“No, I suppose not. Anyway, it’s been great fun seeing your ugly face again, but we’ve got an urgent meeting with Magnus.”
“I said His Majesty is busy. You know better than to play the fool with me, Slaide. I learned my lesson. Never again.” He crossed his arms.
“That’s a shame. I was just thinking I’d get a chance to add your right eye to my collection, too.”
Hazel leveled an incredulous look at him. And he wasn’t sure why. Surely by now she’d figured out that his middle name, if he’d had one, would have beenDespicable.Or perhapsDepraved. OrWicked. He had a penchant for harassing and taunting his adversaries, and Oswald was no exception.
After all, it had been Slaide who’d relieved Oswald of his left eye in the first place. The two had scrapped after an exchange of words turned violent in the middle of the banquet feast celebrating the Midsummer hunt. To this day, Slaide found himself laughing at the memory, how he’d popped Oswald’s eye right out of the socket with a soup spoon—no sooner than the toasts had been finished—and launched it across the room. The eye had rolled across the packed dirt floor and came to a stop before the paws of one of the King’s hounds.
The hound, of course, inhaled the eyeball without so much as a second thought. Horrified screams had gone up around the banquet tent, and one obnoxious woman had shrieked just before fainting. He laughed at the memory, earning a scowl from Oswald.
A knock sounded from the other side of the doors, ending Slaide’s romp down memory lane. Oswald one-eye and his partner stepped back, each grabbing a door handle and pulling their respective door wide.
A few nobles and council members filtered out of the throne room, followed by two more guards. Hazel stepped slightly behind Slaide, probably trying to stay out of the way.
As they passed, neither the noblemen nor the council members paid her any mind. The first guard walked by without incident. The second guard stopped to peer around Slaide for a glimpse of her.
“Hazel?” the guard asked. She glanced around Slaide, who looked between the two of them with narrowed eyebrows. “Oh, right,” he said. He slid his eye guard up, revealing dark brown eyes set into a tan face. “Better?”
Slaide watched as she squinted at the man. There was no way she—but he saw the recognition the moment it hit her face, her eyes lighting up.
“Zeke? Ezekiel Bertram. Is that you?”
Zeke lifted his helm off and tucked it under his arm. “The one and only. Gods of Caelis, Hazel, when I heard the news… I can’t believe it—the things they’re saying you did. But it will all get straightened out, you’ll see. And you’re…” he glanced over at Slaide, “You’re okay, I take it?”
Slaide stepped forward. “Is there a reason you felt a need to look at me before asking her if she’s okay? Because unlike you, I’ve been keeping her alive.”
Zeke bristled. “Are we pretending this situation isgoodfor her?” He gestured between the two of them. “She stands accused of using magic, which iscrazyby the way, and you’re King Magnus’s own witch-hunting dog. No one actually believes she’s safe under your watch. Plus, you entered her into the tourney as your little pawn. But go on.”
Slaide stepped into Zeke’s space, which apparently triggered something in Hazel.
“Hate to interrupt this pissing match, but stand down, both of you. This is completely unnecessary. Slaide, meet Zeke. Zeke, Slaide. Believe it or not, you’re both on the same side. Sort of. At any rate, I’m unharmed, see?” She held her arms out to the side and spun around.
Zeke had the nerve to look unconvinced.
“Zeke. I know Slaide has an unsavory history, and I’ll be the first to admit his methods are… unconventional. But, walking around with him is like walking around with a helhound. It’s rare for anyone to so much as look in my direction.”
Zeke rolled his eyes.
“And Slaide,” she continued, “this is my best friend since childhood, Ezekiel Bertram.”
From beside her, Slaide grunted.
Hazel shot him what he figured was meant to be a warning glance.
“Not to ruin this sweet reunion, but we’ve got things to do, remember?” he chided.
“Wait, you’re working withhim?” Zeke looked at her in shock.
Slaide flung his arm over Hazel’s shoulders and pulled her in close. “That’s right, pal. She’s helping me with an importantpersonalproject, and you’re currently keeping us from a meeting with the King.” He didn’t need to emphasize the word personal, but the way it made Zeke flinch was worth it.
Hazel tried to pull out of his grasp, but he held tight, a saccharine grin stretched across his face. She elbowed him.
“Knock it off. Yes, Zeke. Slaide and I are, as of today, working on something. I think. And we do have to discuss something with His Majesty. We can catch up later though, okay?”
His brow furrowed. “Yeah, okay. Good seeing you, Hazel.” He glanced at Slaide before adding, “Stay safe.” He placed his helm back upon his head and closed the visor.
The guard announced their arrival after the King returned from his brief break between sessions. Slaide knew their time was limited, as a second military advisory session was set to convene shortly. They had to keep this brief.
