Stefan rambled on, and Elijah scowled. “Just because you can shift already doesn’t make you special.” Elijah threw his stick down as he untied his skates.
Elijah was the youngest of us. He would most likely get his powers last.
Stefan frowned and said, “Of course it doesn’t. I just thought you’d like to hear about it.”
“You thought wrong,” Elijah shot at him. Stefan fell quiet.
I shook my head. Those two were always bickering, and because I was close to both of them, it got on my nerves. Different personalities, I guessed.
Stefan left with the rest of the team, who followed him out because they wanted to learn more about what shifting would be like. Elijah tossed his skates in his bag.
“I don’t know why you hang around that dragon,” Elijah said in a surly tone. “He brags far too much.”
“He has been my friend since we were small children. You know as such,” I said.
“I am your friend. I have known you since I was born, and better still, we are cousins. We share blood,” Elijah insisted. “You could never have such a close bond with one who isn’t your actual family.”
I shrugged. “Why not? His parents consider me their own son.”
“What nonsense. Those people don’t care about you. They’re just trying to use you. I’m your true brother,” Elijah said. “You can’t believe a word that dragon says. When the time comes and you really need someone by your side, I will be there. Cousin, I love you more than I love myself. I can’t say the same for the dragon.”
I said nothing. Elijah was jealous of Stefan, but didn’t he realize that my friend would never take his place? Stefan I considered a brother, but Elijah I did as well. I could be close with both of them without choosing one over the other.
We got up to leave the rink. As we walked the path back to the palace, a girl stepped in our way, her face flecked with dark red spots.
I knew her. She was in my class— her name was Truda. She was a sweet girl, but she was afflicted by a pox she’d had since birth. It was a rumor that Truda had witch blood, and that’s what caused her condition, but no one really knew for sure.
Stefan was a few paces ahead, talking to a couple of our teammates. His attention was diverted as he watched Truda fling herself in front of us.
“Ethan, I need you to help me,” Truda began. Her voice quivered. “You know I’m ill. I’ve been to every doctor in Malovia, but they can’t cure it. It’s rumored there’s a warlock in Octavia Falls that can.”
“You want to seek treatment from a filthy witch? Are you mad?” Elijah spat, but Truda didn’t acknowledge him. She only looked to me.
“This warlock might be my only hope. But I need a specialized passport, and a signed royal document that will allow me to enter into Octavia Falls unharmed by their Imperium Council. I’ve begged the officials for an appeal, but they’ve denied me every time. Please, Ethan, you’re a prince. Speak to your father. See what he can do,” Truda begged.
“Be gone, peasant. Don’t bother the prince in such a way,” Elijah told her sharply. “He has more important matters to deal with.”
“Please!” Truda begged again, and she fell to her knees before me. “I’m dying!”
“Leave us be!” Elijah kicked at her, and Truda scampered away.
I felt a weak kind of unhappiness grow in my gut as I watched Truda run away. Stefan, who’d observed the entire scene, turned away from us with disgust.
“Was that really necessary?” I asked Elijah as we continued onto the palace. “She was merely asking for a favor.”
Elijah huffed. “A favor! There are proper governmental avenues for her to take. She doesn’t need to be bothering you.”
“Even so, her pox might be a witch curse,” I pointed out. “And if it is, we should offer to lend her aid, not cast her aside.”
“It’s a cultural difference,” Elijah said. “You can’t really expect us to act differently from how we were raised. Fae are fae, and if that girl’s pox is a result of being a disgusting half-breed, I say she deserves what she gets.”
“Even if she has witch blood, is it really fair to deny her a simple request? Speaking to my father wouldn’t take much time,” I said.
“Your father is busy being a king. He can’t spare a second caring for an insignificant girl,” Elijah said. “If Malovia is to survive, we need to be united. We can’t make accommodations for everyone. It simply wouldn’t be fair to the general public, to show favoritism to a couple meaningless outliers. We can’t give charity to a few and cut the throat of the many in the process. For the greater good of our people, sacrifices must be made. I don’t see anyoneelsein Dolinska with this problem, do you?”
I supposed that was true. “I don’t wish for her to die.”
“Don’t be dramatic. There is nothing that a foul warlock in Octavia Falls can do for her that our priestesses cannot. I’m sure our cathedral has the means to heal her,” Elijah said. “That sorceress is just looking for a free ride to America on the royal dime. Well, our treasury won’t be paying for her vacation, that’s for sure. I don’t know why everyone in this country wants a handout these days. Everyone is lazy.”
