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Beric’s expression softened the slightest bit. “That’s very generous of him.”
He could read me too well—an unnerving trait I would despise if anyone but my squire possessed it.
My squire.
I was a knight. The God King’s knight. With my very own Royal Squire. It still felt a little unreal.
“Yes, well…” I cleared my throat. “Needless to say I won’t be needing her services as my squire, anymore. I just wanted to make sure I told you before you went to Kat tomorrow. Save you a little trouble.”
The longer he looked at me, the more unbearable it became to meet his gaze, and I couldn’t understand why. I was behaving in a borderline dysfunctional manner, and I couldn’t begin to know what he must have thought of me.
“Okay, well,” I said, quickly. “I appreciate you tolerating my nonsense. See you in the morning.”
I turned on my heel, but Beric’s gentle voice halted my next step. “May I escort you back to your room?”
My heart leapt in my chest as I glanced back at him. “Yes, please. Thank you. I fear I’m not very good at navigating these halls.”
And I almost died, I thought, but there was no need to worry him with that detail.
“They were made difficult on purpose,” he said, grabbing a lantern. “No one will say it aloud, but you’re essentially the key to the king’s rule. Without you, he would cease to exist. The changing labyrinth and chaperoning ensures your safety, as well as the king’s.”
“Well, then, by all means,” I said with a smile. “Chaperone away.”
Beric must have found the guiding stone easily, because he walked forward, and I caught up to him without being able to find it myself. But it didn’t matter. Since meeting Beric, he’d always known the right thing for every situation. I instinctively knew I could follow him anywhere, and be completely safe. And it was a strange and wonderful feeling.
“What made you change your mind?” I heard Beric ask.
I looked up at him. He was so handsome in the glow of the lantern, I nearly forgot the question. “About?”
“Allowing me to be your squire?”
The question nearly made me laugh. My cousin’s getting what she wanted so she’ll finally leave me alone. But the only word that left my lips was, “Selfishness.”
He didn’t join in on my teasing tone. “Wanting what you deserve isn’t selfish.”
“I was never the favored child, growing up. Not even right up until I won this position. It feels odd to actually get what I want.”
“You should get used to it. It’s a squire’s duty to take care of his knight. Anything you want or need, I’ll make happen.”
“Anything? That seems a tall ask for one severe-browed boy.”
His brows lowered further, this time in confusion. “Severe?”
“When you aren’t smiling—and you usually aren’t—you are positively terrifying. It’s no wonder people leave me alone when you’re around.”
“What did you call me at court that day? The Grim Reaper?”
I had expected him to laugh, but he seemed a bit self-conscious. Apologetic.
He rubbed his thumb between his brows, as if to smooth the furrows away. “Kat did tell me I should stop doing that. Forgive me, my lady.”
“You’re used to frowning, I think,” I said, gently. “From years of mistreatment.”
He looked at me, the furrow in his brow turning slightly disturbed, and I was sure I’d said something I shouldn’t have. “I wish you hadn’t been burdened with that information.”
“I want you to know, it will never be that way with me.”
“I knew that from the moment I met you.” His mouth twitched into a small smile. “I was speaking with Eliza earlier, and it made me realize why I was drawn to you during the auditions. Why I selected you above the others. It wasn’t just your skill and the way our voices blended. It was your concern for me.” He looked at his forearm, where his wound had been, that rare, beautiful smile on his lips. “When you’d thought I’d hurt myself just so I could test all the knights, and scolded me for it. I didn’t know knights could care about their squires that way.”
