Unlike the others, Carlos couldn't bring himself to do more than pick at the overwhelming amount of food in front of them. Appetite killed by the unfamiliar location and so many people, Carlos stayed silent and took advantage of the opportunity to study the prince.

The prince was strange. He'd watched them as if he was actually looking at them. Trying to take in every detail of them. It made Carlos's skin prickle and he fidgeted with the sleeves of his shirt, hating the feel of it. No one was supposed to pay him any attention. They were supposed to watch Mal and Evie and Jay while he watched their backs and worked in the shadows. But Ben had looked at him. At least the prince seemed to have forgotten Carlos was there as he spoke with Evie and Mal.

That was another strange thing about him; he wasn't afraid of them. His voice never trembled. His eyes never darted away or dropped to the floor. Instead, he met Mal's gaze. But he didn't act like he was better than them either. Other than an incredibly stupid question, he'd acted as if they were his equals. Or close enough to warrant this level of interaction. Hell, he'd even bowed to them. On the ship, Evie had tried to teach them the absolute basics of proper etiquette. They bowed to the prince. The prince nodded or gave them a shallow bow in return.

This prince hadn't done that. He wasn't acting the way he was supposed to. It didn't make any sense.

Maybe strange wasn't the right word. Maybe something like baffling or bizarre suited him better. Because who in their right mind thought of the Isle of the Lost as part of their home? Let alone any kind of home. Willing, wanting, to face the very people who had banished the villains and speak in defense of those same villains' kids was…was…He didn't have a word for it.

When Mal looked at them, asking what they thought, all he could do was press his lips together. He didn't know what he thought. If this was real, they had nothing to lose. If it wasn't, it didn't matter. They couldn't find a way to break the barrier if they were sent back to the Isle. Which wasn't an option. Brushing his fingers over the curse, Carlos swallowed a whimper. Jay didn't like it, but like Carlos, he agreed that they didn't have a choice. Evie was a little more optimistic. She'd always been the one to try to believe in something good. Somehow the Isle hadn't broken that part of her. As dangerous as it was, he hoped she never lost it.

Thankfully the conversation ended when Mal agreed to work with the prince.

After that it wasn't long before the meal was done. At least he thought it was done. Apparently, the prince had included something called dessert for after the meal. They'd already gone through enough food to hold over the pirate crew for two weeks and there was still more to eat?

Servants set plates in front of them with triangular slices of something brown called chocolate cake in front of them. The prince didn't hesitate and after Mal tried a bite and didn't spit it out, her eyes widening in surprise, Evie and Jay followed her example. Curious, Carlos poked it with a fork. It was soft, giving under the pressure and breaking into a bite sized piece, and glistened a little as if damp.

Hesitating, Carlos took a bite.

A flavor richer than anything he'd ever eaten before flooded his senses. It was sweet, deliciously sweet, and smooth, like it was melting on his tongue. There was almost a warmth to it. It was what he'd think happiness and freedom would taste like, feel like.

He didn't realize he'd made a sound until he felt the prince's gaze. Immediately he lowered his head and closed his mouth, horrified that his lips had parted in awe. He'd drawn attention to himself. Already he could hear Evie asking the prince a question to pull his focus away from Carlos and he bit his lip. Jay shifted, arm grazing his shoulder. It was okay. It was okay. Everything was fine.

Biting his lip, he eyed the cake. With an effort, he pushed the plate away. Only for Jay to push it back and let their fingers brush. When he hesitated, wary of how easily the dessert had broken his guard, Jay repeated the gesture and Mal's toe tapped his shin. Evie would keep the prince distracted. He could eat without risking anything.

Lips quirking into a faint smile, Carlos bumped his shoulder against Jay's arm and tapped Mal's foot. Then he allowed himself to eat the best thing in the world. The chances of him ever eating chocolate cake again didn't even exist, so he closed his eyes and savored each bite, trying to commit the taste to memory. Even when he knew he was fuller than he'd ever been, he continued to eat until there weren't even crumbs left.

"I hope the meal was to your liking," Prince Ben said as he rose. Servants fluttered around the table gathering their plates and the food they hadn't eaten or tucked away for later; there was too much for them to eat without getting sick and only the rolls carried nicely. If Prince Ben had noticed, he hadn't said anything. Carlos suspected the prince was completely oblivious since he'd actually finished his entire meal. As if that much food was normal. Mal's words from the carriage came to mind and Carlos's jaw tightened. So much excess when he and all the other islanders fought for what wouldn't even be considered scraps here.

At his side, Jay caught his eye and shook his head. They couldn't let Ben see and of all of them, Carlos's emotions were impossible to truly hide.

"It was absolutely lovely, Your Highness," Evie smiled with a curtsey. "A true feast after traveling so long."

"Please, call me Ben. All the other students do," Ben told her, his smile wide and friendly. When Evie hesitated, the prince added, "We're classmates first here. And I prefer to leave my title aside in my personal life."

Carlos watched Evie's fingers twitch, her brow crease for less than a second. The prince noticed nothing; he didn't know them.

Smile turning shy, Evie peered at Prince Ben through her lashes. "Ben, then."

Brown eyes somehow lighting up even more, Prince Ben nodded and looked at the rest of them. "Excellent. Come with me. Doug should already be here. If you can't get a hold of me, he can help you with whatever you need, or get me involved if needed."

Carlos didn't recognize the name from any previous conversations, so Doug was probably one of the personal friends Prince Ben had mentioned. They'd find out soon enough as they followed Prince Ben back into the maze of hallways—it would take over a day to clean them all and that was just the hallways—and out the main entrance.

Three people stood beside a carriage, its door still open, chatting. A man that looked around Jay's age but shorter. An older man with thick brown hair held back in a ponytail. An older woman beside the man with slightly darker brown hair and odd wrinkles around her eyes and mouth.

The older adults wore crowns.