Dayander followed Mouse out. In the hallway, he sighed and shot Mouse a look. “You’ve made no friends among the human royalty.”
“Ah, well. As long as I assist Felix to prominence, it won’t matter.”
“Don’t dismiss humanity so easily. They’re a powerful race, politically, if not physically, moreso with the Mage-Emperor in play.”
Mouse sighed. “Reginald is a piece of shit and Sabelyn hated me before she laid eyes on me. What am I supposed to do?”
Long eyebrows lent Dayander’s face a mournful air, moreso when he lifted their inner corners. “I cannot tell you that, but you cannot keep aggravating them like this. It bodes poorly for you, for your sister, and worse, for the entirety of Soanna.”
Pausing, Mouse rubbed his temples. “I know. I’ll try to get back on Sabelyn’s good side. That much should still be possible.”
Dayander nodded. “That should—”
“Mouse!”
Felix’s voice rang out. Mouse turned and curtseyed. Dayander patted his shoulder and wandered off, leaving the two alone.
Jogging over to Mouse, Felix bent over and caught his breath for a moment. Tossing golden-brown curls out of his eyes, he turned puppy-dog eyes on Mouse. “I’m sorry about messing things up. I wanted to help.”
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“No, I—I appreciate the effort,” Mouse said. Big brown eyes, shiny hair… in his mind’s eye, Felix turned into a massive husky puppy, face upturned to its owner after it was caught snitching from the larder, just like his dogs back home. His fingers itched to tousle those curls, pet the dog and tell him everything was okay.
He shook his head, banishing the illusion. That’s the Mage-Emperor, not a puppy!
Felix hung his head. The illusion of the dog lowered its head and drooped its ears. “I can’t seem to do anything right.”
Mouse clapped him on the shoulder. Felix looked up, and their eyes met. “Let me help you. I have experience with nobility and court intrigue, a hundred and nin—eighty years of it. I can make you a true Emperor, not just one in name.”
Felix cast his eyes to the side and shrugged off Mouse’s hand. “I appreciate it, but… it’s not possible. I’m just a peasant. I can’t rule like the king can. I don’t know how.”
“You can. You can, you just need a little help,” Mouse insisted.
“You really think so?” Felix asked. Something like hope welled up from the depths of his eyes. The pup in his head hung its tongue and smiled at him with shining eyes.
Mouse nodded. With a kind smile, he ruffled Felix’s curls. “That’s a good boy.”
Felix blinked at him.
Mouse froze. Abruptly, he retracted his hand and backed away, hiding the offensive hand behind his back. “Er, I mean, yes, Your Majesty.”
Touching his hair, Felix frowned at Mouse. “What was—”
“A spider, it was a spider. A spider in your hair,” Mouse said quickly. He bowed. “I just remembered, I, er, important business…” He bowed again, then hurried away, sweating. Did I just call the Mage-Emperor a good boy? I hope he didn’t hear me. He didn’t hear me, did he?
As Mouse vanished around the corner, Felix touched his head. He looked at his hand, then stared after Mouse. “A good boy…?”