Page 51 of The Night Prince

They were both under the bed.

Both of them were lying on the ground on their bellies, staring at one another, across the length of the mattress.A dust bunny drifted between them.Both of them tracked its progress as it passed from left to right and… the knife!It was in his right hand.The dust bunny passed it by.

“Ah, I see you found it,” Aquilan said with an almost rueful smile as if he was regretful that they couldn’t spend more time rooting underneath the bed looking for the knife.

“I… I did!”Thank god.“It was just… just far under… ah, here,” Declan gestured with the knife around them before.realizing that he was, once more, using a knife around the king.He firmly set it flat against the ground.“But we should get up.”

“Yes, indeed.”

Declan waited for Aquilan to move first.And, seemingly, Aquilan was waiting for Declan to move first.The laughter that bubbled out of the king’s mouth soon had Declan smiling as well.

“I think neither of us really wants to go back to our duties,” Aquilan sighed and rested his chin on his hands.

“What duties await you downstairs?”Declan asked.“If–if you can say.”

Those blue eyes met his.A rather rueful smile crossed the king’s lips, but then he gave a brief nod.“I think… I think I can tell you.Perhaps I can tell you most of all.”

Me?Why me?I’m nothing…

“I need to… to understand how things truly are here and with all of humanity,” Aquilan explained.“Perhaps you could help me with that?”

Declan wanted to say yes.Nearly every part of him was screaming at himself to say yes.He had never felt so comfortable with anyone other than Finley.But this was a different sort of comfort.It made him feel warm in ways he couldn’t fully explain.

But unlike Finley, who accepted everything he did as miraculous and special, he could all too well imagine Aquilan’s teasing, welcoming expression dying when he figured out that Declan… Declan was… He couldn’t be in the light.He couldn’t stand in the Sun King’s presence and not be discovered.Whatever that meant.

They came for you,his mother’s anguished words echoed in his ears.

“I would like to, but…” Here, Declan licked his lips, hesitated, but then he forced himself to say the next words, to stop the possibility of being more in the king’s presence, “But I’m not like other people.”

Declan quickly scooted out from underneath the bed and headed towards the bedroom door.It was better to end this now.This would be the last time he would be alone like this with the Sun King.And though his heart ached, he knew it was for the best.

Secrets And Lies

“Why is your glass still full, Rhalyf?Something wrong with the Chelios?Or is something wrong withyou?”Helgrom asked him.

“Nothing at all is wrong with either, Helgrom.”Rhalyf drained his goblet to the dregs and held it out for more.

Yet, despite his words, he barely tasted the wine.Instead, he was staring at Finley’s ridiculous robes.At a certain part of the robes.The part that held that journal with all that very interesting information inside of it.

A rift to Illithor of all things,he thought and recalled what Elasha had said about her twin’s belief that the fabled Kindreth city had been found by the Leviathan.So Darcassan is not totally insane.The boy could not have dreamed it in so much detail.

Finley was now over by the bar with the General and Snaglak.That damned orc was downing yet another flagon of ale.How many had the orc consumed? Finley and the General were paying for them all.Perhaps the orc had figured outonesmart thing in this universe: pretend to be beaten by a human and get free beer for life.Although if Declan was what he thought he was… Well, taking down an orc–or a whole tribe of them–wouldn’t be hard at all.

“Ah, yes!That’s the spirit!Drink up!”Helgrom’s warm, gravelly voice should have been a welcome distraction from this vexing day, but it wasn’t. The second practically overflowing serving of Cheliosdefinitelyshould have distracted him, but alas, it didn’t either.“So there’s nothing wrong then?”

Rhalyf’s eyes narrowed as he watched Finley linger by the stairway, gazing up at it, ostensibly waiting for Declan to appear.Only the General’s presence was keeping him on the first floor.

He must know about his friend’s true nature,Rhalyf thought.Otherwise why would he be looking up every single bit of information he can find on the Kindreth in the undoubtedly paltry selection at the Athenaeum?It can’t really be for a game!That would be absurd.

Finley turned towards him.Frowning.When he realized that Rhalyf was staring at him, that frown grew and he put a protective hand over the inner pocket that held his journal.He’d had Snaglak gather the rest up and put them behind the bar.As ifthatwould stop Rhalyf if he wanted to see inside them!

Inside each and every one.I’ll know every word.

Amber eyes regarded him before Finley very deliberately turned his back on Rhalyf as if to say Rhalyf was unimportant to him.As if Rhalyf’s regard was no-nevermind.As if Finley was simplyaboveRhalyf’s interest!The urge to storm over there and turn Finley back towards him…

Absurd.Totally absurd.He pursed his lips.At least without a game plan. He has information on Illithor and Declan Wilde.I must not allow pique to ruin my interrogation of him later.

Instead of answering the dwarf’s question, Rhalyf said, “Tell me about Finley West, Helgrom.”

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