Page 112 of The Prince and the Ice King

“Master Wells may be the one who caused this.”

“You believe that?”

“I… it has to be him. Even if it’s not, he and the physicians don’t know what I do.”

“Which is?”

“Finding a cure requires finding the cause.”

“You’re makingpoison?” Lombard stared.

“If it can help save my father, yes. Once I create the right poison, simple transmutation can make it an antidote.” Reardon was ready to argue, quick to anger, given his hunger and fatigue, but Lombard merely smiled.

“It’s a wonder anyone ever managed to tell you what to do. You are tenacious, my prince, but you will rest, even if I have to haul you to your bedchambers myself.”

Before his time at the Frozen Kingdom, hearing Lombard say that, however jokingly, would have made Reardon feel….

Stillmade him feel a warm stirring in his gut.

“Wh-what about you?” Reardon blurted to change the subject. “You haven’t slept either.”

“I’ll sleep when you do, which means if you do not wish to be cruel to your old teacher, you should show me mercy.” Lombard smiled, something so rare when he was usually so serious, and that made him look even more dazzlingly handsome.

Reardon glanced away. He needed to remember his purpose: to save his father, and then to do everything he could to get back to Jack and save him too.

“First, I expect you to clean this plate.” Lombard tapped the table.

Reardon couldn’t help smiling back at him and began eating with more fervor. He really was hungry, but each bite also made him feel more exhausted. Lombard was right. “I’ll sleep, but only for a few hours. Maybe a break will help the answer come to me. Thank you, Bardy. You really don’t need to babysit me like this, though. Surely there are more important things you could be attending to?”

“Than my prince? Never.” His smile remained, directed solely at Reardon.

It made him feel awful that he’d lied to Lombard for so long—and still was. “There’s… something I always wished I could tell you,” Reardon said, setting down the last bit of bread. “But I fear, after you hear it, you’ll wish me exiled.”

“Reardon?” Lombard’s smile vanished. “What could possibly make me think that?”

“I suppose I have to start somewhere, don’t I, if I wish to change things? You see, I love magic. I have none of my own, but I find it beautiful, wonderful, not something anyone should fear.”

“I know,” Lombard said as if it were a trifling confession. “Everyone knows. You were never very good at hiding it. But you are young. You don’t yet understand how dangerous magic—”

“Anything is dangerous in the wrong hands. My swords—” Reardon gestured to his weapons belt on a chair atop his cloak. “—alchemy—” He waved at the worktable, and then drew his dagger. “—this too. But loving magic isn’t my real secret.”

He set the dagger on the table, fingers gently caressing the jeweled hilt and keeping his eyes there to avoid looking at Lombard.

“When I was little…morethan when I was little, I never longed for a queen. I longed for the company of others like me. Boys.Men. For a long time, I….” He clenched his eyes shut. “I longed for you.”

The silence that descended made it impossible to open his eyes, but it wasn’t a harsh word or touch that roused him.

Lombard’s fingers, cool on Reardon’s chin, tilted his face toward him. Reardon gasped and had to open his eyes then, surprised and unsure what to do at findingwantin Lombard’s expression.

“Reardon, I knew that too,” Lombard said and pulled Reardon into a kiss.

Chapter 12

Reardon

Lombard was kissing him.

Lombard was kissing him!

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