Alex stepped down from the carriage in front of the main gates of the royal palace and stretched. He took a deep breath. The scent of the garden flowers and his mother's roses filled his lungs.
Although his stay in Lenz had been pleasant in its own way, he had missed the court of Adesten.
He turned. "Will?"
The mage clung to the carriage door and gave him a grumpy look. His legs were trembling, and he was hunched over, as if he were about to collapse.
"Fuck."
He had overdone it, and once again he forgot that the mage didn't have much endurance.
William shot him a murderous glance. "Are you trying to kill me, Your Highness?"
"Sorry." He gave him a light pat on the ass. "Everything okay back there?"
William stiffened and went pale. "I don't think I'll be able to sit for the next few days."
"Oh. I didn't mean to push it that far."
"I don't think there's any fluid left in my body."
Alex gave him a deadpan look. "Aren't you exaggerating?"
"You say that because you're not on the receiving end."
"Do I need to remind you that I used to? I always felt full of energy afterward."
"You're not human."
"Can you walk?"
"I'll try."
William straightened his back and started toward the entrance, but to Alex, he looked stiffer and more awkward than usual. He really must have put him through a lot—but it had been good, and he knew the mage had enjoyed it too.
He picked up the case with the tome the bookseller had given him, walked alongside William, and together they headed for the Council Hall.
It was afternoon, but the servants had told him the royal advisors were in session, and he wanted to speak in front of everyone about what had happened in Lenz.
He nodded to the attendants standing outside the hall and they opened the doors for him.
Silence fell over the advisors as their surprised gazes fixed on him. His father pressed his lips together.
"You're back sooner than I expected, Alex."
"I missed the court, Father." Alex stepped inside and stopped in front of the table. "And besides, my duties as the future sovereign require me to take part in these meetings."
"How is the duchess?"
"In excellent health. She sends her regards."
"Good. If you and William would like to take your seats—"
"First, I'd like to give you a report on what happened in Lenz."
His father frowned. "Now?"
"Yes. I won't take more than a few minutes, and I'm sure it will be of interest to the advisors as well."
Those present exchanged a few perplexed looks, but no one replied. All the better.
Alex cleared his throat.
"During my stay in Lenz, I came across an unpleasant matter. Some rapists had assaulted a young woman and a child, but because of their difference in social standing, no complaints were filed and no investigations were launched."
Ballard pressed his lips together. "And so?"
"So I took care of it myself."
"Your Highness, it's admirable, but it isn't your responsibility."
"It is, Ballard, because the people of Lenz were convinced that those men enjoyed the Crown's protection and could do whatever they pleased. I intervened to protect the innocent and defend my honor and that of my family."
"Admirable," Lester said with a smile. "Your kind heart and your dedication to defending Vellara make you an excellent sovereign, Your Highness. I'm sure Lenz is very grateful to you."
"Without a doubt. The duchess will be sending a letter shortly."
"What became of the rapists?"
Alex held back a smile. Was Lester backing him up? All the better—that was exactly what he needed.
"They were arrested. Unfortunately, without testimonies or evidence, I couldn't charge them, so I had to arrange a trap." He turned to William. "My mage volunteered to act as bait, knowing that if I hadn't arrived in time, they might have harmed him."
A low murmur spread among the advisors. William's eyes widened as he stared at him.
A woman raised a hand to her mouth. "Do you mean Master Traver has—They didn't hurt him, did they?"
"No." Alex smiled. "Fortunately for him, he serves a prince who keeps his word. But it was difficult for him, and he took great risks. Nonetheless, he did it for the good of Lenz and the Crown."
William bowed. "I only did my duty, Your Highness."
"Bah!" Ballard snapped. "What could he possibly have done that's so deserving? I bet he just batted his eyelashes at a bunch of degenerates."
Alex clenched his fists and drew a sharp breath to calm himself. His instinct told him to punch the advisors in the teeth, but that wouldn't help. He'd handled it well in Lenz without having to rely on William—maybe he could manage again.
"Do you know what it feels like to be trapped, Ballard?"
"No, Your Highness."
"It's a subtle fear that crawls into the pit of your stomach. At first you think you can handle it, that everything is under control. That maybe it's just anxiety. But that fear grows, becomes more and more suffocating, and knots your stomach."
Ballard parted his lips as if to reply, but said nothing. Alex went around the table and approached him, his voice calm.
"Then you start to think that maybe you don't really have everything under control. That something bad is about to happen that you won't be able to stop. That maybe it's partly your own fault for not running away sooner. For believing you could handle the situation."
He placed a hand on the advisor's shoulder and squeezed.
"The worst part is that the fear doesn't recede—quite the opposite. It keeps growing until it closes your throat and clouds your mind. You can no longer think clearly; all you want is to run far away from that situation, but you know you can't. Because you're trapped, you're not strong enough, and you no longer have anything under control. It's others who decide for you."
"Your Highness…" Ballard stammered.
"It's others who decide when to let you go. How and how much to touch you, how far to move their hand or how far to push with their words. And you only want to run away or push them off, but your body doesn't react. You can't even tell them to stop, because fear has stolen even that. You're nothing but a lost little lamb surrounded by a pack of hungry wolves."
He stepped away from the advisor and returned to William. He caressed his fingers and hoped he hadn't upset him too much.
"If you're all wondering how I know this, it's because I felt that way myself not long ago. A man—one of my subjects—dared to make me feel trapped, so I can only imagine what William must have felt in Lenz when he courageously offered himself as bait. And while I have a crown and a title to protect me, he has only his intelligence and his magic."
"But Your Highness—"
"So," Alex said aloud, cutting Ballard off, "you can understand that William deserves the crown's gratitude for his spirit of sacrifice. If it hadn't been for him, we wouldn't have delivered bastards like those to justice. Furthermore…"
He lifted the case and set it on the table. He opened it, took out the precious volume, and showed it to the advisors.
"The father of one of those bastards, a bookseller named Dornwald, gave me this precious Xianese tome to make amends for what happened. Since the one who risked the most was William, it was only right that he should receive it; however, he refused the gift and proposed another use."
"What use?" Nikolas asked.
"Sending it as a gift to the Emperor of Xia."
A murmur spread among the advisors; many eyes shifted from the volume to the mage. William stiffened and, for a moment, seemed uneasy, as if he didn't know whether to deny or confirm that lie. The idea, after all, had been Alex's, and the mage had been unaware of it until that moment.
The prince turned back to the advisors. "I, however, have a better idea. And that's what I wanted to speak to you about, Father."
The king frowned and raised a hand to restore silence.
"First, I want to know who dared to lay hands on the Crown Prince."
Alex raised his eyebrows. He hadn't expected that; in fact, he'd thought his father would scold him for having shown weakness.
"No one of importance, Father. I set him straight. I made him kneel and humiliated him in front of a hall full of people."
His father nodded, but it was clear from his gaze that he wouldn't let the matter drop. He had merely postponed the discussion to a private moment.
"Good. Go on, then. What's your idea?"
"Invite Xianese delegates to court, give them the book as a sign of friendship, and try to resolve the caravan issue."
Ballard shot to his feet. "You want to compromise with those rats?"
"No. I want to talk to them and try to determine whether they're responsible or if they've been framed. I've read the reports and I know the witnesses speak of Xianese attackers, but that doesn't mean they're acting with the Emperor's blessing."
"Talking to them is a sign of weakness!"
"And what alternatives do you propose, Ballard? Allow them to keep robbing our merchants? Change trade routes, impoverishing hundreds of villages that depend on that trade?" He furrowed his brow. "Or are you suggesting we should go to war with the Empire?"
"No, of course not."
"Then what, Ballard? Are there other paths I haven't considered? Or do you just want to reject all my proposals because you're convinced they come from William?"
"Well, you can't deny that your mage has a bad influence on you…"
"The only thing William has done is help me realize the weight of my duties. And if you don't trust me, then what the hell are you doing in this hall?"
Ballard went pale, shot a quick glance at the sovereign, and sat back down.
"I beg your pardon, Your Highness. I spoke out of turn."
"You are forgiven, Advisor. But I hope I won't have to repeat myself."
If he ever disrespected William again, Alex would punch him in the nose.
His father rose from his chair. "Your idea is very good, my son, and I believe it's worth a try. Ballard, inform the Minister of Foreign Affairs to send a letter to Xia and see to the preparations to receive the delegates. You will be directly responsible for any shortcomings. The rest of you are dismissed."
"One moment!" Ballard exclaimed. "We still need to finish discussing the matter of the mage."
"I don't see what there is to discuss. You've heard what my son said, haven't you? William is serving the Crown with devotion and loyalty. We have nothing to reproach him with."
Alex clenched his fists. Was that why they'd gathered after the midday meal?
"Let's put it to a vote," William said.
Everyone present turned their gaze to the mage's face, but he didn't waver. The prince, however, noticed the slight tremor in his hands.
"If Lord Ballard has doubts about my abilities, we can put it to a vote and see whether his concerns are shared by the other advisors."
The king frowned. "Are you sure, William?"
"Yes. I'd rather clear things up before they can cause problems for the kingdom's governance."
"Very well. The vote will take place in a week. You are dismissed. Alex, you stay."