Nothing Left to Lose

Jalen

There is no doubt in my mind that Neylon Trey is the man who had shown up in my room earlier that evening.

As soon as I saw him enter the dining room, I recognized that mop of orange hair and chocolate eyes. He was even more gorgeous without the mask. He had pale skin, like a porcelain doll, cheeks just slightly pink. He tried to act cool and collected, but I could see just how nervous he was by the way his hands shook and his mouth twitched.

And now he was in front of me, avoiding eye contact and instead glaring at the apple tart in front of him. I felt a slight surge of power, knowing that I had trapped him like an animal.

Leaning forward and putting my chin in my hand, I asked, "So why are you here, Neylon?"

He scoffed, trying to hide it with a bite of the tart, but it was evident by the way he glared at everything but me. "I don't know what you mean," He lied. "I'm here because the royals wanted to talk to me, Prince." He spat the word, but I paid no mind to it.

Instead, I stood to me feet, clomping over to sit beside him. When I was close enough, I leaned in so my mouth was so close to his ear that they were almost touching. "I know who you are, Neylon." He flinched but didn't move. "I won't tell anyone if you'll just admit it."

I saw Neylon look sharply at me, jaw locked in place. "It's not like I do it for fun," He hissed quietly. Once again, triumph bolted through every part of my body.

"Then why do you do it?" I coaxed.

His fists clenched in his lap. "There are people out there who struggle just to eat. While you," He spat venomously, "have food on your table and more money than you can even fathom."

My jaw went slack. So he's not actually just stealing for money? "So you..."

"Help people live."

My throat became constricted with some weird emotion that was unfamiliar to me. I cleared my throat, putting a hand on his shoulder. It felt nice under my palm. "Come to my bedchamber every night," I said before blushing at how it sounded. "I mean, so I can help."

I could see him bristle at the combination of my words and my touch. He was like a hostile cat. "I don't need your help," He snarled, eyes glaring knives into my own. But I wasn't scared. I knew that he would never touch me in the sanctity of my own home.

That's why I glared back with as much force as he had. "It does not matter, Fox," I told him. "The fact that matters is that I will help whether you like it or not. Unless you wish for your secret to be outed for everyone to know."

He grew completely quiet. If he had fur, I imagined it lying flat on his shoulders again. But it didn't change the deadly look in his brown eyes.

"Let me help," I continued gently. I couldn't fathom why I even wanted to. I'm helping a wanted man take the possessions of my family. And for what cause? To help the poor afford their next meal?

Neylon cast a look at me, one that made my heart do a strange stutter. He looked wounded, with a gentle frown and unreadable eyes. "My mother would be angry if I took an ally, especially a Royal."

I blinked. His mother?

But then he continued. "I guess she's not here, though." I grinned at his statement, but he returned the look with a grim frown. "I'm only doing this to avoid my death."

I didn't listen, though, because I didn't care. I was helping him save lives. I was doing something with my life. I stood up, forcing the red-haired thief to do the same. "You're good to go," I told him, smiling victoriously. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

He grunted in reply, once again avoiding my gaze as I escorted him to the front doors of the castle. Without another word to me, he left. And I let him.

* * *

I woke up as the sun started to rise in the sky. It cast long rays onto my closed eyes, making me groan and wish I could murder the bright ball of fire.

Sighing, I opened my eyes and rolled out of bed, running a hand through my messy black hair. I was putting on a nice shirt that matched my eyes when Isabella came in. Apparently she was staying here for around a week so we could get "fully acquainted," as my parents suggested.

She grinned at me, perfectly white teeth glimmering with the sun. "Good morning, Jalen," She said. Her figure was dressed in a petal pink gown that flowed to her knees, a white shawl draping over her shoulders, and white high-heeled boots that went halfway up her foreleg.

"Good morning, Princess," I greeted, yawning. I flicked the hair from my eyes so I could see her. "What brings you here so early?"

She strode over to me, heels clacking heavily on the marble floor until she was sitting on my bed, looking at me curiously. "I came to ask how the interrogations went. There were three last night, correct?"

I nodded. "Yes, Lester Washton, Timothy Sill, and Neylon Trey." I shivered at the mention of his name, blaming it on a sudden chill.

"Neylon?" Isabella asked, sort of laughing. "That's a strange name."

Once again, I nodded. For some reason, it bothered me how she said his name. It made my stomach twist in the most unpleasant way.

"Did you find any information?"

Besides the fact that I found out the identity of the most wanted man in every kingdom? "Not really," I replied, sitting next to her. "One guy said he thought he saw the impostor adorned with a white mask."

She gasped, eyes wide. "White mask? But that would mean..."

"I don't think it's Fox," I interrupted, heart pounding at the thought of him. "There isn't enough evidence, and we all know that he isn't easily caught." And yet, I still caught him.

Isabella sighed, seeming disappointed. "I supposed you're right..."

"I'm almost positive," I told her, lying smoothly. But why would I lie for him?

She shook her head, flinging brown hair this way and that. "Okay, well, it's time for breakfast. So continue getting ready." Without another word, she clacked back out of my room, mahogany door slamming behind her.

My teeth clenched together, pressing my lips into a thin white line. I was frustrated, knowing that I was wrong in hiding the identity of Neylon from my family. But the fact that he was, indeed, giving all of his findings to the less fortunate, never keeping anything for himself, just makes me want to protect him.

I slapped myself on the forehead multiple times, trying to get the thought of him out of my head. If he's not thinking about me, I shouldn't think about him, right?"

Slipping a silky white tie around my neck, I reopened my door and started down the hall so I could eat breakfast with my family. As I passed the many maids and servants, they stopped what they were doing to murmur, "Prince," and bow. Even though I was used to this treatment, I wished it all away with an annoyed flick of my eyebrow.

When I stepped into the dining room, my stomach churned with anxiety as soon as I saw the smiling faces of the king and queen. I was considered as a traitor to my own family. Whether they knew it or not.

My eldest sister, Rayne, looked worriedly at me with baby blue eyes that were outlined in long black lashes. Her gold hair shimmered in the rising sun. "Are you okay, Jalen?" She asked when my butt hit the chair.

I shrugged. "I'm fine, just tired." All conversation stopped suddenly as soon as Isabella walked in. She looked beautiful as always and I wondered how she did it this early in the morning.

"Hello, Isabella," My mother greeted warmly. Her eyes flickered over to me as if pleading me to marry the poor girl.

Isabella gave them all a good morning before taking her spot next to me, earning me a pointed look from my mother.

I pretended to ignore it, not in the mood to deal with her matchmaking right now. Food appeared in front of me, and I ate it without taste, putting a muffing into my pocket for Neylon. Surely he wouldn't mind it a bit squished.

Isabella shot me a strange look, like she was questioning my actions, but only brought it up when we were away from everyone. "Why are you acting like that, Jalen?" She demanded.

I glared at her. "I don't know what you mean."

"Don't act like that! You're being secretive and you know it!"

Now, I'm going to be completely honest. The way that Isabella was bossing me around like she was my mother made my heart burst into angry flames, ready to burn anyone who got in my way. I was tired of being ordered around like a little kid. If I was going to be ruling this kingdom one day, I wanted to be treated like it. "It's none of your bloody business, Isabella!" I practically shouted, pushing past her so I could make my way into my bedchamber.

Maybe that way, I could sulk alone while I got my thoughts sorted.