One thing I noticed? The knights were very well taken care of. The men who risked their lives to protect the kingdom weren’t treated like they were disposable. Their quality of life and well-being mattered beyond the battlefield.
That’s exactly how it should be.
After the grand tour of the grounds, I spent time hanging out with Callum and the other knights. With the exception of Roth—who I still thought was an asshole—they all seemed to be great guys. By late afternoon, they were joking with me, and that suspicion in their eyes had lessened.
I might’ve been a stranger in the kingdom, but none of them viewed me as a threat anymore.
I helped them care for the horses and do small tasks around the area. While they trained, I stared in awe. Even though they practiced with dull blades, it was still exciting to watch. Callum was incredible. The cinnamon roll persona flew out the window as he roared, grunted, and took down his opponents, one by one.
“Want to try?” Callum asked, offering me a sword.
“Definitely not. You go ahead. I’ll just stand here where it’s safe.”
He laughed before jumping back in to the duel, facing two men at once and easily holding his own.
Around dinnertime, they led me into the mess hall. The room acted as a sort of gathering place for them. Tables were placed throughout where some took their meals. Others played cards. A large hearth warmed the area, and a smaller one was used to cook whatever was in the large pots hanging over it.
“Rabbit stew,” Callum said, reminding me of a puppy again in his excitement. “It’s my favorite.”
“You’ll eat anything,” the knight named Quincy said.
Callum blushed. “True.” He appeared to be the youngest out of them, but despite that, the men respected him. Their banter was lighthearted. Judging by what I’d witnessed during their training, he more than earned that respect.
I looked out the window, watching the sun inch toward the horizon. The light had shifted, shadowing some areas of the sky.
My second day in this new world had almost come to a close. Would all be like this? I had to admit it wasn’t too bad, this life. It was the most social I’d been in a while. Not only that, I had helped earn my keep, which wasn’t a bad feeling either.
“Tell us a story from your travels,” Quincy said. He had taken a liking to me, for whatever reason. Chocolate-brown hair and eyes that matched, he was handsome in a rugged way—rugged because of the deep scar cutting across the left side of his face. “You come from a far-off land, yes? I’m sure you’ve seen a few things worthy of mention. Pretty lasses, perhaps?”
“With big jugs?” one named Baden added. “Like the milkmaid I fell in love with in my youth.”
“Um.” I breathed out a laugh. “Sorry to disappoint, but women with big jugs don’t really do it for me.” And then, like many times in my life after discovering my sexuality and coming out—because it was never just once—a tingle of fear pierced my chest.
How did they view homosexuality in Bremloc? Was it frowned upon?
Forbidden?
“Tell us stories of pretty lads, then,” Quincy casually suggested. He swept a hand over his hair. “I can hardly resist the ones with sharp jawlines and dark eyes.”
My heart skipped a beat, and I smiled. “Really?”
“Aye.” The scar on his face curved as he returned the expression. “Life is much too short and can be ripped away even faster, especially for us knights. It’s why I take pleasure in all that life has to offer. Lasses and lads alike.”
“Only lasses for me,” Baden said before bumping against Callum. “This one here refuses to tell us his preference.”
Callum smiled down at his hands. “Because there’s not much to tell. My only love is the Order.”
“You sound just like the captain.” Duke smiled. His medium-length red hair was pulled back in a low hold, the strands just long enough to be held with the leather strap. “I’ve never known him to take a lover, male or female.”
Because it was a distraction, Maddox had told me.
“So tell us of your travels,” Quincy said. “Leave no details out.”
“I’d rather hear about why you were so close to the dark wood when the captain found you,” Duke said, his green eyes serious. “A damned miracle you weren’t mauled in the dead of night.”
“Our Evan is small but brave.” Quincy slapped me on the back. “The dark wood doesn’t frighten him. Instead, he sleeps peacefully beside it, daring the beasts within to come for him.”
“I wouldn’t go that far,” I said, nerves spiking. Fuck. Was the forest really that dangerous? Why in the hell would the wishing stone place me so close to it upon my arrival? I could’ve died.
