A/N: And it only gets lamer...

Chapter Fourteen

Rosalie's POV:

After I helped Emilia deliver a half-unconscious Liam to the gates of the palace, I walked back to my tent humming. It was death to any peasant who went inside the palace gates unless they were working there. But no matter what, life was so good. Liam actually loved me, even though he was about 50 social classes above me. He hadn't looked at me strangely and pushed me away when I lost my senses and actually kissed the Crown prince of Remalna.

But what was wrong with him? Liam thought that it was Alex, but it couldn't be. It just couldn't. I had the sneaking suspicion that it was a spell. But who could have cast it? I didn't know of anyone who knew magic, except the Court magicians. And they were all devoted to the royal family. If they did anything against the family, it was "off with his head," or "string her up!"

It was probably someone who hated Liam, and the only people that I could think of that would hate the prince were the thieves and beggars. And bullies. That thought led me to think about the way Alex had acted when he saw the prince. But then I dismissed the thought. Alex didn't know magic. Only people with the talent and who were in the upper classes could learn magic. Then I remembered that Alex had told me that he had been kicked out of his royal home in a neighboring kingdom when he was 15. Magic was a possibility for him, though he wouldn't have a full training. And what about that funny little set-up that I had spotted when I barged into his tent, looking for help for Liam? Didn't the Court magicians use signs and stuff, to help their magic?

But I couldn't focus all of my attention on Alex. Surely there were other suspects, too. But, try as I might, I just couldn't think of any! I knew no one that might have such a grudge against Liam so that they might try to kill him! I wouldn't even have Alex as a suspect, if I hadn't seen the way that he had acted when he saw Liam.

I needed comfort, so I went to my only available relative: Stefan. Of course, he was astonished at my predicament.

"You kissed the Crown prince? The Crown prince?" I was annoyed at the expression of shock on his face. Hurt, too.

"Well, what other Crown prince of Remalna is there? And he didn't seem to mind. In fact, he kissed me back!" As I said this, I blushed.

"All right, all right, I'm sorry. You can stop looking like your face is on fire now. So the prince is suspiciously sick. Who can you suspect?" I told him.

"Well, I can't say that it's unlikely. Alex has his motives, and he can probably have some of the training, too. I never liked Alex," said Stefan.

"So? What can I do about it?" I asked.

"Spy on him, and keep in contact with Emilia and the prince. Especially Emilia, if the prince's condition is anything like you say it is," I suspected that he had an alternative motive for saying this. And when he added, "Since you have me involved already, I may as well run messages from you to Emilia," I knew.

"Gee, thanks for all the help," I said sarcastically. Stefan held up his hands in defense.

"Okay. I'll help you in the hard stuff. Just promise me that you'll let me run the messages as well," he begged.

"I promise," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Good," he said. "Now go away. I'm tired and you're getting on my nerves.

As I left the tent I decided to get on with spying of Alex as soon as I could. And that meant that night. I sighed and thought of that old, annoying proverb: there's no time like the present. So I walked to Alex's tent and began spying through the back flap of the tent. He was checking on a diagram and seemed to be laughing inside. And that was when I realized that he was crazy. Absolutely stark raving mad. I had often thought of Alex as crazy before, but that had been affectionately. I didn't have any affection for him anymore.

Alex looked around him, as if he was listening for something. I ran away.