Page 23 of The Warrior Priest
Rhys cleared his throat. “Change of subject. The new prince…who wants to have a wager on whether he’ll make a good ruler?”
“Shhh.” Rufus glanced around. “Merdu, keep your voice down, Rhys. It’s treason to talk about the heir like that.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know but there must be some law about that kind of talk. It sounds seditious to me.”
Vizah watched as a serving woman delivered a tankard to Andreas then brushed his cheek with her knuckles before walking away, hips swinging seductively. “You’re suspicious of everything, Rufus,” he said.
“I said seditious, not suspicious. And stop staring at the women.”
“Why? Andreas does it.”
“I don’tstare,” Andreas said. “Iadmire.”
“And Jac’s been doing it. He can’t stop staring at Giselle.”
My face flamed. I thought I’d been discreet, watching her from beneath my lashes, but if Vizah had noticed then I’d failed miserably.
Vizah laughed, the sound a low rumble in his barrel chest. “She’s a little old for you, Jac, but I don’t think she’d mind. As long as Rhys—” He grunted as he winced. “Why did you kick me?”
Rufus and Andreas both chuckled. I was certain they both knew I was a woman now, although before tonight I hadn’t been sure if Rufus knew. It seemed Vizah was the only one who hadn’t guessed, and the others were having too much fun to enlighten him. All except Rhys, that is.
Rhys swiped up his tankard. “Leave Jac alone. He’s too young.”
Vizah frowned at me. “How oldareyou?”
“Twenty,” I said.
“Definitely old enough.” Vizah’s frown deepened. “You’re very small for a man of twenty years. Rhys, you should pay him more. He needs a good feed.”
“He’s not twenty,” Rhys said. “Fifteen or sixteen. Seventeen at the most. Too young.”
“Iamtwenty,” I said through a clenched jaw. “As Rhys well knows. He just can’t accept it, for some reason.”
“I understand now,” Vizah said with a knowing nod. “It’s got nothing to do with Jac, does it? You just don’t want to talk about sex.”
Rhys lowered his tankard. “You’re right. Let’s not.”
Vizah wasn’t at all worried, despite the icy glare Rhys shot him. “You should talk about your feelings. It’ll help you release any lingering doubts you may have about giving up sex for good now that you’re the second.”
Andreas snickered while Rufus leaned forward. “This will be interesting,” he said.
“I don’t have lingering doubts,” Rhys growled at Vizah.
“Isn’t that why you’re acting strangely lately? Now that you’ve been promoted, you’ve decided to keep all your vows, even that one.”
Rhys craned his neck to peer past the other patrons toward the bar area. “I need another drink.”
“Don’t replace women with ale,” Vizah bumbled on.
“Or gambling,” Andreas added with a pointed look at Vizah.
Rufus lifted his tankard to Andreas. Andreas clinked his against it then both drank deeply.
It seemed Rhys hadn’t told his friends he was considering leaving the order for Giselle. “How long were you with Giselle last time?” I asked him.
Andreas grinned. “Yes, Rhys, tell Jacallabout your relationship with Giselle.”
