Kole snarled.
“Oh, c’mon. You win some, you lose some. A big bear of a Lysian like you should be able to let small things like this roll off your back. Spirit knows your back is large enough to roll a boulder off it,” I said, complimenting his size. Sometimes that was all Kole needed to feel better, for someone to stroke his ego just a little.
He was silent for a beat, then finally relinquished some of that grudge. “Fine,” he mumbled.
“I’m sorry, I couldn’t quite catch that with my lowly Bavadrin hearing.” I brought my hand to my ear and cupped it as if to better hear him by.
“FINE!” he roared.
Erik chuckled. “Kole here has hardly ever been less than a winner. It’s one of the reasons he will never spar against me. He does not want to lose. But, as you have now learned, a loss severely damages his mood.”
“What is this? Pile turds on Kole day? Was I invited to a meal just to entertain you both by having someone to poke at the entire time? And for your information,Erik, I choose not to fight you because it would be an embarrassment for a King to lose against one of his subjects.” Though he sounded big and mighty, we all knew that was not true. Erik could take him, and it was not even because he was a conjuror. In a match between the two of them, conjuring aside, Erik would win. There was little to go by for this judgment. I never saw the two of them physically compete in any way, but it was a strong feeling. For Kole’s size, there were likely very few who could truly best him. I believed Erik could.
“Oh, really.” Erik’s eyebrows shot up.
Kole’s face was reddening.
“So . . .” I pointedly glanced at the dish in front of Erik with food already spooned onto it, figuring it was time to give Kole a break from being the center of our attention. “You have yet to try the deliciousness before you.”
Deep blue eyes flashed in my direction. “It’s not like it’s going to get cold,” Erik answered with a crooked smile. The dish was served cold.
“No, but I am starving.” I grinned.
“We’re not stopping you from enjoying your meal.” He held my gaze and a glint of something dangerous moved in his.
I was the first to look away.
“Fine.” I reached for my fork. “I will begin only to prove to you both that this is edible.”
“You eating something does not prove it’s edible.” Kole frowned, looking at his plate. “Maybe we should wait till tomorrow to try this, just to make sure you aren’t poisoned and die in your bed.”
“For someone so strong you have an awfully weak stomach,” I commented.
“It is not weak.”
“Oh, pardon me. I forgot that we weren’t allowed to call any part of you weak or risk damaging your fragile ego.”
Kole grabbed a spoon nearest to him, shoveled some of the salad on his plate onto it, and shoved it into his mouth. He chewed with zero expression before swallowing and then shoveling another spoonful into his mouth.
Erik and I briefly glanced at one another before turning back to Kole.
“Well?” I asked.
“It’s not as terrible as I expected,” he commented before taking another bite.
My eyes narrowed. “It’s not terrible at all. Look at you. You’re basically inhaling it.” I nodded towards Erik. “It’s your turn.”
His attention settled on me once more. “You first.”
Obliging him, I took a bite, savoring every moment. “Mmmm, so good.”
Erik looked down at his fork, suspended just above his plate, ready to be eaten. His expression was unreadable. Finally, he brought it to his mouth, and I could hardly contain my eagerness. He chewed painfully slowly before finally swallowing.
“Well?”
Erik reached for his glass of water, taking a leisurely sip without paying me any attention. When his eyes finally lockedwith mine, he worked at suppressing a laugh, knowing that the wait was torturing me.
“It isn’t bad,” he answered and took another bite, smiling while he chewed.
