Chapter Eight #2
Rowan smirked into his mug, no doubt remembering how she and the others had fought over who’d sit beside me earlier that day.
“Nina?” Onyx called out. “You have permission to come in as well.”
A flash of golden hair dashed across the open doorway before, slowly, bright yellow eyes appeared. Nina slunk farther into the room, fidgeting with her hands behind her back. As our gazes met, her face broke into a big, toothy grin. “Evan!”
“Hi again,” I greeted her.
“You’ve met before?” Briar asked, placing a bread roll on Rowan’s plate before taking one for himself.
Nina excitedly nodded. “Evan made us muffins! I ate three of them. Tried to eat a fourth but meanie Cyan ssstole it.”
Maddox frowned at me. “You baked muffins for her?”
“This morning, when I made yours,” I answered, trying not to laugh. The mention of his favorite treat was a perfect distraction from his sour mood.
“They were delicious,” Cyan said, her bright blue eyes twinkling. “I want more.”
A sneer downturned the edge of Maddox’s mouth.
That time, I couldn’t stifle my laugh. Poor Maddox had another muffin rival. I turned my face into his bicep and playfully nipped at his shirt. “Oh, stop snarling, big guy.”
He pressed a kiss to my hair.
“Banana ones?” Nina asked with her mouthful. She’d swiped a roll from the basket.
My big grump sighed. It was his favorite flavor. A double whammy.
Briar seemed to catch it too and softly coughed into his closed fist.
After Lord Onyx thanked them and said they could be excused, they bowed to him and headed for the door. They glanced back at me with toothy grins before stepping into the hall, whispering amongst themselves until they were out of earshot.
“It appears more of my demons have taken a liking to you,” Onyx told me.
“They’re really nice,” I responded and took a drink of wine. Just a sip. Too much would have me crawling up on the table and pretending to be a smoked boar or something else ridiculous. I was a silly drunk. “Koga is nice too. Like Mae, he’s quiet but I can tell he’s a good guy. Gentle.”
“He hasn’t always been gentle. Once, he commanded a unit in my father’s army.” Onyx shifted his gaze to the window. “War changes you, for better or for worse. After my father’s death, Koga laid down his sword and never picked it up again.”
The mention of his father drew the attention of every knight around the table.
“How old were you?” I asked. “When your father… um.”
“Nineteen,” he answered, gaze distant, like he was stuck in a memory. “And full of rage. I wanted to burn the world.”
Maddox kept his eyes on Onyx, his muscles coiled and prepared to spring at the first sign of danger. Callum appeared the same, squeezing the handle of his fork.
“And now?” Briar asked. “Do you still wish to burn the world?”
“Now?” Onyx took a breath and relaxed on the exhale, averting his eyes from the window. “I’m much too tired.”
A nudge to my leg drew my attention. Oreo stared up at me, a whine tearing through his throat.
“You hungry?” I smoothed my hand over his head. “Want some of this yummy lamb?”
His answering butt wiggle gave me my answer. As he eagerly gobbled it up, I made a mental note to ask Fane about Fenrir demons and if they had any dietary restrictions. I wanted to make sure Oreo didn’t get sick. I’d never forgive myself.
Once the puppy had his fill, he licked my fingers and went over to curl up in front of the fire.
“He’s such a good boy,” I said with a smile. “I think he had fun walking around the market today. I’d like to take him out to play tomorrow too if I can.”
“You’re free to do as you please,” Lord Onyx responded. “Despite what your mates believe, you aren’t a prisoner here.”
“Isn’t he?” Callum squared his shoulders. “With Nocturne pacing outside the barrier like a predator on the prowl, hunting Ev like prey, this realm is his prison.”
“What do you propose we do then, knight?” Onyx’s tone remained steady, but there was a dangerous gleam in his eyes. “Go beyond the barrier and kill them?”
“Seems like a good idea to me.” Callum shrugged. “With them gone, he wouldn’t need your protection.”
“Interesting point.” Onyx looked at me. “They are relentless in their pursuit of you. Even for Nocturne, I find such persistence strange. I can’t help but wonder why King Silas wants you so badly.”
Maddox stilled beside me, as did Briar.
“Revenge, you know?” I answered, trying to play dumb. “His grudge against my dad is ridiculous at this point.”
A cloud of suspicion hovered over him. “There your heart goes again. Thrumming like a hummingbird’s wings. Are you nervous, little bird?”
“Me? Nervous.” I flicked my hand. “Never. I’m cool as a cucumber.”
Onyx tapped a finger against the arm of his chair. “You’re a dreadful liar.”
“I often tell him the same,” Maddox responded with a sigh.
“Truth is, we know little about the reason behind King Silas targeting him, but we believe it pertains to the broken treaty all those years ago. The kingdom of Haran is known for holding grudges. The royal family has been targeted for centuries. Prince Sawyer has faced his fair share of capture and assassination attempts as well.”
Damn. He’d said it so effortlessly that even I started to believe him.
“True.” Onyx lifted his hand back to his mouth.
“Several kings have ruled in Haran in my many years, but Silas is the most ruthless. Which is why killing the mercenaries wouldn’t keep Evan safe for long.
Silas would only send more mercenaries in their place.
It’d be for naught. A fool’s errand at most.”
“There’s nothing foolish about wishing to protect the one we love,” Maddox said. “It’s unreasonable to expect him to stay with you forever.”
For a split second, I could’ve sworn Onyx looked hurt. He reverted to his cool demeanor. “Why not? I find it quite lovely here.”
“What’s lovely for the spider is chaos for the fly,” Maddox countered.
The two of them stared each other down, brows heavy and eyes throwing daggers.
“Who wants dessert?” I asked, breaking their death-glare connection by drawing attention to me instead. “I can whip up some cookies.”
“Regrettably, I must retire for the evening.” Lord Onyx pushed back from the table with more force than necessary. “Excuse me.”
He bid us goodnight and took his leave.
“Don’t mind him,” Varys said once he’d left. “He likes to be alone sometimes. Prefers it, really.”
“He showed me the greenhouse the other day.” I glanced at Onyx’s now empty chair, feeling a strange pressure build in my chest. “He said it’s one of his favorite places in the castle.”
Varys nodded. “He goes there to find peace. It’s home to many plants, trees, and flowers that are unable to naturally grow here in the Shadow Realm. I believe it makes him feel less isolated from the outside world.”
Isolated. What did he mean by that?
The more I learned about Onyx, the less I understood. He was warm one moment and cold the next. Some of his smiles reached his eyes and others were only surface deep, with a heavy sadness lying beneath them.
“I should retire for the evening as well.” Varys dabbed at his mouth with a napkin before rising from his chair. “Morning comes early.”
***
The walk back to our room after dinner was quiet. Meeting Varys and learning about his love for my dad had seemed to dissolve some of my men’s worries about us being in the castle. Enough so that the knight trio told us goodnight and went to their own room instead of holing up in ours.
Progress.
“Where’s Yoyo?” Maddox asked once we’d reached our room, sweeping a gaze along the floor.
I cracked a smile. He used the wrong name on purpose now. “Outside, I think. Probably wants to run off some of his energy before bed.”
“He can sleep on the rug,” he grumbled.
“I hope he bites you in your sleep,” Rowan said from his window perch. “I’d never stop laughing.”
“Be nice,” I told him, then shot a glare at Maddox. “That goes for you too.”
“What wrong have I done?” the big grump asked.
I loudly cleared my throat before doing my best imitation of his voice. “The food is fine. It’s the company that’s soured my appetite.” My hands went to my hips. It was my warrior pose, threatening a brat-level tantrum if he didn’t start behaving. “Was that really necessary?”
“Indeed, it was,” he said, amused. “You’re awfully endearing when you’re like this. Full of fire and sass.”
I shut my eyes, praying for the strength not to pummel him.
“Ev?”
I looked at Callum. He sat on the edge of the bed and stared down at his hands, tracing the scar on his thumb. Another, much deeper, scar climbed up his neck, given to him from a Fenrir attack. He seemed reluctant to look at me.
Too hurt, maybe.
“Since the moment we arrived here, you’ve done nothing but defend the demons,” he continued. “Telling us to trust them. One of them is even your pet, having bonded with you. Now, you defend Lord Onyx. I can’t help but ask myself why.”
Maddox’s good mood faded, causing a tightness to his jaw.
“Because he’s been kind to us,” I said, wondering where Callum’s mind was at. The sudden gloom didn’t bode well. “He’s given us shelter, protection, and food. Not once has he or any other demons tried to hurt us.”
“Is that the only reason you’re so determined for us to make peace with him?
” When Callum finally looked up at me, his brown eyes appeared wounded.
“I have little experience in romance, having never loved anyone before confessing my feelings for you, but I know you, Ev. I see the way you look at him.”
Something dropped like lead to my gut. Maddox wasn’t the only one who’d caught on. Callum had too. Which made sense. He’d always read me so damn well, like I was an open book.
“He’s one of us,” he softly added. “Isn’t he?”
Not trusting my voice enough to speak, I could only nod.