Chapter 29: How Low Can One Person Fall?

Basil found himself standing at the entrance of the royal holding cells. How he had actually made it down here, he honestly couldn’t remember. Everything that had happened after he woke from that filthy, ridiculous, humiliating dream had been a complete blur of panic and desperation.

He had practically launched himself out of bed, his heart hammering against his ribs, and headed straight for the bathroom. He had scrubbed his mouth raw, brushed his teeth far more aggressively than necessary, and splashed freezing water across his face over and over again, desperately trying to wash away the lingering phantom sensations the dream had left behind.

None of it had worked. Every time he thought he had finally regained control of himself, another fragment of that nightmare returned to haunt him, hardening his erection all over again. Basil had never known someone could get so hard that it felt like his balls might explode from the pressure.

He had stared at his reflection in the mirror, willing his body to calm down through sheer force of determination, his jaw clenched so tightly it hurt. When that failed, he had stood beneath freezing water until his teeth chattered, trying to picture anything else, anything boring, anything that might calm the persistent heat. But his body refused to cooperate.

When all else seemed to fail, he had been forced to resort to giving himself a quick, frantic hand job, which had been frustratingly painful until his mind betrayed him again. He had started picturing Darius’s large hands on him instead, the friction instantly shifting from agonizing to explosive. By the time the ordeal was over, Basil had leaned against the wet tiles, panting and disgusted with himself.

How low could one person fall to find pleasure in a nightmare?

But his shame had fueled a sudden, desperate urge to move. He couldn’t put off this visit to the cells any longer, even if he wanted to.

Before coming down here, he had seriously considered using the money he had saved over the years to find some remote place and simply run away. If it meant never having to see Darius again, it would be worth it.

Unfortunately, reality was not nearly that simple. The King and Queen would never allow him to leave just like that. They would drag him back no matter where he ran.

And then there was Darius’s threat, which stubbornly refused to leave his mind. But if there was a biological relative somewhere willing to take him in, someone who could prove he belonged elsewhere, perhaps not even the royal family could stop him from leaving. That possibility, however slim, had brought him here.

So now he had no choice but to seek Linda out and ask the questions he desperately needed answered. His peace of mind, and possibly his very survival, depended on it.

Drawing a deep breath, Basil squared his shoulders like a man marching toward a battlefield and approached the guards stationed outside the holding cells.

The moment they spotted him, both men immediately straightened and bowed.

"Your Highness."

"Good afternoon, Your Highness."

The first one spoke, his voice entirely respectful. "What are you doing down here, Your Highness? Is there something we can help you with?" A polite smile rested on his face. The change was almost unsettling.

A few weeks ago, these same men had looked at him with poorly concealed contempt after the truth about his birth came out. He remembered following the guards in charge of locking his nanny up down here, desperate for answers, only to be denied entry. They had told him to wait until the King reached a decision. One of them had even threatened to physically remove him if he didn’t leave.

Now they were smiling at him as though none of that had ever happened. Was this all because of what the servants had been whispering about? The rumors of Darius speaking up for him?

He still couldn’t understand it. How could one be so protective toward someone who had unknowingly taken his place for twenty-one years? Or was there some ulterior motive Basil simply hadn’t uncovered yet?

Maybe Darius was only waiting for the perfect moment to lower his guard, only to crush him when he least expected it. Well, none of that mattered now. Basil would find a way out of this palace, either by hook or by crook.

"Your Highness?" the guard asked, tilting his head slightly, looking concerned. "Are you alright? You just zoned out for a moment."

Basil blinked, pulling himself back to reality. "My apologies," he said, keeping his voice even. "I was just lost in thought."

The guards exchanged quick, subtle glances. They had served in the palace for years, and neither had ever thought there would come a day when they would see Prince Basil apologizing to them for anything.

"It’s quite alright, Your Highness," the second guard said, clearing his throat. "What can we do for you?"

"I was hoping to see Linda for a few minutes," Basil replied. "I promise not to take much of her time. There are just a few things I’d like to ask her."

"Of course," the guard replied immediately.

One guard stepped forward and unlocked the door. "Please don’t worry about the time, Your Highness. Take as long as you need."

Basil hesitated briefly before nodding.

"Thank you."

Then he stepped inside. The heavy door closed behind him with a metallic clang.

Outside, one guard shook his head.

"I never thought I’d see the day Prince Basil would speak that humbly. Did you hear that? He actually apologized."

The other guard chuckled, shaking his head. "He’s probably still rattled by the whole situation. Finding out you’re not the true prince and realizing your entire life is a lie would humble anyone."

"True," the first guard muttered, his expression turning sour. "Though if not for Prince Darius making it extremely obvious that he won’t tolerate anyone mistreating Prince Basil, I’d have handled things very differently."

His companion raised an eyebrow. "You too?"

"Of course. How many years have we had to put up with that arrogance? When I thought I’d finally gotten a chance to knock him down a peg, Prince Darius appeared and ruined it."

"Careful. Didn’t you hear? Prince Darius nearly broke a maid’s hand just because she didn’t serve Prince Basil properly."

The first guard’s expression changed.

"I heard that one."

"And don’t forget what happened in the council chamber. Half the palace says he practically shut down the nobles who wanted Prince Basil punished. Everyone’s on edge right now."

The first guard glanced toward the closed door. "Do you think that’s true? Going so far as to insult the council for Prince Basil?"

His companion shrugged.

"I don’t know. But everyone in the palace is waiting to find out just how far Prince Darius is willing to go when it comes to Prince Basil. Some are even saying they think Prince Basil’s arrogance is better than Prince Darius’s ruthlessness."

The other guard let out a dry laugh.

"If that’s true, then we’re all in deep shit."