Read Prince of Fog: Book One for Free Online

was a deafening noise that he felt almost took out his ear drums. A group of dancers poured into the hall and there were loud shouts and slightly out-of-sync clapping to the music.
    “Then what is your idea of fun?” Aether turned, a look of concern in his eyes as he smiled at Charce.
    “It’s… erhm.” Charce paused, frowning as he tried to search for an answer. But try as he might, he couldn’t remember the last time he really had any fun. There just wasn’t enough time while he took care of his kingdom, and if there was time, he used it to catch up on his sleep. He felt like a glorified medic most days.
    “You haven’t had any fun for a long while.” Aether said, realisation dawning on his face. “That’s why you don’t smile. You used to smile a lot when you were younger.”
    Charce sat quietly. He couldn’t argue with that. There wasn’t much to smile about when everyone around you was either dying or starving. He was Prince, but there was only so much one person could do even with his powers. And sometimes he couldn’t do anything at all. The crying boy rose to his mind. The only reason he hadn’t let all the sadness he had experienced consume him was because people needed him. Even if he was just one person, he would try his best. He couldn’t let down the people that had placed so much trust in him.
    But how could he say all that out? Especially to Aether who he had only just met, at a party where they were supposed to be having fun? It was Aether’s fun night before the dive into chaos.
    Thankfully, Aether just say in silence next to him without pressuring him to speak further. Charce wanted to know what the man was thinking but he couldn’t find the right words. Anything he said would have led back to his own thoughts and emotions. It wasn’t a place he wanted to be now.
    The festivities passed him by. The dancing girls continued their body-shaking and sultry looks while the musicians upped the tempo to the dance. The sounds of joyful music filled the hall and Charce tried his best to enjoy it, though it was difficult. His mind just kept drifting off to his kingdom and if he would return to find it in ruins. Who knew how far the illness had spread by now?
    But he had to at least endure it. Aether was giving up a lot more to come help them. A raucous party wasn’t so hard to get through, right?
    “Dance with me.”
    “What?” Charce was broken out of his thoughts. He turned to look at Aether with a wide, frightened stare. Did he just hear what he heard?
    “Dance with me.” Aether grinned.
    Before Charce could react, he was being dragged to his feet. Then they were in the middle of the dance floor, the music changing into a thumping beat as Aether held one of Charce’s hand and started to take aggressive steps. That had to be the opening to a dance. Charce had no idea what he was supposed to do and stood uselessly by Aether’s side, feeling more and more out of place.
    “Come on!” Aether laughed, grabbing Charce’s other hand. “Don’t think! The beauty of this dance is that there are no steps! Just let your body flow!”
    Let his body flow? How was Charce supposed to do that? Did he even want to do that? He couldn’t just let go and dance! A dance without steps was worse than one which he could learn.
    “Uh, wait-”
    “No buts or maybe! Close your eyes, Charce!” Aether smiled, waiting until he saw the young Prince closing his eyes. “Listen to the music around you. What does it say to you? What does your body say to it?”
    Charce took a deep breath as he closed his eyes. It was a thumping rhythm, consistent with the beating of his heart. The other instruments were creating a beautiful melody and Charce felt like it almost spoke to him of… life. It was upbeat, gregarious and Charce lifted his arms, feeling like he was almost being lifted up higher into the air, above the ground below from where he had been born.
    Charce started moving in the packed hall. But unlike