Alex gave an intrigued smile. He'd never thought William would suggest having sex right there in the library, with the risk of being discovered. Maybe William liked the thrill of doing something forbidden.
He dragged him to a more secluded area among the bookshelves, where there was a table and a few chairs.
He pushed William face-down onto the table, pinning him there.
"Is it all right if we do it like this?"
"No penetration, please!" William straightened his back and gave him a pleading look. "I beg you, I don't think I could take it."
"I won't. You have my word." Alex kissed his neck and laced the fingers of one hand with his. "Have I ever broken a promise?"
"No… never. I'm sorry, I panicked for a moment."
"Will, if you don't want to, just tell me. I don't want to do anything you don't truly desire."
"I do want to! I… I want it. By the spirits, I feel like I'm turning into a pervert, just like you."
Alex stifled a laugh against his shoulder. "I really like this bold side of you."
He unbuttoned William's trousers, lowered them just enough to free his cock, and stroked him. William's face flushed, eyes half-lidded. Alex's erection pressed hard, throbbing against the fabric.
"Fuck."
Alex slipped off William's robe and lifted his shirt, revealing his back. Then he lowered his own trousers and freed his erection.
"I'm not penetrating you, but I have an idea. You need to… raise your hips a bit more."
William went up on his toes. "Like this?"
"Yes. I've got you, don't worry."
Alex slid his cock between the mage's buttocks, wrapped an arm around his hips, and began to rub against him. William straightened his back and turned his head.
"Your Highness, you truly are shameless…"
"As if you weren't enjoying it…"
"My mouth…" A moan slipped from William's lips.
Alex leaned over him without slowing down. "Do you want me to kiss you?"
"No… cover my mouth… I don't want to be heard…"
The prince placed his hand over William's mouth, muffling his moans into barely audible whimpers.
The mage looked at him, his face flushed with arousal and his eyes brimming with pleasure. At that sight, a shiver ran through Alex.
"Oh, Will…"
He bit his shoulder, his hips thrusting against the mage's backside, the friction building his orgasm.
A dull thud made him jerk his head up.
He froze, panic icing the blood in his veins.
"Myrina…"
His sister, standing in front of them, raised both hands to her mouth, her eyes darting from his face to William sprawled face-down beneath him.
"I… I'm sorry!"
She ran off, and a moment later the door closed with a muffled bang.
She had seen them. She had been right there in front of them!
"I have to find her."
William caught him by the wrist. "You can't stop now."
"But my sister—"
"I beg you. I can't stay like this." He looked at him imploringly. "I'm so close it hurts."
"All right."
It wasn't what he wanted to do, but he couldn't leave William on the brink of orgasm. He didn't want to leave him alone to finish while he went to look for his sister.
Alex turned him around and knelt in front of him. He took him fully into his mouth, his eyes locked on the mage's. A few quick sucks and William came.
Alex swallowed, then stood up. "I need to find Myrina."
William leaned against the table, breathing heavily. "Are you sure you don't want to… finish?"
"I'm not in the mood right now."
"I'm sorry. I think it's my fault."
Alex shook his head and pulled William's trousers back up. "We were both reckless. But we were also lucky it was Myrina. Of course, I wish she hadn't seen us in that situation, but I know she won't tell anyone."
Even if she might be angry and disappointed with him.
"I have to look for her and make sure she's all right. And that she doesn't hate me."
"Do you want me to come too?"
"That would be best. At least with you there, we'll avoid arguing. And… it'll be easier to explain."
They left the library and searched for Myrina throughout the palace, but they couldn't find her.
It was as if she had vanished into thin air, and Alex grew more and more convinced that he had broken her heart. He had known she was lying when she said she didn't have a crush on William. She must have been in love with him, and seeing them together must have hurt her badly.
After searching for Myrina in the garden, Alex sank onto one of the benches and sighed.
"Fuck!" he snapped. "Where the hell did she go?"
"Your Highness, perhaps we should change tactics. I don't think running around the entire palace will help."
"You're just saying that because you're tired."
William shot him a glare. "Of course I'm tired. Try standing on your toes while you're…" He blushed. "Never mind. More importantly, is there a place that's particularly dear to her?"
"Why are you asking me?"
"Because sometimes, when we're nervous or sad, we take refuge in a place that makes us feel better. You, for example, always go to the Hall of Blades to practice with your sword."
"And where do you go?"
"Why do you want to know?"
"So I'll know where to look for you when you're sad. It's the library, isn't it?"
William lowered his gaze. "I'm happy around books, but I truly feel at ease somewhere else."
"You don't want to tell me?"
"I already told you—try to think about it." William crossed his arms over his chest. "So, does anything about your sister come to mind?"
Thinking about it now, there was a place where Myrina always hid when she was little. A secret place that only the two of them knew.
"I think I know where she is." He stood up. "Come."
Together, he and William returned to the palace and went up to the top floor, then headed to the northern tower, the oldest one.
He pushed a panel near the stairs leading to the top and slipped into the secret passage.
It was as cramped as he remembered, and the dust tickled his nose.
"Watch out for the cobwebs."
He walked along the narrow corridor until he reached a small room that had been unused for a long time. And sitting on the floor, with her legs pulled to her chest and her skirts covered in dust, was his sister, crying.
"Myri…"
She jerked her head up, her eyes wide, and scrambled to her feet. "Don't come any closer!"
"Please, can we talk about this?"
"Why should we?"
"Because you're upset, and it hurts me to see you like this."
"Of course I'm upset! I thought… I thought you didn't do those things. That you were a good person." A sob shook her shoulders. "I always defended you, I always said you were the best brother in the world, a kind prince who loved his people. But it was all just a lie."
Alex reached out toward her. "Myri, I'm sorry if I hurt you—"
William stepped past him and offered Myrina his palm. "Your Highness, can we—"
"Get away from him!" Myrina grabbed the mage by the wrist and pulled him toward herself, then placed herself between him and Alex. "You don't have to worry, William. I'll protect you."
Alex raised an eyebrow. What in the world was happening? This was a misunderstanding, right? His sister couldn't really think he would hurt Will.
"Myri, what are you talking about?"
"I saw you earlier. I… I didn't think you were the type to force yourself on others!"
"Force myself?"
"You disgust me!"
"Disgust you? Hey, wait a second, there's been a misunderstanding!"
"What misunderstanding? You had a hand over his mouth! You had him pinned against a table!" Her voice trembled again. "How could you do that to William? Even if he rejected you, you have no right to take whatever you want!"
"I didn't reject him," William said.
Myrina looked up at him. "What?"
The mage gave her a gentle smile and offered her his hand again. "Your Highness, what do you say we step outside and clear up this misunderstanding?"
His sister blushed, then gave a sharp nod and slipped back into the passage. Alex watched her leave.
"What's gotten into her?"
"I think she believed you were forcing yourself on me."
"And how did she get that idea?"
"Your sister has a vivid imagination, and… I think she was influenced by the novel I lent her."
Alex shot him a glare. "Stop lending inappropriate books to my sister."
"It's not inappropriate."
"She practically accused me of raping you!"
"Ah, well, I think it would've happened even if I hadn't lent her the book." William lowered his gaze; his cheeks were red even in the dim light of the room. "She's still young and very romantic. I think she has a somewhat idealized view of how relationships between adults work."
"And isn't that better? I'd rather she keep believing that love is something pure."
"But if you put yourself in her place, it's only natural that the scene she witnessed upset her. Seeing her own brother looming over another man and keeping a hand pressed over his mouth, while…" William swallowed. "I mean, it's understandable that she might think it wasn't consensual."
"But I'm her brother!"
How could she have thought he would hurt someone?
"Maybe that's exactly what hurt her so deeply. The idea that her beloved brother could make another person suffer. Your sister has a very sensitive nature, even if she's impulsive like you."
Alex rubbed his forehead. "Maybe you're right. Let's clear up this misunderstanding."
They reached Myrina just outside the secret passage. His sister's skirt was covered in dust, and the makeup around her eyes was slightly smudged from her tears.
Alex held out a hand to her and smiled. "Myri, would you like to talk for a bit?"
His sister sniffed, nodded, and took his hand.