“Not at all.” He slowed his pace as we approached what I assumed to be the knights’ quarters. There was a training field, a stable, and a section of buildings much like the one I’d stayed the night in. “The physician and I have rarely spoken, with the exception of when he’s treated my injuries.”
“Ah. So you’re just that warm and friendly to everyone.”
“Warm and friendly?” His stormy expression cleared, like dark clouds dispersing to reveal the sun. A peek of it anyway, like it wasn’t ready to fully show its golden rays. “I sense sarcasm.”
I tried to hold back my smile but failed. “Just returning the favor. I take your sarcasm and raise you one.”
“I feel you’d win that contest. I’ve only just met you but can already tell that mouth of yours has a mind of its own.”
“It’s a gift.”
“To be completely honest, perhaps I was a bit harsh toward him,” Maddox said as he led me toward a firepit where other men were seated. “I don’t take kindly to those who challenge my authority.”
“Said like a true captain. Oh. I just thought of another question.”
He released a drawn-out sigh. “What is it?”
“You’re the captain of the Second Order. How many Orders are there? What do you do? You said you can’t use magic, but what about magical weapons? Do you slay dragons?”
“That… was much more than one question. Sit.” Maddox nodded to a wooden stool. “I’ll fetch our food.”
“Allow me, Captain,” a man I didn’t know said before pushing to his feet. “I’ll get your breakfast.”
“I can manage fine on my own,” Maddox told him. “Watch him until I return.”
“Yes, sir.”
He then left me at the firepit. The six men stared at me between bites of their food. The attention made me nervous. I normally kept to myself, staying inside my little bubble, but that was impossible now. I couldn’t hide in that world, not when my very presence sparked so much interest.
I sat down and waved at them. “Hey. I’m Evan.”
“My name is Roth,” the man closest to me said. “You’re the one who was found near the dark wood yesterday morn.”
“Yep. That’s me.” What was so dark about the woods? The forest had appeared pretty normal to me. From the outside, at least. Did demons live inside? Monsters?
Lupin?
The other five then introduced themselves, and the tangle of nerves in my belly started to unravel as the topic shifted from me and back to whatever they’d been discussing prior to my arrival. They mentioned Onyx, the same name I’d heard Briar and Callum say the previous day.
“Bastard is going to get what’s coming to him,” Roth said. “Goddamn demon. All of his kind needs to be wiped off the map. Same for the beast-men.”
“Demi-humans,” one of the other knights corrected him. Duke, if I remembered right. “Beast-men is a derogatory term.”
“You think I care if it offends them?” Roth dunked his slice of bread into his bowl, sopping up the contents, and shoved it into his mouth. “They’re not human. Can’t be trusted either. The whole lot of them would tear any of us apart without a second thought if given the chance. Better off dead, if you ask me.”
“Don’t let Prince Sawyer hear you say that,” Duke said, fidgeting with the strap tying back his red hair. “He has a demi-human in his service and is quite fond of him.”
Wait.Was he referring to Kuya, the cat boy I’d met at Briar’s clinic? He had seemed sweet. Right away, I pegged this Roth guy as a class-A asshole.
“Well, no disrespect to the youngprince,” Roth said, “but the kingdom is fortunate his older brother will eventually take the throne instead of him. He is much too soft.”
“What’s so wrong about demi-humans?” I asked. “Just because they’re not fully human, you think they’re beneath you?”
“Of course they’re beneath us,” Roth responded. “You’re not from around here, so maybe you’re unfamiliar with how we do things in Bremloc. But the paper we use to wipe our asses has more value than them.”
“Enough, Roth,” Duke snapped, a hard look in his green eyes. “Demi-humans are citizens of Bremloc, and thus we are sworn to protect them as well. Your views are sorely outdated.”
Roth huffed before taking another bite. Good. More food meant he’d shut his big, hateful mouth. He wiped at his lips before standing from the stump. “Watch the boy. I need to take a piss.”
