A sigh escaped my lips. I’d kissed him so many times, but he still made me melt.
“I’ll never tire of that rambling mouth.” He caressed the line of my jaw with his knuckles. “Or how you can’t walk across flat ground without tripping. You and your short legs.”
“Jerk.”
Maddox brought me closer and cradled the back of my head. “Are you hurt at all?”
“No. But the same can’t be said for your muffins. They fell in battle.”
He drew back with an arched brow before spotting the two fallen banana-nut soldiers in the dirt. “I’ll still eat them.”
“Don’t you dare.” I poked his chest. “They’re covered in dirt and grass and god knows what else. Horse shit, probably. I won’t let you take a single bite of—”
Maddox grabbed my chin and kissed me again, firmer now than before. My lips yielded to his on impulse. Just like withBriar and Lake, a sense of peace washed over me with his proximity. With his scent.
“I’m glad you came to see me,” he whispered, threading his fingers into the back of my hair. His hand was so big it could hold the entire back of my head. The slight shake in his voice worried me. Even more so when I felt that shake in his hand too.
“Did something happen?”
He held me closer, not responding.
“Maddox?” I asked gently. “Talk to me, big guy.”
“All is well.”
“Liar.” Irritation prickled inside me. “Whatever happened, I can handle it.”
“I know you can handle it.” His hand trailed down my neck, and he adjusted my cloak. “But I know how your mind works, sweetheart, and I’d rather not needlessly worry you.”
“Keeping things from me only makes me worry more.”
His sigh came like an audible surrender. “Last night, scouts reported a demon horde heading for Bremloc, and a unit from the Third Order was dispatched. Several knights didn’t make it home.”
“So, Captain Braun…”
“Is grieving the loss of his men,” Maddox said. “Even if he doesn’t outwardly show it. I reached out as soon as I heard the news and invited him here to help in any way I can. We were just stopping for lunch.”
“Are you okay?” I asked. “If you need to talk about it, I’m here. Always.”
“I thank you for that.” Maddox kissed the side of my head. “I’m okay though. Even more so now.”
I thought of all the protection stones Thane had crafted, on top of the dozens of others already finished and waiting to be distributed to the orders of knights. Someday, our captain andgroup of goofy, lovable knights would be called to fight. They risked their lives every single day.
“Captain?” Quincy said from a few feet away. Callum was with him.
“Yes?” Maddox responded without taking his eyes off me. “What is it?”
“Uh…” Quincy’s gaze moved to me before shifting back to him. “The, um…individualwho has the…” Another glance at me. “… intel we requested has returned.”
“Understood.” Maddox turned to him. “Will you escort Evan back home?”
“I can do it, sir,” Callum said. “I was on my way to the Guild anyway.”
The Adventurers’ Guild reminded me of the ones from fantasy anime and video games. The adventurers were separated by rank, and they could move up in rank by completing posted quests and other jobs. Quests of higher difficulty gained more experience points and loot. There were also smaller tasks, such as gathering herbs, delivering goods to and from businesses, and even a request to muck out horse stables.
“Very well,” Maddox told Callum before tipping my chin up. “Go directly to the cottage and behave until I return home.”
I scoffed. “We’ve been over this a million times, Captain Ice. I always behave.”
