38:Safe

Yuldra and her fellow watchers conducted a thorough investigation in Prince Angelus's room, looking for traces of magic and the essence of the user to know who it was but to no avail.

Prince Angelus laid back lazily on the bed eating grapes. He didn't waste his breath on the watchers or his brother and Thalassa.

His mind focused on making plans to visit the maroon pleasure house to see his lover and get to the bottom of his strange behavior.

"Did you find anything watcher?" Prince Ambrose felt the need to ask as he was the one who gave them entry into his brother's chambers. "I truly want to know who would be bold enough to do magic in my brother's chambers."

"We are still running the tests," Yuldra lied, there was no more test to conduct. The culprit had gotten away and there was nothing left of them to find that could aid in tracking them down.

However, she had adamantly pressed on getting entry into the grand prince's chambers which could lead to trouble now that she found nothing inside.

Imagining the queen's anger, Yuldra kept up the ruse of running tests and didn't immediately declare the lack of findings.

"Who could possibly do that with Angelus in the room?" Thalassa raised her doubt.

Prince Ambrose scanned his brother's lazy reaction and Captain Davon's stance on the door that seemed set in stone until he arrived. He had a doubt that there was more to the room than met the eyes and the two hid the secret truly well.

"Hey," he pulled Thalassa to the side, away from listening ears. "When you came in, did you find anything strange here or with my brother?" he asked.

Thalassa clasped her hands behind her back and puffed out her chest. She looked up at Prince Ambrose and looked forward. "You've started again, haven't you, Ambrose? A day isn't done unless Ambrose Rayne Rathmore comes up with conspiracy theories, right?" Thalassa shook her head, disappointed by Prince Ambrose's behavior and doubt about his brother.

"Aren't you curious as to why the watchers were guided here by the magic-detecting compass?"

"Tell me, what is it this time? What is the grand prince, your brother from the same mother up to now?" she asked sarcastically, ignoring the inquiry Ambrose threw at her; without giving him a chance to answer, she walked back to Angelus's side.

It amazed her how quickly the second prince jumped to doubt his elder brother. With the world against Angelus and his claim to the throne, she expected better from Ambrose, and he disappointed her by choosing to join the ton and be against Angelus.

"Angel, are you alright?"

"Why won't I be?"

"It's been a while since we saw each other and I have heard" of the horrible things you've endured in my absence. I am worried," she admitted openly.

"You worry for me?"

"Why wouldn't I worry?"

"I didn't think you'd have the time with Augustus being hurt and all," Angelus said between bites.

Thalassa shot her gaze to the watchers, blinking away the emotions drawing closer to her eyes by the subject Angelus raised.

The news of Prince Augustus's accident is what brought her running to the palace. She desperately yearned for an opportunity to see him and relieve her heart of the torture of not knowing how he was.

Unfortunately for her, she is from the Queen's side of the family, and no one in the Voss family will allow her anywhere near Prince Augustus.

Mistress Diane had also forbidden the servants of the palace from discussing his condition. Hence she couldn't even feed her curiosity from common gossip among the help in the palace.

Her feet led her directly to Prince Angelus's chambers as she figured he might have a clue about Prince Augustus' health. However, she didn't dare to inquire about Augustus from him because of the rivalry and enmity between the two brothers.

"Why would she care about Augustus?" Ambrose jumped on the bed and snatched the bowl of grapes from his older brother. "I can't say how happy I am that he's injured and the physicians don't know how to treat him. This should humble that arrogant mistress our father insists on keeping. Now, they will have to think twice before picking a fight, won't they?" Ambrose rejoiced wholeheartedly at Augustus' misfortune.

Thalassa dug her nails into her palm and held back her temper from flaring off at Prince Ambrose. She couldn't hear a word against Prince Augustus, her heart couldn't bear the harsh wishes Ambrose held for the man she held dearest to her soul.

Her blood boiled in her veins. Adding to the frustrations of being in the dark about Prince Augustus's health, her patience drew thin.

"My only regret is that we can't take credit for his condition. How good it would've been if one of us had a hand in his attack," Prince Ambrose added, unaware of how hurt Thalassa was over his remarks.

"Ambrose, come on," Angelus intervened. He loved hearing of Prince Augustus's misfortune as much as his brother but he cared for his best friend and her feelings. For her, he spared Augustus's name from being cursed by his brother. "I am having a bad day. The last thing I need is to talk about the father's favorite son. Please, change the subject or leave."

"Okay. Okay, I'll stop," Ambrose raised his hands in surrender. "You all are no fun!"

"We are not children anymore Ambrose. We can't seek fun and thrills from everything, grow up!" Thalassa scolded.

Prince Ambrose sighed. He relaxed his body on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. The candles burning in the chandelier caught his eyes and sparked his interest even further.

It was daylight out and the room was already so bright, he didn't see the need for candles at such a time. His eyes landed on Yuldra who was having a devil of a time tracking down the source of the magic that caused the bells at the tower to go off.

'Is Angelus using the candles to block out the essence of the magic user? Or am I imagining things?'

His eyes examined his brother from head to toe. His attitude was lazy as usual but something in his eyes gave off a different aura.

"I want everyone out, now!" Prince Angelus declared out of nowhere, his tone unwelcoming and furious.

"Your Highness, we have yet to finish..."

"Get out!"

"Angelus be reasonable," Ambrose said.

"You have your room, go be reasonable there. I want to be left alone. Everyone, out!"

Giving in, Prince Ambrose ushered the watchers out. Thalassa hesitated to leave as her agenda of visiting Angelus was yet to be fulfilled. Ambrose grabbed her by the hand and pulled her outside.

He gave Davon a knowing look and threw him a wink on his way out. "Crazy!" Davon exclaimed, stepping outside and closing the door behind him.

Left alone, Prince Angelus hurried off the bed and into his bathing house. He took out the ladder he stashed behind the door and brought it over to the bed.

He hastily climbed up the ladder, put out the candles, and took them down. He returned the normal candles and the ladder to their place before dropping onto the bed with a heavy sigh escaping his lips.

"Luckily I kept some of the magic cloaking candles from the plot to frame Modred. Now, the Kahhori won't be able to track Cassiel down and his secret will be safe," he mumbled in relief.

He felt grateful to Davon, his insistent on keeping the watchers out alerted him to their presence and put him to work to protect his shapeshifter's secret.

"I won't let anyone hurt you, Cass."