Beyond Princes

"Dispose of the body." Nicholas ordered Regan as he waved the man away.

Unsure of what to do next, Regan looked to Dion, as if to ask him what to do next.

"I told you to get rid of the body!" Nicholas raised his voice as he looked at Regan.

Both men in the room could feel as power radiated off Nicholas. He was not wearing any of his limiters, his mana mark that was now adorned with the crystal that embedded itself into his arm was glowing.

"Do as his highness asks." Dion instructed Regan, nodding at the Security Minister.

Regan did as the two men asked and hulled the dead body on his shoulder as he exited out through the servant's halls.

"What are you scared of, uncle?" Nicholas asked Dion as soon as they were once more alone in the room.

"I am not afraid, my prince." Dion said in a respectful tone.

To Nicholas' surprise he was more comfortable with Dion speaking to him this way, one of reverence and respect rather than informally.

"I can feel your fear, or is that worry? I can't really tell at this point." Nicholas declared as he picked the knife back up.

He could feel the man's mana and life force in the knife. It felt as if the crystal on the hilt had its own emotions. It was satisfied with the mana that was now stored inside, as if it were waiting to be filled.

"I'm just worried that you are getting ahead of yourself, you don't even remember how to use your magic yet." Dion raised his concern as Nicholas nodded silently.

"You're right, I may have gotten ahead of myself this time." Nicholas confessed. He knew he was no idiot, and everyone slips up. "But this felt different."

"Different, how?" Dion questioned his nephew as he kept his eyes trained on the knife in Nicholas' hand.

"It just felt right, it felt natural." Nicholas admitted as he finally placed the knife down on his desk.

Nicholas glanced at his uncle as he noticed that the man kept his eyes on the knife. It seemed that whatever power the knife held seemed to enchant those around it.

Dion shook his head as he realized that his mind had become muddled with thoughts of the knife.

"I trust you, Nicholas." Dion nodded. "Do you think he was a spy for Owain or one of your other brothers?"

"Owain is not smart." Nicholas confidently declared based on his memories.

"But his mother and ministers are." Dion reminded his nephew, thinking that Nicholas could remember more.

"I don't remember much about people other than my brothers." Nicholas informed Dion as he tried to search his memories but came up empty.

"Among the king's six wives, Petra is the most cunning." Dion explained. "She has always been around the king growing up. It was no secret there have long been feelings between the king and Peyra."

"Then why wasn't she his first wife?" Nicholas asked as he recalled that Peyra was the king's third wife.

"Because she knew the politics of the Cruor family and the Liber Clan, she waited. She knew that she had to be the only option to pair with the king." Dion explained to Nicholas. "She was a false friend to the other wives, she listened in on the politics of the palace and waited."

"She sounds dangerous." Nicholas remarked as he learned more about his father's third wife.

"She grew up around palace politics, her father was a minister that survived your father's blood bath for the throne." Dion explained to him as Nicholas considered the lady Peyra.

"Dion, in your honest opinion, who among my brothers is the most dangerous?" Nicholas asked as he considered his three elder brothers. "I'm not just talking about who is the smartest or who is the most cunning."

"Owain's people are the smartest and the hardest to read." Dion admitted. "Edward's are smart as well, and as you know that brother of yours is the most powerful. But I think the most dangerous one is Zeph and his people."

"Why?" Nicholas asked his uncle and chief minister as he poured himself a glass of wine, needing refreshment coming from using his power to drain their prisoner of mana and life force.

"Zeph is silent, unlike Owain who is continuously boasting his political power and prowess. He is also much more powerful and smarter than Owain, in my opinion your highness, Zeph is the smartest of your brothers." Dion explained to Nicholas.

Nicholas nodded in agreement, from what he could tell Zeph's magic was not only powerful, but he chose his battles as well.

The fact that he could force Prince Edward to use his Bellator magic earlier against him in the training field was a sign of his intelligence and power.

"What about Marcus?" Nicholas couldn't help but ask.

"He is fifteen." Dion told Nicholas. "With all due respect, your highness, he is too young to understand what fighting to become king requires. Plus, your brother would never harm you, he is the only one that loves you as a brother."

Nicholas had no intention of correcting Dion, true, Marcus was not a threat because of their relationship, but Dion was wrong about him just being fifteen. A fifteen year old would understand what it meant to kill or be killed for the throne.