Honour or Reason - Book 1# in the Burning Prince Chronicles

Chapter Twenty-Four

"Watch where you are- Con!"

Conlaed groaned, muttering apologies. Aglaesha clasped his face in her hands, frowning. Red tears were streaming from his eyes. Blood. The prince was pasty, and his eyes were full of rage and fright. Aglaesha rose to her feet and pulled him up with her. She squeezed his hand. He shook his head at her and Yaslin, who was putting a comforting arm around the prince's shoulders. "Con?"

"We have to go," he growled, shaking his head angrily. "Now."

More scarlet tears fell from his eyes. Yaslin rubbed one away and stared at it intently. His gold eyes narrowed. "This is magic."

Aglaesha snapped her gaze to the prince's distressed face. "What happened? Con?"

"Conlaed! Please! I can explain!"

The two Mages exchanged worried glances as they spotted Hanrick running toward them, eyes spilling regular tears. His face melted into hopefulness as he saw his nephew with Aglaesha, and he staggered toward them desperately. She cupped her prince's cheek, forced him to completely meet her eyes. "What is he talking about, Conlaed?"

He shook his head gravely. "I can't... I need to go."

Conlaed's voice was so fragile. It quivered and broke like thin glass. Blood was falling heavily now. Aglaesha wiped the bloody tears away desperately, panic rising.

"What are you talking about, Con?" Yaslin asked softly. The prince let out a strangled sob, before crying, "I NEED TO GET AWAY FROM HIM!"

One of the prince's trembling hands pointed to where Hanrick now stood a mere few feet away. The King's head was hung miserably. His shoulders were slumped like an old man's and his lip was quivering. Aglaesha took Con's hand gingerly and began to lead him away from the downcast King.

What has he done to my Con?

***

She and Yaslin managed to get Conlaed back to the castle without much trouble. She let Yaslin lead her betrothed forward as she gazed forlornly up at the West tower. She imagined Brilyn inside, cold and alone. Rain still poured down heavily, and it seemed it would not cease anytime soon. She sighed and followed them to the west wing of the palace. Con was trembling the whole way, eyes wide and haunted. Sobs burst out of him and he leaned most of his weight on Yaslin.

It was a relief when they finally made it to his chambers. Jules had been sweeping the bed chamber when they burst in, Conlaed now in hysterics. The servant dropped his broom and ran to their aid. They tried to heave the prince to his bed, but after three steps he collapsed on the floor miserably. Blood coated both his cheeks and had begun to trickle down his neck. Aglaesha tried to calm him, urge him to at least lay upon his bed. The prince flat out refused. His answer to her pleads was to double over and cough up thick globs of blood. Yaslin tried a sleeping incantation on Con, but it was too weak to do much.

The Mages stared at each other wearily as Conlaed curled in on himself, screaming something indecipherable. All Aglaesha could do was stroke his back reassuringly, hold him. Her heart twisted with extreme anxiety as he rocked back and forth, the bloody tears not ceasing. Loud broken cries escaped his lips as he shrieked, and shivers ran down his spine in horrible waves. There is nothing I can do for him. She kissed his hair, tried to coax him into talking with her. He didn't budge. She doubted Brilyn could have done anything if he had been with them. Her prince rocked back and forth, blood cascading down his face.

"Con," Aglaesha begged, "Speak to me. Please."

All his symptoms pointed to being in the midst of a strong enchantment for far too long. Non - Mage enchantment. She suspected a Fey was involved, although she could not remember him being so distressed after the creature's visitations previously.

"Con, please I -"

"IT'S HIM! IT'S HANRICK!" he screamed, looking up at her, crying bitterly. Aglaesha watched him painfully, wiped the red tears forming in his eyes. "What do you mean?"

The prince shook his head, gasping. Yaslin moved to the prince's other side and placed a hand on his back soothingly. "Whatever it is, it doesn't change anything."

Conlaed laughed manically. "Doesn't it?"

Aglaesha cupped his cheek. "Speak to us, Con."

The prince stared at her, full of despair. His voice was broken glass as he rasped, "I am fighting to free my uncle, Algaesha. It changes everything."

"What do you mean?"

"Hanrick," Conlaed spat, "is not my uncle. He... he is my father. Flesh and blood father."

"How?" Jules exclaimed. Aglaesha had almost forgotten about the servant. The prince trembled as he whispered, "Queen Tenna lied to my father. She and Hanrick conceived me. I am not the rightful heir and Maxum is but an uncle."