Alex sighed and scratched his head. That wasn't the moment to think about the Crown Pact. "You don't look sick."

"You only notice when I get hurt."

"What do you mean?"

"My blood doesn't clot. If I get wounded, I risk dying from blood loss even if I'm treated."

"Even minor injuries?"

"It depends. A scratch on its own won't kill me, but if it takes much longer to heal, there's a higher risk of infection. More serious wounds are basically fatal."

That explained a lot, including why he had spent his childhood indoors. His parents must have thought it was the best way to prevent him from dying.

"So if I get hurt, you risk dying, right?"

William nodded. "But if I get hurt, nothing will happen to you. The Crown Pact is one-sided."

Alex frowned. "Then I don't think I understand."

"I can use my illness as an excuse to convince the king to send me away. If I tell him I don't want you to suffer in case I die from your injuries, he might agree."

"You should do it for yourself. Not for me. I'll be fine; you're the one risking your life."

"It's all I can offer you."

Alex pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a deep sigh. "Is that why you don't like being touched?"

William shrugged. "I don't trust people. They can be cruel."

He wasn't entirely wrong, but Alex wasn't that kind of person, and that lack of trust hurt him a little.

"So… what scared you before was the thought of getting hurt?"

"Yes. Thank you for saving me. You have quick reflexes."

"And you're capable."

A faint smile touched the mage's lips, then vanished almost instantly.

"Does my father know?" asked Alex.

William shook his head. "I didn't tell him. I didn't think it was important. I thought you weren't at risk, that your life was at court, and all I had to worry about was not cutting myself on paperwork, but… this changes everything."

"I don't get hurt often. I can be even more careful. We can find a solution."

William raised his eyebrows and stared at him for a moment, surprised. Then furrowed his brow, and the mask of composure returned to his face.

"You want another Court Mage, right? I'm offering you a chance to get rid of me."

He was right, but Alex wasn't so sure anymore about what he wanted.

William was an unfathomable mystery, yet something in his dark figure and the grace of his movements kept drawing him in. Maybe it was just the challenge he presented, maybe it was that tingling sensation Alex felt every time they touched.

Alex sat back down and rubbed his face nervously. "Why did you tell me? Being a Court Mage is very prestigious. Anyone in your position would do anything to keep it."

"Because it's the right thing to do. I don't want to be a burden."

A faint warmth bloomed in his chest.

It was the first time a stranger had said something like that to him, and he didn't know how to take it. Did he say it because he really meant it? Alex doubted the mage felt any fondness for him; if he did, he wouldn't have shot him those sharp glances.

The problem was that Alex was starting to like him more than he was willing to admit.

"I'll think about it. Now, let's go downstairs and talk to the castellan."

They left the study and went to the first floor, where Lord Lynden was waiting for them in the main hall.

"Your Highness, I am truly sorry, but no one had informed me and…"

"It's all right, we are traveling incognito. It's certainly not your fault that we were attacked."

Lord Lynden wiped his forehead with a handkerchief and glanced around the main hall, as if the arched windows or the statues could offer him shelter. "Is there… something I can do for you?"

"I want to talk with the gamekeeper. Please summon him."

Lord Lynden gave a bow and left the hall.

Alex sighed. "The Castellan used to be more approachable."

William was standing in front of a statue of a woman draped in royal attire, holding a scepter and orb, staring at it with a blank expression.

Alex approached him. "She was the first queen of the kingdom. My ancestor took her as his spouse after the end of the war."

"She was a beautiful woman."

"Maybe. Statues and paintings tend to make people look better than they were. An ugly queen or a disfigured king wouldn't inspire loyalty."

William looked at him with his usual detached expression. "Your father is a handsome man. And so are you. There's no reason to idealize you."

"But in my case, I doubt it will be enough."

"In your case, the problem is your behavior."

Alex sighed. "I wasn't the one who was supposed to take the throne."

William furrowed his brow. "And who was?"

"One of my older sisters. They're twins and were expected to agree on who would take it, but I was fairly certain one of them would accept the crown. Instead, they both gave it up to get married."

"Couldn't they have married anyway?"

"Their husbands were low-ranking nobles. Marrying them and taking the throne would have been scandalous, so they stepped aside. Honestly, I think it was just an excuse, but I don't get why. Franziska would have been a perfect queen."

"That's no excuse to act irresponsibly."

Alex pursed his lips, annoyed. Fine, the mage wasn't entirely wrong, but couldn't he use a little more tact? "Do you think I enjoy this?"

"To be honest, yes."

Alex tried to hold it back, but a laugh escaped his lips before he could stop it. That man didn't have a shred of common sense! He said exactly what he thought to his face, without caring at all about the consequences.

Yet Alex couldn't even get angry anymore.