Prologue #3
The thought flashed through his mind, but he banished it quickly. Defying his parents was exactly what had led to his current, disastrous situation.
Suddenly he remembered all the people they’d seen further along the cliff. He raised his voice as loud as he could manage, screaming into the night.
“HELP! WE NEED HELP! XAVIER! SOMEONE!”
An answering cry, faint but sharp, reached his ears.
“HELP!” he screamed again. “MY SISTER HAS FALLEN!”
The sounds of other people increased, and the pressure around Theo’s heart eased slightly. He cast his eyes around again, and this time spotted a long branch. He snatched it up, throwing himself back over the edge and extending it out.
“Can you reach it?” he asked Miriam. “Don’t give up, Mim, help is coming!”
She tried to reach for the branch, but it just made her slip further, and fear hammered Theo once again. A moment later, a man thundered up beside him, rope coiled around his arm.
“Who’s fallen?” he asked sharply, peering over the edge. He let out a sharp whistle. “Is that horse…”
“I think the horse is dead,” Theo said thickly. “It’s my sister who needs help. Do you have any skill in magic?”
He heard the man’s intake of breath as he caught sight of the diminutive figure on the cliffs.
“Hold on, lass,” the man said. “I’m coming.”
He cast a look at Theo as, working swiftly, he tied the rope around a tree close to the cliff’s edge, then looped it around his middle.
“No, lad, I’ve no skill in magic, but I don’t need it to help your sister. Stand back now.”
The next thing Theo knew, the stranger was walking himself backward down the cliff. A small crowd had gathered by now, more people abandoning the carbuncle hunt to see what was going on.
Xavier was nowhere to be seen.
When the man reached Miriam, he scooped her into one arm, the muscles of the other straining as he started to walk back up the cliff.
Several of the onlookers rushed to the other end of the rope, hauling on it carefully to help the ascent.
Within moments, the stranger had reached the top, safely depositing the trembling princess onto the grass beside her brother.
“Miriam, are you all right?” Theo knelt next to her, squeezing her shoulder as the enormity of what had just happened started to hit him.
She nodded, hiccuping. “That was so scary, Theo.”
“I know.” He looked around, searching the darkness for Xavier. There was still no sign of him.
“What do we do now?” Miriam asked. “How will we get home without the horse?”
The horse. A sick feeling settled in Theo’s stomach as he remembered the sight of the poor creature’s body sprawled on the rocks below. Miriam must have seen his face, because she let out another hiccup.
“I’m sorry, Theo.”
He shook his head mutely. This wasn’t her fault. It was his. He was the one who’d killed the horse. That beautiful stallion. He’d been so sure he could find a carbuncle favor and get the horse for himself. And instead…
The sick feeling threatened to choke him, and he pushed himself to his feet.
“Come on. We need to find Xavier.”
Any hope of escaping inconspicuously died as he realized that one of the people hovering around was the head groom of the viscount who was hosting the royal family. Theo saw the recognition that flashed into his eyes, and he knew they were lost.
Sure enough, by the time Xavier appeared several minutes later, the group was in an uproar at the realization that the unaccompanied children were the prince and princess. The trip back to the manor was a nightmarish blur, Miriam crying most of the way and Xavier more frustrated than alarmed.
Theo’s next moment of sharp awareness came when he found himself standing before his father, Xavier at his side.
The queen was with Miriam, who was being examined by a physician for any injury from her ordeal, and the king had sent everyone else away.
It was just the three of them, and the expression on his father’s face was possibly the worst thing Theo had ever seen.
“I barely know where to begin.” The king’s voice was calm, and it was more terrifying than shouting would have been. “You stole horses? Theodore, I didn’t expect this from you.”
Theo shook his head frantically. “No, Father, I wasn’t stealing. The viscount said I could ride it. He said—”
“I know what he said, Theodore,” King Madoc cut in. “He said you could ride it around the manor, during the day. And then I told you that you weren’t to do even that.”
“I meant to bring it back.” Theo’s voice came out a whisper.
“But you didn’t, did you?” his father said harshly. “You killed it. I’ll have to pay the viscount for its purchase now, but it’s a shameful waste, Theodore. It was a fine creature.”
Tears pricked at Theo’s eyes, and he fought valiantly to stop them from falling. He couldn’t let his father see him cry—he knew he was too old for such behavior.
“I have never been more disappointed in my life,” the king went on, his eyes passing between his sons. “In both of you. You disobeyed me, you took something that wasn’t yours, and you endangered your sister’s life. Miriam was almost killed.”
“We didn’t want Miriam to come,” Xavier said hotly. Theo couldn’t imagine where his brother found such spirit in the terrible moment. “I said she was too young.”
“Whereas you are old enough to know better,” their father said with a snap. “You are my heir, Xavier. You cannot conduct yourself in this way. I’ve had enough of your defiance and your anger. You will learn to behave in accordance with the responsibilities of your station.”
“Why should I behave with responsibility if you refuse to give me any responsibility?” Xavier demanded, still unchastened. “You can’t have it both ways, Father.”
“You will not speak to me like that.” The king’s anger was burning hotter by the moment, and Theo wanted nothing more than to slink away and hide.
“Time and again you show yourself unworthy of responsibility. You almost got your sister killed tonight. And Theodore also could have been seriously injured.”
“Xavier isn’t responsible for me,” Theo said quickly. “It wasn’t his fault that I was out there.”
“Of course it wasn’t,” Xavier said. “And Miriam is fine, Father. You accuse me of being dramatic.”
The king swelled visibly, and Theo shook his head at his brother. Xavier hadn’t been there to see it, but Theo was painfully aware that there was no exaggeration. Miriam was lucky to be alive.
He was lucky that Miriam was alive. If she’d fallen, he would never have forgiven himself. Even as it was, he didn’t know if he’d be able to.
“Father, I’m sorry,” he whispered miserably. “I never meant anyone to get hurt. I just wanted—”
“Just wanted what?” the king shot back at him. “A carbuncle favor? You live a life of privilege and luxury, Theodore. What could you possibly need good luck for?”
Theo swallowed. There was no way he was going to tell his father his plans for the favor. He could see now how foolish and irresponsible his desire had been.
A knock at the door heralded the entrance of a messenger.
“Forgive the interruption, Your Majesty, but the queen has requested your presence.”
“Is the princess well?” King Madoc asked tensely.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” the messenger assured him. “She’s sleeping.”
“Wait here. We are not finished.” With those words to his sons, the king swept from the room, leaving Xavier and Theo in uncomfortable silence.
“I wish we’d never left our beds,” Theo said hollowly.
“If only Miriam had kept sleeping, we would have been fine,” Xavier said impatiently. “I never even caught a glimpse of a carbuncle.”
“I did,” Theo said, his voice expressionless. “I saw one drop a favor.”
“Really?” Xavier stared at him. “Did you get it?”
Theo shook his head. “That was when the horse…” He swallowed, struggling once again to keep tears at bay. He didn’t want his brother to see him cry any more than his father.
“I am sorry about the horse,” Xavier said unexpectedly. “It was a beautiful stallion.”
“So am I,” Theo said. “But what happened to Miriam is much worse.”
Xavier hesitated. “Was she really in so much danger?”
“She almost died,” Theo whispered. “She would have, if someone else hadn’t come running when I called. I’ve never been so scared in my life.”
Xavier fidgeted, clearly uncomfortable with the information. For a moment, Theo thought he would relent, and acknowledge at last the recklessness of their venture. But the next moment, a scowl descended on his face. He was apparently choosing a different way to handle what he was feeling.
“She shouldn’t have been there in the first place. Like I said.” Xavier flung across the room.
“Where are you going?” Theo protested. “Father said to stay.”
“I’m not waiting around for another scolding,” Xavier said.
The next moment he was gone, leaving Theo shivering next to the unlit fireplace. He debated fleeing himself, but he didn’t want to be like Xavier, refusing to admit when he’d done the wrong thing. He’d never admired his brother less.
It was only a couple of minutes before the door opened and the king re-entered. A cloud descended on his brow when he realized that only one of his sons was present.
“Where’s your brother?”
Theo didn’t answer. He didn’t know what to say.
After a painful moment, the king let out a breath. “I’ll deal with him later.” He strode into the room, surprising Theo by gesturing him into a chair, then pulling one forward himself.
Theo sank down, realizing only once he was off his feet just how much his legs were trembling.
“Your sister is fine,” King Madoc said, his voice still curt but not as angry. “She’s had a scare, but there appears to be no physical injury.”
Theo nodded, a lump in his throat.
“You were very foolish tonight, Theodore,” the king said. “Do you understand that?”
“Yes, sir.” Theo forced himself to look his father in the eye.
The king nodded slowly. “Do you agree with your brother? That you bear no responsibility for Miriam’s near-disaster?”
Theo shook his head frantically. “I’m not denying responsibility. It was my fault. Xavier didn’t want to let her come, but I felt sorry for her, because she didn’t want to miss out. And Xavier told us to stay by the tree, but we wanted to search too, and—”
“You misunderstand if you believe I’m trying to shift responsibility from Xavier,” the king said dryly.
He sighed. “Xavier is young, but he will learn. As will you. Your position gives you a great deal of responsibility, whether you want to claim it or not. Your decisions affect the wellbeing of many, not just yourself. Just like tonight your actions endangered Miriam’s life.
And ended the life of that horse, incidentally. ”
“Yes, Father.” Theo swallowed. “I accept that.”
“Good man.” The king gave another nod. “You are not my heir, Theo, but that doesn’t mean you can afford to take your position lightly.
You, too, will have great influence all your life, not just Xavier.
” He frowned. “If your brother is not inclined to take his responsibilities seriously, you must do so doubly. I know you will learn from tonight’s disaster. ”
“Yes, Father,” Theo repeated obediently. “I will.”
“A prince cannot afford to think just about what he wants,” the king pressed. “He must think about what’s good for his kingdom. Otherwise those under his care will suffer. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Father,” Theo said yet again.
The memory of the horse falling flashed before his eyes, followed by a horrible image—his sister’s brown eyes, wide with fear as she dangled from the cliff. That had happened because he’d chased what he wanted, selfishly and childishly. He would never make that mistake again.
“I won’t disobey you again, Father,” Theo said, straightening his back.
“I trust you won’t,” the king said soberly. “You should return to your bed, Theodore.”
Theo went, his mind churning and his heart heavy. He’d never coveted his brother’s position as heir. He hadn’t wanted the pressure. But that had been another example of his selfishness. Just because he wasn’t Siqual’s future king didn’t mean he could escape the duties of being a prince.
Determination coursed through him, the sense of purpose pushing back the guilt a tiny bit.
His father had said it himself—if Xavier wasn’t going to take responsibility, Theo would need to.
He wasn’t going to let his own desires get in the way of what the kingdom needed, and he would do all he could to prevent Xavier’s desires from doing so as well.
He couldn’t let anyone else pay the price for his failure to act as a prince should. Starting that very moment, he would be what Siqual deserved, even if he was the only one willing to do it.