Page 53 of The Prince's Curse

His fingers twitched.Would a little peek be so bad?Percival had warned him off, but it wasn’t as if the Grand Magus had specifically told himnotto look.

He reached for the parcel, his pulse quickening as he tugged it close and began to carefully unwrap it. He hadn’t sensed any wards on it but was still relieved when no explosions boomed or alarms sounded. Within the parcel was a small, thin case of the sort Benjin had seen used to protect important documents at court.

Last chance to realize what a terrible idea this is.

Benjin pictured Haldric’s bright green eyes and laughing face, then Katalin’s hand on Haldric’s leg. His grip around the case tightened.

“Here goes nothing,” he muttered.

With a faint tingling of premonition, he opened the case.

Most of the package contained several stacks of papers along with a small journal. Nestled with the papers, however, he found a small glass sphere. It appeared similar to the dawnflame focuser Percival had shown him in his lab, pulsing with a dim golden glow.

Some sort of dawnflame enchantment?Benjin guessed, though he hadn’t a clue what it might entail or why Percival would be sending it to Dexil.

Setting the bauble aside, Benjin picked one of the journals at random and began perusing its contents. The more he read, the deeper his unease grew. While much of the magic discussed lay far beyond his own capabilities, he gleaned enough to understand the gist.

This was some manner of Compulsion, but on a scale Benjin had never heard of before. As best he could guess, the journals detailed how to perform a ritual to enact a powerful memory charm. Unlike a regular Compulsion, however, it incorporated dawnflame with the usual runeflame to dramatically bolsterthe effect, making it both longer lasting and harder to detect. Casting this on someone wouldn’t just alter a single memory—it would effectively make them believe they were an entirely different person.

This isn’t a spell at all—it’s a curse. What does the Grand Magus want with this kind of magic?

Benjin jumped when a rapping noise sounded from his door. Hurriedly returning the parcel’s contents, he stood and stared at the smooth wood.

Who in the name of the Goddess would be knocking at this late hour?

Sudden panic that something might’ve happened to the prince unfurled in him like a thorny rose. Rushing to the door, he yanked it open and blinked. “Haldric? What are you—?”

“May I please come in?” Haldric asked, his voice even more formal than usual.

Benjin studied the prince, his confusion growing as he took in Haldric’s disheveled appearance. Despite his calm face and stiff posture, anxious energy seeped from him in waves. His clothes were rumpled, and his hair was a tangled mess, as if from running his fingers through it nonstop for hours.

Or from some other nighttime activity…

Benjin crossed his arms with a scowl. “Shouldn’t you be with Lady Katalin?”

Though Haldric tried to hide it, Benjin caught his wince. “I was. But she…she wished to retire for the night, so I thought it best to do the same.”

Benjin narrowed his eyes at Haldric’s halfhearted lie. “Then, why are you here bothering me instead of in your own quarters?”

Haldric didn’t reply, shifting from foot to foot. Coming from him, such a display of distress was akin to screaming at the top of his lungs.

At last, he said, “I…I wished to discuss your impressions of our potential allies.”

Benjin raised an eyebrow and leaned against the doorframe. “Since when have you ever cared about my opinion onanything?”

Haldric’s lips pressed together in a thin line. “I’ve often sought your advice, and as the Grand Magus’ apprentice, you’re among the higher ranked members of this delegation. It never hurts to gain more perspectives. A wise ruler—”

Groaning, Benjin stepped back from the door. “Goddess’ mercy, spare me more platitudes. If you’re going to start spouting off about wise rulers, I need to sit down first.”

Haldric didn’t move, and a part of Benjin worried the prince might reconsider and retreat down the hall. But after a moment’s hesitation, Benjin heard the door shut and footsteps follow behind him.

The prince settled into a chair near Benjin’s. His gaze roamed the room, taking in everything except Benjin himself. It eventually settled on the parcel still sitting on the table. “Did your business for the Grand Magus go smoothly?”

“Yep.”

Haldric shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Good. That’s…good. And your impressions of our hosts?”

Benjin shrugged. “They seem all right for nobles, though I’d watch out for Lady Galax if I were you. She seems the type to slip poison into your tea the instant it suits her. And Lady Katalin is…”

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