“Pay him little mind,” Duke told me after Roth was out of earshot. “He isn’t nearly as awful as he seems. A demi-human killed his mother when he was a young boy. He’s held a grudge against them ever since.”
There was so much I wanted—needed—to learn about the world I’d been sent to. Every land had its politics and history. Even fantasy ones like this one.
What Ididknow? They were currently in conflict with a demon named Onyx, but I didn’t know who Onyx was, where he lived, or why they fought each other. And then there was the mystery of the dark wood.
“I heard you ask about the Second Order,” Duke then said. “There are three in total. The First Order of Knights, or the Royal Order as they’re also called, live in the castle and are assigned to the royal household.”
“So they’re like the elite tier of knights?” I asked.
He nodded. “They rarely see actual battle unless absolutely necessary. They’re more like glorified bodyguards; however, they hold a large burden on their shoulders. Protecting the king and his sons is no simple task, what with all the assassination attempts.”
“Whoa. Assassination attempts?”
Another nod. “Along with the fight against Onyx, we’re also in conflict with the kingdom of Haran. They often send mercenaries, assassins, you name it, to attack King Eidolon and his family.”
“Why?”
Duke shrugged. “Why do men do most things? For power. Wealth. To prove they’re strongest.”
One of the other men looked at me. He had brown hair and a scar on his face. “The king’s younger brother worsened the conflict. Or so the stories say.”
“What stories?”
“The one about the lost treasure of Haran,” he responded.
“Lost treasure?”
The man smirked and leaned in closer. “Stolen.”
“Enough questions.” Maddox sat to my left. He held two bowls and offered one to me.
“Thanks.” I accepted the food. “What’s the stolen treasure? And who stole it?”
Maddox sneered at the man with the scar. “Choose your words carefully around him, Quincy. His curiosity and rambling mouth know no bounds.” He then regarded me. “There is no lost or stolen treasure. Bremloc has never stolen from the kingdom of Haran. Why would we when our riches far outweigh theirs? It’s nothing but a rumor that was spread to tarnish King Eidolon’s reputation.”
“What about the king’s brother?” I nodded to the scarred man—Quincy. “He said the dude pissed off Haran even more.”
Maddox shot him another look before turning back to me. “The king’s brother died long ago. That’s all there is to say on the matter.”
“Fine,” I said. “One more question. What does the Second Order do?”
“We keep the people of Bremloc safe,” Maddox answered, much to my surprise. He had seemed ready to gag me and toss me into the field if it meant escaping my mouth. “Patrols of the kingdom. Combat missions. Fighting in war. Allow me to ask you one in return.”
“Go ahead.”
“Why are you so curious about the knights?” He side-eyed me. “Do you wish to become one of us?”
“Totally.” I scoffed. “Just look at my awesome muscles. I’d be a true force of nature.”
“You with a sword is a truly frightening thought.” He took a bite of his food, his gaze unwavering on mine. “You’d put your eye out.”
“Rude,” I said. His tone had been dead serious, but there’d been a spark of amusement in his blue eyes. The jerk. “Do you tease all prisoners of Bremloc like this?”
His amusement deepened, though it never showed on his mouth. “If you were my prisoner, you wouldn’t be sitting here with me enjoying breakfast.”
Those silly flutters swarmed my belly again. “Speaking of breakfast…” I moved the spoon through the contents. “What is this? Some type of porridge? Is it rice?”
“It’s food,” he answered before scooping a spoonful into his mouth.
