Page 19

T heo had planned to apologize to Prince Sebastian the next day but in the morning when he went to the suite, the door was open and no one was inside. He walked up the hall to his room and found a note tacked on the door and a stack of folded clothes on the floor. The note was short and to the point.

Theo,

I will be gone for the day. Stay with Henri, Oliver, and Jacques, or in the suite. Do not venture outdoors under any circumstances.

-Prince Sebastian Adair

P.S. I apologize for how I behaved the other day. It won't happen again. I left you new clothes to replace the ones I ruined yesterday.

Theo looked around the suite and bit his cheek. Sure, Sebastian was mad yesterday, but not looking for my bow and arrow would be a waste.

He started poking around each room passively. Each time he came up empty handed. Eventually, the only space he hadn't check was Sebastian's bedroom.

Cautiously he pushed the door, open hoping the prince wasn't actually sleeping in his bed. It was so cold inside it was a shock to his system. Despite wearing the warmest clothes he had, the icy air seeped into Theo's bones. The window was wide open and harsh winds rushed inside, making Theo shiver. A small pile of snow was on the floor, and a thin layer of frost dusted all the furniture. The canopy bed's light blue curtains fluttered in the wind and Theo peered at the bed, worried the prince had frozen to death in his sleep.

The bed was empty and the sheets were a tangled mess. Theo could see the spot the prince had curled up like a cat and slept.

Did you sleep here alone or did Lyle keep you warm? Theo brushed the blankets absentmindedly with his fingertips. Then he felt the brush of fabric that didn't match the soft bedding. He tilted his head and tugged it out.

To his surprise, it was his torn tank top from his first attempted escape. What on earth? It was wrinkled and had small tears, suggesting it had been clutched tight with clawed hands. Why is this here? Quickly he placed it back on the bed, trying to make it look as if he wasn't there. How am I even supposed to ask about that?

He searched the room, rummaging through the bureau and a large walk-in closet for any sign of his bow and arrow. It was fruitless, though. Wherever the prince hid his items, they weren't in the suite, so he left and went wandering the halls.

The castle was colder today, and Theo's breath fogged out in front of him as he searched everywhere, from the library to the music room, to a few of the guards’ bedrooms that were unlocked. Theo searched and found nothing. What he did discover was the entire castle was empty. Even the great hall and kitchen was quiet aside from a large pot of bone broth simmering on the stove. Where did everyone go? The prince didn't say they were all leaving in his note, did he?

Having searched everywhere else, Theo made his way to the forbidden east wing, and it was closed off by two large doors. He could feel the chill of the handles through his leather gloves. These doors were locked tight.

If I were hiding a bow and arrow, I'd probably leave it in the forbidden wing that no one enters unless mourning. He tilted his head and thought it over. Maybe I need to check the suite again for keys. But if they're in there, what's my plan? Grab them and head straight out while everyone is mysteriously gone?

Peals of laughter up the hall startled him and he quickly dropped that idea since the guards sounded somewhere nearby. Not wanting to be caught trying to break into their mourning room, Theo followed the joyful noise until he stumbled upon a large lounge with every member of the castle tucked inside.

A large fireplace roared in the center of one of the walls, warming the whole room. Some people were chatting on furniture, some were playing cards, and some were looking rather intimate, cuddling in chairs under knitted blankets. Marcel and Collette served large mugs of broth for people to sip on.

"Theo!" Jacques called from the large windows in the back of the room. He waved for him to come over.

As Theo crossed the room, he felt eyes on him but did his best to ignore it. "Why are you all in here?" he asked. "I was certain there was some emergency that took you all away."

"There's a blizzard today." Oliver nodded to the window. "On days like this we try to all stay in one place. It's easier to warm a room over the whole castle."

"I thought that it was colder than usual," Theo said, walking closer to peer outside. The view made his stomach drop. This room was on the back half of the castle, and it gave Theo a view of the rocky rolling mountains and cliffs that seemed to stretch on forever. The angry snow clouds were almost black and churned menacingly as they dumped heavy snowfall over the lands. The winds wailed and shook the windows in their frame. Theo stared in horrified wonder. "This type of weather definitely didn't exist in Quinlan."

"Blizzards can be pretty brutal," Henri said with a sigh. "When it's over we'll see if any damage is done to the castle and city. Until then, we're just going to stay warm and make it a cozy experience."

"We went looking for you but you weren't in Sebastian's suite, so we assumed you two were somewhere together making up," Jacques said with disappointment.

"You three don't know where he is either?" He was taken aback since they always were nearby the prince.

"Sebastian has a habit of disappearing during storms but he'll turn up," Oliver said reassuringly.

"Does he leave with Lyle often?" he asked.

"No, Lyle is here with us, too." Jacques nodded across the room. "They went their separate ways sometime last night. Sebastian's disappearances are always a solo event."

"I see," Theo mumbled. A tension left his shoulders now that he knew they weren't together. He looked and sure enough, Lyle was sitting in a circle with other guards who were playing a card game that was causing a ruckus.

"Don't bother asking where he runs to when he gets back. He'll dodge the question for ages." Henri slurped some soup out of a mug. "But he always comes back, so we decided not to worry too much about it."

"I worry." Jacques huffed. "I was hoping Theo was with him so he could give us some insight. Especially after his outburst the other day Sebastian shouldn't be alone."

"Don't use the ward as your spy," Oliver said with a laugh. He pulled him close and placed a kiss on his head. "I still think he locks himself in the east wing. I don't see where else he could hide for hours unseen."

"Makes the most sense," Henri said with a nod. "He does mourn privately."

I certainly hope not. I don't want him questioning who was tugging on the doors.

"You really should stay in here with us," Jacques said cheerily. "It's much warmer, and the soup is delicious. Collette outdid herself."

"Ollie, Jacques, Henri, the next round of cards is starting. Are you coming?" Lyle called as he shuffled a deck of pretty hand painted cards.

"Coming!" Jacques said cheerly. "Theo, want us to teach you how to play?"

"I'm awful at cards. For now I'll stay here. I'm enjoying the view of the blizzard."

"Suit yourself," Oliver said, looking down at Jacques. "If I win, what will you give me?"

Theo couldn't hear what Jacques leaned in and whispered but he could tell by the way Oliver's ears turned red it was suggestive.

"Uck! If you two start getting too handsy in here, I'm leaving," Henri said, walking ahead and shaking his head.

Those two are cute. Theo laughed to himself after the trio left him. He helped himself to a hearty mug of soup at Marcel's insistence as he got lost in the view of the storm. The wind roared and smacked so hard against the glass he worried it'd shatter. There's something beautifully terrifying about it. Like the roiling sea or a raging forest fire.

Out in the distance, something darted across a cliffside and caught Theo's eye.

It was a snow leopard with five tails. Prince Sebastian? Theo only saw it for a second before it vanished like a ghost.

He opened his mouth to call for Oliver but then hesitated. If he didn't tell them, he must have a reason. A few minutes passed and as Theo stared outside, his legs grew restless. It's not my business. It's fine. I'm sure he has a good reason to be out there. His heart raced. Why am I so bothered by this? He's probably safe. He confidently took on a bear.

Despite what he told himself over and over, the prince out in the storm invaded his mind until it was all he could think about. Once he was sure no one was watching him, he left the lounge, gathered his courage, and walked out the castle doors with a lantern in hand.