Felix Carter’s arrest was kept secret. It’s an obvious clue that the royal family wants to keep the poisoning incident away from the public. Why is it kept a secret? How many know about him outside of the people during the time it happened? However, the attack on Izzy’s coming of age was done publicly and Harold Gloss's arrest was known to anyone who read the Kingdom’s newspaper.

I don’t know what to say to Daniel. He’s most likely going to ask me about Felix and I don't know if I could tell him anything that I now know. Something like this is not a decision I could make on my own, so I turn to the first person I could think of for help.

“Louise,” I call him to attention from where he was making my bed. I was about to go to bed, the sun having long set, leaving the stars surrounding the moon.

My ninth birthday celebration will happen in less than a week, and it seemed like a good amount of time to make up a decision, but I was hesitant to even think about how I would speak to Daniel.

“Yes, My Prince?” Louis replied, stopping in his track and standing straight to hear me at full attention.

“Daniel Garter,” There was hesitation heard from my voice as I spoke, but I forced myself to ask, “What should I tell him?” I didn’t have to explain what I was asking for. Louise would easily understand.

As I expected, he took in my words and his head jerked a little in understanding. “The matter of Felix Carter will have to remain private as it is.” He simply replied.

“Yes, but I had told him I would inform him of anything I could find out about Felix Carter.”

“Those are merely words, My Prince. You have no responsibilities in holding up your words to Sir Daniel.” He says before taking a hold of the thin blanket and spreading it out with a quick flourish. The wind from the action ruffles my hair and suddenly, the tiredness of myself becomes clear. “Sleep now, My prince. If you must continue to ask about this matter, we’ll speak about it tomorrow.”

I shuffle over and relax on my bed. The fresh coolness of the pillow makes me blink slowly and I trail my gaze after Louise who goes to shut the lights. Before I know it, my eyes shut, taking my mind into unconsciousness and somewhere beyond.

*****

“Elliot,” The voice seemed far away, like a distant call from a hallway. “It’s actually here!”

“Let me see.” This second voice, I can tell that it’s mine. But it’s older, deeper. My old voice.

My vision shows me the shelves of book overtaking the place. A library. I was scanning the fourth shelf of a stand near the entrance whose genre took you to the many books focusing on the worlds of fantasy. My eyes narrow onto a certain book with a familiar title, a book I named myself. I took it from its place on the stand, “It’s actually here.” I murmured, a tinge of euphoria filling my tone.

“I just said that.” The other person laughed. His voice was no longer distant but right next to my ear. It was no surprise, the other person had his head resting on my shoulder and was looking down at the book with me.

I shrugged him off and turned towards him, my eyes still trained on the book in my hands “This is awesome.” I said breathlessly.

“I know.” Suddenly the book was snatched away and I snap my gaze to the other person. Dark hair and emerald eyes - Daniel. My Daniel. “Come on, I’ll be the first to buy it.”

“You already have a copy at home.”

“That was just sent from the publishing firm, it’s not the same as buying one. Oh, and you're signing it too.”

I sighed. Exasperated but happy. “Are you actually going to read it?”

“Why not? Is there something written in here that you don’t want me to read.”

I could feel the beginning of my face flushing. “No,” I say, but there was no strength behind it.

“You’re lying.”

“If you’re going to read the book then you’ll find out anyway. I don’t want to say it. It’s really embarrassing.” I say before I try to take the book back, but he held it tight in his grip.

“Oh come on, just say it.”

“No,” I pull harder on the book.

“Elliot, really.” I still and stare at him, taken aback by the sudden seriousness of his tone, “I hate when you don’t tell me things. Even if it’s just a detail in a book, I don’t like it.”

*****

I wake up with a vague remembrance of my dream. More of a memory I just dreamt about. I lay in my bed, half awake, the sun just starting to rise above the horizon. But I was clearly aware of why it felt wrong to not say anything to Daniel Garter about Felix.

“He’s not Daniel,” I say mutedly. “He’s not him,” I whisper. “He’s a child. Different. He’s not Daniel. Not my Daniel.”