The day after the argument with William in the sitting room, Alex was summoned to the Council Hall to report what had happened in Astya's hunting grounds.
Most of the royal advisors were present, and the looks they cast at him were rather patronizing. As if Alex were just a somewhat incapable child instead of the future King of Vellara.
William stood by the table, his gaze fixed on the papers he was arranging. They hadn't spoken since the argument, but the prince doubted William had forgotten.
One of the advisors, Lord Ballard, cleared his throat, and the many jewels he wore jingled softly as he rose.
"Your Highness, would you be so kind as to give us an account of what happened? We were told that poor Lord Lynden is… deceased."
"He was killed. By a madman who wanted to bring down the monarchy."
How Reyne had managed it with the limited means he had remained a mystery, but Alex had the feeling he hadn't acted alone.
"And why were you there?"
"I was investigating an incident with my Court Mage."
"What kind of incident?"
"Poisoned deer." Alex spread his arms. "What is this, an interrogation?"
"We are simply trying to understand why you were down there, and, moreover, without an escort."
Because his father had underestimated the situation—but he certainly couldn't say that. Not when the king was absent.
The prince studied the advisors' faces. Were they testing him, taking advantage of the sovereign's absence?
"I thought I was dealing with poachers. Nothing lethal."
"So you underestimated the situation." Ballard gave him a patronizing smile. "Your lack of experience led you to make a misstep."
"I have far more experience than you!"
And it was entirely his father's fault. Alex had insisted on going with the escort, but no—the old man had thought it best to spring the trap with him and William inside.
Ballard grimaced. "When it comes to leading men in war, I have no doubt you are the most experienced person in this room. But ruling a kingdom is quite different from… swinging a sword. And in that regard, you are still green."
"I'm green because you keep treating me like an idiot!"
"Not at all, Your Highness. You're the one who doesn't take your role seriously. You don't attend meetings unless we summon you, you spend your time practicing with the sword and then… I've heard you frequent low-class brothels. A prince should not put his life at risk needlessly."
It was always the same problem. What Alex did in his free time.
He clenched his fists, but the thud of a hand on the table made him jump.
William stood up from his chair and shot Ballard a frosty look. "Are you insinuating something, Lord Councillor?"
"I'm merely reporting the court's rumors. As a royal advisor, it is my duty to make His Highness understand the precariousness of his position."
"His Highness is perfectly capable of understanding it without a royal advisor insinuating, before the entire Council, that he is unfit for his role."
Ballard bared his teeth in a sneer. "How dare you?"
"His Highness completed the task he was assigned swiftly and efficiently. He protected the lives of the inhabitants of Astya's castle and killed a dangerous man who had wiped out a garrison."
"Lord Lynden is dead."
"That doesn't mean he failed. Lady Lynden can testify that if it hadn't been for His Highness, we would have far more deaths on our conscience."
Ballard waved a hand. "And in all this, what use were you, mage?"
William paled, and for a moment Alex thought the question had caught him off guard.
"I did my job," the mage replied. "The reason I'm here. That is, to support His Highness and obey his orders."
"And report his successes as well, I suppose."
"I only stated the facts. Exactly as I did in the report I sent you yesterday."
Ballard grimaced. "It must be in your blood to lick the hand that feeds you."
"Choose your words carefully, Lord Councillor. They could be taken as proof of treason."
"And who said I was talking about His Highness?" He looked him up and down. "You're Xianese, mage, and of course your loyalty doesn't lie in this kingdom."
"I'm Vellarian."
"You keep saying that, but your features betray you. And I doubt you're even half Vellarian. I've seen mixed-bloods and you look nothing like them."
Alex took a step forward, but the mage caught him by the wrist without looking him in the face.
"I am the Court Mage of His Highness the Crown Prince Alexander. My trust and loyalty lie with this kingdom and the royal family."
Ballard settled into his chair and crossed his legs. "And what proof do we have of that? The Empire is causing trouble along the northern borders—your presence here could be a move meant to destabilize us."
"I swore an oath. That should be proof enough."
"A few words have never stopped a spy. And besides…" He glanced briefly at Alex. "His Highness's tastes and his good heart are well known. I'm sure a man of your beauty could make anyone fall at his feet."
The mage's fingers dug into Alex's skin, but his expression remained unreadable. "So what you're saying is that I could make you fall at my feet as well?"
Ballard pressed his lips together. "Who knows. You've got the face of a whore; you might even—"
"Enough," Alex cut in. "William has already given you a thorough account of the events, and there is no reason to put me through this interrogation. Leave your personal quarrels outside this room."
The advisor wrinkled his nose, looked away, and folded his arms across his chest. "As you wish, Your Highness."
"If you have nothing important to tell me, I'll leave you to your discussions."
He waited a moment, then headed for the door, but stopped before crossing the threshold. He looked back at William: the mage's back straight and rigid, his long black hair falling almost to his hips.
He could have left him there at the mercy of the other royal advisors, but he couldn't just pretend nothing was happening. They would tear William apart just because he had defended him.
"William, come with me."
The mage stiffened but didn't turn. "I must take part in the meeting, Your Highness."
"That's an order."
"I'm afraid I'll have to disobey." He looked at Alex over his shoulder, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous light. "But I'll join you as soon as I'm free."
Alex swallowed and left. He hadn't wanted to abandon him, but William was far less defenseless than he looked. When it came to rhetoric and cunning, he surpassed anyone in that room. The mage wouldn't let them walk all over him easily.
And yet, why was Alex feeling this strange anxiety?
He brushed a hand over his chest. Beneath the fabric of his shirt, his heart was beating faster than usual. Was it because William had defended him?
"Bah, who cares! He's unbearable even when he's trying to be kind."
Alex spent the rest of the morning in the garden, staring at the sky as if it held the key to understanding William. But the sky was clear and revealed no secrets.
He was almost ready to head back inside and wait for lunch in his apartments when the mage finally joined him.
Alex lifted a hand in greeting. "I thought they'd eaten you alive…"
His gaze fell on a bruise on William's cheek, among the wounds Reyne had inflicted on him. A bruise that hadn't been there that morning—he was sure of it.
"What happened?"
William frowned. "Nothing."
"Bullshit." Alex pushed him down onto the bench. His fingers brushed his chin, forcing him to look up. "Did he punch you?"
"No."
"That bruise wasn't from Reyne. It's recent."
"He threw an inkwell at me."
Alex pressed his lips together. Now that he was paying attention, he noticed a faint smear of ink on William's skin, but among all those wounds he hadn't noticed it.
"Ballard?"
"He didn't appreciate my intervention. And I provoked him."
"Why would you do that? You could've kept quiet."
William lowered his gaze. "I could have, but it wouldn't have been right."
They both stayed silent for a long moment.
"I thought you believed I'd messed everything up in Astya."
"I did think that. But you're not wrong, Your Highness. A king should take care of his people."
"Glad you finally understand that."
"But my duty is to protect your life." William looked at him. "To me, you should put your own safety above everything else, but I know you never will. I'm sorry about yesterday. I shouldn't have gotten angry or called you impulsive and idiotic."
"Do you think I am?"
"No. Even though you sometimes insist on behaving like that."
Alex let out a small laugh. "Not much of a compliment."
"It wasn't meant to be."
And yet it sounded like one, clumsy as it was.
"William, were you… afraid of me yesterday?"
William closed his eyes for a moment, and his hands trembled. "Yes. You made me feel cornered, and I don't like that."
"I didn't mean that. I just wanted you to see how dangerous your words were."
The mage looked back at him. "I don't say things like that to every powerful man I meet. If I say them to you, it's because I know you would never turn them into something dangerous. So please, don't ever do that again."
The prince sighed and rubbed his temple. What a complicated man— the more Alex dealt with him, the less he understood him.
"Do you at least understand what I want from you?"
"My friendship and my trust. And that I don't sacrifice myself for you."
"Do you think you can manage that, or would you rather we keep arguing?"
William gave a small, ironic smile. "I thought you enjoyed arguing with me."
A sudden heat bloomed on the prince's cheeks. "Of course not! You're infuriating and impossible. And you're always picking fights with people stronger or more powerful than you. You do know that's a remarkably idiotic habit, right?"
"Would you have preferred I let you handle a debate you weren't winning?"
"If it would've spared you from having an inkwell thrown at your face, yes, I would have preferred it."
William frowned. "Your Highness, your reputation—"
"Is already bad, I know. But I don't care. I don't want anyone getting hurt just for trying to defend me."
"I can help you, if you'll let me."
"Help me with what?"
"Becoming a better king." William met his eyes. "I can help you rebuild your reputation ahead of the succession."
"And you think you can do that with that sharp, unfiltered tongue of yours?"
"No. I'll do it by stopping you from acting on impulse, and scolding you when you make mistakes."
Alex grimaced. "You'd make a great tutor. You should consider it a career."
"It's a shame that I'm already bound to you."
William was right—the Pact had been sealed. There was no going back.
"If you don't scold me too much, I might even accept."
William gave him a razor-edged smile. "What a shame. That's my favorite part of our relationship."
The prince, instead, had no idea what he liked about the mage—the sharp look he gave him, or maybe the warm hands brushing his face in an attempt to soothe his fear.
In the days that followed, their relationship smoothed out again, as if by tacit agreement. The bruises on William's face faded into shadows on his pale skin, and the wound on Alex's flank healed, leaving only a thin scar.
The mage's wound, however, was still open, and it didn't seem likely to heal soon. But despite the prince's insistence, William refused to have it stitched.
Ten days after their return from Astya, Alex was invited to tea by a few noblewomen.