William opened his eyes, stretched his arms, and rolled onto his side. He expected to feel the prince's warm, muscular chest beneath his cheek, but all he found was the softness of the pillow.
He frowned and propped himself up on one elbow. The prince was no longer in bed; the side he had occupied was cold, the sheets twisted. William's gaze swept across the bedroom, still wrapped in the grey shadows of dawn, but he was alone.
He climbed out of bed, draped his robe over his shoulders, and walked into the adjoining room.
The prince was seated on the small sofa, his dressing gown open at the chest, his face turned toward the ceiling. The trembling flame of the candle cast dancing shadows across the muscles of his chest and abdomen.
A pleasant tightness gripped William's stomach.
His Highness was beautiful in a way that took your breath away and dried your throat. Tall and well-built, with a trained physique, lean muscle shifting beneath his skin, and a smile that lit up eyes as blue as the sky.
William would have given anything to be held in his arms.
"Your Highness?"
The prince lowered his gaze and, for a moment, widened his eyes as though he had an apparition before him. Was that how he saw him? As something ethereal?
Then the surprise faded from his expression, and a gentle look took its place.
"Forgive me, I didn't mean to wake you."
"I woke up on my own, and you wern't in bed." William reached him and sat down beside him. "Is something wrong?"
"I'm just thinking."
"Would you like me to fetch breakfast?"
"It's still early; I don't think they've prepared it yet." He lay down on the sofa and rested his head on William's lap. "Can we stay like this for a while?"
William smiled and ran his fingers through the blond strands. "Of course."
For a while they both sat in silence, lulled by the grey half-light of dawn giving way to a soft glow. The prince's eyes were fixed on his face, but William doubted they were truly seeing him. It was as though he were lost in his thoughts, or in some distant memory.
"Will, can I ask you something?"
William nodded.
"Do you want to marry me?"
"Why do you ask?"
"I always talk about marriage, about wanting you as my consort, but I've never asked what you truly think. It's selfish of me not to consider your wishes."
"I don't think you're used to taking into account what other people think."
"Not very much, but that doesn't mean I don't care about their opinion. It's just that I often don't think about it."
William stroked his forehead and his cheek. "May I be honest?"
"You must be."
"If we were ordinary men, it would be too soon to speak of it. Usually marriage comes after a year of being engaged, and we are not even betrothed at the moment."
His Highness frowned. "Is that how it works among common people?"
"Yes. There is usually an exchange of vows, sealed with rings, and after a year the wedding ceremony."
"And you wouldn't want to exchange vows with me?"
"I would, but only after spending some time courting you properly. I would like to court you, to go on more dates with you, and to show you all my flaws and my strengths. And only after that, once I was certain you accepted me for who I am, would I agree to exchange vows with you. Unless you'd prefer to step back."
The prince smiled. "I would never dare, my lovely raven."
"But we are not ordinary men. You are the prince; you need a consort and heirs, and you cannot afford to waste time on courtships that lead nowhere." William touched his lips. "If I could give you what you need, I would marry you at once, because the rank of royal consort is far better than that of the prince's whore."
"Only for that reason?"
"The court might not appreciate our relationship. Rumours could spread about me, about how I've bewitched you. They might say you are a fool who lets himself be led astray by a pretty face."
The prince propped himself up on one elbow, and a flash of concern crossed his face. "You're not angry with me, are you? For what I said at the banquet…"
"No, I'm not angry. It was one of the sweetest and most heartfelt declarations I have ever heard or read, and I am grateful to you for it." He smiled at him. "And, despite everything, you made me very happy."
"Do you want me to… well, to keep my distance in public? Yesterday you got a little upset about that flirting in front of the cook."
William pressed his lips together and took a few seconds to think.
"Actually, I liked what you did. Your attentions make me feel as though there could truly be a future for us. And I would like you to keep courting me, even if not so openly." He looked away for a moment. "I'm only afraid of what they might say about me. I don't want to live through what happened at the Academy again."
"I will protect you." The prince stroked his cheek. "No one will disrespect you. I won't allow it anymore." He smiled at him. "My position is stronger now, and I think I've come to understand what kind of king I want to be."
"I'm glad to hear it, Your Highness. And I'm proud of you."
"So I can stay close to you?"
"Of course."
The prince curved his lips into a small smile. "I expected nothing less. I love seeing you flustered."
"Why am I not surprised?"
Silence filled the space around them once more, then the prince pulled William down with him as he lay back on the sofa, arms wrapped around his waist.
William rested his head on his chest, the soft beat of his heart echoing in his ears. The prince's strong fingers caressed the nape of his neck and drew a shiver of pleasure from him. William loved when he stroked him like that.
"Your Highness, about last night… What do you think of the story Lord Lester told us?"
"I don't know. It sounds more like a legend or a children's fairy tale, but in truth the oath he mentioned reminds me of the one you and I swore."
"Perhaps I could try to look into it in the library. Some reference might turn up in the chronicles."
"Do you think it's true?"
"I think it may be worth looking into. I'll speak with Caedos about it when I come down for your breakfast; he might know more."
The prince fell silent for a moment, his hands continuing to stroke William's back.
"You know, something just occurred to me. What if the spirit from the legend is the same one Caedos speaks of? They live in roughly the same area, and I doubt there's more than one spirit."
William furrowed his brow. "If that's the case, we need to obtain an audience and consult him."
"I could even ask for a blessing."
"For what? The kingdom is at peace."
"You never know." The prince's hands slid down his back and came to rest on his backside. "I need to speak with my father and bring him up to date, though I might avoid mentioning Lester's story. I have the feeling he'd think I'm an idiot for having believed it."
"Before we set out, let's resolve the two problems we're dealing with. I don't want to leave your poisoning attempt and the kidnapping plot unresolved."
"Agreed. After breakfast I'll send the men to investigate in the city."
"Let's hope they find something."
Silence settled over them again and stretched on for many minutes.
"Can I… ask you something a little foolish?"
"Of course, Your Highness."
"Do you enjoy having sex with me?"
William sighed.
"Your Highness, tonight I came at least three times — I'd say that's fairly eloquent." He stroked his cheek. "I chose you, and I will always choose you. I am yours, now and forever. And I will say it as many times as it needs to be said."
"Thank you." The prince kissed him. "Can we stay like this for a while?"
William nodded and let himself be cradled by the warmth of his body and the soft breath that grazed his skin.
For a long time they lay entwined in a languid embrace, while around them the grey light of morning chased away the last shadows of the night. Then William pulled away from his embrace, got dressed, and left the room.
Before heading to the kitchens, he stopped in his old room — now empty — to speak with Caedos.
The amphiptere was curled up on the windowsill, bathed in the already warm light of early morning, and turned its small head toward him the moment it heard him.
"Did you sleep with him again?"
"Yes. I think it will happen often from now on."
"Ugh, I'm starting to miss you a little."
"I'm sorry."
Caedos flew over and settled on top of his head. "You shouldn't be. The thread of destiny has woven your hearts together; you were meant for him before any of this."
William frowned. He wasn't sure what that meant. "Have you had any news from the spirit?"
"Yes, just last night. It seems he wants to see you two."
"Good. We'll set out as soon as the situation here has settled."
"I'm coming with you. I think it's best, with beings like him it's always better to be prepared."
"Does he have a bad temper?"
"He's ancient. And those who have lived for millennia tend not to place much importance on fragile, mortal things." Caedos slipped down onto his shoulder and rubbed his head against his neck. "It's just a precaution, Will. And besides, you might need my magic. The prince has a great deal for a human, but he isn't a spirit."
"Speaking of which, have you ever noticed any bonds between His Highness and Nikolas?"
"No. Why do you ask?"
William hesitated, then told him what he had heard the previous evening from Lord Lester. When he had finished, Caedos remained silent for a long time.
"It's a strange story, but it could be true. It might explain why the Crown Pact bound you two so deeply, why he has so much magic, and why the threads of fate seem to converge around you both."
"The spirit you speak of could be the same one who blessed the first sovereign of Vellara."
"Yes — in fact, I'm certain of it. There are few spirits ancient enough to be capable of bestowing blessings. I have a couple of millennia, but I cannot do it. He is… I think as old as this world itself."
William nodded. "Let's hope he's willing to give us some answers."
"Will?" Caedos looked at him, serious. "You've thought about it, haven't you?"
"About what?"
"The fifth person."
William hesitated, then looked away. Caedos sighed and, for once, seemed the ancient and wise spirit he truly was.
"You know it could be you, don't you? After the way the Crown Pact reacted, you can't rule it out."
"It could just be a coincidence."
"In magic, there are no coincidences. And not in this world either. The fact that you are here is not the result of chance."
William lowered his gaze. The thought had crossed his mind, but he had no proof, and he didn't feel ready to share his theories with the prince.
"There's no point in discussing it now. The spirit will shed light on the mystery."
The following days passed in a strange calm — working alongside the prince, giving lessons to Princess Myrina, and carrying out his solitary research in the library. The chamberlain officially moved him into his new apartments, and William greatly appreciated the décor that evoked the Empire.
He truly felt at home now.
He and the prince continued their investigation, but got nowhere. The mysterious man who had hired the son of the Count of Hassex seemed to have vanished from the city, and none of the palace servants had been linked to the poison.
There were no further killings or assassination attempts either, but William could not fully relax. He had a feeling the situation was about to take a turn for the worse again.
Ten days after the poisoning attempt, the prince disappeared.