Stella laughed harder. Teddy ignored the way the bond buzzed at the sound.
“Alex, you can’t compete, because I can’t lose, and you can’t either.”
His sister crossed her arms. “If you can’t lose, perhaps you shouldn’t enter because I have no intention of surrendering so you can take the glory.”
Teddy threw his hands up. “Always you with the glory. This isn’t one of your Novumi legends, Alex. There are more important things than glory. This is the only way for me to have any kind of peace in my life. I’m not using this to prove a point to our parents. I’m entering because I need the right to choose my own life partner and the only way to convince our father of that is to win this stupid contest.”
Stella stepped closer to him, and he tried not to flinch. The pull to her was so constant and irritating. He rubbed his sternum as if he could swipe away the magical connection.
“Are you well, brother?” Alexandra asked.
“I have myself to worry about. I cannot also contend with your recklessness. I can’t protect us both in that arena and you know it, Alex.”
“That’s why I’ll protect myself,” Alexandra said.
A bell rang outside—the ten-minute warning to competitors. Teddy did not have time to argue with his sister. He needed to enter the competition officially and get out in the field to face his competitors.
“Fine. A hug for luck before I have to embarrass you in front of two kingdoms,” he taunted.
Alexandra would never have gone for it if he didn’t bait her. But she pulled him into a hug and clapped him on the back.
Alexandra was not as affectionate as Juliana, but she let Teddy hug her all the same. He’d always been the one to have a soft spot for her, letting her tag along to his training when she was little. Perhaps that had earned him more trust. Trust that he was going to abuse now. But that same trust would get her hurt in the tournament, and it lent him the certainty he needed. He just wanted to do what was best for her.
Ever so carefully, he slid his hand up to the nape of her neck. Hisother hand slipped into his pocket and he grabbed a small handful of loose herbs. Soundlessly, he mouthed the soothing spell he knew by heart. It was some of the first magic that he’d ever learned, but he’d only used it on Grace or himself to sleep. He’d never tried it with someone else.
Where summoning was inside magic, pulling an element through the channel of your body, spellwork was outside magic that compelled the physical world to bend to your will. Because it came from outside the body, it didn’t use his energy supply. It required some sort of exchange from the physical world. The chamomile worked well because it was a soothing herb, and as he whispered the incantation, the herb turned to ash in his hand—a clear sign that the exchange for his spell had been accepted.
“Rare for you to show such affection. Are you going soft in your old—” Alexandra’s body tensed. “Teddy, no.” But her words slurred into a rush of breath and she slumped against him.
“What did you do?” Stella asked.
“I just put her to sleep with a soothing spell. All the more reason she isn’t prepared for this competition,” Teddy said, lowering Alexandra’s limp body to the plush chair in the corner of her room. “She’s too emotional and impulsive. It’s just lucky that she hasn’t already entered the binding tournament pact.”
Stella narrowed her eyes at him. “You can’t just put people to sleep when they do things you don’t like.”
“I know that, but?—”
He’d already been far too vulnerable in front of Stella McKay for one day. He didn’t know how to explain to her that his baby sister was different. While Jalen and Juliana had always had an ease about them, Alexandra had always fought the role she was expected to play. The difference was that she could act on her impulses. As jealous as her freedom made Teddy, he was almost relieved to see someone struggle under the weight of expectation and be so vocal about it.
Teddy and Alexandra had bonded over that struggle, and he always felt so much more protective of her. He’d managed to keep herfrom making any mistakes that would have permanent consequences so far. He could do it once more.
He gave Stella his most pleading look. “She’s my baby sister. Would you let Rosie compete?”
Stella crossed her arms, and her cheeks flushed. “Rosie is a grown woman. I would respect her choices.”
Teddy blew out a breath. He was destined to be surrounded by stubborn women. “I respect Alexandra’s choices in many things. All other things, in fact—but if she is out in that field, I will be distracted the entire time.”
“Sounds like your problem.”
“Stella, I know. But my—” He ran a hand down his face and glanced at Alexandra slumped in the chair. “Alex has been through a lot lately. Her first love broke her heart right after Isla left. Surely you noticed the consort’s absence. My father asked for her resignation. He didn’t want to, but he was getting too much pressure with the rise of Sons of Endros attacks. I’m very close to Isla, but Alex worships her.”
He let that information sink in, waiting for judgment on Stella’s face, but she just looked sad.
“Jules mentioned that. I’m sorry to hear it.”
“Now Alex is heartbroken and without the person she would most like to talk about it with. She is dead set on going to Callemoore because she thinks the only way to prove her worth is by completing the Final Forging test as my mother and Isla have. Alex is very talented, but she is not an elite warrior yet, and if she continues to be in such a rush, she will meet her end before she can get there. I don’t want to stop her. I just want her to have the time to get there.Please. There’s so much of my life I can’t control, but I can protect my siblings. I can protect Alex from this. You know what it’s like to be the oldest—to want to kill anyone who hurts them. It’s not rational.”
The crease in Stella’s brow disappeared. “You love her.”
