The same nagging jealousy-adjacent feeling tore through Teddy.
It’s just the bond.The only thing he felt toward Stella McKay and her flimsy plan was annoyance, though he supposed it would bedistracting if she got herself killed. That, and he’d probably hear it from his father and everyone else if he didn’t at least attempt to protect her.
“Are you worried for me, or for you?” Stella asked. “It looks like most people are paired up, unless you want to hitch your wagon to that burly group of brutes over there.” She nodded to the four men on the far side of the field. “They seem…nice.”
“Be careful with them,” Teddy said.
“You know them?”
Teddy nodded. “Wish I didn’t. That tall, dark-haired one with the narrow-set eyes and the scar on his jaw is Rett Roachelle. Three years back, he was attacked by twenty Sons of Endros and lived to tell about it. They call him ‘The Roach’ because they say he can’t be killed.”
Stella smirked. “And what do you say?”
“I say that there’s more than one way to survive the rebels. The easiest one is to be one of them. They get in a few blows and scar up your face and you live to tell about it while looking like a hero. That’s a compelling story.”
Stella pursed her full lips and glanced at Rett, who winked and blew a kiss. She wrinkled her nose in disgust.
Teddy nodded to the raven-haired hunter beside Rett. “Where Rett goes, Dixon Max follows. He’s a hunter like Rett, so he’s good in combat, but he has magic. His strongest affinity is fire, but he’s also good with earth. Out of their quartet, he’s the only witch, so I’m guessing Rett will pair up with him for this first challenge.” He nodded to two other hulking men beside them. “The big guy with the copper hair is Christophe Wallthrew. A real piece of work who has a reputation for beating his wife. His father is too powerful in Ardenis for us to really do anything about it unless she chooses to leave him. And the dark-haired fellow beside him is Drew ‘The Crew’ Barnett. They say he’s strong as two men, thus the nickname.”
“Those Argarian hunters really love their nicknames,” Stella mused.
“I’m just reminding you to be careful with them,” Teddy said. Heeyed her leathers. They were good quality, but they wouldn’t hold up to serious combat and the weaponry Rett and his friends were packing. “You should be wearing more substantial armor.”
“Not if I need to move quickly and be flexible,” Stella countered, tapping her knuckles to the metal guard on his arm. “This won’t help you if the challenge isn’t to lay siege to a castle. This is the wisdom challenge, so I assume it will require a level of flexibility.” A crease formed in Stella’s brow. “Are you well today…after?—”
After his very humiliating meltdown before the binding ceremony.
“Just because you helped me in a rough moment doesn’t mean you have to coddle me.” He sounded harsher than he meant to. “I don’t need you or anyone else checking on me.”
A smile played over Stella’s lips. “Does it give you peace to keep everyone at arm’s length?”
Teddy bristled. “I imagine it must be easier to trust people’s intentions when you’re not a royal trying to stave off rebellion. You are the only person here I’m sure I can trust.”
She crossed her arms, and the leather of her breastplate was so new it creaked with the movement. “Really? You trust me?”
“I trust you to be predictably irrational.”
“Irrational.” She scoffed and shook her head. “Good luck in your first challenge,Your Grace. I’m sure you’ll pass with flying colors given the immense wisdom you’ve shown in this conversation. You’re used to fighting people who know you’re a prince, so I hope you’re ready for a real fight. Try not to be a distraction.” She backed away and bowed with mock reverence.
Teddy groaned. The last thing he needed was for Stella to get herself killed by trusting a Novumi mercenary. He watched her saunter over to Fionn. The sellsword gave her a long, lingering once-over that made Teddy want to punch him.
Fionn caught Teddy’s eye and smirked. “Don’t worry, Your Grace. I’ll take good care of your friend,” he said.
His tone was laced with innuendo, but Stella didn’t seem to mind. She smiled brightly as she slung the strap of her quiver over her chestand checked the string on her bow. Then the two of them walked toward the tent entrance.
If Uncle Evan had taught Teddy anything, it was to distrust everyone until you had proof they were trustworthy.
Teddy had prided himself on making wise choices his whole life. Jalen got to be the fun prince, while Teddy was the responsible, rational one. Perhaps it wasn’t as exciting, but if there was one challenge where he felt confident his experience would help him, it was this wisdom challenge.
A man with dark hair and tan skin crossed the tent and nodded to him. “I believe you’re stuck with me, Your Grace.”
Teddy recognized the cut of the man’s leather armor as that of his mother’s homeland. Teddy owned several such pieces that he used in light combat. Novumi leather workers loved to etch elaborate patterns into their designs.
The man bowed. “Reever Ross at your service—and, given your royal status and the fact that everyone else is already paired up, I won’t charge you for my services. I’ve heard you’re a good fighter and you’re half-Novumi, so that’s good enough for me.”
Teddy didn’t like the idea of partnering with a mercenary, especially after he’d lectured Stella about it, but he had no other option. He followed Reever toward the corridor leading to the arena, studying the tattoo that peeked out of the mercenary’s collar.
“You like it?” Reever asked without looking. He tugged his collar down to reveal the head of a snake. “It’s a symbol for the Novumi god of lies. We mercenaries need his gift for persuasion at times.”
