Page 21 of Gilded Crown

“So they’ve got three to do the work for them.”

“It’d still be too painful. An animal wouldn’t even do it-wait. Can turf make it so you feel nothing?”

Aurelius tilted his head. “I’ve never heard of that. It doesn’t for me, and I never tried to smoke that much of it or asked anyone. Maybe it’s possible for some.”

For fuck’s sake, how would Zylem and Gullveig get someone to smoke that much and focus on a task? Especially a crazy one. Other drugs existed, but Jari wasn’t familiar enough with them to know if any would entirely cut pain. He couldn’t think of anything except for laudanum which would make the user sleep.

Deeper thuds sounded, and Aurelius went to the window to shout outside. Jari gave it a try too, but he wasn’t sure if anyone would hear a thing over the rain pouring down. The grounds were large, and the wall surrounding it was too far away. A few little dots of light from lanterns moved along at the same pace since guards would patrol even in shitty weather. He thought about hanging a sheet through the window, but it probablywouldn’t be seen in the dark, and who would bother to look up that way?

Since additions and alterations had been made to the Palace over time, and not everything was at the same level, they could see parts below that stuck out.

“If we had to jump…I can’t say how bad that will hurt at this distance, and the rain will make it slippery too…”

Aurelius eyed the lower roofs beneath them which were about three floors down. In the dark, it was rather hard to tell where the edges were thanks to the black pitch. He swiped at a few rain droplets on his face and closed the window. “Let’s not. We’ll likely break something, and then what? We’ll climb down in the dark and likely fall several more stories?”

“Forget that.”

“If we’re in the privy, three men can't get through the door at once. They probably won’t get through the first obstacle.”

Jari and Aurelius sat on the bed since there wasn’t much else to do. The Prince was pale and had to be terrified even though his face was blank. Jari’s chest was tight because he couldn’t help but imagine wild beasts out in the hall, desperate to get in and tear them to pieces.

“This won’t last forever no matter what they’re on,” said Aurelius. “Servants are up first, and while they go around to do their duties, one of them will hear something. Whoever it is will likely give up first. No fairy body can go forever. Not like that.”

“There’s no way they could be fine either, so we’ll know who it is.”

“Unless Saranth heals them and says nothing.” Aurelius twisted one of his rings.

“Do you really think she could be in on this?”

“She’s never done anything untrustworthy before. Still, trust no one, Jari.”

Jari remembered she had lied about Eurig being insane, but it had been more in the way of an employee who deflects accusations because they like their position and the money it brings.

The madness continued for about another forty minutes. It didn’t sound like they were using an item. Wood or metal on wood sounded different. Jari paced for a bit, and once the noise died down, he went out into the sitting room to peek under once more although he didn’t get too close to the door.

Once he was back in the bedroom, he closed the door and leaned on it. “Someone’s simply standing there. Just one. Should I go listen? I don’t think they’re doing anything…”

“The door’s held this long.”

Jari padded across the sitting room with his sword, and Aurelius came with his blade just in case. Jari lay flat on the floor by the door to peek under. A pair of black, simple shoes stood there on the dark blue cloth carpeting. In fact, it looked like the type a servant might wear from what he could tell.

When he pressed his ear against the door, he heard nothing at first. Aurelius shifted around a bit, and Jari put a finger to his lips. There it was. Faint, but labored breathing as if the person had worn themselves down.

The person slammed themself into the door, and Jari jumped back. Even Aurelius flinched. Fuck that. They both hurried back into the bedroom. Whoever it was smashed themselves against the wood again.

“It was one person that time. Simple shoes, and they were breathing heavily. I couldn’t see or hear anything else. I didn’t hear voices.”

“Two might have given up…”

“We could deal with one. He’s probably pretty fucked up by now.”

Aurelius narrowed his eye. “We wait. No risks. I wouldn’t open that door if Elira herself came down and told me to.”

Two more bangs came, and it was silent after that except for the rain beating on the window. Sleep was still out of the question, so they waited. Aurelius constantly twisted his lion ring, and Jari occasionally paced. He finally settled on the floor to lean against the chest of drawers and stare at the entrance. Aurelius moved to sit at his table, and he leaned his head on his hand so he could keep his eye focused on the door.

His eyelid had drooped shut when Jari let his gaze wander over after a good hour. The tension slid away. Several strands of his unnaturally golden hair had slipped from his hasty ponytail to frame his face, further softening the edges. For a moment, Jari imagined brushing them back. It was the face of a person he wouldn’t mind waking up next to.

Aurelius jerked awake, and the strain returned as Jari snapped his eyes away. This was not the time to be thinking such stupid thoughts. He also wasn’t letting pretty boy looks get under his skin this time. He was exhausted, and his mind was being dumber than a rock. Elira, he’d been looking forward to a night of sleep after the day he’d had.

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