Page 124 of Lady for Embers

He smiled, grateful for the interruption saving him from having to answer her question. “Go play, Eva,” he answered, pushing back to his feet. “I will come ?nd you when it is time to return to the other estate for dinner.”

She was gone in the next blink, her braid ?ying out behind her.

Callan turned to see where the others had gone and found Hale watching him closely.

“You and Lady Tava are engaged?” Hale asked.

“No,” Callan answered quickly, looking for Drake. He could only assume Rayner had gone in search of Tula, and who knew where Eliza had disappeared to.

“Courting?”

Callan shook his head. “Eva wishes we were,” he replied, far more subdued than he intended. Hale studied him a moment longer before nodding slowly. “Where is Drake?”

“I believe he went to ?nd Lady Tava,” Hale answered, gesturing to a path to their left in the same direction Eva had run off in. “Shall we?”

The two kings made their way around the back of the house where large hedges indeed ran. They were tall, reaching above Callan’s head, and they seemed to go on forever. He spotted Drake speaking with Tava on a bench near one of them, and as he and Hale made their way closer, Tava spotted them and immediately stood.

She dipped her head when they stopped in front of her. “Your Majesty,” she greeted softly.

Callan’s lips pressed together at the title. “Lady Tava,” he saidtightly. He saw Drake frown out of the corner of his eye, looking back and forth between them.

She held his gaze for a fraction of a second before turning to Hale and bowing her head to him. “Lord Coventry.”

Hale smiled warmly at her. “I told you to call me Hale,” he answered.

And something in Callan’s chest tightened when her cheeks heated just a touch. He knew she wasn’t blushing for Hale himself. She was used to being in the background, seen and then ignored. Any attention could make her blush like that. It wasn’t for Hale... right?

“Did you try the maze?” Hale asked, a hint of mischief in his tone.

Tava laughed. “I did not dare,” she answered, her hands clasping in front of her. “I could not risk getting lost in there for hours.”

“Perhaps after dinner we can tackle it together. All of us,” he added, addressing Callan and Drake.

“That hardly seems fair,” she countered. “You know the layout of the maze.”

Hale seemed to consider this for a moment before he said, “You are right. I will contact someone to change it in the next day or two. We will then all be on even footing.”

She smiled at him, and Callan was grateful it wasn’t her real smile but her demure one that had been drilled into her since she was a child. “That would be lovely.”

“I look forward to it,” Hale answered. He glanced towards the house. “I have some matters to take care of this afternoon, but I will see all of you soon. Please do not hesitate to ask any of my staff if you need anything.”

After Hale was out of earshot, Drake turned to Callan. “What do you make of everything we learned today?”

“What do I make of Hale being the rightful Toreall king?” Callan asked, rubbing at his jaw. “I do not know what a person makes out of that. It is a good thing, I suppose. Assuming the people of Toreall will believe his story.” He pushed out a harsh breath. “I will have my own challenges to worry about if we win this war. Starting with how do I convince a kingdom full of people I did not abandon them but went to get help?”

“If we win this war, I think that will be evident enough, don’t you?” Drake asked, his arms folding across his chest.

“There are so many variables,” Callan said. “So many things to consider, and I do not have any resources at my disposal. None of my father’s advisors. My personal guards. I have... nothing.”

The words fell from his lips as he realized Tava had slipped away.

“You know I will help in any way I can,” Drake said. “Tava too.”

He knew that. He knew Tava wouldn’t let whatever this thing was between them, or rather lack thereof at this point, impede on helping the people of Windonelle, but he also knew she wouldn’t be as outspoken as she had been before. She would fall back into her role of docile Lady, following commands from the men in her life. Following commands from her king. She would go back to working in the background.

And what is it you do want, Callan?

Not that. He sure as fuck did not want that.

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