A memory then prodded at my brain—a deep voice calling out for me and begging for me to open my eyes. One with a stutter. But that couldn’t have been Ban. Right? He’d never said a word for as long as I’d known him. He only grunted and gestured to things.
Maybe I’d just hallucinated the voice.
Shoving the thought aside, I handed Ban a snickerdoodle cookie. He accepted it and tossed Finnian a quick glance before taking a bite. Something about it made my heart swell. Was it weird to say a mountain like him was cute? Because he kind of was.
“He gets a treat?” Callum stared at Ban’s cookie, then glanced at the basket.
Maddox eyed it too.
“Oh my god.” I laughed. “You two are worse than children.”
Unable to resist their pleading stares—because I was a total sucker—I gave them each a muffin, loving how their eyes lit up. My gluttonous captain and my ooey, gooey cinnamon roll of a knight.
“The prince awaits you,” Finnian told me with a small bow. “Shall we be on our way?”
“Yep. Ready when you are.” I closed the basket, excited about seeing Sawyer. He had visited me at Briar’s clinic shortly after my attack, but I’d been a bit loopy from Herbert’s pain medicine and hadn’t been much company.
“Enjoy your tea with the prince.” Maddox moved like he meant to embrace me but stopped himself, reverting to the serious captain.
Like I’d let him.
“Be careful doing knight stuff.” I rose up and kissed him on the jaw. His stubble tickled my lips. “I love you.”
He made a soft sound before cupping the back of my head. “Not as much as I love you, sweetheart.”
When Maddox pulled away, Callum snatched hold of me and planted a kiss on my mouth. “Don’t trip going up the stairs.”
“That’s it,” I mumbled against his lips. “You’re no longer my ooey, gooey cinnamon roll. You’re stale bread.”
With an adorable laugh, he pulled away and lightly tweaked my cheek before leaving with Maddox. The two of them joined Captain Vander at the edge of the courtyard and motioned to the castle grounds. Probably discussing security. The captain of the Royal Order had salt-and-pepper-colored hair and looked like he hadn’t smiled in decades, expression pulled tight and shoulders rigid.
Ban stared after them before moving his gray eyes to me. Questions swam in them.
“My relationship with Cal is kind of new,” I said, somehow knowing what he wanted to ask. “Turns out he was more than my best friend.”
The big guard glanced at Maddox and grunted.
“He’s okay with it,” I told him. “He loves Cal too. Just in a different way. More like brothers, I think.”
Finnian moved a curious stare between the two of us.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Oh, nothing, really.” His smile warmed. “It’s just… I’ve never met anyone else who could understand Ban’s special way of communicating.”
The tops of Ban’s ears darkened, and he put his helmet back on. His bashfulness made him even more endearing. How had I ever been intimidated by him? The guy was a total marshmallow.
“Prince Sawyer isn’t having tea in the gazebo today?” I asked as they escorted me through the heavy doors of the main entrance. “The weather’s perfect for sitting outside.”
“He wished to remain in his study this afternoon.” Finnian rested a hand on the hilt of his sword and nodded to another guard in the corridor. “He’s in quite the somber state. Seeing you will hopefully lift his spirits.”
Did the engagement ball have anything to do with his depressed mood? Poor guy.
The walk was quiet after that. Quiet but nice. Finnian hummed and strolled a step or so in front of me, while Ban kept pace on my other side, keeping his strides short to match mine.
And for some reason, even while in the middle of the castle corridor, I caught the faint scent of rain. Maybe there was a leak somewhere from the storm the other night.
“Here we are.” Finnian stopped in front of a door with two guards posted on each side and knocked once. The door opened. “Our favorite little pastry chef has arrived.”
