This might have been a fantasy world with magic, but I was still the same old Evan I’d always been: a dorky bookworm who talked fast when he was nervous and who couldn’t flirt to save his life.
“Thank you for thinking of me.” My voice dropped in volume.
He was quiet for a few passing beats. “Do not mistake my suspicion of you as me being heartless. I only want what’s best for the kingdom.”
“Callum said you’ve dedicated your life to being a knight.”
“I have. The knights are my family. I’d gladly give my life for theirs, just as I would for anyone else in Bremloc.” There was a short pause. “What of your family?”
“Don’t have any.”
His blue eyes shifted back to me. “No parents or siblings?”
“Nope and nope,” I answered. “I never knew my parents. I grew up in foster care and got shuffled around to different homes.” What was the fantasy world equivalent to foster care? An orphanage? Oh well. Maddox seemed to be following my explanation fairly well regardless. “Once old enough, I set off on my own. Been that way ever since.”
I’d made it sound a lot easier than it had actually been. Not feeling like I belonged anywhere had been rough. It was lonely and scary navigating the world on my own. The money I made at the café was barely enough to keep a roof over my head and food on my table some months.
“We have that in common,” Maddox said, his tone much gentler than usual. “My father was a knight in the Second Order and fell in battle when I was a young boy. I had no mother. She gave her life bringing me into this world. I was then placed in a home with other war orphans and learned early on that the only person I could rely on was myself.”
“Look at you now.” I tossed him a smile. “Captain of the knights and total badass. I’d say you did well for yourself.”
Maddox averted his gaze. And did his cheeks have a bit more color?
Nah. I’m just seeing things.
“Question,” I said.
He peered back at me.
“The basin of water in my room was warm. How?”
“How?” Maddox was confused by that. “The rune on the basin keeps the water heated enough for washing comfortably.”
Ah. Magic.Should’ve guessed that much.
“Can you do magic?”
“That’s another question.” A dash of humor touched his stare before he averted it in front of us. “No, I don’t possess that skill. The runes allow those of us without magic to get by.”
We passed two women who were knelt beside a garden, digging in the soil and planting seeds. Both snapped their heads toward Maddox before leaning in close and excitedly whispering to each other.
Did they have the hots for him? Not surprising. The man might’ve been cold as ice, but he was certainly easy on the eyes.
“Are you married?” I asked.
“No.”
“Dating anyone? Well, I guess you’d call it courting.” Another thought occurred to me. “Oh, maybe knights aren’t allowed to date?”
He stopped walking and faced me. Something about his expression was different. He seemed… lighter. Amused, even. “Why do you ask? Interested in filling that role for yourself, Muffin Lord?”
“Um. Of course not.” When I laughed, it came out raspy. Nervous. “I’m just trying to get to know you better. That’s all. Those ladies are totally checking you out. I’m surethey’dlove to fill that role.”
He looked over at them, confused, before returning his eyes to me. “I haven’t the time for courtship. My duty is to my kingdom. Anything else would be an unnecessary distraction.”
“A distraction. Right. Like some very suspicious, but harmless, I assure you, stranger appearing out of nowhere and forcing you to play babysitter?”
Maddox’s icy expression thawed, and I nearly shit and fell back in it when the very edge of his mouth curved up in the smallest of smiles. “Precisely.”
