“What are you inferring?” Briar asked, interest piqued.
I shrugged. “Just saying it’s strange is all. If Lord Onyx is so powerful, why has he never sent his army of warriors to attack the kingdom? Why has he never marched on the capital and killed the king himself?”
“You’re suggesting he’s not as wicked as we believe?” Maddox set his plate on the bedside table before grabbing my hand and weaving our fingers together. He wore the ring I’d bought for him; a flat silver band with an emerald stone inthe center. Briar had infused the stone with protective magic, shielding him from harm. “There you go again trying so hard to see the good in those around you.”
“And thereyougo again being too stubborn to consider that I might be right.” I touched the band of his ring and traced the stone. Sorting my thoughts. “I know I’m not a battle-hardened soldier like you. I’m too trusting sometimes. But you thought the same thing about Rowan once, remember? That he was dangerous.”
“He has a point, oh mighty captain.” Rowan shifted on the window bench, reclining back and throwing one arm behind his head. The action lifted the bottom of his shirt, revealing a peek of tanned skin and lean muscle. “Look at us now. You love me.”
“I tolerate you,” Maddox countered with his signature scowl. “Love plays no part in it.”
“Sure. Keep tellin’ yourself that.”
Maddox released a breath. “Back to the matter at hand. The demonic army, led by Lord Malachi, was defeated long ago. Though it may be true no armies have marched on Bremloc since then, I find it unlikely that Lord Onyx has made peace with his father’s death. Vengeance is too great a driving force. My gut says he can’t be trusted.”
“Your gut is too full of muffins to know your head from your ass,” Rowan told him. “How many did you just eat? Twenty?”
“He ate seven,” Lake said matter-of-factly, his poofy tail sliding across the rug in a slow wag. He’d moved to the floor to be closer to the fire. “And one bite of an eighth.”
“Well, can you blame the captain? Those muffins are blessed by the mighty saint.” Duke waggled his brows at me. “Tastes like magic and sweet love.”
“Ugh. Stop.” I scrubbed my hands over my face. “Forget about the ‘s’ word. I’m far from saintly.”
“Tell that to the mercenaries pacing outside the barrier,” Baden said, gaze hard. “If not for them, we could take you far from this place. Somewhere safe.”
I’m safe here, I wanted to say but sighed instead. Nothing I said would convince them. I could argue about Lord Onyx not being a villain until I was blue in the face and they wouldn’t budge at all in their way of thinking.
“Briar?” Maddox asked, eyes lowered. “Is it possible to craft another protection stone for Evan? One that would make him undetectable once again to the mercenaries tracking him?”
The question shocked me. I hadn’t considered it.
“It’s possible, yes,” Briar answered, after taking another sip of tea. It was probably cold by now. “But it will take time. Ever since his last one shattered, I’ve tried several times to craft another but have yet to find a gem strong enough to hold the power needed for the spell.”
Maddox started to remove his ring. “Then I’ll give him mine. That will allow us to leave this realm without fear of him being tracked.”
Briar shook his head. “The magic in that ring is bound to you and you alone. If you give it to Evan, it won’t react because it’s tied to your life force. It’s the reason why a protection spell of that caliber is so complex.”
Quincy frowned, wrinkling the scar on his face. “What of the charms you make for us? Will they not temporarily shield him?”
“No. Basic protection charms like the ones you mention are weaker because of the material and method used to craft them.” Briar made a face—brows pulling together and mouth down turning. “However, I fear that even with a strong protection stone, it won’t hide Evan’s life force from the mercenaries. Not anymore.”
“Why not?” I asked.
“Because they’ve been around you, especially Stryder,” Briar explained. “It’s comparable to a hound given your scent prior to a hunt. If close enough, it will detect you and alert the others. The stone may help dull your presence, but there would still be a faint trail. The door keeping them out has been opened and can’t be fully closed again. That’s my theory anyway.”
His theories were usually spot-on, so I didn’t doubt him in the slightest.
“In other words, a protection stone won’t prevent the mercenaries from finding Ev again.” Callum slid his arm around my waist and gently tugged me to his side, face dropping into my hair. “Seems we’ll have to kill them instead.”
“No,” I said. “Absolutely not. It’s too dangerous.”
I felt him smile.
“I’m serious, Cal. Keep it up and you’ll no longer be my ooey gooey cinnamon roll. You’ll be like Cinderella’s carriage at the stroke of midnight and turn back into a pumpkin. But stale bread in your case.”
“Cinder…who?”
I sighed. He was adorable. And too irresistible for his own good. I kissed the edge of his jaw, loving the sweet scent of his skin.
