Page 34 of The Frog Prince

Alwin got to his feet, the remaining shreds of his dignity already battered beyond what he could stand.

“Wait!”

Alwin met Otto’s eyes flatly.

“Gisela will be healthy?” Otto asked in a small voice.

“The deal we made is bound by magic. As long as we uphold it, all terms of it will be fulfilled.”

“Otto…” Gisela said.

Otto shook his head. “Fine.”

There was a protective curve to his spine as he leaned toward his sister. A determined set to his shoulders as he said the word. Defeat and acceptance written on his beautiful face.

Alwin had never made friends with betrayal or lies, the poison of them not to be borne. But here he was, staring at the one who had tried to deceive him, and he could think about nothing except how beautiful he was.

Pathetic.

Unwise.

“Lovely,” Alwin said.

Farwin croaked from his pocket.

“I will take Gisela to stay with a family friend,” Otto said.

“What? Why?” Gisela asked as Otto ushered her toward the door.

“We only have two rooms in this house. I will take your bedroom, the…Frog Prince can take mine,” he said, opening the door and pushing his sister out, all the while curbing her protests.

Alwin watched as he popped his head back through the door and fixed him with a stare. “I will be back in a few moments.”

“I shall wait for you with bated breath,” Alwin drawled, making Otto scowl.

“Do not touch anything.”

“I would scarcely dream of it.” Alwin raised both hands in the air, and Otto’s eyes fell on the four fingers with bulbous tips.

Alwin swallowed the bile in his throat and put his hands down, discreetly placing them behind his back in a way he knew looked casual and relaxed.

Otto slammed the door behind him, and Alwin listened as he bickered with his sister until the distance swallowed the words.

Alwin took a turn about the room, keeping his hands at his back as he moved unobserved.

Eventually, he took the same seat at the table and waited, the oil burning away in its glass container. He watched it flicker and move, dancing gracefully behind a screen.

Farwin hopped out of his pocket and sprawled flat on the small table, drawing his attention. He watched him hop over to a crumb of food and scoop it up into his mouth.

Yum, he said.

Alwin grabbed him by the waist and hooked a finger into his mouth before he could swallow. “You cannot eat that. Not to mention it does not belong to you. We are not thieves in the night.”

Farwin let the morsel drop, long tongue hanging from his mouth and big eyes confused.

Alwin shook his head, turning Farwin on his palm and holding him up to his face. “You are a very silly frog.”

Farwin sucked his tongue back in and croaked in protest.