“Flame roasted and served on a platter with an apple in your mouth?” I asked. “Mashed taters as a side?”
Quincy’s eyes widened. “How did ya know?”
Lake coughed, no doubt remembering our conversation where I’d said the exact same thing.
“No one in their right mind would eat you,” Duke told the goofy but loveable knight. “You’d taste rotten.”
Quincy looked offended. “And you think a brute like you’d taste better?”
“Better than you at least,” Duke shot back.
“Okay, okay, calm down,” I said, trying my hardest not to laugh. I had missed them so damn much. “No one’s getting eaten tonight.”
Rowan grinned. “I wouldn’t be so sure of that, little treasure. You look mighty tasty to me.” He took a swig from his flask, eyes not leaving mine.
Warmth pooled low in my belly.
A knock at the door had Quincy whirling around and slamming into Duke. Baden cleared his throat, the edges of his lips so close to breaking into a smile.
“Evan?” Fane asked from the other side. “Might we speak in the hall for a moment?”
The nerves in his voice hurt my heart. The knights might’ve been on edge being in a realm full of demons, but the demons were just as uneasy having them there.
“Coming!” I bounded forward, only to be caught by the bicep a beat later.
“Allow me.” Maddox stepped past and opened the door. His tone instantly hardened. “What do you want, demon?”
“I believe I asked for Evan.” Fane squared his shoulders and met Maddox’s icy glare with one of his own.
“You got me instead,” Maddox told him. “Say what you’ve come to say and leave.”
“Very well,” Fane said in a clipped tone. “Lord Onyx has requested that you join him in the parlor for a drink. He wishes to formally welcome you to his realm.”
“He does, does he?” Maddox’s grip tightened on the door.
Anxiety swirling like a chaotic storm in my belly, I forced my way forward and around his bulky frame. Fane’s expression lightened a tad as I appeared in the doorway.
“Thank you, Fane,” I said with an apologetic smile. The tension was thick in the air, weighing on my chest—and on my heart. “We’ll be there.”
“We will?” Maddox dropped his gaze to me.
“Yes. We will.” I fought the urge to throttle him. My silly, overprotective, and stubborn captain. “And we willbehaveor so help me god, I’ll never bake you another muffin for as long as I live.”
The threat had him losing some of his animosity. Definitely found its mark, hitting him in his weak spot. His stomach.
Fane’s gaze roamed past me to the room full of humans. His defensive walls were sky-high. “Let me remind you that you’re all guests here, under Lord Onyx’s protection. However, harm him or anyone else in this castle, and that will surely change.”
“You threatening us?” Duke asked, hand going to his side as though to place it on the hilt of his sword. Muscle memory. Luckily, that sword had been confiscated.
I dreaded to think what would’ve happened if my group of protective and snarly men were armed. They were the definition of ‘attack first and ask questions later.’
“I assure you, knight…” Fane’s nostrils flared. “If I were threatening you, you wouldn’t need to ask. You’d be too busy spitting up blood.”
“Oh no.” I flipped around to Maddox and placed my palms against his chest as he snarled and stepped forward. “Nope. Back in the room. Now.”
Murder danced in his blue eyes. “But he—”
“I won’t tell you again.” I pushed against him. God, he was an unmovable boulder, stacked with muscle and powered by an unfortunately short fuse—at least when it came to the safety of those he loved. “Come on. Move it.”
