Page 17

T heo was used to waking up before dawn and walking to the market, so he lay awake in bed waiting for the rest of the castle to stir.

His mind drifted to his sisters. I wonder if Coralie made it to school on time without me around. He groaned and put his head on his knees. If Luna stayed up reading the stars, I hope she sees I'm trying to think of a way home.

Whispers came from the hall, and he perked up. The past few days, he hadn't heard the prince stir before the fog rolled through. Doing his best to stay quiet, he tiptoed to the door and listened.

"I'm telling you, Theo should be considered," Henri said in a soft voice. "I know I can't read the stars anymore but—"

"He's human," Sebastian said with a yawn. "He's not capable. Let's drop it."

"I saw you two when we were passing out rations. I'd say he's more than capable." He laughed. "Sebastian, say what you want. I have eyes."

"I don't know what you mean."

"Keep lying if that's what you want, but can we at least acknowledge the fact that he's practically dripping in the veil's favor? You really think that means nothing? What about the fact he enters every spring?"

"Henri, I'm tired. I'm not in the mood for this."

Theo shifted his weight, and the floor creaked. Instantly they both fell quiet. Shoot. He cringed and turned the knob. He walked out into the hall and smiled. "Morning. What are you two up to before sunrise?”

"Nothing," Sebastian said quickly. "You can go back to bed. We're done talking out here."

"Or you can help," Henri said with a bright smile. "There's an unexpected storm coming soon. It'll be big and it will last awhile, so we're rushing to get things together. Some of us are going to go out and chop some wood to keep the castle fires going. I was telling Sebastian you'd be a great help. He thinks as a human you can't, but I saw how strong you were yesterday."

"Sure," Theo said with a shrug. They definitely were talking about something else, but I don't want them to know I was eavesdropping. "I'm used to working early and chopping wood is rather easy."

"See, it's perfect," Henri said smiling at Sebastian who was glaring back. "Get dressed and we'll go down together."

A short while later, Theo walked at the prince's side across the dark castle grounds with Jacques Oliver and Henri. The prince guided them all with a glowing lantern as snowflakes drizzled down.

They made their way to a white, snow-covered expanse where a small group of guards were lined up in pairs. Each pair had a wheelbarrow full of logs. One set a log on top of a stump, while the other chopped it in half to make a smaller log to be used in the fireplaces or kitchen.

"We'll grab one the wheelbarrows from the shed," the prince explained as they walked past the others and followed the last few pairs getting their wheelbarrow. "You'll work together obviously."

"Why not work with me?" Lyle said, blocking their way into the shed. "I waited for you. Send the ward to one of the others."

"I'm sorry you waited, but I think it's best I stay with Theo."

"I must insist." He flicked his eyes to Theo for a moment and folded his arms behind his back. "Is it safe for you to work with the ward in such close proximity to a deadly weapon? Without your powers, you're vulnerable. Your safety is my job, and this makes me nervous."

"No one has powers anymore. We're all vulnerable but I chose to leave Theo alive so I will be the one to take the risk."

"I have no interest in axing the prince to death," Theo said, rolling his eyes.

"I didn't ask you to speak," Lyle snipped, glaring at him now.

"Lyle." The prince practically sang his name. "It's far too early to be upset. I promise I'm fine." He put a hand on his chest and offered a sweet smile. "You're worrying too much about me these days. Besides, how much trouble can I get in with you watching over me?"

“Are you implying I’m always looking at you?” Lyle asked with a sly smile.

“I’m saying I see your wandering eye more than you think. It’s made me exceptionally confident in my own safety.”

Theo cocked a brow. He had spent a lot of time with Sebastian, but this was a side he had never seen before. The little touches and playful cadence left him speechless. Is he flirting?

Lyle softened and whispered something in Sebastian's ear that made him giggle.

What exactly is going on? Theo's stomach twisted. Nothing he said could be that funny.

"If it makes you feel better, you can set up nearby," Sebastian offered.

Lyle softened and took Sebastian's hand in his. "If I can stay close and we can speak in private later, I'll accept this compromise."

"Of course we can. What do you want to discuss?"

“Nothing decent for others to hear.” He tugged Sebastain closer. “Do we have a deal?”

“Yes, yes, Fine.” Sebastain swat him lightly backing away. “Now go. I need to get to work.”

Lyle and the prince held hands for second before they finally went their separate ways, but to Theo, it felt like eons. There was something about that small contact between the two of them and the downright saccharine tone of prince Sebastian's voice that made Theo's skin prickle with discomfort. He tried to push it away but the whole scene irritated him like a mosquito bite that needed to be scratched.

Once they were inside the shed, Theo saw another reason why Lyle had pressed the issue. There were three wheelbarrows left. One for Jacques and Oliver, one for Henri and his soon-to-be partner Lyle, and one for Theo and the prince. The last one was piled high with extra logs.

"We can take some of the extras," Jacques suggested quickly.

"It's fine," Theo said, waving them off. "I don't mind doing extra. I'm not bothered by immature antics."

"You're sure?" Henri said slowly.

"Positive." He put on a smile and took the wheelbarrow and headed towards the door. "Prince Sebastian, can you carry the axe? Since I'm oh so dangerous, let's let you carry it down."

"I apologize for the other guard's immaturity," he said as he led the way with the axe in hand. "I've tried to keep you away from them, but they seem to be trying an indirect approach to make your stay harder."

"I truly don't mind. I had odd parents and in my teen years I was stained or kissed by the veil. I'm used to passive aggressive peers. I also know how to hold my head up high and move through it."

They took their place out of the earshot of the other guards. They were constantly glancing over and snickering at Theo getting more work. Lyle and Henri were further across the lawn with the others while Oliver and Jaques were close by chatting.

At first the prince held the axe, but Theo took it from him. "No need. I got it, your majesty."

"I am capable, you know," he said as he sat next to the wheelbarrow and set the first log from the pile down for Theo. "I'm not sore anymore. I've had plenty of time to heal."

"I never said you weren't capable." He dropped the axe with a quick smack and the two halves toppled aside. "But those hands of yours are soft. I know you aren't used to hard labor. I'm happy to do it."

"I have chopped logs a few times," he muttered as he set another log down.

Theo dropped the axe again with a laugh. "I promise I don't mind. Next time we can swap."

"So," the prince said awkwardly after a while. "You said you raise your sisters?"

"I do," he said, brightening. "You remembered."

"How many sisters and why do you raise them?"

"Two sisters," he said as he continued to work. "And my parents passed almost ten years ago when I was sixteen. They were attacked by a pack of wolves in the veil. I got custody of the girls eventually, but it was a long road."

"I'm sorry," he said, furrowing his brows. "I know how hard it is to lose parents. I know it doesn't make it better, but I am sorry you had to go through that."

"Thank you," he said, smiling down at the prince's empathetic stare. "I appreciate it."

"Why was it a long road to get custody? You don't have to answer, of course."

"I don't mind. Not like I'm busy with anything else," he said, falling into a steady rhythm of chopping as he spoke. "I went with my parents into the veil one night; my sisters weren't allowed yet. We were foraging when wolves attacked. I don't remember much, to be honest. I remember teeth, claws, and pain. I remember my mom dragging my body and pleading with the plants to keep me safe, but that's about it. The next thing I knew, I woke up to find both of them dead among the flowers and a new scar on my chest that glowed."

"She pleaded with the plants? Is that a common human practice?"

"Not really, but my parents loved the veil so their relationship to it was different."

"The veil must've heard her if it decided to leave you with a kiss. I bet that kept you safe that night. Other dangerous children of the veil like fae wouldn't go out of their way to toy with a human so favored."

"Maybe it did." Theo swallowed the knot in his throat as he remembered that awful night. "When their deaths were discovered, it was decided that I couldn't care for my siblings alone. So, authorities took them."

"They took them and left you behind? That seems a bit cruel."

"I don't blame them. Coralie was six, Yvette was seven, and I was sixteen. I could take care of myself, but not two kids. I understand their logic, but it hurt something awful. I felt like I let my sisters down. They lost their parents and now they were in an orphanage. I worked nonstop to have enough money for them to give them back to me. I decorated weddings, I taught music lessons, I made and sold pottery, I commissioned portraits, and of course I sold flowers and their byproducts. As I mentioned before, botany is my specialty, so that's what I did most."

"You earned enough to get them back, I assume?" he asked, placing another log for Theo to hit.

"Yes and no. At nineteen I had earned enough to bring one of the girls home. I couldn't separate them, so I approached a woman in town, Mrs. Fallon, who gave out loans. I begged her for a sizable loan I'd be paying off for a long time. I told the girls it was for the house because I didn't want them to feel guilty. With the money she gave, I was able to take both girls home. She's actually the mother of the girl I was escorting. My debt is part of why I agreed."

He stopped and leaned on the axe handle, looking down at the prince. "You know, even years after being out of the orphanage, they talked about how lonely and cold the place was. When I said I admired how you were with those kids, I really meant it. If my sisters had someone like you that cared for them when I was working too much to visit, I bet their stay at the orphanage wouldn't have been so bad."

"Oh," he said, looking down.

"Sorry, I know compliments aren't your favorite."

"I don't mind compliments. It was just unexpected. Thank you for saying that." He clutched one of the logs before setting it down. "For what it's worth, I think your sisters are lucky to have you looking after them."

"Wait a minute, did you say something nice to me?" he teased.

"Slip of the tongue."

"Fleeting kindness as always. Why are you so hesitant to be too nice to me?"

"Your ego doesn't need it."

The prince giggled and Theo swore he heard spring and all its light in his laugh.

"Sebastian," Jacques called from a few feet away to the right, bringing them both into reality. "Your antlers are growing, and your ears are out. Did you shift again this morning?"

"Are they?" Prince Sebastian touched his shorter antler and blushed slightly. "Um, no. I didn't shift. My shifter traits are coming out randomly these days. It hasn't been a serious issue so I didn't think to mention it."

"Randomly?" Jacques looked at Theo then back at the prince and his eyes lit up. "Never mind. We can discuss it more later."

"Am I doing something wrong?" Theo asked. "It seems like you partially shift around me often."

"No," he said, avoiding his eyes. "Don't worry about it. We have a lot of logs to work through, so let's refocus."

"Sebastian," Lyle said, coming over holding a canteen. "You should drink something. You can’t let yourself get dehydrated as you work."

"I'm feeling okay," Prince Sebastian said, waving a hand dismissively.

"Your well-being is important to me and water nymphs need more hydration that others. Humor me and drink." Lyle held the canteen to his lips. "Please?"

Sebastian parted his lips and let Lyle pour water into his mouth. His eyes dropped closed as he swallowed it down.

The act was innocent, but the way Lyle smirked as the prince’s throat bobbed made Theo grip the axe handle harder.

"Thank you, your majesty." Lyle lifted his chin and used his thumb to wipe the water off the corner of Sebastian's mouth. His touch lingered longer than it needed to. "I wish you took better care of yourself."

"Yes, yes I know. You told me," he said with a sigh. "Now go. I want to finish this. If you want to help next time, don't allow such immature antics such as overloading the ward's wheelbarrow play out next time."

"Why do you think I knew about that?"

"Because you didn't ask what I was talking about," he said with a small laugh. "Lyle, I know you. You typically know everything that's going on. It was childish and stupid. Don't let it happen again."

"I'm not saying I knew, but I apologize for my negligence. I'll discuss cutting out the pranks this evening."

"You really are sorry about being harsh with me the other day if you're folding so quick," he teased. "Accountability looks good on you."

Theo watched as Lyle rustled prince Sebastian's hair between his antlers. There was no denying he felt some affection for him. Theo wanted to tear Lyle's hand off him. What's wrong with me? Why do I care?

"Lyle let's go!" Henri called with a huff. "It's cold out here and I want to go inside and have breakfast."

Lyle gave Prince Sebastian a nod and sauntered back. "Patience is a virtue, Henri."

"And pretentiousness is annoying," he spat back. "Hurry up."

Theo sucked his teeth, still leaning on the axe. "You two are close. Are you childhood friends or something?"

"Yes well, being betrothed for years does that," Sebastian said with a shrug. "Makes the boundaries blurry. Makes dynamics complicated." Theo stared as if the words bounced off him. "Theo? You alright?"

"Sorry, I think I blacked out for a second," he muttered, shaking his head. "Betrothed? What do you mean you were betrothed?"

"We aren't betrothed anymore, but once you plan to marry someone for a while, it complicates things."

"How on earth did they suggest you two get together?" he said louder than he intended. There was a laugh from Jacques and Oliver across the way.

"We have also asked the same question," Oliver said.

"Don't be cruel." Sebastian stifled a laugh. "He's not so bad. Just rough around the edges."

"So what? Was that your parents' reasoning when they chose him? Isn't he also a bit older than you?" He frowned. "And what about Chosens? Is that what he is to you?"

"Yes, he is older than me by a few years, and no, he isn't my Chosen. In the past royals did heed the veil and pair off with their Chosen. However, my great-great grandmother was the last ruler who did this. She passed and her brother took over. He refused to follow the veil and paired off with someone to give him stronger offspring. This tradition continued. My father picked my mother himself, and he picked Lyle for me." He shrugged. "Lyle was from a good family, highly respected in the kingdom due to some heroic acts in war, but the most important thing was his bloodline suggested our children could be water nymphs. Water nymphs are rare. They are only conceived when a water nymph and a fire nymph with multiple water nymphs in their bloodline come together."

"You two can have children?" Theo asked, tilting his head. "I don't mean to be rude but how does that work exactly?"

"We're not like humans. Nymphs can procreate regardless of gender. I believe the actual act of procreating is similar to your people but anyone who is—" He paused. "Jacques, how do I explain how we conceive children without being crude?"

"Whoever is getting penetrated can get pregnant," Jacques called with a laugh.

"Precisely," Sebastian mumbled, his antlers flickering pink. "Still slightly crude but to the point, I guess."

"I see." Theo dropped the axe with more force now. "Lyle being a Fire nymph is not surprising."

"Most of the guards are fire nymphs." The prince nodded toward the other guards. "Some are floral nymphs like Jacques. Henri is our only Celestial nymph since they don't usually enter the guard."

Theo hesitated then asked the question that was lingering on his tongue. "Did you have feelings for Lyle?"

"I did at one point." The prince tilted his head and thought it over. "It was easy to picture him risking anything for family when I know he'd do anything for my kingdom. But ultimately, we were too different. On top of that, children aren’t in my future due to the circumstances. Even if they were, I wouldn’t care what their gifts were. That was my father’s obsession not mine. Once the curse hit, I ended it. It was for the best."

"Right." Theo gripped the wooden handle so hard now it made his palms sting. "Well, I'm glad you realized you two aren't the best fit. Is there someone else who has your heart these days?"

Prince Sebastian gripped the log in his hands and stared back up at Theo. "Why are you asking me that?"

How do I say that the idea of him being sweet with others makes me undeniably, irrationally, jealous? "No reason," he lied effortlessly. "Making conversation."

Jacques and Oliver finished up and headed back to the shed. Before they left, Jacques came over and leaned into Theo's ear. "Don't worry, Bastian isn't interested in Lyle anymore."

"What are you whispering about?" the prince scowled.

Theo was unsure what to say, because he truly didn't know why Jacques told him this at all.

"All I said was you two should work quicker so you can both join us inside by the fire," Jacques said, flashing a smile and rushing to keep up with Oliver.

"I suppose he's right," he said with a sigh. "Let's finish before the fog rolls through. The clouds are getting lighter which means sunrise is on the way."

"Sure," Theo said, biting his tongue instead of pointing out the prince didn't answer his question. It doesn't matter. They moved quickly and Theo did his best to push the question away. It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. He repeated it over and over, but it was like his mind was possessed with the prince kissing a faceless man. Or worse, on his knees for Lyle as he brought something other than a canteen to those pretty lips. Finally, with a swift crack, they finished.

"Excellent." Sebastian clapped his hands together once he was on his feet. "Let's get as much into the shed as possible."

As they walked, Sebastian watched the sky overhead. "I need to head to the kitchen and see how much wood they need. It's best to try and bring it in now before the storm. I'll run in and out." He set his lantern down inside the shed. "Add the logs to the pile and I'll be back as soon as possible. If by chance I miscalculated and you hear the fog, stop stacking and run inside."

"Sounds good." Theo diligently added their logs to the neat rows along the wall. He waited until he didn't hear the prince's boots. When he was certain he was alone, he took the lantern, abandoned his wheelbarrow, and ran off, determined to make his escape this time around.