Alex motioned for Sven and Ian to wait in the corridor of the cells and stepped forward to the bars.
"Caleb of Hassex. We meet again."
The noble who had given him the aphrodisiac just over a week ago scowled at him.
"What the fuck do you want? To beat me again?"
"If you don't cooperate, I might."
Caleb let out a hoarse, bitter laugh. "I've already told you everything I know."
Alex grabbed a chair and sat down in front of the cell.
"You said you were blackmailed. In exchange for your help, they would have cleared your debts. Correct?"
"Yes."
"And you said their aim was to kidnap me from the palace."
"That's what they said. I was supposed to bring you to a room, undress you and tie you up, and they would take you out."
Alex rubbed his chin. Without his clothes no one would recognize him, but a bound man would still draw attention.
Did they want to lock him in a crate or a barrel and take him out through the service doors? But a crate in the prince's room could raise suspicions…
"My maidservant swears you were the one who contacted her."
"Bullshit! She told me she knew someone who could get me out of trouble. She made the contact and arranged the meeting. And then it she was the one who slipped me the aphrodisiac after she had drugged your breakfast. I didn't do anything; they forced me."
"Who?"
Caleb looked away. "Some guy."
Alex frowned. Maybe it was the maidservant who was supposed to get him out, perhaps hiding him in the cart of dirty sheets.
"Around that same time, a kitchen maid was murdered. Do you know anything about it?"
Caleb went pale and shook his head. "I don't know anything. They only told me I had to get close to you and drug you."
"Do you know what they wanted from me? The reason for the kidnapping?"
"They said something about a ransom. I thought they only wanted money and would never actually try to harm the prince."
"Maybe you shouldn't think too much, Caleb."
"I didn't want to die! If I don't pay my debts, they'll cut off my fingers."
"Better your fingers than your head."
"You can't understand!"
"No," Alex hissed. "And do you know why? Because I don't spend my days drinking and gambling."
Caleb gritted his teeth and spat on the ground. "Of course not, you're the fucking Crown Prince. You spend your time fooling around with a bunch of women and don't even have to make the effort to get hard."
"Coming from a count's son, that's rather ironic." Alex leaned forward. "Next question: who contacted you?"
"I don't know, I've already told you. I don't know the name."
"But he had a face, didn't he?"
"He had a forgettable face. Tanned skin, strong and muscular arms, a scar on his forehead." Caleb grimaced. "He reeked of horse shit and wore a patched shirt. Whoever he was, he was a commoner."
"Not someone wealthy?"
"No. He stank of poverty and cheap liquor."
Alex turned toward Sven and gave him a nod. That was an interesting detail.
He had assumed it was the work of a noble, to leave him defenseless and force him to get a girl pregnant, but if the goal was to kidnap him and demand a ransom, things were different.
Perhaps it wasn't a court intrigue, but a plan hatched by someone from the lower ranks.
Assuming, of course, that the man Caleb had spoken to wasn't simply acting as a go-between.
"Last night there was a poisoning attempt against an important noble."
Caleb snapped his head up and went even paler. "I had nothing to do with it! I've been locked up in here and your guards barely even bring me food."
"But you might know something about it. Maybe your friend with the forgettable face let something slip about another plan."
"He said nothing. If they did something, I know nothing about it." Caleb licked his lips. "Can I… hope that His Majesty grants me a pardon? After all, I am helping you."
"If it were up to my father, you'd already be carrion for the crows." Alex rose from the chair. "And if it were up to me, you'd deserve worse than the gallows."
"I want to write to my father."
"Your father has already been informed. He'll arrive at court shortly. As for your fate, a judge will decide that. If you're lucky, you might be sentenced to life in prison — but honestly, I hope your noble status doesn't save you."
Alex turned his back on him, crossed the corridor and climbed the stairs to the upper floors. Sven and Ian were always at his back, silent as shadows.
After the previous evening's poisoning, his father had insisted he move around with an escort, and Alex had accepted the request without protest.
Part of him was afraid they might attack him again. His eyes scrutinized every servant and every noble with suspicion; his nerves were constantly on edge, ready to break.
That morning, when he had woken up, he had promised himself he would do everything in his power to stop William from leaving — but only now did he realize how difficult that was. The mage's departure had been set for the following day, and Alex had not the faintest idea what to do.
If he summoned the Council and pleaded with them, would that work? Perhaps, but it would weaken his position and William would never accept it.
Maybe he should just beat Nikolas until he agreed to back down. Maybe he should just scream until someone listened.
And then there was the matter of the attempted kidnapping, the murder of the servant, and the poisoning. He had previously believed they were connected, but now he wasn't so sure. After all, if they wanted to kidnap him, why try to kill him?
"Alex?"
He stopped in the middle of the corridor, eyes fixed on Nikolas's face. In his chest, the anger flared up again. "What do you want?"
Lester Amato, standing beside Nikolas, raised his hands. "Come now, Your Highness, there's no need to be so aggressive."
"And why not?"
"Because our foolish friend has decided to try and fix the problem he caused."
Alex frowned and studied Nikolas. "And I'm supposed to believe that?"
"I didn't want to—"
"Liar. You absolutely did."
Nikolas pressed his lips together. "All right, I did. I wanted him gone and I wanted him to hate me for it. I wanted him to curse me — I would have been fine with him hitting me. Anything was better than his indifference." He buried his face in his hands. "But I didn't want to hurt you. I didn't want to be hated by you too. And then… I didn't want to be hated by him either. Not like this."
Alex frowned and glanced at Lester, who shrugged, then looked back at Nikolas. "You're really a strange one."
"I loved him."
"Maybe once, but not now. This isn't love, it's obsession. You don't hurt the people you love."
"And hasn't he hurt you?"
"Yes, but… it's different."
Nikolas gritted his teeth. "How so? Alex, by the spirits, you're like a brother to me — if he hurts you, I have to—"
"You don't have to do anything. I'm in love, but I'm not blind. I know William better than you do. I know why he behaves this way, and I know what I can forgive him for and what I can't. Our relationship is our business alone."
"I'm sorry."
"If you're sorry, then help me keep him here. If not for him, do it for me. You know he deserves the role he holds."
Lester clapped his hands together, the smile still not gone from his lips. "And that is precisely why we are here. The Council is convening to discuss what happened yesterday, and I'm certain your presence will be required."
Alex frowned. "My father hadn't told me."
"I have no doubt. He wasn't informed either." Lester smiled, sharp as a blade. "Consider it an informal meeting. But it's the only chance you have to keep William at court."
"You're helping me? Why?"
"Because I like you, Your Highness. And because I am a loyal servant of the Crown and of this kingdom." Lester turned his back on him and headed toward the Council Hall. "I'll leave you two alone, but try not to be late. Oh, and William must not know about this."
Alex shifted his gaze to Nikolas and pursed his lips. "Was this your idea?"
"No. It was Lester's. He wants William to stay here at any cost."
"Why?"
Nikolas sighed. "It's a long story. I'll tell you later. If you want."
"Over a glass of wine?"
"Are you sure you can drink?"
Alex smiled. "Actually, no. William might feel unwell."
Nikolas looked him in the eyes. "Yesterday, when he tried to save you and you… said those things, I felt like filth. What I did is exactly what my brothers would have done, and I've always prided myself on being better than them. On being above that. Instead, I'm just as much of a bastard as they are."
"You know, things tend to sort themselves out a little when you apologize."
"He doesn't forgive easily. He's not like you."
Alex sighed. "He could never have given you what you were asking for. It's a wound that's still raw and deep, and William finds it easier to run than to face his problems." He placed a hand on his shoulder. "But I'm sure that sooner or later he'll manage to tell you the truth."
"I hope so. I… I don't want him to leave. Not anymore. The evenings we used to spend talking were fun. Maybe they were the best moments of the whole day — even if there was always a strange atmosphere between you two."
"Maybe we can go back to talking." Alex put an arm around his shoulders and steered him toward the Council Hall. "But if I catch you staring at him, I'll have to challenge you to a duel."
"By the spirits, I didn't think you were that jealous."
"You're the last person who should be lecturing me."
"I'm not looking at him, trust me. He has you, and you two seem to get along well. Our story is over now, so there's no point in still hoping." Nikolas let out a low laugh. "By the spirits, I think everyone's right when they say I'm obsessed with him. It's just… it's damn hard."
"Get him out of your head and we can go back to being best friends."
"If you two start making out in front of me, our friendship is over."
"Please, we're adult."
"But you're unpredictable."
Alex pouted and opened the door to the Council Hall.
All the royal advisors were already present; Ballard and Lester were deep in a heated conversation. The moment the prince stepped inside, however, silence fell.
Alex smiled. "By all means, continue."
Ballard frowned. "Your Highness, you should be resting. After yesterday—"
"I'm fine, don't worry. My mage did an excellent job of saving my life and I have a strong constitution."
"However, this is a meeting of the advisors — I don't believe your presence is necessary."
"How strange. Lester asked me to come."
Ballard shot a furious glance at the other advisor. "And why on earth would he do that?"
Lester smiled, sly as a fox. "Because after last night, we all want reassurance from His Highness, don't we?" He gestured toward the table. "Come, let's sit down. We don't have much time before lunch is served."