Prince of Lies

Chapter 8

Jace wandered the hall back to Haruto's room after the banquet, where he decided he'd maybe had too much to drink. He was above legal age, but that didn't mean he could hold his alcohol. Haruto drank for the first time, and left back to his room after he told Jace he didn't feel well, but Jace should stay and enjoy himself.

He was a few steps from Haruto's door when he felt that something was off. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up as he pushed Haruto's ajar door further open.

"Haruto?"

His heart nearly leapt out of his chest when a sword stopped mid swing inches from his chest.

"Haruto! What the hell-"

Then there was a clattering noise when Haruto dropped the sword, and backed slowly into one of the darker corners of his room, nothing more than a shadow.

"Go away!"

Jace was confused. Was he wrong? Had Haruto drunk something at the feast? Was he just being hit with a hypersensitive episode or-

His eyes finally scanned the room. Haruto wasn't on the bed, because the bed was a mess. Half of the sheet was pulled up and exposed the bare mattress, which was uncharacteristic of Haruto because he absolutely detested the feel of bare mattress- even just touching it was enough to spark a visceral reaction and even tears.

Jace wanted to ask what happened, but thought that was a stupid idea, given that Haruto didn't seem alright. So he left Haruto in the corner and began searching the room for signs of a break in.

The toe of his boot kicked something metallic. Jace knelt down and picked up Haruto's crown.

Why is his crown on the floor...?

Next to be odd was the dresser, which had been frantically emptied, its contents in a heap in front of it. Haruto was a very neat person, kind of obsessive that way.

Huh.

The last clue before Jace decided to start asking questions was that Haruto's current outfit was just beside the bed, all the way down to-

All the way down to the underwear.

Jace cleared his throat. "Haruto.... are you... naked?"

A very quiet whimper.

Jace knelt down and picked up the new tunic next. He looked at it, and noted how a few of the buttons were missing and a third was halfway ripped out.

"What happened?" Jace demanded, finally. "And put some clothes on!"

It wasn't as if he hadn't seen Haruto naked before. But now...

When he got within two meters of Haruto, the prince began trying to back further and further away, leaning heavily on just one of his crutches.

"Woah, hey. It's just me." Jace said, and held out Haruto's underwear and pants. "Why don't you put these back on so we can talk?"

It was the wrong move. Haruto began rocking back and forth and crying, leaving Jace to only sit down on the corner of the bed and look at him, perplexed.

"Haruto." Jace whispered, slowly putting the pieces together and absolutely hating the result. "Did someone do this to you? Did someone... follow you? Someone... too interested in you?"

Silence. Jace could hear Haruto chewing his nails.

"Haruto, I'm only going to ask this once." Jace whispered, even more quiet. "Were you raped?"

Haruto's face illuminated just enough as he nodded mutely, tears streaming down his face.

"Oh my god." Jace put both of his hands on his head and stood back up, beginning to pace frantically. "Oh my god, Haruto."