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--donation bonus (day #18, post 4/5)--
David pulled back, still smiling as he glanced at Desmond, who was busy wiping himself off.

William’s palm turned, and his eyes went to the paper. It read simply:

Ignore my tone. Listen to my words.

The King blinked. His hand closed around the note again.

“I’m sure Helen would be upset if anything happened to you,” said David. “In fact, so would I. You may be a softhearted dolt, but you are my brother. It would grieve me to learn that our friend Desmond here was forced to kill you. You understand, yes?”

He looked at Prince David with fresh eyes. “I believe I do.” This was not David’s first visit, and suddenly, William was thinking back to each one prior. How long had David been waiting for an opportunity to slip this note to him? He tried to remember everything David had told him in those conversations, but there wasn’t much. He’d mostly ignored David’s visits, finding only depression therein.

“Your aunt agrees with me,” David added. “I spoke to her earlier, you see. We spent most of our time talking about more important matters, but she briefly expressed her concern for you.”

So he was working with Aunt Jezebel, then. Good to know. “I have already given up on resisting,” said William.

“Oh,” said Desmond with a mouthful of grilled lamb chop, “I suppose I can just leave then.” He shared a laugh with David.

After a moment, the fat prince addressed William again. “By the way, have you heard about Jezebel’s niece?”

William tried not to sound too eager as he said, “No, I have not.”

“She went abroad for school, as you know, and apparently, she has made quite a splash there. When she returns to Atreya, I’m sure she’ll have become a fine woman. Jezebel is already thinking about having a husband ready for her when she gets home.”

“I see.” He stiffened in his seat, concealing the sense of cautious relief that washed through him. It hardly qualified as news, but it was more than he had heard all month long.