Family of Lies: Sebastian (23 page)

“W
HY
IS
it that you’re grouchy towards people but seem to understand them more than most?”

“Because I’m an observer, and watching gives me a less biased view of the world.”

“Any country would be blessed to have you as a ruler,” Turren whispered.

A sarcastic quip itched on the tip of his tongue, but Sebastian didn’t know how serious the prince was right then. He didn’t want to be cruel. “That is not what I would recommend,” he said carefully. “I’m smart, but that doesn’t mean I deserve a place of power. There should be more credentials than that.”

“Hm,” Turren said noncommittally.

“I have to wake up early tomorrow, so I need to sleep,” Sebastian said.

“I think this is as much as I’ll wheedle out of you for the night. Please sleep as you wish.” The mirror went dark, and Sebastian frowned at it.

“What was that supposed to mean?”

D
ESPITE
HIS
claims, Sebastian walked to the library while everyone slept. No guards stopped him, so he assumed Captain Pembrost was giving him a little leeway. It made Sebastian nervous, but he continued on his path. Faint magelights peeked under the doors, and they opened with no resistance.

All that fortune in knowledge and they left the doors unlocked?
Sebastian spied the stacks of books and sighed at how many they still had to go through. He placed his hands under the table and talked to the wood. It liked being in service to the library with so many wooden shelves. It knew Sebastian and the others were looking for a particular book.

“Have you seen it?” Sebastian asked silently. The table went silent and then thrummed as if thinking.

Sebastian closed his eyes and thought of the paper contained in all the books. Taking a deep breath, he allowed strands of his power to seep through the table and into each book, one by one. He let the table explain to the books what he was looking for. The books whispered to him, but none of them seemed to have information about the Heart of Light. As his magic spread deeper, the whispering grew louder. In the middle, they sensed the book containing the hidden knowledge. Sebastian didn’t know which book and poured more magic out. The books guided the threads higher. Not much longer and he would have it.

Sebastian smiled.
Maybe I can save Turren from another attack.
The whispering began shouting in his head, and as his magic spiraled to what must have been the right book, pain shot through his right wrist.

Sebastian jerked back and tried to summon a ward around himself, but his magic wouldn’t come. His power still surrounded the books, but he was completely cut off. Sebastian held his wrist and searched the dark room. Nothing moved, but someone was there with him.
Someone who has the ability to see how my magic works and ward me away from it.
Sebastian smiled bitterly. “I guess I shouldn’t underestimate the ability to see truth in words and magic, Father.”

“You become distracted when you use magic,” Lord Orwell said from the darkness. “You need to work on that.”

“Why did you stop me? What is it that you don’t want me to see?”

“A moment,” his father said, and Sebastian watched as the magic he had poured into the books seeped out and lit up the room in a barrier. “This is not a conversation for prying eyes or ears.”

“You said you didn’t work with Trenton anymore, so why did you interfere?” Sebastian’s bottom lip trembled with anger.

Lord Orwell stepped into the magelight and crossed his arms. “I hid that information so Trenton couldn’t use the Heart of Light. Frederick or Queen Anne might see past the spell, and I can’t have that.”

“But you’ll let Turren die to protect your secret? Trenton already saw what’s inside of it, or he wouldn’t be after him. Why won’t you let the others see it?”

“It’s a lie I placed in all the books, but the royal family’s circumstances give them the ability to figure out the riddle more than Trenton could,” Lord Orwell said.

“I have no idea what you’re saying.”

“People closer to the truth will see past the lie. As it stands, Trenton will never be able to use the amulet.”

“Then why is he after Turren?” Sebastian asked.

“The riddle points away from the true catalyst, but Trenton’s mind is twisted and he interpreted it in a way I didn’t predict. I should have seen it as a possibility, but hindsight and all that.” Lord Orwell shrugged.

“Fuck your hindsight, and tell me, what does that bastard think the riddle means?” Sebastian demanded.

Lord Orwell cleared his throat. “If you’re an arrogant wizard who doesn’t want to contemplate a magical object beyond your reach, the passage could be interpreted as the amulet activating by the user eating the heart of a pure soul. And I mean under the severest mental deficiency.”

Sebastian’s jaw dropped in horror. “He plans on eating Prince Turren’s heart?”

“Probably.”

“Fix it. I don’t care how, but you fix this. Turren is a good man, and he doesn’t deserve this, Father!”

“This is not an easy situation to fix, and all scenarios lead to one path: contacting Trenton. I can’t do that and place our family in harm’s way for your infatuation,” Lord Orwell said. “I’m sorry, but I won’t do it.”

“You will,” Sebastian whispered.

“Or what?”

“I’ll stay here when you go. I’ll stay by Turren’s side until I know he’s safe,” Sebastian said.

“Oh, so you’ve taken up the life of protector. How well did that go for Richard?” Lord Orwell asked.

“I’m not you. I can’t just allow an innocent man to die.”

“But you’re willing to give an evil man access to one of the most powerful objects in the world to save your prince?”

“You don’t know that,” Sebastian said.

“There are little ways I can amend my translation without leading Trenton closer to the truth,” Lord Orwell said. “Keeping him from the Heart of Light’s power was the only good thing I’ve ever done.”

“If Turren is the key, can he use the amulet?”

“This is not an object any person should wield.”

“Can it be destroyed? That has to be a better alternative than Trenton using it,” Sebastian said.

Lord Orwell looked to the side. “That’s debatable. Anyways, my mind is made up, and I’m not saving Turren so this world can go to shit.”

“That’s your argument? One man dies to save the many? You were the last person I expected to believe such nonsense,” Sebastian said.

“That’s because you’re a naïve boy, and even worse, now you’re in love.”

“Father, I meant what I said. I’ll stay if you don’t help me.”

Lord Orwell stalked to his son and pushed the hood back. “Look me in the eyes and tell me that boy is worth risking all of our lives. Yours, mine, your siblings’, your mother’s. Is this boy worth it?”

Sebastian straightened his shoulders and looked his father in the face. “If I allow him to die, then I deserve the fate Ophelia foretold.”

Shaking his head, Lord Orwell lowered his hands. “Gods, you’re a fool. I’ll contact him under one condition. You do not see Prince Turren after this. Ever.” He reached down and pulled on Sebastian’s cloak pocket. “No more mirror visits, no kissing in the halls, nothing. Break your word, and I’ll hand him over to Trenton on a silver platter. Do you agree?”

It was hard for Sebastian to breathe, but he had no other choice. “I accept your terms.”

His father nodded and turned on his heels, leaving Sebastian behind in the empty library.

S
EBASTIAN
FELT
foolish after seeing his father. One little promise and he was numb. It had been years since Sebastian had seen Turren before he came into their forest. Why should it matter if Sebastian never saw him again? They hadn’t done anything but kiss.
We don’t even qualify as lovers
, Sebastian thought as Turren rambled about his day.

“Are you listening?” Turren asked.

“Hm?” Sebastian said for maybe the fifth time.

“If I said I slayed a fifty-headed hydra, you would probably say ‘hm’ again. Where is your mind at today?”

“Nowhere special,” Sebastian said. They had gone through the books that day and still another failure. Sebastian had been ordered to pretend last night had never happened, but it was hard not looking at that middle pile of books where his magic had traveled. “I’m sorry, I’m just not good company tonight. I think I’ll just go to sleep.”

“That’s all right. I’m happy just seeing you. Good night, Sebastian.”

“Good night, Turren.” Sebastian broke the connection and sighed. He didn’t know if breaking all contact with the prince before he left would be best. Maybe he should take all that he could get—ignore his father’s orders not to see Turren at the castle completely. He could spend a whole afternoon with Turren, but everything Sebastian thought of didn’t make up for what he was losing.
The one damn person who might not care about what I look like, and I have to give him up.

“Fuck this.” Sebastian got out of bed and put on his cloak.
If I’m going to stop seeing him, then I’m going to leave with real regrets
, Sebastian thought. He snuck out of his room and walked to Turren’s room. As usual, he wasn’t stopped in the halls and made it to his destination. He took a deep breath and reached for the door handle. As his hand closed on the latch, a hand closed around his forearm. Startled, Sebastian jerked his arm free of Captain Pembrost’s firm grip.

Captain Pembrost touched Turren’s door, forming a magical barrier against sound and Sebastian.

“You’re in a mood tonight,” Sebastian said. “I thought you were trying to get me into Turren’s bed.”

“I was in a worse mood last night when I felt strange magic cover the only leads to Turren’s survival. What were you and your father up to last night?”

“I didn’t do anything wrong. I used my magic to try and single out which book was responsible for this mess.”

“And?” Captain Pembrost asked.

“It didn’t work.”

“You’re lying to me, and you think I’ll let you in my prince’s room?” the captain growled.

“I’ve had plenty of chances to harm him if I wanted to, and I would never be dumb enough to try in this damn castle,” Sebastian growled back.

“I don’t care. Until I know wh—” Captain Pembrost stopped speaking and touched the talisman around his neck. He frowned and shook his head, but he stepped away from the door. The magical barrier fell away too, and Captain Pembrost stomped off.

Only the king or queen could have dissuaded him in that mood, but it didn’t stop Sebastian from fulfilling his goal. He slowly opened Turren’s door and slipped into the room. Quietly, he closed the door behind him and turned to see the prince moving his hand vigorously under the sheets. “Bas-tian.” The word came stilted out of Turren’s mouth.

Sebastian tilted his head to the side and smiled. “Is that what you do after all our talks?”

Turren yelped and pulled the sheets up to his chest. “What are you doing here?”

“I thought of another conversation that would be better to have in person,” Sebastian said.

“So you came here, unannounced and without knocking?” Turren frowned. “And it’s the middle of the night.”

“It’s not like you were sleeping.”

“I wasn’t expecting company.”

“You never did answer my question,” Sebastian said.

“What of it? What I do in the privacy of my room is none of your business.”

“You’re very defensive for a man caught in the act while defiling my name.”

The prince’s eyes narrowed, and his hand slid deliberately under the sheet. The sheet lowered, and Turren pulled his cock through his hand for Sebastian to see. “You are all about boundaries; well, this is mine. You can leave or you can watch,” Turren said as he thrust into his hand. His dark blue gaze fastened on Sebastian, and Turren grunted as he moved faster.

“Your hand is better than the real thing?” Sebastian asked quietly. Turren’s hand stopped with visible effort, and he whipped the covers off the bed. He stood up and walked to Sebastian, magelight reflecting off his naked body.

Turren stopped directly in front of Sebastian. “Repeat what you just said.”

Things were kind of going according to Sebastian’s plan, but he wasn’t sure what to do with Turren. And a highly aroused naked man at that. A hand captured Sebastian’s chin, and he was forced to look up.

“Why did you come here, and why aren’t you leaving yet?”

Sebastian yanked his chin out of Turren’s grasp. “I need a moment to think. I thought you would be more cooperative and less standoffish.”

Turren took a step back. “What were you expecting tonight?”

“This, sort of,” Sebastian said while waving his hand over Turren’s body.

“Are you teasing me?”

“I’m beginning to think this was a bad idea. Maybe I should go.” Sebastian turned to leave, but Turren gently grabbed his elbow. He raised Sebastian’s hand to his lips.

“Forgive me, but this is a fantasy I never dreamed would come true. Please sit with me and we’ll talk first.” Turren tentatively pulled Sebastian to the bed, and both men sat down. Turren grabbed a strip of a cover and draped it over his lap. “Is that better?”

“Yes,” Sebastian muttered.

“I’m too afraid to ask what brought this on, but I will ask: Are you sure?”

“Yes,” Sebastian whispered. He cleared his throat. “I would like to go to bed with you,” he said louder.

Turren leaned over and kissed Sebastian’s cheek. “Wait here and I’ll grab a few things. All right?” he said as he squeezed Sebastian’s hand.

“All right.” The lips moved to his mouth, and then a tongue briefly tasted him.

“You can change your mind.”

Sebastian looked up at Turren in confusion. “Have you changed your mind?”

Turren laughed. He stood, and his cock seemed even harder. “Not even if I had to traverse through all seven hells to be here with you.”

Sebastian stared at his hands while Turren went to go rummage in his bath chamber. There was clinking of glass vials and a few curses of frustration, but Turren returned smiling triumphantly. The bright smile turned into a frown.