it.” She marched to their mother, but waved her hand in a warding sign so no one could eavesdrop.
“That’s cheating,” Demetrius said.
Ellie shushed him. “We can still try to make out what they’re saying by reading their lips.”
“As if I have a ridiculous skill like that!” Pratchett said.
James squinted at them. “They’re talking about both of them having to say they’re sorry, and Diana is putting up a fight about something,” he said as she threw her arms into the air.
“Even I can see that much,” Pratchett said.
Diana shook her head and stormed back to the group, the ward dissolving into nothing. She wiped off the chalk on her price board and made the numbers slightly higher. “Happy?” she shouted to Lady Orwell, and their mother smiled serenely.
“Now I sort of feel like I’ve been had,” James said.
“None of you have ever learned how to properly negotiate with her,” Lord Ausher piped in.
“Most families don’t need a guide for dealing with parents,” Sebastian said.
Lord Ausher shrugged. “You have never been like other families.”
CHAPTER 28
SEBASTIAN BENT so his body folded under the desk and no limbs stuck out.
“Do not speak, do not breathe, and if he catches you, we’re dead,” Lord Orwell said.
“Why are you acting as if I’m going to wave to him?” Sebastian asked.
“Because this is a dumb idea.”
“You’re the reason we have to do this in the first place. Bad life choices brought you here.”
“Shut up. I’m about to start the summoning spell,” Lord Orwell said.
Sebastian stopped moving and calmed his breaths so nothing he did could be heard. There was a flick of a knife and the sound of blood dropping into a bowl. Magic washed over Sebastian’s skin, and he knew the large mirror in his father’s study had made a connection. Please let this be the right thing to do.
“Caspian?” a deep voice questioned from the other side of the mirror.
“I’m sorry for breaking my word, but circumstances dictate a meeting,” Lord Orwell said.
“I agree. I have received troubling reports about Larnlyon. A prince in danger and your son caught in the middle.”
Lord Orwell sighed. “Please be plain, Trenton. You know the connection is secure.”
“But I don’t know where your loyalty lies now.”
“With me, as it’s always been.”
The voice from the other end laughed. “I do miss you, Caspian. How is your wife?”
“She’ll be fine if she knows our son isn’t in danger anymore.”
“I am sorry for my men attacking him,” Trenton said. “If I had been aware he was your son, I never would have targeted him.”
“That’s kind of you to say.”
“You are such a cynic. Do you really think I would knowingly endanger one of your children?”
“You have your priorities, and I have mine. My son won’t stand in your way, so please leave him be,” Lord Orwell requested.
“Done.”
“Speaking of the prince. From the attempts, can I assume you think eating his heart will solve your problem?”
“I heard you searched through the castle’s documents. Did you find any clearer translations?” Trenton asked.
“No, just the same passage as before.”
“Then why do you think you know more than me?”
“Trenton, our teacher taught us to look at the facts and consider the object itself. What talisman would be called the Heart of Light if a human sacrifice was involved? Heart of Darkness, Heart of Despair, maybe, but not Heart of Light.”
“I like to try all avenues.”
“I like living in a home not surrounded by civil war,” Lord Orwell said.
“If you hadn’t left my side, finding a home wouldn’t be a problem,” Trenton said. “Summoning me this way takes more magic than you pretended to give up. I don’t know if I should be insulted or impressed by your duplicity.”
“Constant marching does not make a good home,” Lord Orwell said.
“I’ll have a stable base of operations soon,” Trenton promised. “Please consider my offer.”
“I will share it with Cynthia.”
“You do that, and I hope your Sebastian is doing well,” Trenton said. “It must be painful to be away from the prince after spending so much time with him.”
“Sebastian was at the castle because of my business, and anything that might have occurred between them is over. The curiosity of youth is fleeting, you know.”
“I’ve heard. I hope you contact me soon with your answer.” The magic dissipated, and Sebastian took a deep breath.
“It’s sad how Trenton is still playing a spider spinning webs in the shadows,” Lord Orwell said. “He’s failed every time to reach his goal of ruling thanks to Alchone not trusting him, and Orsen being too crazy to control. Now he thinks a pretty amulet will help him skip the middleman and become a king himself. That is why I told you to stay away from Turren. You want nothing to do with Trenton’s schemes.”
“If things get bad enough, are you going to accept his offer?” Sebastian asked while freeing himself from his contorted position.
Lord Orwell snorted. “If things get that bad, we’re fleeing the whole damn country. Maybe even to a fey land away from his reach.”
“You think Trenton will let you escape?”
“Not even a tyrant would be dumb enough to break this country’s Refuge Laws and piss off too many powerful creatures.” Lord Orwell sighed. “It won’t be easy or cheap to make the fey rescind your mother’s human-citizen status, but it’s doable.”
“Mother will be thrilled,” Sebastian said.
“We don’t have to stay with her clan. Dwarves might be willing to take us in.”
“As I said, Mother will be thrilled.” Now that they had time, Sebastian needed to find a way to activate the Heart of Light since that was the only powerful talisman in play that could beat Trenton. Sebastian kept his thoughts to himself because he knew his family would stop him.
WEEKS PASSED into months, and Sebastian wasn’t any closer to figuring out how the Heart of Light worked or how to get it out of Trenton’s grasp. He and Harold brainstormed with Margaret, but the biggest problem was not knowing Trenton’s location. Sebastian asked Lord Orwell, but he shouted at him and told him never to ask again. Guilt ate at him because Turren had to realize Sebastian didn’t have his mirror and was deliberately avoiding him. Sebastian had sacrificed his one chance at love and had nothing to show for it. He couldn’t think of more opt
ions, and that bookstore he’d dreamed of wasn’t as appealing as it used to be. Why did that damn Kevin have to be right about me losing my heart?
In the woods where the attack had occurred, Sebastian returned to the spot where he’d found the wounded prince. Maybe something will be left from the body. He reached out to the land and asked if anything remained of the assassin’s possessions. The ground buckled, and coin and weapons pushed up from the soil. Sebastian bent and checked every item, but there wasn’t much. No maps or diagrams saying exactly how to use the amulet. Sebastian sighed. It was a foolish wish when Trenton’s men were professionals. The dead man only had money, weapons, and no identification.
“So that’s what happened to my attacker.”
Sebastian spun around, and Turren stood behind him with a black horse nuzzling his shoulder. “How long have—” Sebastian shook himself and anger filled him. “What are you doing here, you idiot! You’re ruining everything I did!”
“If you wanted me to obey your commands, then you should have been honest with me.” Turren crossed his arms. “You said our separation would be temporary, and what are you doing with those things?”
“Stealing his valuables,” Sebastian lied.
“Grave robbing would make more sense if you didn’t casually throw that money on the ground with a disappointed look on your face.”
“I was expecting jewels. He could have been a pirate assassin,” Sebastian said.
Turren smiled. “At least you’re lying in a way that I’m not supposed to take you seriously.” He patted his horse’s snout and moved closer to Sebastian. “I’ve watched you for a while, and you seem upset.”
“You have very bad habits for a crown prince,” Sebastian said.
“Being abandoned by your lover will do that to a man.” Turren’s smile disappeared. “Why have you broken all contact? Before you lie about not finding the time, I found your mirror at the castle. You are not a forgetful man, Sebastian.”
Sebastian did not like this turn of events. Turren was usually the one having a hard time finding his tongue, and now the two of them had switched positions. “You can’t be here.”