Til Death

19. Frances/Blake

FRANCES

Frances smiled at a passing maid, keeping his wicked hands behind his back as if there was absolutely nothing going on. He'd spent most of his life pretending he wasn't getting into trouble, so putting on an innocent smile was as easy as flicking on a light switch.

The young maid raised a brow at him, a little ember of curiosity burning in her eyes. They'd probably be good friends if his reputation didn't always get in the way. With a smirk, Frances winked, and the maid gushed, quickening her pace to leave the hall. The sound of her shoes hitting the marble floors bounced all around the gigantic entry way. 

"Still got it," Frances muttered.

Alone again, Frances bent down and tried stealing a peek of the bottom of Etienne's mother's portrait. He forgot the former Queen's name. From the look of her sour face, it was probably something equally stuffy like Agnes or Gertrude. 

"What are you doing?" A raspy voice tickled Frances' neck hair. He grinned, turning to look up at Blake's assistant, Ignacio. He was everything Frances wanted in Blake's assistant: good looking, a sexy accent, tight pants, and little regard of what an assistant actually did all day.

"Do you really want to know?" Frances asked, leaning closer towards Ignacio as if he was sharing an important secret.

Ignacio's smile wasn't easily swayed. "Don't you want to tell me?"

"You couldn't be more right." Frances stood up straight with his hands raised. He was barely any taller than Ignacio. Maybe in a different pair of shoes, Ignacio was taller. Closer, the assistant smelled sweet like rose water. "I'm searching for secret passageways. Old palace like this one..." He looked up at the art deco ceiling and the tall candelabras that actually held a flame. "You know there's bound to be one."

"Yes," Ignacio nodded and crossed his arms, considering the room. "But they wouldn't place such valuable escape routes here, out in the open where anyone can find them. Passageways would be in the master's study or bedroom, somewhere no one without permission could go."

"I..." Frances quirked his head. He didn't expect this response. "I didn't think about that."

"Do you think the King is home? Should we go snoop? There are no beheadings in Sagewick, anymore yes? We should be fine."

"You're not going to tell me to quit it or to stop being a menace?"

"What? Are you scared of the repercussions? I'm disappointed in you, Frances."

Frances was compelled to match Ignacio's amused look. They grinned like two kids threatening to rob their mothers of all the treats in the cookie jar. Frances' fingers itched to take Ignacio's hand and race down the hallway, not knowing if the king and queen were gone or not. He simply wanted to get Ignacio alone. And the sooner the better, honestly.

"Frances!" Blake called as he descended the grand staircase. His black curls bounced as he hit every step. Sporting his new clothes, Blake wore a gray sweater with elbow patches over a simple white button up, all packaged underneath his wool coat. He wore a nice pair of jeans and shiny brown leather shoes. Frances did notice a pair of mismatched polka dot socks and his cold heart fluttered. They haven't taken the boy out of him yet.

"Hey," Frances nodded his head. "If it isn't my third favorite witch?"

Meeting them at the bottom, Blake's face dropped. "What? That's rude."

"I mean, what have you done for me lately?" Frances slipped his hands into his pockets and nuzzled his nose at Blake.

Blake winced. He spun his engagement ring around his pale finger. Frances had caught him doing it a lot lately, especially when he was alone and nervous. Blake never did it when Daniel was around though. Frances didn't mention the cute quirk. He liked watching the pair flounder with their unavoidable feelings. He just waited for them to drown.