Ian took a while to come out of the tent, being cautious of everyone around him. The event earlier did scare him and the fear still lingered. 

When he got to Phillip, he immediately started apologizing. Saying that he should’ve stayed with Phillip since he was there to protect him, not running off freely with a person he just met, and definitely should’ve walked into the square where everyone was. Ian kept talking and apologizing, starting to repeat the things he’s said already but shortly he started to gush over Silas. Talking about how amazing he was, how handsome he is. That they were able to talk about anything and what Ian really loved was that Silas didn’t care about what he wore or if he had makeup on or not. Silas liked Ian, not for just his looks but for who he was. 

Phillip let Ian rant on and on about Silas. He thought it was cute, the way that Ian talked about him. Phillip let Ian rant on for a few minutes, until he cut him off. Mentioning that the sun was going down and they should bring him back to the castle. As they walked back to the castle, Juliet caught up with them. She walked on the other side of Ian, making him walk in the middle. 

Walking to the castle wasn’t a problem, people around them avoided them. Clearing a path for them to walk without having to interact with anyone. Phillip didn’t mind and Ian didn’t seem to notice. The fear and tension from earlier had drifted away, he looked around at everything. 

He did get out of the castle when he was younger but not really anymore now. So he took every opportunity to see everything. Although Phillip warned him not to get too excited about everything or people will get suspicious of him. 

Phillip thought it would be safer to talk about the whole parents and witch thing inside of Ian’s room, so no one would overhear them by accident. 

Ian still didn’t like the idea of going over the wall by floating so they went around to Ian’s tunnel. They walked through the tunnel, seeing with Phillip’s fire. For the most part the walk was quiet, just enjoying each other's company. 

“I wanted to ask you something.” Phillip finally stated.

“What is it?”

“Do you know anything about your parents conspiring with another witch?”

“Another witch?!” Ian screamed. 

“Shhh! Yes another witch, when you were hanging out with Silas I went back to grab my clothes. I overheard them talking to some witch.” Phillip informed. 

“Why would they do that?” 

“That’s what I wanted to ask you. I thought you might know something about it.” 

“No, I don't know anything.” Ian admitted. 

“Are you sure? Nothing suspicious from your parents before you came out?” Phillip asked. 

“Not that I can recall.” Ian answered. 

They had made it out of the tunnel, climbing out of the door and into the library. Sneaking back through the hallways and into Ian’s room. Where both Ian and Phillip took off their shoes, leaving both pairs by the door. Juliet took the spot on the window sill, basking in whatever sunlight was left.

“You can’t recall anything?” Phillip asked, taking off his cape.

“Not at the moment.” Ian answered, walking into the bathroom. “I mean I was moping around for a while.”

“Yeah, highly doubt they came and talked to you about it.” Phillip added, laying his back onto the bed.

“They definitely haven’t told me anything about this.”

Iam emerged from the bathroom, wiping the remaining water off his face. Tossing the hand towel somewhere else in the room. He plopped himself on the bed next to Phillip. They laid there, staring up at the stone ceiling; thinking. 

It was quiet, with the occasional shuffle from either Ian, Phillip and someone walking outside of the room. Ian made sure that no one was to disturb him. Giving them enough privacy to do what they wanted. 

“May I ask who you think is gonna kill me?” Ian asked, breaking the silence.

“Ian, you are the prince. You can be more demanding than that.” Phillip reminded him. “I am not sure who it is. Our intel couldn’t give us too much about it all.”

“So you are really going to guess on this?”

“Yes, with some evidence of course.”

“What if you got the wrong person?” Ian started to worry. 

“Then I get them wrong. I won’t kill anyone if that’s what you’re wondering.” Phillip reassured

“Do you think it could be the witch that’s supposed to ‘fix’ me?” Ian air quoted. 

“That’s definitely a high possibility.” Phillip admitted. “There’s nothing to ‘fix’ about you. You don’t need to be fixed, plus I think a certain someone has fallen head over heels for you.”

Phillip chuckled, poking Ian’s side; making Ian laugh. 

“What about your someone? Is it Alexzander or… who was the other guy?” Ian asked, thinking about it.

“Valentino?” Phillip guessed.

“Yes! Him.”

“What about them?”

“Don’t play dumb Phillip. I know you think both are handsome.” Ian teased.

“Oh my gosh.” Phillip groaned, putting his hands over his face. 

Ian giggled and a little snort came from Juliet. 

“Hmmmmm, I don’t like you.” Phillip whined. 

“You don’t like us seeing as we are correct.” Juliet commented.

“Why don’t you like us?” Ian got concerned. “I didn’t mean to offend you or hurt your feelings. I’m sorry.”

“Oh gosh, explain to the baby.”

“No, not like that. Ian, I like you okay. You’re a friend and so is Juliet. I was only saying it since you are correct.” Phillip reassured.

“That I’m correct on Alexzander and Valentino?”

“Yes.” Phillip confirmed his question. 

“Ooooooo, do tell.” 

“Yes, please do.” Juliet remarked. 

Ian sat up and leaned against his headboard, grabbing a pillow and hugging it; eagerly waiting. Juliet got up from her spot on the window sill and joined the boys, sitting in between Ian and Phillip; obviously receiving scratches from both. 

Where should I start? 

“From the beginning.” Juliet answered.

From when I first met them or-

“What does from the beginning, mean Phillip.”

“So I met Alexzander and Adaline at their town, when I got lost trying to get over here. I asked if I could tag along with them since they were going to the kingdom for the tournament.” Phillip explained. “It was a nice walk over but we got attacked by bandits.”

“Don’t forget about you almost killing yourself, saving me.” Juliet added. 

I was getting there.

“Juliet was by the river that we stopped at, when the guys came over. Alex had moved me out of the view with him to go hide behind a tree. He forgot Juliet so I was dumb enough to go out and grab her.” Phillip chuckled. “I almost got shot but I tripped and fell on my face.” 

Ian giggled at the thought of it. 

“I was totally fine by the way.” 

“When the bandits were killed, I healed Adaline, revealing that I'm a witch. At first they were suspicious of me but overall fine with it. We had to sleep in a tree!” Phillip remembers the awful experience. 

“A tree?! Why?” Ian questioned. 

“So no one would see us or something, I don't really remember why. But when we woke up, Juliet made me fall out of the tree and-

“I did not!” Juliet perked up from her spot.

“You did too!” Phillip shouted back “You slapped me in the face and then it scared me, so I fell off.” 

“That wasn’t me. That was your own clumsiness.”

“No, anyways. I fell off the branch, landed on the one below me. Then I threw up whatever I had left in my stomach. Which Alexzander came up and made sure I was okay. It was sweet, he’s sweet.” Phillip smiled, “He’s gentle, caring, easy to be around and funny.”

“He sounds like a good guy.” Ian suggested.

“He is. Anyways Alexzander, Juliet and I all walked to the kingdom together. Adaline wasn’t there when we woke up, she apparently was scouting or something.”

“That doesn’t make sense. We got there before she did, so if she was scouting then shouldn’t she have been in the front.” Juliet pointed out.

“She should have…” Phillip trailed off.

“Who should have what?” Ian asked. 

“Well it’s just that when I woke up, Adaline wasn’t there and I’m a light sleeper so I should have heard her leave.” Phillip answered.

“Maybe she went out in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and just decided to go ahead then.” Ian guessed.

“We could ask her.” Juliet commented.

“I don’t think she would remember.” Phillip stated.

The room fell silent as they thought of what Adaline could have been doing during that time.