Loyalties Lie

Chapter 7

Magnus looked for Mina over the following days, though he wouldn't admit it to anyone. Sylvan raised an eyebrow at the explanation that he was just walking aimlessly down the halls but didn't press any further than a few questions. Sylvan knew Magnus was lonely and that his presence failed to fill that void, being considered much less of company and more of a necessary annoyance that Magnus politely accepted. For that reason, he didn't protest whenever Magnus wanted space. Of course, he was never too far off in case anything happened, and Magnus knew that, but they both knew it was for the best.

The more Magnus sought her out however, the more he questioned himself. Did she even want to see him? Of course, she wouldn't be able to refuse since he was the prince, but that didn't seem fair. He knew that it was well within his power to demand and receive whatever he wanted, which is what his father did, but Magnus never saw the appeal. The importance of using his power and influence for good was the main lesson his mother had taught him, and he etched that into his heart. Sure, it was nice to live in a beautiful castle with comfortable rooms and delicious food, but he'd give that up in a heartbeat if it meant he wouldn't be so alone anymore. Talking with Mina was...well, it was more than nice. The barriers between them were still apparent, but by spending more time with her, maybe he'd be able to level the ground more and they could talk like peers. She already seemed somewhat comfortable with talking to him casually, so he just had to make it clear that that's what he preferred. She looked about his age and if they had only been born in the same social standing, maybe they could have been friends. Or maybe that was still a possibility despite their circumstances. He decided to stay hopeful—optimism was his speciality after all—and continued to look for her.

With Sophie in the sick ward, Jia insisted that she accompany Mina with her tasks until Sophie got better. Mina tried to protest, preferring the freedom of being alone, but Jia wouldn't have it. Her partner rule was set in stone, and she wasn't going to change her mind anytime soon. In response, Mina took advantage of every little moment she could to sneak away. On one occasion, she purposely left supplies in the storage room so that she had an excuse to run back. Jia would grumpily tell her to hurry, but instead Mina took her time, wandering down the halls, looking out the windows, and peeking into every room she passed. She knew not to push it too far, but she also knew that she was wearing Jia's patience thin and it was only a matter of time before it broke. It didn't help that Jia would usher Mina away whenever she detected even the slightest hint of anyone coming their way, never mind if it was just a steward or one of the king's advisors. It was as if Jia was afraid to even be seen for whatever reason. It certainly made Mina's job harder since she knew Jia would lose her mind if she ever found out how much, not to mention how casually, she had spoken to the prince. At least this was only a temporary situation. As troublesome as Sophie was, at least she was okay with talking to the prince. Speaking of Sophie, a new idea popped into Mina's mind.

"Miss Kwan, may I please check on Sophie to see how she's doing?" Mina asked sweetly.

Jia paused her dusting, shooting Mina a quizzical look. "Must you do it now?"

"She's most likely awake now. If I stop by before or after work hours, she'll probably be resting," Mina reasoned.

Jia sighed, turning back to her work. "Fine. But hurry back or else I'm not letting you out of my sight again, you hear?"

Mina nodded. "You'll never even notice I'm gone."

At that, she turned and scurried out of the room. She took the long way to the physician's office, checking every doorway and corner, but there was no sign of the prince in the massive castle, just empty rooms and empty halls. Sighing to herself, she dragged her feet to Crio's door and pounded on it, not caring that her annoyance was obvious. He opened it a few moments later, eyeing her up and down.