Diamante | SVT

XLI

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Soonyoung should have not agreed to go with Junhui when he specifically begged for his company and not Mingyu's when the younger was always his tandem. 

He groans as the armory makes his movements more restricted. The heat slowly getting into his head, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. He tries to steady his breathing when a royal guard passes by, the Ruby Kingdom's insignia on his shoulder.

When the guard turns left and out of the view, he lifts his feet and kicks the armor beside him, almost making it topple over and he hears a curse thrown his way.

"Move, you shit!"

Removing the helmet to reveal his hair matted, he looks left and right and strips off the armor. Junhui follows him, slipping them silently as they could and places them back the way they are before.

The older prince pulls him, rushing to the stairs leading to the King's study room. Seeing no one guarding the place makes Junhui raise a brow but he didn't mind, placing an ear over the door to listen for movements with Soonyoung on standby.

When he detects no sign on the other side, he pushes it open to reveal it empty, everything was in its place. His father might be still in the throne room so they must search quickly and flee the castle.

"What are we looking for?" Soonyoung asks, moving over to the King's table, crouching down and opening the drawers, making sure not to make a mess of the documents and letters on it.

"Remember the written symbols on the spine of the book? Father has one of those but I don't know where he kept it."

"So we have to look for every nook and cranny of this place?"

Soonyoung roams his eyes all over the study room, it was tidy, too neat and in order. He walks his way around the table, to the line of portraits on the wall, tilting them to side and pushing it up.

"I'm guessing your Father has a secret room or passage in here somewhere."

Junhui reflects the other alpha's action, lifting the couch and peaks under it. Then to the potted plants, checking underneath. The drawers have been rummaged and there wasn't anything there. Soonyoung was on the display shelf, plucking the miniature objects and inspecting them one by one.

Junhui lets out a frustrated sigh, maybe his memory was wrong, that it wasn't the study room. But if he is wrong, then they have to search through the whole castle and it would take months to look for whatever he is finding. Why is he so invested over a book, he doesn't know why. He could leave it alone or give it back to his betrothed's attendant. Somehow there is this voice in the back of his head telling him to do so.

Pinching the bridge of his nose to suppress a groan, he steps to where Soonyoung is, standing over his Father's table, a hand on chin as if thinking.

"Nothing?" He asks the older, seeing his brows pinched in annoyance.

"No."

Soonyoung hums, eyes set on the floor this time, "Junhui, you see that?"

The older looks at where he's pointing, "What about it?"

Soonyoung says nothing as he kneels down the tile, noticing the slight dent at the side, big enough for him to slot a finger in it. So he does, and pulls the tile up. Something creaks on their left and they look to see the display shelf slowly moving to the side.

"Hoshit!"

Another shelf appears into view, dusty and the wood seems to be torn, their were five books on display, seemingly old, the pages were wrinkled and yellow. Junhui shuffles forward, about to search for it when thudding footsteps could be heard outside the hall. They look at each other, panicking.

"We have to get out, now!" Soonyoung whisper yells at him, tugging on his shoulder as he points at the window to make their exit.

Junhui grabs all the books, and pulls the shelf back on place to clear the evidence. The younger opens the window and whistles for his cloud. He jumps first, as the older throws the books for him to catch, closing the window. He stands on the edge and jumps just in time the door opens, his Father's voice echoing through the room.

"What?! How did that happen?!"

Junhui signals for the younger to wait as he strains his ears to listen at what his Father is talking about.

"I don't know either, your Highness." The voice of his Father's adviser says, "No one expected such a thing to happen, if Prince Seungcheol wasn't there, who knew what would happen to Prince Jisoo."

Both Soonyoung and Junhui turn to each other, eyes going wide at what they hear.

"But who would do such a thing to the princes?"

"The Queen has already set guards to inspect the castle, your Majesty."

"Is Prince Soonyoung not leading?"

Said prince curses under his breath, staring at the older with frantic eyes, trying to tell him that they should get going.

"Maybe he is. We should be glad no one is harmed and pray for Prince Seungcheol's recovery."

"What was the cause?"

"An arrow was fired and he was shot on his shoulders, it would have been easy for the healers if it was an ordinary wound but apparently there was poison on it."

Junhui gasps as Soonyoung grits his teeth, telling the older they should leave before the castle guards sees them.

The cloud moves back up to the skies, Soonyoung commanding it to fly faster, the older grips on the cloud tightly, as they whirl their way, clutching the books on his arms. 

"There was an attack?" Junhui shouts, the wind making his words muffled but the younger heard it clearly. "I think so and Seungcheol hyung got hurt."

"But who would do such a thing?"

"I don't know but we need to get back to the kingdom. I'm gonna join in the investigation and capture the culprit." Soonyoung says, voice laced with unsheathed anger, one of his friends was hurt and he wouldn't let it pass. God knows what will happen if it was his betrothed.

"Yeah." Junhui trails, eyes on the books he's holding. Guess this has to wait. First things first is to get back to the kingdom and help.

'I hope Prince Minghao is fine.'