Family of Lies: Sebastian (29 page)

“I never sensed anything wrong with the food.”

“That’s because Frederick has been helping the cooks contain the problem, and he’s slipping antidotes in your food and drink,” Lord Orwell said.

“If the problem is taken care of, why should I leave?”

“Because I don’t want you targeted as a way to kill the prince.”

“Which means that Trenton doesn’t give a damn about me being your son.” Sebastian smirked. “Having been once called his companion works badly in your favor.”

“Trenton will try something even more drastic if I don’t tell him he’s wrong about Turren’s purpose. It depends on you, Sebastian,” Lord Orwell said.

“Why do I have to go without saying good-bye?” Sebastian whispered.

“Because you came on my authority, and you will leave on it despite rumors that are circulating through the castle.”

“If Trenton hears that I stayed in the prince’s bed?”

“Then I’ll tell him it was a ploy to erase the pages they’re looking for,” Lord Orwell said.

“The truth is always the best lie,” Sebastian muttered.

“You do remember your lessons.”

“I want to get dressed without you standing over me,” Sebastian said.

“Fine, but hurry up.” Lord Orwell crept out just as quietly as he had entered, and Sebastian looked down at Turren.

He kissed the prince’s lips, and Turren responded in his sleep, smiling like a fool and murmuring, “Bastian.”

“I’m sorry,” Sebastian said and got out of bed to find his clothes.

“Why is he here?” Sebastian asked after he closed Turren’s door to find Kevin waiting in the hall.

“Your cooperation wasn’t a guarantee, and I might have needed muscle,” Lord Orwell said.

Kevin crossed his arms. “And you’re buying a nice shipment of tools and weapons for my inconvenience.”

“The nerve of you to make me pay full price,” Lord Orwell growled.

“You take me out of my bed, I take money out of your pocket.”

“Gods, where did I go wrong with these ingrates?” Lord Orwell asked the ceiling. “Come on, we have little night left.”

“You didn’t have to come,” Sebastian whispered as they moved down the halls and bypassed wards.

“You stopped listening to reason, so I had to,” Kevin said.

“When have I been unreasonable?”

“Ever since you laid eyes on the prince,” Lord Orwell said. “Give me some of your magic.”

Kevin frowned at Sebastian. “What magic?”

“I don’t recall hearing
please
,” Sebastian said.

“You little lying sneak!” Far away, boots rapped on the floor and the sounds came closer. “Guards are coming. Give it to him or I carry you!”

Sebastian snatched Lord Orwell’s hand and poured magic through the connection so quickly, he jerked back as if stung.

Lord Orwell grabbed Sebastian by the collar. “Do that again and I’ll slip you a memory potion so strong, you won’t remember the last year.”

Sebastian’s eyes widened under his hood. “You wouldn’t.”

“The risks I have to take and your attitude? Believe me, I’m more than tempted.”

“You’re not being reasonable, either,” Kevin said. “You could have let him say good-bye.”

“Bah! You two don’t know the world as well as you think you do to give
me
advice.”

“But sheltering Sebastian from all pain isn’t wise, either. I came because this situation is too dangerous, but he has to learn about heartache on his own,” Kevin said.

“What are you two talking about?” Sebastian hissed.

“He’s going on about nonsense. Both of you hold out a hand,” Lord Orwell instructed. Sebastian and Kevin obeyed, each taking the other’s hand, and Lord Orwell put his hand on Sebastian’s shoulder. Chanting quietly, Lord Orwell keyed the magic from the cloak into their connection and twisted the spell to make them unnoticeable to prying eyes.

“This won’t fool the queen or Frederick,” Sebastian said.

“Really, I never thought of that,” Lord Orwell said. “I guess it’s a lucky coincidence that both are on the other side of the castle trying to free Lord Piadas from a trap spell triggered by scrying.”

“You do like to stay a hair’s breadth from execution, don’t you, Father?” Kevin asked as they stopped at a corner and peered around it for guards. “I see three, but only a moderately powerful wizard.”

“That means both of you should shut up, and how dare you accuse me of being third-rate enough to get caught?” Lord Orwell said. They clumped close together and walked unseen by the guards. He led them to an empty hallway and stopped outside a heavily warded door. “One more thing,” Lord Orwell said. He removed his hand from Sebastian’s back and flattened it against the door. The wards broke with a series of small clicks.

Sebastian frowned.
That’s not all magic borrowed from me.
“Where did you get all that?”

“I placed a spell on my door to absorb bits of magic from anyone who opened it. It accumulates over a period of time.” The door creaked open, and Lord Orwell held out his hand. “Please give me the mirror.”

Sebastian blinked and stepped forward.

He looked inside the room and saw stacks of magical mirrors. “You really thought of everything.” With that amount of combined power, no message could reach Sebastian’s mirror, and Turren wouldn’t know that Sebastian had done it on purpose until it was too late.

“It was necessary if you want to protect the prince without endangering us,” Lord Orwell said.

Sebastian reached into his cloak pocket and took out the mirror. He silently handed it over.

Lord Orwell took it and went inside the room. After a few minutes he came out and shut the door behind him. “All right, now we disappear into the night.”

They escaped the castle with no interruptions but bypassed the stables. “No need,” Kevin whispered as they walked down the city road and out the gates. Off to the side was their father’s carriage and Kevin’s horse. “It’s for the best,” Kevin said as Sebastian sat in the carriage next to their father. “If you want to know if he truly loves you, wait for the effects of your face to wear off.”

“You’re not an optimist, Kevin,” Sebastian said while their father arranged his horses’ reins.

“No,” Kevin admitted. “But you won’t know until there is time and space between you.”

Lord Orwell patted his youngest son on the back. “Your beauty will fade from his mind and duty will win out. Royals are predictable, and Turren no less so. You’ll thank us for not letting you make a bigger fool of yourself.”

“Thanking you is the last thing on my mind right now,” Sebastian said.

“That’s because you naïvely believe Turren will come for you with a ring and ask for your hand.”

“You think he’s going to stay still when I disappear again?” Sebastian asked. “That is not in Turren’s nature.”

“It is if you told him you found a way to save his life, but contacting you in the next three months would put you in grave danger,” Lord Orwell said.

Sebastian glared at his father. “I have told him no such thing.”

“Well, the letter written in your hand that I slipped under his pillow while you two slept certainly did.”

Sebastian’s jaw dropped. “Are you lying?”

“No,” Lord Orwell said.

Vines sprang from the ground and surrounded Lord Orwell, but he arched an eyebrow and the vines fell without touching him. Sebastian opened his mouth to shout an incantation, but no sound came out.

“Your last warning was at the castle.”

Kevin stopped his horse. “You can fucking control an element too?”

Sebastian didn’t answer because his speech was gone, and he silently jumped out of the wagon. He signaled to Kevin to trade places with him, and Kevin reluctantly agreed.

Kevin sat next to their father and crossed his arms. “If Diana knows, I will be cross with you.”

W
HEN
THEY
arrived at the Orwell home, Sebastian turned Kevin’s horse back over to him and went inside. Pratchett and Demetrius were dumping various silverware on the family-room table, but Sebastian couldn’t make out if they were the family’s or misgotten treasures. He didn’t care enough to ask, so he trudged upstairs. His legs led him to Ophelia’s room, and he walked to her side. Bending low to the floor, Sebastian did as he had since childhood and placed his head in her lap, letting the tears fall. He was grateful for his father’s spell because he knew his sobs would not be heard throughout the house.

S
EBASTIAN
WOULDN
’
T
speak to or look at his father after the spell was lifted.

“We’re headed for the marketplace,” his mother called out. “You can come if you do more helping than moping.”

Sebastian frowned at the idea of being alone with his father, so he came out of his room with a packed bag. Pratchett, Demetrius, Diana, and Kraven waited at the bottom of the steps.

“I wonder if being miserable makes you look more normal,” Diana mused.

Sebastian put down his hood, and Demetrius rolled his eyes. “Gods, sadness just made it worse. Put that hood back on before we have to rescue you again.”

Sebastian snapped the hood in place and stomped down the stairs.

Lady Orwell sighed. “First love. May the Gods save us from such stupidity. Come on.” She marched out the door, and the rest of the Orwells followed her.

“What a family,” Sebastian muttered as he closed the door behind him.

“I
REMEMBER
my first love,” Pratchett said.

“Balls,” Demetrius said. “You love nothing but yourself.”

“That’s why it was such a hurtful love. I’m too hard to please.” Pratchett laughed and clapped Sebastian on the back. “I hope I never find it for real.” He shuddered. “That kind of irrational need could make me want a poor man.”

“I am proud of you, Sebastian. I thought you only wanted books, and here you are lusting after a prince. Ambition can be good, but your mistake was aiming as high as me,” Demetrius said.

Diana rolled her eyes. “If he takes love advice from either of you, then he really is a fool.”

“You move from bed to bed almost as much as Kevin did, but at least your brother had the decency to settle down,” their mother said from the front of the wagon.

“Did it ever occur to you that I’m happy being unwed?” Diana asked.

“Pratchett, does your sister look happy?” their mother asked.

Pratchett scrunched up his face at Diana. “Nope. She looks as miserable as Sebastian, and he’s nursing a broken heart.”

Diana flashed white teeth at Pratchett. “I have a full supply of spell ingredients on me right now. Do you want to test me?”

Lady Orwell moaned. “Diana, what have I told you about wasting money on your brothers?”

“I wasn’t going to use expensive herbs on him,” Diana said. “He isn’t worth it.”

“As long as you’re not wasteful.”

“I don’t think that’s the complaint you’re supposed to have as a concerned parent,” Sebastian said.

“What?” their mother asked. “She’s trained at a level not to use anything dangerous on you boys, and her doses are never incorrect.”

“Never mind,” Sebastian mumbled.

“If you drug me, I’ll steal that satchel you keep on your side,” Pratchett threatened.

“Pratchett! What have I told you?” Lady Orwell called out.

Pratchett crossed his arms but answered, “Don’t announce wrongdoings before you commit them because it’s plain stupid.”

“And don’t forget it!”

Sebastian dragged his hand over his face. “This family.”

Demetrius shrugged. “The sad thing is that my upbringing now seems normal to me.”

“Speak for yourself,” Kraven said.

“Why are you grumpy? That’s Sebastian’s job,” Pratchett said.

Lady Orwell glanced at the back of the wagon, and Kraven plastered a big smile on his face. “I’m just sleepy. I’ll feel more energetic when I find food.”

The siblings frowned at each other until their gaze fell on Sebastian. Diana nudged his foot, but Sebastian swatted it away. Demetrius and Pratchett smiled and Kraven gulped. When the wagon stopped at an empty space, they piled out and put down spikes around the wagon.

“You will talk,” Pratchett whispered in Sebastian’s ear.

“The bottom-born always catches the best whispers,” Demetrius breathed into Sebastian’s other ear.

“I also catch whispers about what you borrow from Kevin and James,” Sebastian said as their mother unloaded a few heavy bags.

“You don’t catch whispers about me,” Diana said, latching her arm through Sebastian’s and dragging him behind her. “You’ll work my stand today.”

“That isn’t fair!” Pratchett cried out.

Kraven shoved Pratchett from behind. “It’s none of your damn business, or yours,” he said while pointing at Diana.

“We’ll see about that,” Diana said as she pulled Sebastian away.

When they were out of earshot, Sebastian snatched his arm back. “I’m not telling you, so don’t ask.”

Diana snorted. “I already know which girl he fancies. I just wanted to drive Pratchett and Demetrius crazy. They’re going to rack their brains all day to find out what you know.”

“Kraven doesn’t seem happy being made sport of.”

“He’ll get over it. Besides, that’s love talking,” Diana said.

“Or empathy,” Sebastian said. “I know how much it confuses you and the others. I’m not surprised it’s hard for you to recognize.”

“You get mouthy like that with me, and I won’t reunite you with your prince.”

“Why are you getting involved?”

“Have I ever needed more than the excuse of going against Father?”

“No, but Father is serious this time. I’ll handle him on my own if I have to,” Sebastian said.

“How?”

“There’s nothing solid yet, but if you can help, I’ll tell you.”

Diana’s eyebrow rose. “You gave in way too easily. I usually have to ask James for backup. Are you all right?”

Sebastian sorted out bottles of potions and medicines. “If it was my life at stake, I would give you guys hell, but I think this time requires less stubbornness.”