Royal Dilemma

Curiosity Distracts

Alec barely registered the hard cold ground as the poison consumed his body. He didn't open his eyes. When the pain became sharp for a moment he was sure it was a sign he was finished, but then, to his surprise, the pain lessened as if it were being drawn away.

Alec opened his eyes and kneeling beside him he could see the most remarkable man he'd ever seen, with caramel skin and exotic features. His hands were glowing with blue light but it was his eyes Alec found himself mesmerized by. They were like a cat's eyes, deep and mysterious. Alec forgot the pain as he gazed at his saviour, for he knew now why the pain was leaving him. It was this man and his blue light taking the agonizing pain away. Then those elegant cat's eyes were looking right at Alec and for a moment they gazed at each other; Alec felt the world fall away. Maybe it was nothing but a fever dream from the poison, but in this moment there was nothing in Alec's world save those beautiful eyes.

The sharp pain returned and Alec had to flinch away. But no sooner had he moved then the pain started to ease again. Then the pain was gone completely. Alec felt a warm tingling feeling instead and realized this man hadn't just saved Alec from the poison, he was also sealing the wound itself. This man must be a warlock, so Alec knew he'd likely been paid to save him, but Alec doubted he'd been paid to do more than that. Alec knew this man didn't have to seal his wound.

Then the man was gone and Alec found himself instantly disappointed to be surrounded by his family. They were all speaking at once but Alec wasn't listening. He sat up looking for the remarkable man.

"Who saved me?" Alec asked as he looked left and right.

"A warlock," someone replied.

"Yes, but which one?" Alec asked.

"It doesn't matter. What matters is that you're alright." It was his mother voice and Alec turned to her.

"Is he still here?" Alec asked. "I'd like to talk to him."

"He left," Maryse replied, but she had a rather unpleasant look on her face.

"What's wrong?" Alec asked.

"As I said," Maryse said smiling, clearing the anguish from her face but not her eyes. "All that matters is that you're alive."

"What's up, dad?" Alec asked his father instead, knowing Robert wouldn't withhold information like Maryse did.

"The warlock will ask for payment," Robert told him. "We didn't have time to negotiate before, so he could demand anything."

"I see," Alec said. Taking his father's outstretched hand Alec stood up. Somehow, Alec couldn't believe the worst of the remarkable man with cat's eyes. In fact, Alec very much wanted to meet him again, though he was not about to tell his worried parents that. He desperately wanted to ask the warlock's name, but he sensed that neither of his parents thought this to be of any importance. He decided to leave it for now.

Everyone made a fuss over him for no good reason as they headed back to the palace. Izzy and Jace were apologizing for not protecting him well enough during the fight. His parents were apologizing for trusting the wrong sources when gathering the intel for the mission. Alec tuned it all out easily, his mind fixated on that remarkable man's eyes.

Sure, Alec knew what warlock's were, those cursed by demons, but never before had he realized how beautiful a demon's curse could be. He couldn't fathom how those eyes that had looked so kindly on him and those hands with the blue light that had taken his pain away, could be the result of a curse.

"Why do you distrust warlocks?" Alec asked. He'd been so zoned out he'd hardly noticed the trip home. They were in the palace again, those bright high walls all around them, walls secured by warlock magic—the same magic that had just saved him.