The study welcod with the scent of leather, parchnt, and old wood. A far superior atmosphere compared to the floral massacre of the ballroom. I removed my mantle and draped it over the back of a chair before sitting behind the desk.
Abi made himself comfortable on the sofa without invitation.
Of course he did. Sha was an emotion that has long vanished from his vocabulary. I suppose being ancient does that to you.
William, bless him, entered monts later with tea.
I accepted the cup and inhaled the clean, bitter fragrance before taking a sip. Finally. Sothing not contaminated by palace theatrics and potentially drugged noble ambitions.
"Your Excellency," William said, "how did the ball proceed?"
"Boring. No one died."
"I see."
"Your disappointnt is well hidden."
"That was not disappointnt, Your Excellency."
"Yes. Of course, it isn’t."
Abi snorted.
I set the cup down. "The Crown Prince did request a private conversation."
William’s expression did not change, but I noticed the subtle shift in his posture. "About what matter?"
"Nothing direct. He told about gossip first. Then he asked about Sonomi, tested where my loyalty lie, and proceeded to ask about the difficulty of determining who can be trusted before a coronation."
William’s eyes narrowed slightly. "He is seeking your support."
"That much is obvious, but not openly."
"It matters not. He will do so eventually."
"We can only wait and see."
Abi raised a hand lazily. "Also, he might be dying."
William froze.
I looked at Abi, admiring his open exaggeration.
He blinked innocently.
"Was that not relevant?"
"You have the conversational finesse of a dropped brick."
"I am efficient that way."
William’s gaze moved to , alarm now visible. "The Crown Prince is ill?"
"Hmm. Abi noticed a suppression in his life force. It may be a curse, poison, seal, or so other unpleasant thing the palace has buried under its carpets. Who knows what unclean thing they threw at him?"
"And His Highness is aware of it?"
"I cannot say. But given his carefulness, he either knows or suspects sothing is wrong around him."
William fell into thought. I could almost see the invisible abacus of consequences clicking behind his eyes.
"If this is true, Your Excellency, then the matter is quite grave. A hidden affliction on the Crown Prince before coronation could destabilize the succession."
"Yes."
"If exposed, factions may use it to oppose his ascension."
"Naturally."
"If cured, the one responsible would gain trendous leverage."
I smirked. William looked at .
"Ah," he said.
See? This was why William was excellent. He arrived at the correct conclusion without needing to lay down every little brick on the road.
Abi clapped softly. "Your butler is amazing."
"He is already under my employnt."
William ignored him with admirable dignity.
"Then what do you intend to do next, Your Excellency?" William asked quietly.
I glanced at the ring on my finger.
"I intend to do quite a few things."
"Master Skandar."
There it was. Not Your Excellency but Master Skandar.
The tone that reminded of childhood lectures, sword training, and the unfortunate years where William could still knock flat on my back in under three breaths.
I seem to have forgotten that this old man is my mother’s unbeatable spy and rod of righteousness planted on my side. Sigh.
I smiled pleasantly. "No one has died, William."
"Not yet."
"Your faith in is touching."
"My concern is not without foundation."
True.
But saying that aloud would only encourage his scolding.
William sighed, the sound faint but heavy with the exhaustion of a man who had raised soone like .
"Your Excellency, may I remind you that assassinating or poisoning the Crown Prince inside the imperial palace during the coronation festivities would have dire consequences?"
"I am very much aware."
"Are you really?"
My fingers tapped on the chair’s arm rest and then stopped, "William. Do not overstep."
He lowered his head. "Forgive ."
I waved a hand. "There is nothing to forgive. Your concerns are valid. Annoying, but valid."
Abi leaned forward, smiling. "Don’t worry, butler, he has decided not to assassinate or poison him yet."
William’s gaze returned to .
"Yet," he repeated.
"Do not sound so aggrieved. I haven’t done anything. I am already exercising restraint. That deserves praise."
"It deserves continued observation, sire."
"Sa banana."
"I beg to disagree."
I clicked my tongue.
Everyone in this household was becoming increasingly bold. Was this the influence of Abi? It had to be. My people were disciplined before he ca along. Now even William was openly contradicting more than usual.
This Jinn was a household pollutant.
"I will not act recklessly," I said at last. "Besides, no matter what I plan, the Crown Prince is more useful alive for now. If his condition is what Abi suspects, I may even get the whim to save him in an unexpected manner."
"Hah. Unexpected, he says," Abi echoed with delight.
I ignored him.
"If he dies, the empire becos chaotic. If he lives because of my help, then he becos indebted. If it sothing else happens entirely, I will adjust accordingly."
William looked as if he wanted to age ten years in one breath.
"That is not reassuring, Your Excellency."
"It was not ant to reassure anyone. It was ant to inform."
He sighed again.
Poor William. At this rate, he would need a vacation too. Perhaps I should send him with my parents next ti.
Then again, my parents would likely return him with stories, gifts, and a new trauma involving sea monsters or so obscure island custom. I better not. He had suffered enough.
"Prepare a report on the Crown Prince’s known health history," I said. "Quietly. I want court physician records, rumors from palace servants, procurent lists for rare dicines, and anything related to warding formations in the prince’s residence."
William bowed. "Understood."
"Also, find out who benefits if he fails to ascend."
"That list may be extensive."
"Then use more paper. We don’t lack the money to buy it."
Abi laughed. William just gave him a very calm look. A look that would have made ordinary n question their life choices. Abi rely smiled back, shaless creature that he was.
After William left, the study quieted.
I leaned back in my chair, staring at the ceiling.
The night had beco far more complicated than I planned.
I ca to the Capital to begin my glorious career as a villain lord. Instead, I had acquired a son, introduced a Jinn as my brother, saved a lady’s dignity by accident, intrigued the Crown Prince, and possibly discovered that my poison might be a cure.
What kind of absurd progression was this?
If my past self were reading this in a web novel, I would have left a scathing comnt.
Sothing along the lines of:
Author, what is this nonsense? Why is the villain doing charity work every Chapter?
Hmm. Then again, perhaps that was the charm.
No. Nope.
Absolutely not.
I refused to accept that.
Abi’s voice drifted from the sofa. "What are you thinking?"
"That I should have stayed in Sonomi."
"You would have been bored to death."
"I enjoy boredom, thank you very much."
"No, you enjoy pretending to enjoy boredom."
I turned my head toward him. "Are you psychoanalyzing now?"
"I have lived for a very long ti. I am excellent at observing patterns."
"Then observe in silence. I don’t need you buzzing around like a fly."
He grinned. "You’ve changed. You no longer fear . Kidding aside, you... You are excited."
"Wrong. I am tired."
"You are excited," he repeated. "The prince amused you. The child’s mysteries concern you. That hidden sickness interests you. The court is full of enemies you have yet to identify. You are surrounded by problems and here you are pretending to dislike it."
I stared at him.
He stared back, far too pleased.
This was the unfortunate thing about having a brother connected to by a vow of the soul. He noticed too much. Worse, he said too much.
"Abi."
"Yes?"
"Go to sleep."
"Jinns do not need sleep."
"Then pretend to go to sleep."
"Why?"
"Because I need silence to plot."
His eyes glead. "See? I was right. You are excited."
I picked up a paperweight.
Abi vanished from the sofa before I could throw it.
What a coward.
A powerful, ancient, transcendent coward.
His laughter echoed faintly from sowhere beyond the room, proving that he had fled but not far enough for my peace.
I set the paperweight down with great restraint.
The window behind my desk reflected my image faintly. Amber eyes, black hair and a face blessed with excessive beauty and noble dignity.
A man who wished to beco a villain, yet kept collecting people and problems like decorative daggers the mont he made his move to beco one.
I lifted my hand and studied the ring. Vita’s Tears rested within.
The future of the empire sat behind palace walls, diseased by sothing unseen.
Spiro slept in the room nearby, a child with too many secrets in his small chest.
A slow smile curved my lips.
"How troubleso," I murmured.
Truly troubleso.
But perhaps, just perhaps, this would be more entertaining than simply poisoning soone at a ball.
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