In another part of the palace, a bell in the watch tower gave light rings again and again. When the watcher arrived back from her break, she was stunned to find the bell ringing.
"Alert the guards, magic has been used in the palace," she informed her subordinates. "Get the compass. We need to fish out the place where the magic was being used to narrow down the list of suspects and go from there. One way or another, we must catch this practitioner!"
"Yes, Yuldra."
"The rings are faint which means the practitioner's magic is quickly fading. We need to hurry!"
The guards of the palace were informed and immediately became alert and ready to jump to action in case a need called for it.
Yuldra assembled her juniors, who brought over the magic-detecting compass, and together, they sought out into the palace to find the source of the magic.
"Are we going to inform the great mother about this?"
"We will once we know more. The great mother is in charge of ensuring no one uses magic in the whole kingdom. We can't trouble her with this unless we have more knowledge."
"Yes, you are right Yuldra. She reigns over all of Sevigoria, enforcing measures to prevent people from using magic, and has no time to waste on a mere essence," her underling understood the mistake of the suggestion he made.
They followed the guidance of the compass to Prince Angelus's palace. The guards at the main door allowed them entry; appreciating the duty the watchers did for them.
The compass tracked the magic essence down to Prince Angelus's chamber. The keys of the compass pointed at his room as the source of the magic detected.
"The culprit used magic in the grand prince's room. We should head inside and find out what happened?"
"What if someone hexed Prince Angelus?" her underling asked, "How will we answer to the Queen. You know her older son is her pride."
"We will cross that bridge when we get there."
"Okay."
"Yuldra, watcher of the tower requesting entry to Prince Angelus's room to track down a lead on a practitioner of magic," she declared to Captain Davon.
"I can't let you in. Prince Angelus doesn't wish to be disturbed."
"When it comes to magic, the prince's discomfort will have to come second. Understand, I am only trying to do my job, and it'll go a lot easier without hardships from you."
"If that were the case, you'd have access to all the corners of the Werthingham palace without having to ask for permission before entering a room or passing through a locked door. But that isn't so, which means that the prince's comfort is more important than your lead," Captain Davon argued back.
With the moaning sounds coming from inside Prince Angelus's room minutes back, he didn't dare open the door to anyone.
He had even dismissed Angelus's other guards when he saw Angelus follow Cassiel inside, a man he'd never seen before but, for some reason, moved freely in the prince's palace without a worry in the world.
It was there that he suspected the basis of the relationship Prince Angelus had with him and the loud cries of pleasure confirmed his suspicion.
Cassiel hadn't walked out of the room yet, Davon didn't dare move an inch and give room for the prince's secret to be discovered by anyone else.
"Captain Davon, the lead grows weaker by the minute. Please, allow me passage so I can do my job or you'll have to answer to the king."
"Then I will answer to the king. Please, Yuldra, I will have to demand that you leave these premises immediately!" he barked, with a no-funny business tone.
Yuldra glared at him helplessly. The keys of the compass started moving slowly indicating that the magic in the air was fading away.
"Forgive me, but I can't do that," She attempted to push past Captain Davon and found him similar to a rock planted in front of the door; the man wouldn't move an inch. "Let me through!"
"Over my dead body, Yuldra."
Yuldra backed down. She was at a loss, the great mother would expect a full report on her findings, but without getting inside the prince's chambers, she couldn't get to the bottom of the magic alert she received.
"Please, Davon, let me in."
"I don't wish to make things difficult for you but I can't let you inside. Understand that my hands are tied, Lady Yuldra."
"Who in their right mind dares to tie up the great Captain Davon Bloodheart?" the emerald-eyed man arrived at the scene, the smirk on his lips bigger and more playful.
"Our greetings and well wishes to you Prince Ambrose Rayne Rathmore," Yuldra and her juniors greeted him with their heads bowed.
"What brings the watchers to my brother's chambers?"
Yuldra stepped forward, with her head still bowed, and she addressed the second prince. "We got an alert of magic being used in the palace. We tracked it down here and wished to go inside to further the investigation but Captain Davon refused us entry."
Prince Ambrose pushed his hair back and locked eyes with Davon. His gaze so still made Davon swallow.
"Is there a reason my brother's room is out of bounds, Davon?" he asked, his tone as playful as ever.
"He's sleeping and doesn't wish to be disturbed," Davon met his gaze calmly and didn't flinch.
"We won't disturb him. You can go in with us and make certain of that but first..." he cleared his throat and stepped forward. "Open the door and let me in!" he commanded.
Captain Davon gritted his teeth, crossed his fingers, and prayed that Prince Angelus had finished his business and wasn't inappropriate inside.
Obeying Prince Ambrose's orders, he pushed open the door and made way for him to pass. "That's more like it. How I love when you give in to me, Davon. Yuldra, after you," he ushered the watcher inside.
Davon held his breath as everyone sauntered inside Angelus's chambers. Afraid the prince's secret would be outed for many to see.
"Is there a reason you sweat, Davon?" Prince Ambrose grew curious.
"I worry about the prince losing his temper over all of you invading his privacy. I'm afraid there's no skeleton for you to find here today, Ambrose," Davon countered, forgetting to address Prince Ambrose by his given title.
Prince Ambrose didn't point it out, though; he was rather amused to see Captain Davon breaking a sweat. The sight was worth the trip back to Werthingham Palace.
"I sometimes forget that my mother's dog has sharp fangs," he whispered, provocatively.
"I also forget how out of depth you can get. I suggest you slow down, the palace has grown more dangerous in your absence, young one."
"Hmph," Prince Ambrose sneered, "And who to say that I am not equally as dangerous? What gives you the impression that I am easy to frighten, Davon?"
"You aren't easy to frighten, I don't think that at all."
Prince Ambrose stepped in front of Captain Davon and blocked his path. "Care to share what you truly think of me?"
Davon released a heavy sigh. "I think..." he paused momentarily, his eyes running a train up and down Ambrose's grown frame. "You've come of age. Worry your little head with love and fun affairs, leave this strange habit of yours behind before you get in trouble," he advised, refusing to let out what he thought of the prince.
Ambrose wasn't satisfied so he pushed. "Tell me what you think of me, Davon!"
"Why should I?"
"You don't have a reason to but I'll have to insist, Davon, dear," he said, not backing down.
"Or what?"
"Maybe I should speak to my mother about your worries?"
"What do you mean?"
"Come on, don't play dumb," Ambrose stepped closer and lowered his voice. "No guard cares for their ward as much as you do for Angelus," he added, his eyes still with a hint of playfulness in them.
"What are trying to imply?" Davon clenched his fists and barred his teeth at the insinuation Prince Ambrose made.
"Oh, my moon!" Prince Ambrose exclaimed in surprise. "You haven't realized it yourself, have you?" his amusement shot up.
"What are going on about?" Davon asked, losing his temper.
Prince Ambrose touched his shoulder, used him to lift himself off the ground leaned his mouth close to Davon's ear, and whispered, "When will you calm down and let your mind listen to your heart, Davon?" he asked, Davon's eyebrows furrowed together, he was confused by Ambrose's question.
"What do you mean?"
"When will you let yourself understand that what you feel for Angelus is less of duty and more of..." he paused, looked into Davon's eye, and continued, "You are in love, and you don't even realize it."
"In love, are you insane, Ambrose?"
"I am but that is but the point. It doesn't change the fact that I see it clear as day, you are in love with my brother. You've always been and that feeling grows strongly every day, only you mistake it as a sense of duty, too bad," Ambrose sighed.
Davon went limp. His eyes widened, astounded by the claim Ambrose made on his feelings for Angelus.
"What's too bad?" a soft angel-like voice echoed from behind them.
Ambrose turned around with a bright smile plastered on his lips. "Thalassa, there you are. I have looking for you everywhere, didn't you hear me call?" he sang, closing the gap between himself and the girl in the brown gown. "How I have missed you, lovey," he added, completely forgetting about Davon and moving on to the next thing.