“It’s super comfy too.” I smoothed a hand over my tunic. It was a sage green color with brown strings. “She’s really skilled.”
The knights all had dark tunics, ranging from dark blue to black. Lake’s was purple, probably reminded Mae of his eyes,and Rowan’s was a russet brown. She’d made a cream colored one for Briar that complimented his smooth, pale skin.
“Wonder how she knew my size.” Quincy glanced down at his.
“She probably used that fat bull we saw in the field earlier as reference,” Duke responded. “I keep tellin’ ya to lay off the extra helpings at meals.”
“I’ve yet to shed my winter fluff,” Quincy said, not in the least offended. “Bears are the same, you know.”
I laughed around a huge bite of bread. And nearly choked.
“Don’t die on me, little treasure,” Rowan said with his mouth full. “You’ll make the pup cry.”
Lake had torn into another lamb chop and paused, his wolf ears perking up.
“Rowan, you’ll makemecry if you don’t learn some table manners.” Briar pinched his brow between two fingers. “We’re dining with the lord of the castle. Please swallow your food before speaking.”
Onyx watched them, his expression somewhere between amused and curious.
Maddox released a breath and pushed back from his plate.
“Finished eating already?” Lord Onyx asked him. “Is the meal not to your liking?”
“The food is fine,” Maddox said, gaze narrowed. “It’s the company that’s soured my appetite.”
I kicked his foot under the table. Easy since he was sitting beside me. He shot me a look, which I returned with even more heat. My captain was all growl and snarl. Unwarranted too, the stubborn butthole.
“If my presence is so offensive, perhaps you should retire to your room for the evening,” Onyx said, in a calm and collected tone. It contradicted the hard gleam in his red eyes. “I’m sure Evan and I will enjoy ourselves well enough without you here.”
Oh no.
Maddox gritted his teeth. “I suggest keeping my male’s name out of your mouth.”
“Ah. Would you prefer I call him by another name?” Onyx tilted his head and smoothed a finger along the rim of his goblet. “Little bird, perhaps?”
“You’ve caged him like a bird,” Maddox responded. “Forbidding him from leaving this place.”
“He’d be on a ship sailing for Haran, if not for my insistence he remain in my realm. Or worse. If you recall, he has a bounty on his head. It’s possible your former knights could have found him before the mercenaries and slit his throat.”
I touched my neck on impulse. “Wouldn’t put it past that psycho Cedric to slit my throat. He once threw someone over a cliff into the sea. The guy was found days later half-eaten by sharks. All because Cedric worried the guy would try to take the throne from him.”
Briar frowned. “Rowan told us what transpired in Cedric’s study the night you were apprehended. The prince confessed to killing many of the king’s illegitimate children.”
“Yep.” The food soured in my gut. I shouldn’t have gorged on so much bread. “That’s why he included me in his scheme. Making the deal with Nocturne to poison King Eidolon and frame me for it. He thought I was the king’s son. Getting rid of me was like killing two birds with one stone.”
“Prince Cedric was vile, even as a child,” Varys said before taking a drink of wine. “It’s no surprise he grew into an even more vile man. I warned Eidolon of this once, after witnessing Cedric torment one of the maids, but he didn’t heed that warning.”
“You knew the king?” Briar asked him.
“Aye.” Sadness shone in Varys’ eyes. “I knew him better than most. We were children together, and in our later years once hetook the throne, I served him like my father served his, as his closest advisor.”
Duke’s eyes widened. “That’s the reason your name sounded familiar. You’re the one who started the demi-human uprising all those years ago.”
Maddox’s features hardened. “So the stories are true. You betrayed the king to ally with the demon lord. You’re the reason why Lake and others like him are unable to walk freely in Bremloc.”
My heart wobbled. His anger stemmed from his love for our wolf.
“You know that I betrayed him but notwhy,” Varys responded. “If you knew the full truth, I feel that your anger would not be aimed at me, but rather, at the king you swore as a knight to defend.”
