“We better get in there before they eat all the food,” I said.
Briar smiled as we grabbed the wine and glasses and joined the others.
The knights shared stories over dinner. More about poor Hudson, who sounded more and more like one of the himbo love interests I used to read about in my old world; tough but kind of ditsy. Then, a story about Nikolai being slapped near the firepit as one of the women he’d been sleeping with learned about another woman he’d also been fucking.
“Serves him right,” Duke said with a robust laugh.
Maddox shook his head and drank from his mug—drinking water unlike his men.
“We don’t have such a problem,” Briar said, his cheeks a bit flushed. He was on his second glass of wine. “Communication is how our relationship stays so strong. Our Evan has so much love in his heart, and I, personally, enjoy seeing him bless others with that love.”
“Aye,” Lake said. “He made me realize I was only existing before he came into my life. I’m sure the others feel the same.”
“Stop.” I fidgeted in my chair. “You’re gonna make me cry.”
“We only speak the truth, love.” Briar smiled at me. “My heart knows a type of joy that goes beyond my comprehension.”
“That’s the wine talking.”
Quincy snorted. “Wine only gives him the courage to say it in front of us.”
“We all love you, little prince.” Duke reached over and roughly ruffled my hair. “But for me, you are a younger brother I will kill to protect.”
“I’ll protect him better than you ever could,” Baden said, reclining in his seat.
As the two of them bickered, I drank from my mug and laughed. As a total lightweight, I tried not to drink more than one glass.
Maddox pressed his leg to mine beneath the table. “I’m told a castle guard came to the training field today while I was at the docks.”
“Aye.” Callum dabbed at his mouth. “It was Ban.”
“Why?” I asked, suddenly nervous. I blamed that evil red flower. I’d been on edge ever since learning about it. “Did something happen? Prince Sawyer told me about the assassin Sir Noah caught in his room. Did—”
“Calm down, Ev. Nothing’s wrong.” Callum patted my hand. He quickly moved away, but the warmth of his skin lingered on mine. “He watched our drills for a while and approached me after. I asked what he wanted, but he only grunted as usual.”
“Think he wants to see you,” Duke told me.
“Me? Why?”
Duke shrugged. “Just a hunch.”
“His face lit up when I said your name,” Callum added. “It appears you have another admirer.”
“Oh, I doubt that.” I gave a dismissive flick of my hand. “He’s probably just missing my baking. Snickerdoodle cookies are his favorite.”
“He prefers cookies? Good.” Maddox drank from his mug and cut his eyes at Duke. “One less muffin rival.”
Apparently, someone was still salty about being given a muffin with a slobbery bite taken out of it.
Duke grinned.
“Ban is wasted as a guard,” Quincy said between bites. “Imagine being in battle and seeing that mountain swinging a sword at ya. I’d shit myself.”
“You’d shit yourself anyway,” Baden told him, which caused Duke to choke on his food.
Callum laughed so hard water shot from his nose.
“How childish.” Quincy huffed.
