Teddy licked his lips. “Are you sure you want to do this?”
“Why? Are you scared you’ll be beat by a woman? Will your royal ego survive?”
Teddy bristled. How she could go from being so soft to so biting in mere moments was disorienting. “No. I’m worried it will take something from you that you can’t get back. Have you ever killed a man?”
Stella stared him down for a long moment. “No. But I’ll do what I must.”
“Did Arden stop to see you off?”
Stella looked away. “He can’t sneak away because he has to entertain the princess and her family, but he sent me a letter this morning.”
“How gallant,” Teddy said.
She ignored the jab and nodded toward the binding room. “Shall we?”
Teddy nodded and fell into step beside her as they walked by several curtained-off competitor areas. Most curtains were pulled back, the competitors already having made their binding commitments and entered the arena. But the one toward the entrance was still closed.
A familiar laugh bubbled up from behind the curtain.
“What the—” Teddy shoved the curtain aside and nearly barreled into his sister. “Alex?”
“Teddy?” She stared at him with wide eyes, a beautiful priestess in Goddess Desiree’s rose-colored robes standing before her. The priestess’s robes were half-unbuttoned, a hint of pale cleavage peeking out from the gap.
Teddy averted his gaze immediately. “What are you doing in here, Alex? This is the competitor tent.”
She was quiet for so long that Teddy finally looked up and met her eyes. Recognition tore through him.
“You’re going to enter the contest.”
Alexandra glanced over her shoulder at the priestess. “I’m sorry my very rude brother interrupted our talk. Could you give us a moment? I’ll find you in a little while.”
She winked, and the priestess flushed bright pink, then finished buttoning her robes and scurried away.
Alexandra’s charm was as uncanny and mesmerizing as it was exasperating. She turned her attention back to Teddy, hands on hips. “I was trying to get insights into whether her goddess is going to be the competition judge.”
Teddy arched a brow. “Was the answer inside of her robes?”
“Well, brother, I’m not certain since you barged in before I could get a good look. Should I call her back in to check?”
A soft laugh behind Teddy startled him.Stella. It was irritating how the bond in his chest hummed softly at her proximity. He’d momentarily forgotten she was with him, but now his body was remarkably aware of her. The soft springtime scent of her skin hit him, and his body surged with warmth, remembering her in his lap moments ago.
“This is family business,” he grumbled, turning to glare at Stella.
She waved a hand. “By all means, proceed with your business.”
Alexandra pulled a throwing knife from her leather vest and examined the gleaming blade with faux boredom.
“Why are you in the competitors’ tent, Alex?” Teddy asked.
“I presume the same reason you are?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Why?” Alexandra asked, her golden eyes lit with a challenge. “Afraid I’ll exploit how you leave your left side open after a turn?”
Stella smothered a laugh.
Alexandra grinned broadly. “He also has a temper. If you smack his ass with the flat end of your blade, he will just lose it.”
