With his raven-black hair and deep blue eyes, he was a knockout. It was hard to make direct eye contact with him, so I looked away. His gaze remained pinned to me though, sending heat rushing through my veins. We continued walking as I tried to make sense of everything.
“I have another question.”
“I cannot wait to hear it.”
I ignored his obvious sarcasm. “What happens after we eat breakfast? Are you going to grill me some more?”
“Grill you?”
“Yeah. Like question me or whatever.”
Maddox stared at me for a moment, face emotionless. A spark then touched his eyes, like embers that still faintly burned among all the ashes. “No.”
He then continued walking.
“No?” I hurried after him. “Wow, you walk fast for such a big guy. So, you aren’t going to question me anymore? Aren’t you worried I’m a spy? Or an evil wizard sent here to bring destruction to your land?”
Maddox’s brow shot upward. “I doubt wizards would faint at the sight of magic. Nor would they stumble around like you do.” He glanced down. “With your short legs.”
“Hey, I don’t stumble. And my legs are the perfect length in proportion to my body.”
“Mhm.”
The man was exasperating. But I kind of liked it. “So, I’m free to wander around on my own?”
“I didn’t say that.” He nodded to another knight we passed. “I may no longer believe you’re a threat, but your arrival in the kingdom still brings forth many questions. Until I have more answers, I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
Dammit. That shouldn’t have thrilled me as much as it did.
“About that…” I recalled the excuse Lupin had given me. “I remember how I got to the field, so it’s not really a mystery anymore.”
Maddox halted in step. “Explain.”
“I’m a traveler.” It wasn’t a total lie. I had traveled through time and space, according to Lupin. “I left, uh, the kingdom of Arkansas to explore the world. I was really tired and found the field to sleep in for the night. You found me the next morning, and here we are now.”
“What about your confusion upon waking?” he asked. “You had no recollection of your travels.”
“Um.” I chewed at my bottom lip. “As I said, I was really tired. It was probably a combination of exhaustion, sleep deprivation, being hungry, and too much sun. But after resting, my mind is much clearer.”
Maddox carefully watched me. Did he believe the story?
“Evan!” Callum jogged toward us, still wearing my shoes. What he wasn’t wearing? A shirt. The dude had a nice body. An athletic build and trim muscle. “Good morning.”
“Morning,” I responded. He reminded me of an excited puppy greeting his owner. The only thing missing was the wagging tail.
“Captain.” He tipped his head to Maddox. “Apologies for my state of undress. I woke late and was rushing around to come and retrieve Evan when the men informed me you’d already done so in my place.”
“It’s no trouble,” the captain responded. “The boy is my responsibility as of now. Return to your quarters and prepare for the day. The scouts should be returning soon, and I expect you to be ready to greet them when they arrive.”
“Yes, sir.” Callum flashed me another smile before turning on his heels and heading back the way he’d come.
I peered up at Maddox. He must’ve been around six foot two or three if I had to guess. I stood at a measly five foot seven, and he towered over me. “I’m not a kid, you know, so you can stop referring to me asboy.”
“Is that so?” He stepped closer, that earlier amusement returning to his mouth.
“Yep. I’m an adult, thank you very much. I just turned twenty-three.”
“Could have fooled me. I’ve seen boys no older than fifteen who are taller than you.”
