Joseph turned his head back towards the prince when he felt movement on the mattress. The other boy had backed off, standing up and turning around as he prepared to leave.

“I see my presence makes you uncomfortable, Doctor, for which I apologise. Have a good aft-”

“NO!”

The prince looked back at him, his wide eyes blinking slowly. Joseph covered his mouth and stared down at his blankets, startled by the sound of his own voice shouting. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before looking up at Tariq.

I need to get this cleared up once and for all...

"I'm not...angry at you, Your Highness... If anything...I'm the one who should ask for your clemency...after that day."

Prince Tariq approached slowly, sitting on his raw wood chair.

“It's fine. It's all fine.” He held Joseph's left hand, his thumb wrapping around the doctor's. His other fingers softly tangled with Joseph's.

The young doctor swallowed, feeling the prince's hand - that heavy weight, that rugged texture - and yet, he was so careful about not hurting Joseph, since his hands were still sore from the haematomas.

Joseph's chest went warm, feeling as if it were expanding. He stared at the prince, blushing, and when he met his light, golden gaze, he allowed himself to smile again.

The weight of a whole week was gone off his shoulders.

I think...it's all alright now.

"I ap-preciate that you took the time to come see me, Your Highness..."

"It's absolutely my pleasure."

Absolutely?

Joseph shook his head, blushing even more and holding back a laugh. Prince Tariq still had Joseph's hand in his.

For some reason, the touch of the prince's skin made him feel like he was in a dome of safety, as if all he needed to relax, right now, was here...

It was then he remembered...

Needs... Belongings...

"...MY THINGS!"

The prince released his hand, startled, when the other boy screamed. Joseph covered his face, now trembling in terror.

"I'm... I'm so sorry! Oh my God! In the midst of everything, I just forgot my things in the classroom..."

"It's fine. Svoboda recovered your backpack."

Joseph raised his head in an instant.

"He what?!"

"He couldn't save the crutches. But I'll get you a new pair, don't worry."

The doctor's mouth was half open and his eyes were half closed. It was too much all at the same time to digest.

They broke my crutches...

But Svoboda protected my belongings… The same weirdo who promised he would get me expelled from the school...

And the prince will get me new crutches...

He shook his head again, trying to process the fact that apparently his possessions were safe, at least.

"So...where are they? My backpack, and such."

"They're with me."

"Oh... But...how did Svoboda find you?"

"He's my roomate."

Joseph swallowed hard, his mouth dry.

Oh, wonderful... Now I know why he was so nice... That asshole will do anything he can to gain the prince's trust and pit him against me...

The doctor frowned, nodding. "Right. Good luck with him."

Tariq raised an eyebrow, confused by Joseph's sudden long face.

The doctor felt his right arm begin to itch inside the cast. When he tried to scratch it, he remembered the key he had hidden inside it.

"Oh! Your Highness... You said you have my belongings?"

"Yes."

"C-Could I ask you a favor?"

"Of course."

Joseph took the key out, holding it in his hand.

"Do you remember...when I said there was a patient and friend of mine who is very ill?"

"Yes, I do."

"It seems a miracle had happened, and he came to visit me this morning in a far better shape. He brought me this."

Joseph showed the golden key to the prince.

He watched the other boy grow pale, his eyes nearly jumping from their sockets. The prince reached up to scratch his dark, curly hair, and the doctor noticed his hand shaking slightly.

"Are you okay?"

"Y-Yes, yes I am. You said...your friend...came to give this to you, right?"

"Yes."

"In person? Like, the same way we're talking now? Walking by himself and all?"

"Yes!"

"He… Was he alone?"

Joseph looked around a little, trying to reconstruct the image of the event in his mind.

"Yes, I think so."

"Right, right... " The prince looked thoughtful now, one hand holding his chin and the other hand under his armpit. His eyes were still wide, staring down at the key.

"Why are you so nervous...?"

"I'm not." he said, clearing his throat.

The prince took a simple silver egg cup and its lid off the nightstand where Joseph's dishes from lunch still sat.

"Put it in here."

"Eh...? Why?"

"Just do it. You'll know why later."

The doctor complied.

Tariq closed the cup with the key inside, hiding it in his robe pocket. Then he stared past Joseph's head, still pale.

"Oh, shit..." he muttered.

"What? What's the matter?"

"You should be going, Your Highness," Mrs. Weber said, interrupting the boys as she entered the infirmary with another tray of food. "Or you'll miss dinner at the canteen, and get another warning for wandering the corridors after dark." She looked over at Joseph. "Don't worry, Mr. Selden, you can eat when you're ready. I just wanted to make sure you got a good meal before finishing my shift for today."

"I appreciate it…" he said distractedly, still looking at the prince, eager for an answer.

***

Tariq rushed down the corridors, the night already in owl light. His black robe fluttered behind him, projecting shadows like bat wings onto the stone walls, which were filled with paintings of dead men dressed in black and red robes, long powdered wigs, and shining armour plates.

Shit! His aura was far too bright... Was that the reason that Ghoul materialised and attacked him at the crossroads? Most likely… He's emitting such a great light that, without proper protection, every dead soul could see him from a great distance.

And there was also that key. He had said his friend "brought" it to him.

The problem was that the key was an astral construction… Technically, it shouldn't even exist in the material world...

How am I going to explain this to him? That his friend is probably...

Why would he give the key to Dr. Selden, though? Maybe he had followed his aura's light?

Tariq shook his head.

What did you get me into, Father?

He entered a courtyard with four connecting paths in a cross. The prince took the one that led to the central garden. There stood a multi-level fountain which surrounded a statue of the four archangels, armed, at the top. The fountain's second level had four spouts, each of them in a cardinal direction, with the water flowing out the mouths of gargoyles. The base was made of twelve thin ionic columns.

Something about the fountain grabbed his full attention. Moving as if by an invisible force, Tariq approached it.

It was another foundation of defense, in the form of a cross. Nothing new. The archangels pointed to their respectives cardinal points, swords in hand... The gargoyles were also ancient servants of defense, used by the church and those who came before them. They might merely be ugly statues to the profane eye...but the priests know.

He finally noticed what he, unconsciously, had found so interesting, and he laughed at himself.

There was running water in the fountain! It was running freely, as if they were in the middle of summer. The problem was...it was the end of January.

"Oh, this is some serious shit..." he said to himself, his breath turning to condensation as he took off one of his gloves and held it above the water, not quite touching it. "Why would they heat the water in this fountain...and how?"

To smell a rat, huh…?

"Your Highness!"

"Oh. Hey, Svoboda."

"Let's go. Dinner is already being served."

***

The refectory was full of boys dressed in their black robes. They weren't as noisy as usual, however, as the sun was almost set past the horizon and sleep was already calling them.

Tariq stood behind Svoboda in line. It seemed they were being served some sort of meat risotto with spiced beans and asparagus, and a spoonful of peas. Not bad.

"Don't eat too many peas or you'll fart all night!"

Tariq laughed.

"Of course, ponytail boy. You'd better do the same."

They walked through the rows of long mahogany tables, holding their trays high to avoid hitting the other boys' heads. The prince's expression grew dark when he realised Filip was once again taking him to Dvorák and his lackeys' table.

Krk and Matej were the first to see him, their smiles transforming into grimaces instantly. Honza had his back turned to them. Filip came around the table and took a seat at his side. Tariq was right next to him.

"Hey, mates! We almost didn't make it, huh?" Filip smiled at his companions and began to eat.

"Get out of here."

Filip went pale as he turned his head towards his friend.

All the boys, including Tariq, stared at Honza Dvorák.

"W-What d-do you mean?" Svoboda's smile started to melt from his face, but he forced himself to keep his expression placid.

"I mean…take your gypsy fellow with you, you dullard...and JUST VANISH FROM MY SIGHT! NOW!"

Tariq felt his own chest hurt when he saw Filip silently nod. His smile faded away fully and his face turned into a marble mask of dismay, his eyes red. The boy stood and left the table, leaving his food barely touched.

The prince looked at the other boys. All of them remained silent, staring down at their plates.

"That's it? None of you will defend him?"

The other boys didn't even move their heads.

Tariq turned to Honza Dvorák.

"Are you mad, you son of a bitch? Your problem is with me! ME! Why did you do that? He's your friend!"

"Not anymore." He turned to Tariq, sipping his beer with a smirk. "He who sides with my enemies shall not be called my friend."

So he's angry because Svoboda helped Dr. Selden?

Only God in heaven could fully understand how much Tariq wanted to break that stuck-up asshole's nose. He clenched his fists, remembering the dean's words...

He turned and ran from that horde of demons as fast as he could to find Filip.

***

Outside the stained glass windows, the sun cast its last rays of light for the day.

In around fifteen minutes, the curfew would start, and if an overseer caught the prince, he would be taken once again to the dean's office.

Standing in the middle of their room, Tariq put both his hands on his head, pulling his hair back with such desperation that his eyebrows stretched back.

Filip wasn't there.

Nor was he in the Common Hall...

Nor at the Gathering Patio... Or even in the Circular Room where the entrances to the four towers were.

There was no sign of him in the Central Garden, or by the Archangels Fountain, and the chapel inside the college was closed, of course.

Tariq didn't know the boy's habits very well yet, but in the few days the two had shared a room, he could see he was always one to go straight to bed after dinner and fall asleep almost immediately.

There were only five minutes remaining before the curfew, and the prince didn't know the building well enough to risk exploring places other than the aforementioned.

But he couldn't just let Filip wander around like this...

There was no other choice.

I need Dr. Selden's help.