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"Sameer!" Cyrus panicked. I dropped off of him, abandoned, as his hands fell to his pants to adjust. "This is-!"
"Strange. Very strange," the Prince sputtered. "You're?" He started but never finished the thought, fleeing from the barn.
Cyrus jolted after him, set on regaining his audience. "Sam!" he called. "Wait!"
"This explains why you've had nothing to say in advice," his friend muttered.
I caught up. "Don't take it out on Cyrus, he-"
Sam stared at me, clearly pained.
"He's not," I had nothing to say.
"Not what?" The Prince's lips drew together, as he dismissed whatever words he had thought to add to that. "Why would you do this?" he asked Cyrus.
"I," Cyrus started.
And then he lunged at my Sword, grappling and tackling him to the ground. The two of them ignored my cries of; "Stop it!" choosing instead to wrestle each other like school boys in the yard. "Stop it right now!" I yelled.
Sam threw a punch, which prompted me to grab him, tearing him from the other. I huffed, dramatically, jabbing my finger in his face. "You have no right! No right to be angry!"
He swiped the dirt off his face, muttering.
"Apologize," I told him.
"I will not," Sam said.
When I looked up, one of the gardeners scurried off, too fast for me to imagine how long she'd been watching us. Suddenly I felt very seen, and not in a grand way. I straightened as the men clambered to their feet, burning holes into each other's eyes.
"I'm sorry," Cyrus sang.
Sameer didn't answer him.
I lowered my voice. "You've been screwing another woman since I got here. Since before! How are you surprised?"
"Any other man, fine. But my best friend?" he bristled. "A low blow."
"A low-!?"
"Svana," Cyrus chimed. "Leave it."
"I don't want to leave it," I spat. "Do you think I'm sleeping with him to hurt you?"
"Did he tell you? Did he tell you I paid him to take you on your rides? Guess he's getting his money's worth!"
Cyrus' fist knocked into the Prince's face. He stumbled back, holding his nose, blood trickling past.
"Willem!" I cried, snatching his hand.
"Who..." Sam jarred his head. "Who in God's name is Willem?"
"I..." Now I was looking at my swordsman, stunned. "He paid you? Is that where you got all that gold?"
