Osric moves forward protectively. Touching the fellcat’s shoulder, Sei hopes Osric understands the silent signal. Sei might be nervous of Kazia, but he’s even more nervous of the consequences if Osric threatens the prince.
“The lab’s all right, I guess.” Kazia shrugs. “Don’t try to steal anything. The doorway will melt your feet off.”
That isn’t true,Osric tells Sei privately.I’ve watched him and Daromir steal things from here before, and their feet are fine.
Maybe so. Or maybe the foot-melting charms are new. Sei doesn’t want to steal anything anyway, so it doesn’t matter.
“Are you trying to scare me, Your Highness?” Sei asks.
“Only if it’s working. You’re lucky you got Marek instead of Vana, by the way. Marek is stupider.”
Sei isn’t sure where this is going, but any unhappiness is his own personal business. “I’m very happy with Prince Marek.”
“You poor bastard.” Kazia shakes his head in exaggerated sympathy. “Nobody here cares if you’re happy.”
Sei is too stunned to reply.
Kazia hops to the ground. He’s at least five inches shorter than Sei, who isn’t tall. The young prince has to lift his chin to make eye contact, but his presence and confidence are riveting.
As if turning away risks a knife in Sei’s back.
“You’re a grail,” Kazia says. “Every mage in this palace wants to wring you dry. Try not to forget that.”
A low, threatening growl rumbles through the room.
“Osric,” Sei snaps. “Go look at the rats.”
He rarely tells Osric to do anything, and thankfully Osric listens now. The fellcat walks unnecessarily close to Kazia, then veers towards the tall glass cage.
Kazia doesn’t flinch at the fellcat’s threat.
Whatever Kazia is doing, Sei refuses to play along. “I’m grateful for the advice, Your Highness. Considering all that, could you tell me more about Prince Marek?” Sei smiles. “I would value your unique perspective.”
Kazia’s eyes narrow like he’s angry. Or like he’s assessing Sei anew.
Then Kazia gives an answering smile, so sweet it transforms his face. He would be very pretty if he wasn’t so angry all the time.
“You’re fun. Yes, I’d love to gossip about Marek. I want to show you something first, though.” Kazia waves Sei towards the central counter.
Sei follows past the wire cage—which contains one of the purple-spotted rats chewing on a block of wood—to a small metallic object hovering half a foot over a brass plate. No, it’s multiple pieces of metal, spinning in a shifting, abstract almost-sphere. Like gears, except shaped wrong. More like leaves, all balanced impossibly around a central branch that doesn’t quite touch any of them.
“What is this, Your Highness?” Sei asks.
“You’ll see in a second. Touch one of the leaves.” When Sei hesitates, Kazia reassures him. “It won’t hurt. It just looks cool.”
This might be stupid, but the spinning thing is very interesting. And befriending Kazia can’t be a bad thing. Sei holds his breath and touches the edge of a floating leaf. The metal is pleasantly warm against his fingertip.
Then all the leaves shatter apart and clatter from the air.
Leaves skid in every direction along the counter and floor. Several rain down on Sei’s feet. Once fallen, the metal leaves lie still, the enchantment broken.
Kazia covers his mouth. “Oh,no. You stay there. I’m going to fetch a mop. Or a broom, or whatever.”
“Thanks,” Sei says, stepping gingerly out of the crash site.
Kazia takes off, and Sei starts looking around. Maybe there’s a broom in here. Sei doesn’t have high hopes for Kazia knowing where to find cleaning implements. Though he’s probably just going to yell at a servant…
Sei,Osric calls from across the room.I don’t think he’s going to get a broom.
