CHAPTER 4
Axel
H e couldn’t stop dreaming.
Determined not to disappoint his father again, Axel buried himself in his responsibilities. He rose at a decent hour, attended all his meetings, and went to bed when everyone else did. Thoughts of the theater drew him, but he firmly resisted.
Three nights after his lecture, his parents hosted a soirée for the local nobles and a few of the wealthier merchant families. The entertainment included several singers.
Axel had always felt wistful while listening to other performers, wishing he could join them. However, that had been when he was meeting with Lotti and singing in the bowels of the theater. Now that he had decided to give it up, his heart twisted inside his chest and his eyes stung as the beautiful voices washed over him.
The next morning, he woke before dawn, made certain of the time he needed to be back, and snuck out the side gate, exchanging the usual nod with Otto.
Lotti didn’t comment on his absence; it wasn’t unusual for him to be unable to escape for days in a row. He didn’t tell her about his intention to be a better crown prince, but he made certain to leave on time each day.
He minded the time, but while he was there, he threw himself into the role of Lars with all the passion in his soul. Sometimes he sang alone, sometimes he sang with Lotti’s flute. Sometimes Lotti sang the part of Astrid from the shadows where she lurked, and her alto mixed with his baritone in a haunting duet. Some of the time he moved about the stage, acting out the motions of the part or dancing with his imaginary partner.
The first time, he suggested that Lotti play the part of Astrid and join him, arguing that it was easier to dance with a real partner. For a moment, she hesitated. Axel’s eyebrows lifted when the shadows shifted near the floor, as if she took half a step forward, and her hand lifted so far as to be visible in the flickering candlelight.
Then she withdrew deeper into the darkness and curtly informed him that he would have to make do.
A week before The Tanner’s Secret was to open, Axel was standing in one of the larger sitting rooms in the castle, listening to one of his counts drone on about the price of corn, when a simpering voice caught his ear.
“—no explanation. The curtain should have been—”
“—plenty of rain, so the harvest was plentiful. It’s highway robbery, I tell you!” the count complained.
Axel held up a finger. “Excuse me for a moment.” The count appeared mildly perturbed, but Axel molded his face into the perfect mix of apologetic, pleasant, and politely in control. Within moments, the other man’s face melted into acquiescence, and he gave a slight bow as Axel turned away.
Sauntering across the room as if he had no particular destination in mind, he positioned himself so he could hear the rest of the partially heard conversation. Eavesdropping was an inefficient method of gaining information, but one of the speakers was the grumpy count’s daughter. At seventeen, Lady Ilse, a pretty little brunette, thought she was the heavens’ gift to men. Including princes that were five years older than herself .
Needless to say, Axel made a point of avoiding her whenever possible.
“Do you think they’ll cancel the show?” her friend asked. Axel rolled his eyes at the horrified delight in her tone. But only because he was pretending to examine a vase, so his face was hidden.
“I don’t know. He broke his leg. Do you think he’ll be able to perform by then?” By the sound of her voice, Lady Ilse was pouting. It was one of her favorite expressions.
Axel could almost hear the other young woman shaking her black curls. “My brother broke his arm last year when he fell out of a tree.”
“A tree?” Lady Ilse gasped. “He was climbing a tree ?”
Only Lady Ilse would find it scandalous that young noble boys, like most boys, liked to climb trees.
“Yes,” her friend replied scathingly. “He was.”
Axel shifted his weight, then meandered to a window. He was beginning to fear he’d have to outright ask.
“Anyway,” the young woman continued, “it was months before his arm was fully healed. If Georg only broke his leg this morning, there’s no chance of him being up and about by next week.”
Georg? Axel froze, so shocked his mouth almost dropped open. It was Georg who was injured?
“—all saying it was an accident, but how does a curtain manage to fall on someone by accident?”
As the lead male actor at the theater, Georg had an understudy to ensure the show would go on. Axel wasn’t concerned that the opening would be canceled. But as an avid patron of the theater, he was familiar with all of the actors and actresses. It didn’t seem right that the energetic, vibrant Georg was suffering a broken limb.
His mind lingered on the fragment it had caught after hearing the injured man’s name. As far as he knew, the theater was well-maintained.
How did a curtain manage to fall?
Having heard what he wished, Axel wandered away from the young ladies. The role of Lars would be played by an understudy on opening night. It was unfortunate, but whoever the show director had chosen for the position must be capable. Just not quite as brilliant as Georg.
Or Axel.
He paused with his hand on the back of a nearby sofa. Where had that thought come from?
No. He gave himself a mental shake as he strode past Lady Ilse’s father, forgetting that he had implied he would return to finish the conversation. No. He wasn’t arrogant enough to believe he could do a better job than Georg or the understudy.
And he most certainly would not let himself hope to profit from another man’s misfortune.
~
Since he preferred to limit the knowledge of his unscheduled excursions, Axel made himself wait to visit the theater until Otto was back on shift two days later.
Lady Ilse’s story had been confirmed by multiple sources in the meantime. Every time he heard about it, his stomach squeezed and his throat tightened. Surely it had to have been an accident. Because who would want to hurt Georg?
Much to his dismay, the thoughts pestered him throughout the day, making him distracted at the worst possible times. He had nearly bitten off the head of Father’s favorite advisor when the man needled him for failing to catch a question. Thankfully, Axel had caught the words in time and dispersed the choler before it could escape onto his face. The unknown was driving him mad .
But now, it was time to see for himself.
The sky was still studded with stars, not even the barest sliver of light visible over the trees to the east, when Axel carefully closed the castle door behind himself. Dressed as usual in a thick cloak over his rough brown tunic and trousers, he stood still as his eyes darted around, watching for any guards strolling through the grounds. It was too early for servants.
A puff of white steam drifted away as he allowed himself an exhale of relief. Drawing his hood low and wrapping the dark fabric of his cloak tighter around his body, he jogged across the open space to the familiar gate in the outer wall.
Otto raised his eyebrows. “A little early, isn’t it, Your Highness?”
“How did you know it was me?” Axel asked, startled.
“No one else comes out here this early.” When Axel tilted his head with skepticism, the guard added, “And by your gait.”
“My…gait?”
Shrugging, Otto said, “It’s a game I play, identifying people from a distance. Build, clothing, the way they move – enough details, and I don’t need a face.”
Axel blinked at him.
“Standing at a small gate for hours is rather dull by itself.”
“I’m not sure you’re in the right line of work,” Axel finally said.
“Oh?”
Shaking his head, he explained, “Your observational skills are extraordinary. There must be some job that would put them to better use.”
“Thank you, Your Highness,” Otto said, the starlight reflecting faintly off his teeth as he grinned.
“At the same time, though…” Axel peered intently under his hood at the other man. “In the dark and without being able to see my face, how could you be certain it was me wanting to pa ss through the gate and not a ne’er-do-well trying to escape after committing some terrible crime?”
“You notice I challenged you this time.”
“You didn’t…” He paused. “You don’t normally greet me.”
Otto’s grin widened.
Axel opened his mouth, then closed it again. “Huh.”
“So, where are you off to so early?” Otto asked cheerfully. “Sneaking off to see a young lady?”
In a manner of speaking…
“Probably best I don’t tell you.” Ignoring the twist in his stomach at the reminder of his purpose this morning, Axel lowered his voice and leaned closer, shifting his eyes from side to side as if searching for eavesdroppers. Although the gesture was probably lost in the dark, especially with his hood low over his face. “That way you can claim ignorance if they grill you.”
He then assumed a jaunty pose, his right elbow level with his shoulder and his fist at his chest. “And now, it is time for me to be off. Be not bored for a few hours, and I shall see you when I return.”
Otto waved him off. “Don’t cause too much trouble.”
By the time the gate clanged shut behind him, Axel was already half a block away. His surprise at the guard’s recognition had dimmed it temporarily, but his unease over the accident at the theater had returned. Something wasn’t right, and he hoped that Lotti, as a near-resident of the building, would have more information.
~
“The accident?” Lotti said, surprise in her voice. “Why do you want to know about that?”
Axel paced across the deserted stage, his movements agitated. The space was dimly lit as usual, but seeing them better wouldn’t have made him more aware of his surroundings. “It doesn’t feel right. I know the curtains are heavy, but how did one break a bone?”
“The batten came with it.” He could hear the shrug in her tone. “I believe that was what caused the injury.”
Ceasing his forward motion, he spun to face her. Her silhouette was barely visible this morning. “The batten? Aren’t those securely fastened to the ceiling so that doesn’t happen?”
“Must have worked its way loose.”
“I’ll have to have a word with the man responsible for maintenance,” he muttered under his breath as he resumed pacing. He glanced up uneasily at the many bars, sandbags, and pieces of scenery suspended in the air above him.
“Put it from your mind. Come, it is time to begin with the first aria from Act Two.”
If one curtain had fallen, could he trust the maintenance man to properly inspect the rest of it? Was it safe for the cast to continue to rehearse?
“Axel.” Her low voice was firmer this time. “Do you intend to sing today?”
What if— “Lotti, what if it wasn’t an accident?”
A rare note of impatience entered her voice. “What do you think, that someone crawled along the catwalk to drop it right as he crossed under? Why would they?”
He didn’t know.
“I do not understand why it concerns you so.”
“Because—”
Because it was too convenient for him. Or would be, if there were no understudy.
“The first aria from Act Two. Or go home and worry there.”
Sighing, he rubbed the back of his neck. Then he strode to the center of the stage and faced the empty chairs of the audience chamber. Lifting his left hand toward the ceiling, he waited for her to play the starting note on her flute.
At least the falling curtain had made everyone aware of the problem. The rest of the supports would be inspected, and no one else would be hurt. Georg would heal, and in the meantime, Axel would enjoy the opening night of The Tanner’s Secret with the rest of the evening’s audience.
And he would not covet the understudy’s role.
~
Axel surveyed himself critically in the mirror. His black trousers were stuffed into the tops of his tall black boots, gleaming with polish. His white shirt so bright it practically glowed in the fading light of the sun. Over that, a perfectly fitted red waistcoat with his family’s coat of arms stitched over the left side of his chest. Short waves of brown hair laying neatly for a change.
He looked every inch the prince.
Not that looking like a prince was a life goal of his. He enjoyed drawing attention, but he preferred it to be from a fine performance, not by virtue of a title.
Satisfied, he abandoned the mirror and quickly crossed his sitting room. Grabbing his black cloak off the hook near the door, he swirled it around his shoulders, holding it in place with one hand while he opened the door with the other.
He was just reaching up to fasten the clasp when a hand settled on his shoulder, surprising him.
“And where are you off to?” his mother asked as she wrapped him in a hug.
Axel quickly finished with the clasp, then worked an arm free to settle it over his mother’s shoulders. “The theater, of course.” He swept his free hand to the side in a grand flourish. “Tonight is opening night. ”
Sighing, his mother released him. “Of course. The show you’ve been constantly singing lately. What was it called, again?”
“ The Tanner’s Secret . ‘The gripping tale of a young tanner, robbed of his true heritage by an evil fairy, who must seek to reclaim it with the help of his resistant ladylove’,” he quoted glibly.
“Evil fairies,” the queen grumbled. “Such nonsense that they fill our people’s heads with.”
Axel laughed and winked. “Are you certain there’s no such thing, Mother? After all, it must have been evil fairies who cursed you with such a reprobate for a son.”
“You’re not a reprobate,” his mother scolded, gently resting a hand on his arm. “You’re just...” She frowned slightly.
“Flighty? Irresponsible?” Axel supplied lightly when she didn’t finish the sentence.
“Not as much like your father as he might wish,” Mother sighed.
There was a world of subtext in that statement.
“And to prove your point, I must be off. The bright lights of the sparkling chandelier beckon to me from afar, their glowing radiance calling me to come and see the excellence upon which they shine as each is lit in preparation for the arrival of guests.”
“Just make sure you keep your stage talk off the stage,” his mother admonished. But there was a twinkle in her eye to mar the downturn of her lips.
“Naturally,” he replied smoothly, giving her his trademark flourishing bow. “I am beholden to uphold the Dracovich name. It would never do for the people to be terrified of the prince’s terrible stage presence rather than his fierceness as a dragon warrior.”
With that final absurdity, he spun on his heel and strode away down the hall, making for the front entrance. Going to the theater for opening night was allowed, so there was no need to slip away through a side gate.
“Rather late, aren’t you?” drawled a tenor voice.
Axel turned to see a short young man with heavy-lidded eyes, shoulder-length black hair, and incredibly pale skin sprawled out on a bench in the entry hall. Raising an eyebrow, Axel replied, “Late? Most people consider it shockingly early to arrive an hour before the doors open.”
“Not our theater-loving prince.” A lazy grin spread across the young nobleman’s face. “Trouble picking out your outfit tonight?”
Sweeping an arm out to the side, its effect increased by the cloak around his shoulders, Axel said, “I could neither appear before my adoring crowds nor display my own adoration for the cast in anything less than perfection, now could I? Just because you are jealous of my own dashing good looks, Tobias, doesn’t mean that you must persecute me for it.”
Tobias smirked. “They should let you on the stage someday, Axel; you were born for it.”
Burying the shot of pain that always came with such comments, Axel gave his friend a blinding smile. “It’s only you who thinks so. For which my parents are profoundly grateful. Can you imagine what they would say if I told them that I wished to be an actor?”
“Your father would have an apoplectic fit,” Tobias acknowledged, placing his hands on his knees and pushing himself to his feet. “His only heir, and all.”
“’Tis sad, but true,” Axel sighed dramatically. Placing a hand over his heart, he lifted his eyes to the ceiling. “Were my poor father but blessed with another living child, his grief would be less at having me.”
Tobias reached for a glass, but the side table was empty. Dropping his hand to his side, he turned to Axel. “Shall we? The doors will open without you at this rate.”
Immediately straightening, Axel widened his eyes. “That would never do! Let us be off!”
Then, with a grand gesture in the direction of the massive front door, he marched forward, Tobias strolling beside him.