Page 8 of The Prince and His Stolen Throne

“Choosing the quest?” The sun glinted off his sword, right in my eyes, as he aimed the next swing at my head. “Good, then all my hard work won’t be wasted.”

I parried with my own blade and thrust my shield into his chest with a heavy thump. He grunted and gave way, withdrawing a few feet. “We’re supposed to decide together.” This time, I pursued him, scanning his stance for weak points.

When we first started these sword lessons, long before Hector had been promoted to Captain of the Guard, I’d only ever defended, never pursued. He was more than a decade older than me, larger, stronger, faster, and he did not give a shit. Drove me straight into the ground. Knocked me on my ass a dozen times a day while imparting sage life lessons like “If you’re always on the defensive, you’ll never win the fight because you’ve already given up on it.”

Of course, once I did start fighting back, he still knocked me on my ass, but at least I repaid him with bruises.

His shield blocked one swing, his sword the next, as we danced around the training ground. It’d rained last night, so the dirt was soft but not somuddy it stuck to our shoes. Our footprints documented every step of our fight.

“Would you rather marry a stranger?” he asked. “Or fight monsters?” He feinted one way, then slashed toward my middle and I wrenched my arm at an awkward angle to block him.

“Ideally? Neither.” It’d been months since we fought, and my words came out breathy, while Hector had barely broken a sweat. “Wives and monsters hold the same appeal for me.”

“You could follow in your father’s footsteps and find a husband,” he said with a wink.

My answer was stalled as our dance quickened, striking, blocking, parrying, in a flurry of blows too quick to narrate. “So long as—”clang—shing—thump“—I don’t find a blade in my back.”

“You think any of them would betray you?”

I’m the one betraying them.I needed to end this fight before I said something I shouldn’t. “I think—” I stepped in close, risking a blade to my stomach as I hooked my foot around his ankle “—anything is possible when you’re working for a good wizard.” I yanked hard and followed Hector down, pinning him into the dirt.

The air wheezed out of his lungs as he stared dazedly at the sky. “I’m too old for this shit.”

“You’re not even forty.”

“Still too fucking old. Get off me before you rupture something.”

I rolled off him and lay beside him, trying to catch my breath.

A slow, steady clap carried over from the fence. I arched my head back to see who our audience had been and found my dad grinning down at me. “Excellent job.”

I rolled to my feet, then helped Hector up as well. “I only won because of a dirty trick.”

“About time, too,” Hector grumbled. “Been leaving that opening for you for years.”

I frowned. “Youwantedme to fight dirty?”

“I didn’t train you to be a duelist, Trey. I trained you tosurvive.”

“Then why didn’t you justfucking say so?” All these years, I’d tried to fight fair, to be ‘good’, someone worthy of my fathers, even as I lied to them. And now Hector was treatingthat restraint like a weakness.

“I told him not to,” Dad said, leaning on the fence. “I didn’t want to influence your choices.” He glanced at Hector. “Could you confirm the final appointments for the outriders?” It was a gentle yet firm dismissal.

Hector bowed, then thumped my shoulder twice, hard enough to feel like revenge. “You did good, Trey. Keep it up so the monsters can’t even get a taste of you.”

I climbed over the fence to join Dad, and we started walking back to the main castle. His steps were slow, measured, and I matched his pace. “What is it?”

He gazed at me like he was trying to read something in my freckles. “I know we taught you everything we could, but I still hate that this responsibility has fallen on you.”

My heart squeezed in my chest at his serious tone. “You already played your part.”

“Yes, and I hated it then too. Parents shouldn’t rely on their children to protect them. To protect a whole kingdom.”

“I’m twenty-one,” I reminded him.

“You’ll always be my child.”

I couldn’t do this. I had to tell him. “Dad, I—”I’m not Brendon’s son. I’ve been lying to you both the whole time. My real father is an evil mage trying to destroy the kingdom.“I lost my virginity in the stable two years ago.” The confession spilling from my mouth had nothing to do with what I’d meant to say. A burning, spicy taste of magic accompanied the words.