Page 102 of The Prince's Sacrifice

Pel watched with morbid fascination through all of the stitching. Beluna was very matter-of-fact, but she was definitely poking someone repeatedly with a needle and pulling thread through their skin.

Then she spread ointment over those wounds, too, and carefully bandaged them up again.

Beluna cleaned her equipment and then carefully packed it away, and Pel realized that she and Cavun had been incredibly patient, not asking questions and prioritizing Tor’s safety. But they needed to know what was going on.

Swallowing thickly, Pel told them, “It went extremely badly this morning.”This morning. It was hard to believe how much had changed in such a little time. “The High King accused Prince Torex of committing treason, and he bound over his magic and imprisoned him in the dungeon.”

They looked stunned. Pel sighed.

“My father’s letter definitely didn’t help. There were apparently rumors of growing instability between Tond and the exiles, and somehow, all of that was laid at Tor’s door. We weren’t even given the chance of explaining what really happened. Tor got blamed for everything.”

Both of them looked disapproving, and Pel wondered if it would have helped after all if they’d all gone. Or would that just have landed more of them in the dungeon?

“Why didn’t you come and get us?” Beluna demanded. “We would have helped you get him out.”

Pel was touched by Beluna’s willingness to commit treason for them… and felt his cheeks flare hot at what he had to confess next. “I didn’t actually help get Tor out of the dungeon. I’m not sure how he got out, but it seems like it might have been part of a whole plot?”

Briefly, he explained the mercenaries that he’d followed into the castle, the alarm he’d raised, and the fact that he’d been in the right place at the right time to catch Tor as he came tumbling out the window.

“But why was he in the nursery?” Cavun asked, frowning. “That’s levels away from the dungeon.”

“If he heard that they were attacking the baby, it’s the only place he would be,” Pel told them firmly. “He loves the Princess more than anything.”

Beluna’s gaze turned thoughtful. “But there are rumors that he’s jealous of the baby, that he’s upset he’s not the heir anymore. And if even we’ve heard that in Tond…”

Pel nodded, considering this. Wherehadthose rumors come from? “Trust me, if you’d ever seen him with the baby, you’d be sure of his feelings.”

Beluna shot him a look that was a weird mixture of exasperated and chiding.

“I’ve never been in any doubt as to Prince Torex’s feelings.”

Yes, so Pel was a fool. He owed the man an apology—but Tor owed him one, too. They hadn’t exactly covered themselves in glory today.

But Tor was still alive, and Pel knew they’d come shockingly close to that not being the case. Surely, they could sort everything else out later.

Beluna said, “So at the moment, Prince Torex is magically exhausted again, badly injured, and probably a fugitive?”

Pel sighed. “Yes. I understand if you don’t want to get involved with this.”

Her look was one of pure contempt. “You think you can manage this on your own, Prince? I assure you, you can’t.”

Pel couldn’t help but smile, the movement feeling foreign on his lips. “I would be grateful for every bit of assistance I can get, especially since I don’t have the slightest idea who can be trusted here, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to try to compel you to do anything.”

Her expression softened. “That’s very clear. And that’s why you’re going to get our help.”

That was… not the worst rationale Pel had ever heard, but he still felt the need to argue.

“I just want you to understand the severity of the situation.” He met their eyes squarely, first Beluna’s, then Cavun’s. “The High King was angry enough this morning that he bound Tor’s magic and threw him in the dungeon until he could decide whether he’d committed treason. Actual treason! It’s altogether possible that the rest of us are going to be accused of the same for aiding him now. I can’t deny how much we could use the help, but I don’t want you to underestimate the trouble that might follow from this.”

Beluna shrugged. “I’m pretty sure we were already at risk for following the two of you up that mountain, and I knew then the same thing that I know now. We’re doing the right thing.”

Pel had come to the same conclusion, really, so he couldn’t blame her for that assessment.

He looked at Cavun. “What about you? Everyone can make their own choice independently, and I won’t blame anyone for their decision. In fact, I’ll do my best to protect each of you—but I can’t promise how well that will go.”

“We do make our own decisions,” Cavun told him without hesitation. “Bela’s just not usually wrong, that’s all, so we usually agree with her. And like her, I’ve known I made the right decision since we followed you up the mountain. I don’t think anyone else would have been able to do what Prince Torex did—but I don’t think most people would even have tried. We’re right where we want to be.”

That was probably actual treason, but Pel couldn’t help but be selfishly, desperately grateful that they were still willing to help. Rowing singlehandedly out of Alossa—assuming he could take one of the boats—with an unconscious Tor was the stuff his nightmares were made of.