[color=#b97703]“What sort of questions?”[/color] Caspian asked warily. Having hoped that Jacob had just stopped by to tell him that Iris was gone, the guard’s desire to ask him more about the incident made him nervous. He’d never done anything illegal before—well, nothing to this extent—and he didn’t know how he was supposed to act. What would make him come across as innocent? What would make him look guilty? Being forced to think on his feet was even more difficult with a raging hangover. He swallowed anxiously. His already dry mouth felt like it was full of cotton. “I just noticed some peculiarities about the escape,” Jacob mused calmly. “I was hoping you could clear them up for me, since you probably know more about the rebels than I do at this point.” [color=#b97703][i]That’s all?[/i][/color] Cas felt himself relax. He could handle a few questions about the rebellion. Forcing a smile, he nodded, [color=#b97703]“What do you want to know?”[/color] Jacob’s eyes narrowed for the briefest moment. The prince’s response to that question had been all he needed. He was absolutely certain now. Caspian had done it. “I just find it strange,” he clasped his hands between his knees. “That you would turn her over to the military so readily when you insisted she did nothing wrong.” Cas stiffened, realizing his mistake too late. [color=#b97703]“I-I wasn’t…”[/color] he started and then trailed off, biting his lip as he fumbled to think up an excuse. Apparently Jacob did suspect him after all. He had to throw the guard off his scent, or he and his friends were as good as caught, and Iris would go back to prison. Heart hammering, he went on meekly, [color=#b97703]“I don’t care what happens to the people who rescued her. I just don’t want her to be arrested again. If she made it out of the capital alive, then I’m happy for her.”[/color] “Mhm,” Jacob grunted, unconvinced. “Then why didn’t you say anything about it before I brought her up? If you were really concerned about her safety, you would have asked me right away if I was going to have her arrested again.” He rose from his seat. “I think the reason why you’re not worried is because you know we aren’t going to find her amongst the rebellion. There’s nothing for you to lose if she’s perfectly safe inside the capital, right?” Cas turned his head away, [color=#b97703]“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”[/color] “Pardon me, but cut the crap, Your Highness,” Jacob said dryly. “I know you were the one who took Nox-Fleuret from the hospital. My key to the building is missing, and the only people who had access to it are those who either live or work inside the palace. A rebel couldn’t have stolen it.” Inwardly, Caspian swore. He’d been so drunk the night before that he’d completely forgotten to return the key to the security head’s office. It was still inside the pocket of the jeans that he’d thrown in his hamper before he’d gone to bed. Despite his best efforts, he hadn’t been able to completely erase his trail. [color=#b97703]“How do you know it wasn’t one of the servants or a guard?”[/color] he challenged. [color=#b97703]“What if the rebels have an inside man? I think we should have the staff vetted again—”[/color] “One of the men in the security footage walked with a limp,” Jacob added, playing yet another card from his hand. “Favoring the same leg in which you were shot.” Cas paled, straining to think of an explanation even though deep down, he knew he couldn’t win. [color=#b97703]“It isn’t impossible that a rebel could have been injured in the same leg…”[/color] “Prince Caspian, we both know what happened last night,” Jacob said sternly. He was done playing games. King Atlas would be waking up soon, and he needed to have his answers now. Meeting the prince’s gaze with a hard stare, he demanded, “If you don’t want me to get His Majesty involved, I suggest you tell me where Iris is, so I can have her returned to the penitentiary quickly and discreetly.” -- Miles nodded when Iris told him that she was feeling fine for the most part. She looked like she was doing alright, so he believed her. “Oh, he will,” he laughed when she mentioned Cas. “He won’t admit it, but he’s not even close to a heavyweight drinker. He’s not really a lightweight either… Just close enough to the middle that he gets horrendously sick when he has too much liquor.” When he and Jay had stayed overnight at the palace before, they’d seen the prince hungover a couple of times. They’d also seen the king reprimand him for letting himself go, but he didn’t say anything about that. “I was?” Miles cringed when Iris revealed that he’d been snoring. “Sorry… I hope I didn’t keep you up. If I snore again tomorrow night, feel free to give me a shove. I’ve been told that I stop if someone rolls me over.” Far from a stereotypical playboy, he didn’t have overnight guests very often, but the few women that had slept in his room had confirmed that he wasn’t a quiet sleeper. Jay had complained too when they had shared a room at the palace while visiting Caspian. In his inebriation, he hadn’t even thought to warn Iris about it though. Clearing his throat awkwardly, he nodded in response to her request. “Go ahead and use my shower,” he told her with a gesture toward the bathroom door. Not fluent in assuring someone that they didn’t need to say sorry, he didn’t respond to her bumbling apology. “It’s just around the corner, so you’ll have the whole nook to yourself. It isn’t visible from the bedroom at all.” Since the door leading into the adjoining bathroom was made of clear glass, he felt the need to make sure she knew the shower was private, at least. “I’ll wait out here until you’re done,” he added, planting himself in the chair in the corner of the room.