the prince will only cause more rumors. I don’t like that you have to travel with guards now.”
“It’s just a precaution.” Sebastian stood up and tied his cloak in place. “I also need sleeping arrangements for the soldiers. They’re on the king’s coin, and they can afford any available rooms you have.”
“There are four open rooms upstairs on opposite ends. That’s the closest I can put the soldiers with you,” James said.
Sebastian shrugged while he put his hood on. “It doesn’t matter to me. I doubt I’m in danger of getting a hangnail.”
“I reserve the right to say ‘I told you so’ first,” Kevin said, standing at the same time as James. If it wasn’t for the difference in height, they could have passed as twins.
“Quit wishing me harm, Kevin. Mother and Father are already doing their share of that right now. I’m exhausted, so if you don’t mind, I’m going to bed.” Sebastian opened the door for his brothers, followed them out of the room, and rolled his eyes when the soldiers quickly joined them. “I feel like my taxes are disappearing into a hole of unnecessary spending.” He frowned when he spotted his bags dangling from Lieutenant Adams’s arms. “Why are you holding my things?”
“Because we’re going to the same room,” Adams said.
“I don’t need a roommate.”
“It’s for your safety. I know there haven’t been any attacks, but why tempt fate?”
“And there won’t be. I want to sleep, and I can’t do that if you’re hovering over me,” Sebastian growled.
“It’s my job to make sure nothing happens to you. Just get undressed and go to sleep like normal and you won’t even notice… oh.” Lieutenant Adams paused. “Do you take off your cloak when you’re alone?”
“Astute conclusion, Lieutenant. Now please leave me be or I’m going out a window while you sleep.”
“Fine, the room is all yours, but if you see anything amiss, give a shout,” Lieutenant Adams demanded.
“Agreed.”
Lieutenant Adams actually obeyed and followed Sebastian to his room without going inside. Sebastian locked the door and flung off his cloak. Stretching out the journey’s kinks, He undressed and circled the room’s full, steaming tub. He sighed and gave the water a slap. Real privacy. No guards, no siblings, and all the hot water I can stand. Sebastian stepped into the tub, slowly submerging each body part until the water ended under his nostrils. Holding his breath, he dipped lower and water flowed over his head. Motionless in the water with his worries far away, Sebastian closed his eyes and listened to the water’s vibrations. When they died down, he swayed his arms to create more. He felt no urgency to take another breath. It’s not the extra years, but these small things that make being only part human enjoyable , he thought. For an hour, he didn’t break the surface, and only the door opening disturbed his soaking. I’ll stay under until whoever it is takes a hint and goes away.
But footsteps sounded closer than they should have for basic privacy, and Sebastian didn’t know who was in his room. As Sebastian had sensed the tiny movements in the tub, he concentrated on his feet, listening as each thrum in his toes accompanied the intruder’s steps. Closer. Closer. Sebastian sprang out of the water and tackled the intruder. Both men fell and a knife clanged to the floor. Sebastian snatched his cloak and a blade from the sleeve.
“Don’t,” the assassin whispered, his words muffled by a scarf tied beneath his eyes.
Sebastian looked up and the assassin’s crossbow pointed at his heart.
The assassin shook his head. “Just don’t.”
Sebastian stopped moving. “What am I supposed to do?”
“I don’t… they said you were ugly. You’re not….” The assassin gulped and tried to look at anything in the room but Sebastian, but his eyes were drawn back to him. “How can anyone be so beautiful?”
“These aren’t questions I can answer on
“It’s just a precaution.” Sebastian stood up and tied his cloak in place. “I also need sleeping arrangements for the soldiers. They’re on the king’s coin, and they can afford any available rooms you have.”
“There are four open rooms upstairs on opposite ends. That’s the closest I can put the soldiers with you,” James said.
Sebastian shrugged while he put his hood on. “It doesn’t matter to me. I doubt I’m in danger of getting a hangnail.”
“I reserve the right to say ‘I told you so’ first,” Kevin said, standing at the same time as James. If it wasn’t for the difference in height, they could have passed as twins.
“Quit wishing me harm, Kevin. Mother and Father are already doing their share of that right now. I’m exhausted, so if you don’t mind, I’m going to bed.” Sebastian opened the door for his brothers, followed them out of the room, and rolled his eyes when the soldiers quickly joined them. “I feel like my taxes are disappearing into a hole of unnecessary spending.” He frowned when he spotted his bags dangling from Lieutenant Adams’s arms. “Why are you holding my things?”
“Because we’re going to the same room,” Adams said.
“I don’t need a roommate.”
“It’s for your safety. I know there haven’t been any attacks, but why tempt fate?”
“And there won’t be. I want to sleep, and I can’t do that if you’re hovering over me,” Sebastian growled.
“It’s my job to make sure nothing happens to you. Just get undressed and go to sleep like normal and you won’t even notice… oh.” Lieutenant Adams paused. “Do you take off your cloak when you’re alone?”
“Astute conclusion, Lieutenant. Now please leave me be or I’m going out a window while you sleep.”
“Fine, the room is all yours, but if you see anything amiss, give a shout,” Lieutenant Adams demanded.
“Agreed.”
Lieutenant Adams actually obeyed and followed Sebastian to his room without going inside. Sebastian locked the door and flung off his cloak. Stretching out the journey’s kinks, He undressed and circled the room’s full, steaming tub. He sighed and gave the water a slap. Real privacy. No guards, no siblings, and all the hot water I can stand. Sebastian stepped into the tub, slowly submerging each body part until the water ended under his nostrils. Holding his breath, he dipped lower and water flowed over his head. Motionless in the water with his worries far away, Sebastian closed his eyes and listened to the water’s vibrations. When they died down, he swayed his arms to create more. He felt no urgency to take another breath. It’s not the extra years, but these small things that make being only part human enjoyable , he thought. For an hour, he didn’t break the surface, and only the door opening disturbed his soaking. I’ll stay under until whoever it is takes a hint and goes away.
But footsteps sounded closer than they should have for basic privacy, and Sebastian didn’t know who was in his room. As Sebastian had sensed the tiny movements in the tub, he concentrated on his feet, listening as each thrum in his toes accompanied the intruder’s steps. Closer. Closer. Sebastian sprang out of the water and tackled the intruder. Both men fell and a knife clanged to the floor. Sebastian snatched his cloak and a blade from the sleeve.
“Don’t,” the assassin whispered, his words muffled by a scarf tied beneath his eyes.
Sebastian looked up and the assassin’s crossbow pointed at his heart.
The assassin shook his head. “Just don’t.”
Sebastian stopped moving. “What am I supposed to do?”
“I don’t… they said you were ugly. You’re not….” The assassin gulped and tried to look at anything in the room but Sebastian, but his eyes were drawn back to him. “How can anyone be so beautiful?”
“These aren’t questions I can answer on
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