Teddy had taken Isla’s leaving particularly hard, no matter how many times his father insisted it was temporary. Teddy had never suffered the same delusion. How the man could survive so much and remain an optimist was beyond Teddy.
“I know you hate the disruption to your routine,” his father said. “I’m sure Jalen would be happy to spar with you.”
Teddy crossed his arms. “Jalen’s too busy chasing girls to spar this week.”
“Care to throw down with your dear old dad?” Xander asked.
Teddy nodded to the guards standing a respectful distance away. “They’ll let me hit the king?”
Xander chuckled. “They’ll let you try. Me, on the other hand?—”
Teddy shook his head. “It’s all right. I was just going to go for a run and save the sparring for another day.”
“I’m going to visit the fighting rings this afternoon to see the competition for the Gauntlet Games. Warriors won’t start declaring until the magical binding ceremony in a few days, but I’m sure there will be enough men there bragging about their plans to join,” Xander said.
It was an olive branch, but Teddy wasn’t ready to make peace.
Teddy shrugged. “I have no interest in the Games.”
His father laughed. “Of course. You’ve always been too smart for petty shows of strength. I’m all for fighting, but that tournament is no place for the heir to the throne. You and your siblings best stay as far from that competition as possible.”
“You might want to remind Jalen, then,” Teddy said. “He fancies himself invincible and you know how he gets when someone tells him he can’t do something.”
His father smiled fondly. “Yes, well, he gets that as much from your mother as me.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m more concerned about your sister. Alexandra was up at dawn to watch the Olney hunters and guardians train. I have four children, but it’s always the same one giving me heartburn.”
“She’s bold, but not stupid,” Teddy said. He looked out at the glittering sea, trying to settle the nervousness in his stomach.
It was now or never. His father was in good spirits and this was the chance he needed to get Xander on board with his marriage plans.
Teddy wanted Grace by his side this week and in life. She had such a different way of seeing things. He’d been so relieved that the Farlans had accompanied them to Olney for the festival. He couldn’t imagine being away from her for weeks. Fortunately, Grace’s extended family was in Olney and she would be close the whole time. She was the only thing that made the constant daily demands of his life manageable.
Grace could read people so well. She picked up anything Teddy missed, she directed his missteps, and when she was beside him, he felt calm. The woman was intelligent, beautiful, and born to be a queen.
Plus, she felt a natural choice for a wife since their fathers were so close. Evan and Sylvie Farlan had been loyal friends to the kingdom and some of his father’s closest advisors for years. When he wasn’t busy helping raise his three daughters, Evan took a special interest in Teddy’s training, in particular when it came to assessing threats in a crowd and prying secrets from people who weren’t eager to share. He was too clever not to have noticed Teddy’s interest in Grace, but he hadn’t said a word about it. If Teddy wanted to make his intentions known, he’d have to start with his own father.
“I was hoping to bring Grace to dinner tomorrow night.”
His father frowned. “Grace is lovely and your affection for her is clear, but that’s unwise. You don’t want to give her the wrong idea.”
“The idea that I value her and she’s an important part of my life?” Teddy asked.
“The idea that she’s a real prospect for marriage. We’ve indulged you thus far because we love Grace and you thrived with her support. It gives me no pleasure to remind you that you must marry for alliances. You’re always so rational and you know how perilous our position has become with the Sons of Endros making so much havoc. Besides, Grace will be there with your Uncle Evan and Aunt Sylvie and her sisters anyway. No need to give her hope for something that can never be.”
Teddy wanted to break things and make a scene just to prove he could. But like everything else, his anger had to be tucked away in a neat little box. People thought being king meant having power, but itreally meant trading away all your personal power for the good of the kingdom. As if one man could even know what was best for everyone.
“Giving her hope for what can never be—like you with Isla?” Teddy asked.
His father flinched. It was a low blow. Xander had presented a calm front outwardly, but the wind had left his sails since Isla had left months earlier. Teddy had never seen his father so low.
He still couldn’t believe Xander had asked Isla to resign as commander of the Argarian army. Things had been tense for months, with the Sons of Endros popping up and destroying property in Ardenis and Olney City alike. When they started murdering progressive public figures, it was clear something needed to be done to keep the faith of their people.
Isla wanted to continue to monitor them and not give them the attention of meeting them head-on. But Teddy’s father faced intense political pressure to resolve it.
When Isla wouldn’t compromise, Xander was forced to ask her to resign.
Instead of surrendering her position, she’d taken a battalion of her most loyal warriors with her and disappeared in the dark of night.
She’d left without even saying goodbye to Teddy. The woman who’d helped raise him, who had taught him everything she knew about combat and strategy, had left him without even a note.
