The Secret Prince by Violet Haberdasher

Author:Violet Haberdasher
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Aladdin
Published: 2011-11-22T22:00:00+00:00

17

THE MASQUER ADE BEGINS

Adam made a face and peered skeptically at the bottle of medicine. “How much should we take?” he asked.

Henry glanced up from his desk, where he was flipping through the index to their medicine textbook. “I don’t know. I can’t find anything about emetics in here.”

“A sip should do it,” Rohan said in a rather long-suffering manner. “I had to take some when I ate poisonous berries off Father’s estate as a child. Although I should warn you, you’ll feel horrible after.”

“That’s the plan,” Henry said, closing his textbook.

“Is this really necessary?” Rohan asked.

“Yes,” Henry and Adam said.

“No, not the ipecac syrup,” Rohan said. “The envoy. What if Lord Havelock’s there? What if someone recognizes you?”

“No one’s going to recognize us,” Henry said confidently. “Servants are as good as invisible. Besides, Adam and I were banned from the Inter-School Tournament last term, so no one should know us at Partisan, either. I hope.”

“Just because Frankie’s run off doesn’t mean you should as well,” Rohan said, and sniffed.

“This isn’t about Frankie,” Henry said. “It’s about doing what we can to prevent a war, or at least to prepare for it.”

“I’m with Henry, mate,” Adam said. “No one ever won a war by sitting and waiting for it to happen.”

“Do what you wish. I want no part of it,” Rohan said primly, standing up. “I’m going to supper before anyone thinks I’ve caught what you two have.”

“What?” Adam asked, and then helpfully pantomimed vomiting. “You mean that?”

“Actually, I was referring to your ridiculous need to meddle with things that are better left untouched.” And with that, Rohan slammed the door.

Henry bit his lip. He’d thought Rohan would come around, like he always had. It hurt that Rohan didn’t approve of their plan, but then, Rohan rarely approved of anything these days besides cricket or schoolwork.

“Do you think we’re making a mistake?” Henry asked.

Adam shook his head. “No, but I think Rohan is. He should support us. We’re his friends.”

“It doesn’t feel like it,” Henry said dryly.

“He’s probably just upset at being left behind.”

“We can’t take him to the Nordlands,” Henry said. “And it’s not as though he’s begging to come.”

“Actually, mate, I meant if Lord Havelock expels us.”

“Oh,” Henry said. “I didn’t think of that.”

But now that he did, it made an odd sort of sense. He could just imagine how much Rohan would loathe being the lone commoner at the academy, especially considering how sensitive he was about the label.

“We should probably, you know,” Adam said, nodding toward the bottle of ipecac syrup.

“Right.” Henry twisted open the bottle. “Bottoms up,” he muttered, taking a swig. He made a face and passed the bottle to Adam.

“L’Chayim,” Adam said, swallowing. “Ugh, that’s awful.”

“Not as awful as what’s to come,” Henry said darkly, fumbling to remove his tie and roll up his shirtsleeves. “Come on, before it kicks in.”

Twenty minutes later Henry picked himself up from the floor of the toilets with a groan. He was pale, clammy, and shaking.

“Adam?” he croaked.

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