As soon as Ballard left the room, his father gave Alex a penetrating look. He didn't seem happy at all, but the prince expected it.
"Are you out of your mind, Alex?"
"I know what I'm doing."
"You shouldn't have brought up the matter of the lover. Ballard took advantage of it."
"I couldn't do otherwise."
"You could have waited until you were married."
"But that wouldn't have been fair. I want her to know what she's getting into."
His father sighed. "You are too upright, Alex. In politics, those who act like you are usually devoured."
"Is that why you are such an asshole?"
"My father resembled you." The king's voice grew low and distant. "He was an idealist, but his kindness killed him."
"At least he died true to his principles."
"He died torn apart by a group of rebels. Before my eyes. They wanted the whole army to see their king being ripped to pieces."
Alex stiffened, horror sliding beneath his skin and tightening his stomach.
It was the first time his father had spoken to him about his grandfather and how he had died, and he would have preferred to remain ignorant of the details.
"He believed," his father continued, "that he could talk to them and reach an agreement. An entire town was at the mercy of rebels. He wanted to save them all, but he gained only a horrible death."
"And what did you do?"
"Me? I razed the entire town."
He looked at him, and in his gaze there was only deep regret.
"My father had entered unarmed and in peace. He wanted to talk and avoid a massacre, and they repaid him with death. They did not deserve my pity."
"But the innocents did!"
"They did, but there was no other way to resolve it without losses." He averted his gaze. "You are too much like him, Alex, and I fear that your sense of justice will kill you."
"It's not like when you were young, Father. Today, the kingdom is at peace."
"And how long will it last? They already tried to harm you a few days ago. They could have taken you away. They could have… violated you. I don't know what is holding me back from skinning that bastard alive."
Alex frowned and lowered his gaze to his hands. Perhaps, if he had seen his father being killed before his eyes, he too would have razed an entire town.
To avenge the one he loved, he would have turned into a merciless sun that burned fields and dried up rivers.
But he also knew that blood would call for more blood, in an endless cycle of violence.
His father sighed. "Retire for the night, Alex. It's getting late for you as well."
Alex bowed and took his leave. He walked to his chambers and entered.
William was waiting for him, seated in the armchair, a book on his knees, and his gaze turned toward the window. His profile was faintly lit by the warm candlelight.
A pleasant tightness gripped Alex's chest.
He stepped closer and kissed his neck. "What are you looking at?"
"Outside. The weather is bad."
Alex frowned and lifted his gaze toward the window. Lightning flashed in the distance, near the mountains. White flickers danced against the black of the night.
"It looks like a storm is coming."
William closed the book, rose from the armchair, and walked to the window. "I can't explain it, but I have a strange feeling."
"Is it something to do with magic?"
"I'm not sure."
Alex reached him, wrapped his arms around him from behind, and kissed his cheek. "Is there anything I can do?"
William turned, surprise in his poison-green eyes. "Why are you asking me that?"
"You seem shaken. No, perhaps more… confused? In any case, if there's something I can do for you, I'll gladly do it."
"There's no need." William smiled. "How did the meeting go?"
"It went well, though not as well as I would have liked."
"He didn't accept some of your requests?"
"Only one—the vote concerning you."
William frowned. "Does he really want to proceed?"
"Perhaps he thinks he has the numbers to win, or it was just spite for my last request."
"What request?"
Alex hesitated; suddenly, telling him didn't feel like a good idea anymore. "That I want a lover, and that it isn't negotiable."
William's eyes flew wide open, but surprise gave way to anger. "Have you gone mad?"
"I won't give you up, Will. Under no circumstances. If I have no alternative to this marriage, you and I will remain together."
"There was no need to tell Lord Ballard!"
"I had to! His daughter has nothing to do with this—she must know what she's getting into."
William made an angry sound and brought his hands to his head. "You don't understand!"
"It's you and my father who refuse to understand!"
"Lord Ballard will find a way to drive me out!"
"We have the majority, Will. He can't drive you out! And if he loses that damned vote, I'll be able to demand much more."
"You can't be certain of that! What if one advisor decides to turn his back on us? What if someone betrays us? Haven't you thought of that?"
Alex took a step back. "Why would they ever do that? They're on our side, we have agreements…"
"Because people aren't like you, damn it!"
William hunched over, his hands clenched at his chest and his eyes wide. "Why do you always have to act on your own?"
"Will…" Alex reached out a hand to touch his shoulder.
"You're so stupid sometimes."
The prince stopped before touching him; a stab of pain had just pierced his heart. William couldn't really mean that…
He let his hand fall and stepped back again. At that moment, he needed to put as much distance between them as possible.
"For tonight, it's better if you go back to your room. I can undress on my own."
He turned his back on him and waited to hear the door close. Then a trembling sigh escaped him, and he faced the empty room.
William was gone, but the pain his words had caused had not vanished with him.
The next day, there was nothing but coldness and anger between them.