Page 71 of The Prince's Curse

A shiver clutched his spine as he recalled her promise tohelphim with the other governors. “I know.” He glanced longingly past her down the hall. “And I look forward to catching up. But right now, there’s somewhere else I need to be.”

Her gaze narrowed, her lips pursing. “Don’t tell me youstillintend to run off to that lowborn sorcerer? Goddess be praised, I’d hoped that nonsense would have vanished along with his vile curse.”

“This isn’t Benjin’s fault! None of this is.” Haldric bowed his head, tightening his hands into fists. “I…I can explain. But first, I need to—”

“What youneedis to come with me,” his aunt replied in a firm voice. “All else can wait until after you speak with your father.”

“But—”

“King Roland has been beside himself, his health dangling by a thread! He ordered that you be brought to him the instant you awoke, and that is what I intend to do.”

Haldric fell silent, reading the unspoken tension in his aunt’s posture. She was worried, and not just about him. An image of his father’s worsening condition upon his and Benjin’s return toRevesole played out before him. Goddess’ mercy, how weak the king had seemed then, and he’d looked little better when Haldric had seen him while still bereft of his memories.

Reluctantly, he jerked a nod. “Very well. Take me to him.”

They walked the corridors in silence, Haldric too preoccupied with his thoughts to muster the energy for any forced conversation. While he was glad for the chance to see his father again while in his right mind, he wasn’t certain what to say or how to explain what had happened.

To exonerate Benjin, Haldric would have to admit that Dexil had been the one who’d cast the curse. But even if it had been at Haldric’s request, he feared that would get the Grand Magus in trouble. Perhaps he could claim he’d acted alone. But would he be able to convince Benjin to corroborate his tale?

Duchess Janelle nodded to the pair of guards standing vigil outside the king’s chambers as they passed. Haldric noticed distractedly that they seemed more on edge than usual, stealing glances at him from the corners of their eyes. No doubt rumors abounded throughout the palace of the cursed prince’s ill-fated return.

The king’s sitting room was deserted. They walked straight through, entering his bedchamber. That, too, stood empty.

His aunt frowned, glancing about. “Where are the chirurgeons and servants? Someone should be here to attend to him. I swear to the Goddess, if he sent them away again…”

A sudden foreboding gripped Haldric. Tuning out his aunt, he approached the bed with halting steps. Though his father lay there much as he ever had, there was a stillness to him that Haldric didn’t like. The sheets didn’t rustle. No muscles twitched. He didn’t turn his neck to smile at Haldric as he neared.

Stopping just beside the bed, Haldric reached up with a shaking hand to touch the king’s cheek. “Father?” No response.The skin was cold—toocold. His eyes remained shut, even as Haldric gently shook him, his voice cracking. “Father. Please, say something.”

Desperation lodged in his throat as he continued to shake him. When there was still no response, he knelt down, cradling his father’s body in his arms. There was no heartbeat. No breath.No life.

Tears streaked his cheeks, dampening his father’s nightshirt as he pressed his face into his father’s chest. Because of what Haldric had done, he’d missed out on these past few months with his father while he was still alive.

This was all his fault.

A gentle hand rested on his back. “There is nothing to be done,” his aunt said. “I’m sorry, Haldric. It was his time.”

“My…fault…” he managed to choke out between quiet sobs over the reunion he’d never get to have.

“Don’t be absurd. You could no more control his time of death than anyone else.” Her usually solid voice wavered. “I…I think he was holding on until you returned to us. He wanted to know you were safe before he was gone. And now that you are, well…I guess he felt he could finally lay down his burden.”

The thought only deepened Haldric’s guilt. This was the result of his past weakness—a shame and knowledge he’d be forced to bear until the end of his days.

But one I will do everything in my power not to repeat.

Rising on shaky feet, Haldric swiped angrily at his eyes. “I’ll send for servants to see to the necessary arrangements. But first, there’s something else I must do—a wrong I must right before it’s too late.”

Janelle shook her head, resigned. “I suppose there’s no sense trying to talk you out of it. Very well…Your Majesty. I’ll handle your father. Just don’t do anything rash.”

Haldric paused, giving her a wavering, broken smile. “Since when have you known me to do anything rash?”

He opened the door, began to walk out…and barely dodged backward as a crossbow bolt lodged itself in the wooden frame a mere hand’s length from his skull.

“Intruders!” his aunt cried. “Guards!Guards!”

Reacting before Haldric could recover from his dazed shock, Janelle rushed forward, drew him back into the safety of the chamber, and slammed the door closed right as another crossbow bolt pinged into the thick wood.

“What in the Void is happening?” Haldric demanded. “Who is shooting at us?”

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