The dark had settled a while ago and the secret guard stationed by Ocean was watching Carlos’s room.

They were genuinely shocked when he pulled the gambling technique to get rid of those who were draining the Barony economically. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

"Since when was the Prince so smart?" Zen mumbled looking at the closed curtains of the window.

"And fast and athletic?" Another guard Killy added.

"To think he outran all of us back then." Zen mumbled and Killy hummed.

"He’s really pissed Quill off though, there’s none faster in the whole guard apart from him and this spoiled brat threw him off his back."

"If the spoiled brat is that fast then do you think he could be at least at the level of the generals?" Zen wondered and Killy snorted.

"Have you lost it? He’s barely as fast as the Captains and the highest rank we have is our leader Bolt. If any of the Generals were here, he wouldn’t be out of our sight even for a moment."

"But then again, both the generals rarely leave Master’s side, unless it’s a direct order." Zen mumbled.

"Still, something is strange about the Prince. He wasn’t this capable before." Killy spoke as they looked at the window.

"If he were, the Queen wouldn’t have to worry about him getting the crown." Zen shrugged.

"What could’ve happened for him to change like this though?" Killy wondered.

Zen, who was silent for a moment, suddenly gasped making Killy stiffen, "What?"

Zen looked at him and spoke, "What if that isn’t the second Prince but someone who’s impersonating him?"

Killy stared at him for a moment before he smacked him in the side.

"The hell?! You startled me for this! Ah!" Killy breathed loudly.

"No, but, it’s possible or else, why would he suddenly become so capable and also why would Master warn us to not approach him at any costs and maintain our distance?" Zen pointed out, "The Second Prince is so weak he can’t even fight properly, only one of us would be more than enough to take him down."

Killy pondered over his words before they heard the low croak that sounded like an insect’s chirping and the two stiffened and looked directly at the window. Nothing.

But then they heard the voice of their leader through the device attached to their ears.

"He’s out the back exit!" Bolt spoke, "Quill is already behind him. Zen, come along!"

"He’s following someone!" Quill spoke in between and Zen gave a nod to Killy before he leapt off the tree where they were perched and then ran in the direction of the back of the mansion.

Quill was shadowing Carlos this time, who was not quite running this time but had gotten a horse and was following another two horses that were moving away rapidly away from the estate.

"Who is he following?" Zen asked.

Quill frowned deeply, he had seen those two figures getting out from the dungeon along with a maid and a guard who then led them to the horses that were at the back gate. He surmised that these two were Earl Kirkland and the young Master of Valmest who were helped to escape and the Prince was now following them. But why alone?

"Quill, I’m getting horses, wait!" Zen shouted.

"No need, I can see him. They’re heading towards the forest, hurry up." Quill snapped back.

"Quill, maintain a safe distance. Don’t approach them at any cost, understand?" Bolt spoke.

"Yes," Quill responded.

Quill watched as the two figures rode into the forest followed by Carlos and he leapt down from the roof of the last building onto the branch of the tree closest and then moved with the skills one would see in an ape as he moved fluidly among the trees following his target.

"We’re in the forest!" Quill reported as he leapt from one branch to another.

"All right!" Bolt replied.

At one point, Quill watched the horses of the two in the front disappearing and he felt as if he would lose Carlos again but for his shock, Carlos’s horse slowed down a little. Quill hurried his pace, despite his legs and arms hurting and his lungs begging for some proper breath.

He pushed through and nearly caught up with Carlos who then sped up his horse.

After a few more minutes, the two horses stopped in a small clearing and so did Carlos’s. Quill came to a stop on one of the trees that fringed the clearing. He heaved heavy breaths as the sweat dripped from his chin and made his outfit stick to his body. He felt hot and cold as he clung to the tree’s bark as his legs trembled a little.

He watched silently as the duo got down from their horses and faced Carlos.

"You fool." Kirkland snapped, looking at Carlos.

"Why did you follow us here?" Matthis asked and then glanced behind Carlos, "and alone?"

"Don’t you see it? The Prince wants to bring us back." Kirkland laughed, "he thinks he’s strong."

Matthis looked a little wary but Kirkland smirked, "Foolish, brat. You think you can do anything you want? Just one week. Once Prince Eric wins the Trial you will be gone for good."

Carlos remained silent as he sat on his horse and Matthis held Kirkland’s arm.

"M-My Lord, please refrain from saying all this, it’s treason!" He hissed and Kirkland shoved Matthis away.

"Get off me, you runt! It’s because of you that this all happened!" Kirkland shouted at Matthis.

"Wh-Why is it my fault?!"

"It’s because you’re an idiot, why did you let Nyx send a letter to get support?"

"I-I-"

"You can’t even control that little wench and you think you can be a Baron?" Kirkland shouted making Matthis frown.

"I-It’s because of you though! If you hadn’t asked me to gamble again and again then I wouldn’t have-"

"Oh, so you think it’s my fault? What are you, five? That I coaxed you into gambling? You came to me, you came and begged me to let you gamble!" Kirkland sneered and Matthis started growing angry.

"You even foolishly gave away your Barony now, that proves how big of a moron you are!"

"Shut up!" Matthis shouted as he swung his arm aiming a punch at Kirkland but Kirkland stepped back and Quill saw a glint of silver before Kirkland stabbed Matthis in the side with a knife.

Matthis fell to the ground and Kirkland stood huffing and glaring at Matthis who writhed on the ground, groaning as the blood pooled from the gaping hole in his side.

"You little gremlin, you think you can take me down? I have brats like you for breakfast." Kirkland almost laughed before he looked at Carlos, the blood stained knife in his hand.

"Do you see how the real men work, brat? Now run back to your mother." Kirkland spoke with a mad grin on his face and Carlos who sat unfazed, got down from his horse.

Quill watched, ready to jump in if things looked dangerous for Carlos. The rest of the team hadn’t caught up yet, so he had to do it alone.

"Do you think you can take me down?" Kirkland laughed, "Try it."

Kirkland dropped into a stance while Carlos casually strolled closer to him. Quill’s body grew strained and he gripped the handle of his dagger.

Carlos glanced once at Matthis who was losing blood rapidly and groaning. Matthis watched him with glassy eyes and reached out to him.

"Help... me..." Matthis wheezed as the blood now started flowing from his mouth.

Carlos then glanced at Kirkland who was ready to take a swipe at him. But as soon as he stepped ahead, Quill watched as Carlos sidestepped, only his arm moving towards Kirkland.

Carlos gripped Kirkland’s wrist and twisted it sharply making Kirkland shout in pain as his fingers loosened the knife and Carlos grabbed the knife in a swift motion and within the next second, the knife was plunged into Kirkland’s chest.

Quill froze, it all happened so fast that Quill wondered if he really did see it or not. Carlos’s movements were as fast as a trained assassin or even better.

Kirkland let out a gurgled cough before Carlos shoved him away with the knife yanked away from the gaping hole in his chest. Kirkland stumbled back before he fell to the ground.

"You like running your mouth, don’t you? Your tongue must be quite long." Carlos said as he walked up to Kirkland and Quill craned his head to see what he was doing.

He heard Kirkland’s grunts and pain filled cries before Carlos stood back up, Quill saw something in his palm which resembled a chunk of bleeding meat. Quill’s stomach turned as he saw Kirkland coughing and retching in agony. Carlos had cut off his tongue.

Carlos then turned to Matthis who watched him with horror and Quill himself shuddered as he saw Carlos’s face. There was a strange expression on his face, a smile which looked like a devil’s.

Carlos then crouched near Matthis, "Your maid came to you to free you, didn’t she?"

Matthis who was half-dead at this point, coughed with a shocked expression.

"I sent them," Carlos said and then placed his hand over the blood that had pooled over Matthis.

Quill watched as Carlos brought his blood stained hand over to his face and inhaled deeply, a wide smile came over his face.

"It’s been a while since I smelled blood." He spoke and Quill frowned.

"Your... Highness..." Matthis whispered, tears glistening in his eyes.

Carlos then lifted the knife, "Don’t worry, I’ll put you out of your misery."

Quill watched stunned as Carlos brought the knife down into Matthis’s chest.

Everything was silent for a moment before Carlos stood up leaving the knife into Matthis’s body.

Kirkland wasn’t moving anymore and Matthis had also gone still.

Quill couldn’t believe his eyes. He had just seen the second Prince murder someone and so brutally at that. He didn’t even know that he was capable of that but now, he was sure, this was more than what he had thought of Carlos. His Master had told them to maintain distance from Carlos for this reason.

Carlos rose to his feet and then turned his head, and Quill stiffened as their eyes met. But instead of the scarlet eyes that Carlos should have, Quill saw pitch black eyes.

The corners of Carlos’s lips lifted in a mad grin and Quill felt as if he was in sight of a demon.