“Leander was capable of poor decisions even without our help.” The king’s voice drew him back to the present.

Cassian’s expression had shifted at the mention of his younger brother, and it was plain the subject did not please him.

“He is no longer a child. None of us are.” Quincey chose that moment to guide the conversation where he had intended from the start.

“I suppose you are right.”

“Leander is your Royal Envoy. He is your voice, just as I am your shield. I was thinking…” He paused to watch how Cassian received his words. He did not wish to cross a boundary, knowing that the king had little fondness for speaking of his younger brother in recent years, so he might easily refuse before hearing him out.

Yet Quincey forgot that just as he could read the king’s face like an open book, the same held true the other way around if he was not careful.

“I can see you are trying to spare me, Quincey. Ask what you truly wish to ask.”

“Leander is the one among us who travels the most, who has seen the most and knows where caution is needed. As your Messenger-at-Arms I may be sent anywhere duty requires. I would like to learn from your brother during the hours when he is free,” he explained in a single breath.

Cassian did not answer at once and appeared to consider the proposal, which Quincey took as a good sign. Emboldened, he dared to ask for more.

“I also hoped I might take a few lessons from Alatar. If you send me beyond Valerion, my paths will grow more perilous. I do not know the abilities of other nations, nor what I should beware of when it comes to magic.”

“Do you harbor fears, Quincey?” The long-haired man caught him off guard with the question.

“I would not call it fear…” the knight began, yet then chose another approach. “Both our fathers lost their lives on hostile ground. I would rather not see one of us be next.”

At his words the king frowned at once, and it was plain the thought displeased him. Indeed, it appeared that he was the one who, in the end, was seized by apprehension.

“I will never place you in danger if I can prevent it,” Cassian said after a brief silence. “That I promise you.”

He looked at him with blue eyes full of sincerity, yet Quincey knew well that behind the first glimmer there was always more, and that the gentle gaze was but a mask. If the king had no reason to kill him yet, he would surely find one if he ever discovered his newfound abilities. Quincey could not allow himself to be swayed by such deceptive looks.

“And I will protect you,” the scar-chinned knight replied in the same spirit. “Even if it should cost me my life.”

The king shook his head immediately. “Neither of us is next.”

Before the Messenger-at-Arms could protest that such a thing could not be known, Cassian surprised him with his next words.

“I shall devote myself to mastering the duties of a king, and you may, I suppose, improve yourself by learning beneath the wings of my brother and Alatar. I will inform them to devise a schedule that will suit you all.”

“Thank you.” Quincey truly breathed easier upon hearing it. Everything was unfolding according to plan, and Cassian suspected nothing. It almost seemed as though fortune favored him, if not for the fact that he still could not reach his own magic and remained ignorant of what lay behind the future actions of both brothers.

Still, he was determined to discover it, and two days later he found himself standing before the door to Leander’s study.

“You may enter,” came the younger prince’s voice after Quincey raised his hand and knocked.

“Your Highness.” The knight stepped inside with a formal greeting. Long ago he had addressed him simply as “Prince Leander,” claiming by that familiarity the right to speak his name despite his own lower station, yet those days were long past.

“Quincey.”

Now there was nothing warm left in their tones that might have echoed their shared childhood. Indeed, if the brown-haired knight were honest, Leander’s very gaze made it clear he was not pleased to see him within his chamber.

Quincey, however, had no intention of retreating so easily. 

“I hope I am not disturbing you in the midst of anything important.”

The dark-haired man had maps and parchments spread out before him, much like his brother. Unlike Cassian’s chaotic desk, however, the younger prince’s workspace looked far more organized, indicating not only a clearer overview but also that he had held this role longer and knew how to navigate it better.

“You’ve arrived just in time,” the prince assured him, gesturing to a chair on the opposite side of the table. Quincey took it as an order and sat down, gaining a better view of what he was working on.

“Right now, you’re looking at portraits of nobles and their children in Valerion. At the moment, I’m finishing a review of significant families in neighboring kingdoms. It’s only a matter of time before the ball celebrating Cassian’s ascension takes place, and it’s important that the right people meet each other,” he explained, noting the knight’s gaze.

The masquerade... Quincey had nearly forgotten about it. If the timeline from the past he remembered was to hold, there was less than a month until it would occur. Not that he planned on attending, though it would be simple enough to vanish behind a mask.

“Are you also mapping out potential alliances between kingdoms?” he asked curiously. In the past, he had had few opportunities to witness Leander’s work firsthand—not that he had ever asked or taken much interest.

The prince briefly looked up at him and nodded. “If it benefits the crown. For example, if it allows us a new trade route or secures a new supplier. Of course, in such cases the king of the given kingdom must also be involved.”

“Which kingdom is the most open to such offers?”

Leander appeared surprised by Quincey’s initiative. Perhaps he had expected him to remain quiet and simply observe, yet Quincey was unwilling to miss the chance to ask.

“Caelestia and Amoris,” the prince replied after a short pause. “Venturia as well, though it is somewhat tricky. For our women, it is risky to ally with the Sky-Walkers; the birthing of such offspring, even of mixed blood, is dangerous and often ends in death.”

It made sense. The Sky-Walkers were taller than Valerionians, and though Quincey had never seen them as children, it was reasonable to assume they would be larger, even as newborns.

The Messenger-at-Arms considered asking about Nivemare but changed his mind. He did not want to raise doubts in Leander, causing the prince to watch his every move. The plan was precisely the opposite.

“And you?” A different question suddenly occurred to Quincey, one that could prompt a response from Leander without drawing attention to himself. “Are you seeking a match for yourself?”

As expected, the raven-haired man looked taken aback and for once could not mask his expression as quickly as before. When he finally regained composure, his answer was more than diplomatic. “Not at the moment, but if it would benefit our kingdom…”

As a second-born prince, it was expected that he would wed well and serve Valerion not only as the Royal Envoy but through the alliance of his marriage. There was no immediate pressure, for Cassian sat upon the throne alone, yet it was only a matter of time.

“I can help you if you are seeking someone.” Quincey had not expected Leander to turn the topic toward him, but unlike the prince, he was not unsettled.

“I’ve barely had time to get used to the role of Messenger-at-Arms,” he said with a hint of amusement. “Do you truly believe I would fare well in the role of a husband?”

Though in his station, marriage was primarily another duty, Quincey naively hoped that he might one day wed someone he truly cared for—even if a passionate love eluded them, he hoped for at least a fellowship.

“I think, in your position, it would be important that you bring home money and support your family without issue. Any woman would consider it an honor to have you as her husband,” the prince replied.

His words made sense. They were not a compliment, merely a matter-of-fact statement. The prince, however, did not know the crucial reason why Quincey could not risk marriage, nor fathering children. He did not understand how his magic might affect it, but there was a chance that any offspring could be born as half-mages, like Edris and her siblings.

“I still believe I have time,” Quincey replied instead of voicing these thoughts.

Leander nodded, indicating he understood, then changed the topic. “Perhaps the ball will alter your mind. But first, a guest list must be prepared. You can go through all the nobles invited from this and other kingdoms with me.”

Quincey was surprised at how willing the younger prince was to teach him and how kindly he treated him. It was something he was not used to and had believed for many years that the dark-haired man did not like him.

At least, that had been his impression, and Cassian had never told him anything to contradict it when Quincey confided in him. 

Was it possible the king had played a hand in their fractured bond? Quincey truly had much to ponder.