Lucilla was sitting on the log opposite Tor, taking long sips out of their spare waterskin. “Thank you,” she said eventually in a soft voice, passing it back to Tor.
Tor grunted and cut a leg off the wild duck they’d shot that morning. They’d been lucky to stumble on a small pond teeming with mallard. It was rich, fatty meat, and the roasting scent was making his stomach rumble, even though he’d eaten two decent-sized meals already that day.
Tor dropped it onto a wooden trencher and passed it to Lucilla, who said thank you politely enough but then stared at the meat in confusion for a few moments. Mathos rolled his eyes. No doubt she was hoping for silver cutlery. Eventually, she lifted the duck in her hands and blew on it before taking a delicate bite.
She gave a soft moan of appreciation as she chewed, which Mathos did his level best to pretend he didn’t hear. She swallowed and then looked up at Tor with a small smile. “That’s delicious. Thank you.”
“Mathos shot it,” Tor replied. “You should thank him, Your Majesty.”
Lucilla tipped up her chin. “I’m not… I mean, you’ve got the wrong person.”
Tor shrugged without responding. They all knew she was the queen.
Lucilla ducked her head for a moment, but then seemed to gather her courage and lifted it again. “I will thank him, then. You’re friends?”
“Brothers,” Tor corrected firmly.
Mathos leaned against a tree and crossed his arms, his beast finally settling. Because Tor had his back, of course, not because he could see Lucilla safe and well. Obviously.
“But….”
Mathos could see Lucilla frowning as she thought through her question. Tor merely watched her, his arms crossed over his chest.
“Do you have the same father?” she asked uncertainly. At least someone had explained that the mother’s line determined the child’s characteristics.
“No. We were in the army together. We served together in the north as part of the Hawks squadron in the war against Verturia.”
Lucilla stayed silent, watching him quizzically, as if wondering how they’d gone from the war in the north to this lonely southern woodland. Or, perhaps, why that faraway war had bonded two such different men, with vastly different backgrounds, so deeply. That was the problem with princesses—they’d never had to fight those wars themselves.
Tor sighed and added, “When we returned, we were stationed at the palace. We were Blues together.”
“Palace Blues!” Lucilla stood, her duck leg clasped in her fist like a sword as she looked around frantically. As if she might try running again.
Gods.
Mathos gave an annoyed sigh and pushed off his tree to step into the light. “As much as we’d like to be rid of you, we haven’t finished our conversation yet. And you have to realize that a reaction like that suggests at least some working experience of the Royal Guards.”
She took a big step away from him, her mouth gaping open in shocked surprise at seeing him so close. Gods, he would like to put something in it.
Yes. Your tongue.
He snarled at himself, trying to get his insane beast under control, and then grimaced in frustration at the newly terrified look on her face.
He let out a long, slow breath and counted to ten, something he hadn’t had to do in years. He finished counting and started again from the beginning, just to be sure. Finally, he felt calm enough to deal with her.
“Sit down, darlin’ and finish your food. We’re not Blues anymore.” There, that was polite.
She lifted her chin, her face a mask of haughty indifference even while she was still waving that bloody duck leg. “I’m not your darling.”
Mathos ran his hands through his hair instead of throttling her and gentled his tone. Just like he’d done so many times, long ago. “Please sit down, Your Majesty.”
“Don’t call me that.” She stayed standing, her head tilted to one side as she considered him. “If you’re not Blues, what are you?”
“We’re mercenaries.”
She flinched but didn’t run like he’d thought she would.
Slowly, trying to reassure her, he dropped her satchel at her feet and then sat on the ground a few feet away and held his hands up. “No one here is going to hurt you. Please, eat your food, and I’ll explain.”
