The Clueless Prince

Chapter 3: Partners In Crime

Heath continued to add pressure, watching "Rael" struggle more and more. He didn't allow faux Rael to speak because it didn't matter what he had to say. The imposter somehow infiltrated the castle and copied Rael's manner. How'd he manage to get past the elder trees? Heath's eyes narrowed. He had to find out how 'Rael' had gotten past the castle's best security.

Rael's face was nearly white from the lack of color when Heath let go of him. He slumped to the ground, breathing loudly as he desperately inhaled the air his lungs were crying for. But Heath wouldn't let him. He picked Rael up again and slammed him to the wall, causing the latter to gasp from the pain.

"Can you—"

"Speak. How did you infiltrate the castle?"

"Infiltrate...? What?" Rael stopped his wincing to give Heath a dumb look.

"Don't play dumb with me. You were somehow able to perfectly replicate Rael and even his mannerism. Had I not noticed how strange you were acting, I'd be fooled like the rest. Now speak, how did you get past the elder trees?" Heath smoothly lied as he restrained Rael to the wall.

"You? Noticed how strange I was acting?" Rael snorted. Heath frowned. Why was he laughing? Did he not understand the situation he was in? Heath would alert the guards as soon as the infiltrator decided to speak and would promptly be executed for committing a crime as severe as breaking into holy grounds.

"I don't know how you figured it out, or why you're lying about it, but I'm not Rael." Heath tensed as he applied more pressure against 'Rael'. The boy winced again but let out a smile. "However, I am Rael." Heath paused. He waited for something, a sign, but there was no reaction. His eyes widened.

"You... How can you bypass lies?"

"It's not a lie though." Rael proceeded to lie and mix truths into the mix. "I'm Rael but I'm not him. I'm here by accident, and I hate your guts." Heath felt the goosebumps rise when he spoke the last sentence. He stared at Rael with confusion. And he let go of him.

"Who... who are you? And where is Rael?" Rael massaged his bruised upper body and sighed. "I told you, I'm him."

"No, you're not. Rael— you— Rael doesn't hate me."

"You're quite confident in that after you nearly killed me." Rael raised an eyebrow.

"And I'll do it again if you don't give me a proper answer." Heath sneered. Rael closed his mouth and frowned. He opened the door to his room.

"Follow me then, I don't want to talk in the open." Heath narrowed his eyes. He looked around the corridor. He felt his earring and twisted it. Even if this was a trap, he could survive it for a minute. It only took seconds to alert the elder trees or guards.

Heath took a deep breath and walked in.
——

"Sweetie, mother loves you just as much as my children." Lie.

The woman picked the little boy up and cradled him. She smiled sweetly as she began talking to him, assuring him how much she cared for him. But the boy wasn't listening. He could only hear one word on repeat in his head as the woman spoke.

"You'll be a great ruler someday. You're just six years old and already this smart. I'm happy to be your new mother. I love you."

Lie. Lie. Lie. Lie.

He burst into tears at her last sentence. The woman groaned and put him down. She called for her husband and pointed at him. "That boy keeps crying whenever I try to talk to him. Is he scared of me? Why doesn't he accept me already?" The king looked at the crying boy.