They stopped to listen as more jeers followed.
"—Asked my merchant cousin about him," one of the men inside said loudly, loud enough for half the street to hear. "Says the Rising Sun Kingdom has eight princes, not nine! None match this fool's name or face!"
"See? He's a fraud. Just another drunk telling stories."
A burst of laughter spilled into the street as the bartender physically tossed the man out. The supposed prince stumbled onto the cobblestones, nearly tripping over himself. His face was flushed with both drunkness and humiliation. He cursed under his breath, kicked a tin can that clattered down the road, and began staggering away, muttering something bitterly about fools not knowing that death will be coming for them soon.
Serena sighed softly, watching him weave through the crowd. "That's a 'prince'? Is Bea sure he wasn't lying? He looks more like a failed street performer than royalty."
Kain's expression was unreadable. "Maybe. But Bea said he wasn't lying."
