"What... what are you...?"
Ismael felt his tongue shrink back to his throat, gulping and hearing it in his ear. Under those glowing, deep rubies, cold sweats broke on his back. And yet, his fingers holding Aries's stayed still for her to breathe.
"What... am I?" Abel whispered, studying the horror reigning over the third prince's face. He took steps on the same spot, facing the man, eyes down on him.
"Why..." he cocked his head to the side, nonchalance dominating his face. "... would you want to know?"
Abel had been watching this entire circus in this empire unfold right before his eyes. From the emperor, the crown prince, the other princes, and princesses, and the nobles, down to the peasants, common — and not-so-common citizens. And he couldn't tell whether this third prince was hapless or the opposite.
