When William opened his eyes, the sun was low, and the sky beyond the window of the prince's chamber was a blaze of gold and red. It was sunset; they had slept through the entire day.
His stomach growled with hunger.
"I need to eat something."
He rubbed his still-sleepy face and slid out of bed. He stumbled and leaned against the wardrobe; his legs were shaking, his muscles numb as if he had run across the whole kingdom. And his back was burning.
Ever since he accepted the pendant, the prince seemed very keen on reminding him how much he desired him. Especially in physical ways.
"He's relentless…"
He gathered his clothes, got dressed, and turned toward the bed.
It was empty.
Anxiety tightened his throat. Where had the prince gone? Why hadn't he woken him?
He stepped out of the room and bumped into Sven on the threshold. The captain raised an eyebrow, glanced down at William's chest, then looked back at his face.
"The prince sent me to wake you. Dinner is ready."
"Thank you. I'll be right there."
William tried to pass him, but Sven grabbed his arm. "Wait, you'd better tidy yourself up first."
William lowered his gaze to the popped buttons on his jacket and the wrinkled shirt. Sven was right—he couldn't present himself like that.
"Take a bath too, William. You stink of sweat."
"All right."
"One last thing," Sven said, his cheeks reddening. "Cover the marks. I mean, the hickeys. They really stand out on your pale skin."
William flushed and pulled the collar of his jacket tighter around his neck. He cursed himself for asking the prince to mark him like that. The hickeys might take months to fade, and anyone could see them and wonder who he had been spending time with.
He left the captain and headed to his own rooms. The servants had filled the tub; the water was still warm. He washed quickly, put on clean clothes, carefully combed his hair, and went downstairs.
The prince and Lord Florian were waiting for him in the dining hall, the table laden with dishes.
"William," the nobleman greeted him with a pleasant smile, "did you rest well?"
"Yes, thank you for your concern."
"I'm glad. After this morning's ordeal, you deserved some peace." Lord Florian inclined his head. "And thank you for your help. I will send a letter to the King in which I will praise you both."
"It's enough if you praise His Highness. My contribution was minor."
"I'd have to disagree. Alex led the operation, but you offered yourself as bait."
"I'm aware of that, Lord Florian, but at the moment the most important thing is the prince's position at court. If you speak of me as well, you risk diluting the effect we are trying to achieve."
The nobleman raised his eyebrows and shifted his gaze to the prince. "Cousin, where did you find a man so sharp and devoted?"
"My father found him."
"If you let him slip away, I swear I'll come to Adesten just to challenge you to a duel."
The prince laughed, but William noticed a hint of tension in his face and shoulders. He seemed to still be brooding over what had happened.
William dug his fork into the roast and turned to Lord Florian.
"How is the situation in the city now?"
"Calm, for now. It seems no one objected to the arrest, except the families of those involved. Someone threw stones at Dornwald's window, though. I had to place a few guards at the door, and I already know I'll be criticized for it."
"There are servants in that house; you're simply ensuring their safety."
"People act on instinct. Since they can't take it out on the son, they'll take it out on the father. Even if he's innocent."
"But he knew," the prince said. "And he stayed silent."
"Can you blame him?"
"Yes. I absolutely blame him."
"I can't, not entirely. He lost his wife; his son is all he has left. I imagine he made mistakes as a parent, but it must be terrible to watch someone you love take the wrong path and know you can do nothing to stop it."
"The son is a rapist, and it's right that he rots in a cell for the rest of his life."
William stiffened and looked at the prince, struck by his anger. Beneath the rage, there was a thirst for blood and vengeance that unsettled him. In that moment, the prince was like a scorching sun, merciless and deadly.
Perhaps the prince, too, had his own demons to reckon with.
Lord Florian cleared his throat.
"When do you intend to depart?"
The prince's anger ebbed. "Tomorrow morning. Adesten is two days away by carriage, and we can't afford to stay any longer. My father is expecting us."
"The duchess will want to say goodbye one last time."
"We'll talk to her tomorrow."
"Very well. I will keep you updated on the situation, but I'm certain Lenz won't have any further problems."
The rest of the dinner and the evening passed in meaningless polite conversation. When they were finished, Lord Florian stood up.
"I would like to speak with William for a moment, if possible."
The prince grimaced. "You don't need to ask permission."
William once again felt like a prize fought over by two rivals and sighed.
"Lead the way, Lord Florian."
The nobleman took him to a private sitting room. A fire crackled in the hearth, and the furnishings were tasteful and comfortable.
He gestured toward a liquor cabinet. "Would you like something to drink?"
"I'm fine as I am, thank you."
They sat down in the armchairs and remained silent for a few minutes, until Lord Florian cleared his throat.
"May I be direct?"
"Of course."
"If an influential man were to propose a marriage to you, would you accept?"
William raised an eyebrow. Was this what he wanted to talk about?
"It depends."
"On what?"
"On how much it could help His Highness. If it were a proposal that benefited him, then I would accept."
Even if it meant saying goodbye to his prince.
Lord Florian tilted his head to the side, puzzled. "Do you never think about yourself?"
"My duty is to serve him. Everything else comes second."
"This proposal would not benefit him, but it would benefit you. You would be certain that Ballard and the Council would no longer try to drive you out. And you would be taken seriously."
"As the consort of a duke, I suppose."
"I'm not doing this on a whim."
"I never thought you were."
Lord Florian drummed his fingers on the armrest. "You are an interesting man, William, and you have a sharp mind. I can…" He rubbed the back of his neck. "I can give you the support you need. I would do so gladly. For both you and Alex."
"Without asking for anything in return?"
"If you remain by my cousin's side, I will be satisfied. I cannot do so myself—I'm bound here." He laced his fingers together in his lap. "I am an only child, and he is the closest thing I have to a brother. He needs allies, and you are a valuable asset."
"I'm only doing my duty."
"No, William. You do far more than that—too much, if I may say so. And he is truly fond of you." He raised his hands. "I don't want to know what kind of bond you share; it's none of my business. But I can offer you a beneficial marriage. We would be married only on paper, and you would remain at court. You could… live as you please."
William raised his eyebrows, taken aback. "Would you marry purely out of duty? To someone like me?"
Lord Florian sighed. "Is it really so shocking? You attract me, William. You are pleasant, well-mannered, and intelligent. Do I love you? No. But I might, if I had the chance to know you better. If I could spend time with you as your husband."
"But I could not love you. You would be bound in a marriage that would bring you no political advantage, nor any real feelings."
"But I would know that my husband is a reliable man."
William frowned. "If I had a lover, would you be all right with me continuing to see him?"
Lord Florian shrugged. "May I be honest?"
"You must."
"I want my husband to be faithful to me, as I would be to him. But I also want him happy—and I imagine you wouldn't be, with me."
"No, I wouldn't." William lowered his gaze to his hands. "My heart already belongs to someone else."
"So you wouldn't accept the proposal."
"I would accept only if it were the only way for me to remain by the prince's side. As long as I have alternatives, I would rather pursue them."
"You could try to be adopted by a noble."
"It's not that simple. It would be like betraying my family and my origins, and I wouldn't feel comfortable doing it. I would like to be accepted for who I am."
Lord Florian gave a bitter smile. "The nobility is very conservative, and the current political situation with Xia does not cast you in a favorable light. They might even go so far as to accuse you of being a spy."
"I'm aware of that, but the Council is not entirely opposed to me. Lord Amato and his faction support me."
"Nikolas as well, I imagine. He and Alex have been friends since childhood."
"I know." William looked away. "I will keep your proposal in mind, but for now I cannot accept it."
"Don't tell Alex. He doesn't agree, I already know that. I imagine he doesn't want to see you married to anyone."
"I won't tell him, don't worry. May I take my leave?"
Lord Florian smiled. "Of course. I wish you a good night, William."
William bowed and left the small sitting room. He headed back toward his chambers, but when he reached them, he noticed the prince leaning against the door.
His heart began to race.