The main entrance then? It didn’t solve the problem of the guards on the other side. The Dragon or the Prince could warn them at any time. Cassandra was trying to gauge their options quickly, but no good idea came to mind, and Missandra was terribly quiet too.
“What the hell are you doing here, you two idiots?!”
Cassandra sighed internally. It was too late.
Both sisters turned around, to find the Fourth Prince standing there. Opheus was very much like his brothers. Tall, with long black hair and fine musculature under his open shirt. His only marking trait was his strikingly blue eyes, both delicately circled by black ink. He was probably the most handsome of all the Imperial Brothers, but he was making a sour face at the moment with his arms crossed. The long gold earring on his left ear kept dangling as he shook his head.
“Sorry, Your Highness,” said Cassandra, bowing instinctively. “We will leave and...”
“Oh, don’t you dare act like that! I recognized you, White Witch!” retorted Opheus.
Cassandra went white under her make-up. She had the feeble hope that he wouldn’t recognize her, as she didn’t recognize him either, until two seconds ago. It seemed impossible to pretend to be two clueless maids now.
The Prince let out a dramatic sigh.
“You are all driving me nuts here! Darling, I have a good memory for faces, and even if you were as skinny and bleached as a skeleton back then, I still vividly remember the unfashionable slave girl Kairen went nuts about! Lephys may have hundreds of his little whores, I don’t care. But the one lady that proved my older brother wasn’t just a monk with a sword, despite his questionable tastes, that one I remember!”
Cassandra was utterly speechless. She hadn’t expected the Prince to have such a... colorful personality. Until then, he had only been described as someone with a lazy and easily bored personality. It was apparently more about his attitude. At least, it didn’t seem like he had given any alerts yet.
Unsure of what to say, Cassandra glanced Missandra’s way. However, to her surprise, Missandra was nervously chuckling, focused on the Fourth Prince’s face. He noticed it too, and clicked his tongue, pouting his lips.
“You can stop staring like that, darling. We are not playing on the same level.”
“I know you,” suddenly said Missandra with a snicker. “You’re the Minstrel in Gold!”
“Oh,” said Opheus, raising an eyebrow.
Cassandra was completely lost. What was her younger sister talking about? The Prince himself didn’t seem very surprised, but his expression had completely changed after Missandra had said that. Cassandra turned to her, trying to understand what the hell she was talking about.
“Linue?” she called her.
“This Prince was a regular in the Red District!” exclaimed Missandra. “He was only known as the Minstrel in Gold, because his name was unknown and he always came dressed with lots of gold jewelry, and would always write stupid poems to his lovers.”
“Stupid poems? Watch your mouth, you little bitch! I’m a lyricist, and everyone always says I have a lot of talent!”
“Yeah, let me guess, Your Highness, they’re the same people to whom you generously give your gold to whenever they say that?” retorted Missandra with a snicker.
“Wait,” said Cassandra. “You know him from the Red District?”
“Well, not all the workers are female,” explained Missandra with a shrug.
“Oh...”
Cassandra hadn’t thought of that. It did make sense though. The Fourth Prince probably wasn’t given the kind of entertainment he wanted in the Imperial Palace. She clearly remembered his siblings talking about his lack of interest for his Concubines, despite his mother’s desperate attempts to have him give birth to an heir. Well, now that explained a lot.
Cassandra gave a little glance, but the dragon outside was still there, patiently watching. So they weren’t in danger with it so far. Opheus flipped his hair over his shoulder.
“I was wondering what my darling had found here, but it turns out, it’s just you two. You are quite stupid for coming back here, though. Do you have any idea what Vrehan wants to do to you? That psycho seriously went crazy this time.”
“What about you?” asked Missandra. “You don’t look like you’re about to report us.”
“Oh, please, do you think I care about my brothers’ stupid games?”
“This isn’t a game,” retorted Cassandra, almost shocked. “They are killing each other! Prince Sephir died!”
Opheus rolled his eyes.
“He was unfortunate to have been born first, yes. But me? I’m the one that nobody gives a shit about. Honestly, I’m quite content with that.”
