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“He was going to attack!”
“That’s Prince Aurelius, not just any of the Princes. He doesn't have armor on. Do you want to kill him?”
“I only aimed for his arm!”
Aurelius caught something about healing him and someone who was out and scouting. The first snapped that the Prince couldn’t be healed if they accidentally killed him.
Keeping him alive would be better, considering his value, but he wasn't about to hand himself over. If they got a hold of him, he’d likely never escape and make it back. It’d be a while before Mother’s guards came here to search for him.
Someone stomped up. “Move it, you fucking idiots.”
Other voices hurried into the hallway. Aurelius tried to block out his fear as he backed away from the door and readied himself. They’d get through the flimsy wood, but he might have a chance with them bottlenecked in the doorway. A small one.
The men had armor that would help against magic, and he only had clothes that wouldn’t do anything to protect him.
The door cracked as someone kicked it, and another sent it flying inward. Aurelius threw a bolt and swung just as blue energy, one of the rarest types of magic for a fairy, came flying at him.
It was like a horse had kicked him in the chest and used lightning magic on him at the same time. With the wind knocked out of him, he was forced backward as his muscles locked up. The flat of a sword struck his wrist a second later, and numbness shot through it as he dropped his weapon.
“Do that again, you little shit!” roared the soldier who had stormed in, and blue energy fluttered around his left hand.
The shocking property of it wasn’t as strong, but he still almost stumbled as he hastily backed up. His chest ached from the force of it, and men poured into the room with their weapons and magic ready. He almost expected them to converge and turn him into charred mincemeat on the floor.
His back hit the corner of the whitewashed room. Through the filmy white curtains, armor gleamed in the sunlight, and weapons shimmered as the men shifted their grips.
The first guy pulled a dagger, and Aurelius didn’t blink as he held his gaze. Court life had made him pretty good at faking, so he composed his expression. He couldn’t fight against six grownmen, and one had blue energy. If they took him as hostage, his goal would be survival.
“You’re shaking,” said the man with the dagger, and the archer snorted as he unstrung his metal bow, made to channel fire magic. “We were hiding in the barn, and you didn’t even know. As soon as we saw that pretty gold hair, we knew we had a little lion to catch.”
“What are you doing out here by yourself?” asked another. “This is a nice house, but I don’t see why any royalty would be this far south.”
Like Aurelius was going to admit that his brothers and Mother weren’t far north.
“Maybe he’s not alone,” said one.
“Corvo will take care of them and alert us.”
“If you’re going to kill me, do it now,” said Aurelius. “If you’re going to take me as a prisoner, treat me well, and my Father will pay good money to get me back. Any amount you want will be yours.”
“Eh, I don’t think you’re worth that.” Dagger shrugged as he let his blue energy fizzle out.
“He’ll pay anything,” insisted Aurelius.
“Money’s everywhere. Prince’s aren’t.” Dagger glanced behind him at the bed.
“You can buy a lot with money, but not Crown Princes,” said Aurelius. “A fancy prisoner is worth nothing if you don’t intend to trade him, and if I’m dead on the floor, you won’t get anything. I think King David would also prefer you keep me in a suitable condition.”
“You can’t buy a Crown Prince’s ass with money,” said Dagger. “I'd rather have that.”
Aurelius’s heart thudded, and sickness rose in his gut. “I-I’m fifteen.”
“So?”
“I'm not old eno-”
Dagger smirked as his buddies snorted. “I think he looks old enough. What do you guys think?”
“He does.”
