by Chloe Cole
The crowd was cheering for all of us, delighted at the whole spectacle and we all gave a wave. I watched my sister rise to her feet again, both her hands holding her swollen belly. The crowd fell silent again as the Queen turned to regard the competitors.
“Titus the Brute, I believe?” Anaya called out, eyes glued to the giant, rusty-haired male.
The male who had shot his arrow through mine dropped to one knee and nodded.
“Aye."
“Please rise. You made a perfect shot, and a bold one, at that,” she acknowledged with a wry smile, her eyes twinkling. “I think the crowd would unanimously agree that you are the victor! Come, collect your prize, you have most certainly earned it.”
More cheering commenced as Titus made his way across the square to my sister and her four mates. I watched, gut clenching with disappointment and frustration at my own failure to win, as my sister handed him the purse full of gold coins and, undoubtedly, offered a formal invitation to join her army.
I was astounded when he shook his head politely. Anaya blinked in surprise herself, but then took both his huge hands between her tiny ones. I squinted, reading her lips as she told him she understood his choice, and she wished him all the best before sending him on his way with the gold coin purse clenched tightly in one gigantic fist.
Then, he sauntered straight across the square and headed loudly towards the tables full of ale and mead, calling to anyone who would listen to join him in celebration.
But what was there to celebrate?
I ducked my head and hurried over to Anaya. She saw me coming and turned to Gatlin, who was standing steadfastly behind her chair. She muttered something to him--a request to speak with me privately, I assumed, because when she turned towards me and took my elbow in one hand, none of her suitors followed us.
She led me around a corner where no prying eyes could see.
“You did so well, Iris,” Anaya said, her eyes bright with pride, “I was sure you had it in the bag. I can’t believe that Titus… what a shot!”
“He beat me fair and square,” I acknowledged with a nod, “had I not gone first, maybe I’d have known to do something showier. But that’s not important now. Look,” I said, slicing my hand through the air agitatedly, “I don’t mind losing.” Lie. “but I really think we need to revisit something, Anaya. Did he decline your invitation to serve in your army?”
Anaya’s eyes narrowed. She already knew where I was going with this.
“He did. He said it was not his desire to be tied down by military training as he’s got a bit of a travel bug. I can respect that. He looks well fed and properly dressed. He probably makes a comfortable living for himself doing something more suited to his wandering nature.”
“Yes, yes,” I said impatiently, dismissing her words. I sometimes forgot that she was a queen.
My Queen.
Anaya didn’t reprimand me for my rudeness, though. She fell silent and watched me, giving me all of her attention.
“I…” I paused, hoping to choose my words carefully for the best outcome, “I was hoping you would allow me to take his place.”
Anaya’s mouth opened and she shook her head.
“I know what you said before but please, just think about it, will you, at least?” I hurried to say, cutting in before she could shoot me down, yet again. “My shot was perfect. You said so yourself. You thought I was going to win. I can protect you, Anaya. I’m a good archer and swords-woman. You’ve seen me fight. You know my place is out there on the grounds, training in combat with the others. It’s what I’m supposed to do.”
I could hear the plea in my last words and, more than anything, I hated begging, but damn it, this was my life.
Anaya’s lips were pursed and now she refused to meet my eye. I knew she was going to deny me again even before she started speaking.
“Iris, please, do not confuse what I am about to say. I understand your desire to fight, to protect me and the kingdom. But try to see it from where I stand. I’m the Queen of Ironhaven. I have a duty to protect my people--and you. If something were to happen to you, God forbid, I would be an unfit ruler. You are my blood, my family.”
I looked up at the sky and swallowed hard in an effort to hold in my emotion. I had to get through this. Tears would not help me. Words just might.
“I get that. I do. But maybe you need to see me as something more than just your sister. I’m a fighter. You finally found your place on the throne. That is your destiny. And I know you don’t want to hear it, but this is mine.”
“No,” Anaya said with a gentle shake of her head, “it is not.”
“If you would just give me a chance-”
“Enough!” Anaya snapped, eyes flashing fire. “I said no, and I meant it. I do not wish to keep discussing this with you. You will just have to find some other way to use your skills. Something that won’t potentially compromise your life, and in turn, the lives of the people I have sworn to protect. I love you, dear sister, and I do not wish to hurt you. But this is something I cannot grant you, no matter how much you wish it. I’m sorry.”
Anaya squeezed my shoulder gently before slipping by me and returning to Gatlin and the others. I watched as she wrapped an arm around Michael’s waist. As always, he comforted her without the need for words. Saying no to me wasn’t easy for her, I knew, but I still resented it.
I resented it because I knew in my bones that she was wrong.
I caught the gray gaze of the golden-haired male who had fired the last arrow. He was watching me as he packed up his quiver and shrugged into a brown leather vest. I squared my shoulders and made to go by him to return to the castle and my quarters, intent on skipping the rest of the festivities and lick my wounds.
He cleared his throat when I passed. I looked over my shoulder at him, arching an eyebrow in question.
An accident, or had he been trying to get my attention?
“That was a beautiful shot you made,” he said, his voice smoother than silk, “care to drown your sorrows over a drink with me? The others have already started in on the mead.” He nodded towards a long table beneath a tent where a group of males drank and laughed raucously.
A drink did sound more preferable to sitting alone in my bedroom thinking about what could’ve been. I could always do that later, when my head was buzzing pleasantly from wine.
“Sure,” I said with a shrug, “I’ve nothing better to do, I suppose.”
He grinned. “I’m honored to spend time with you then, since you’ve nothing better to do.”
“I’m sorry,” I said, realizing how rude that had sounded. “I just had a conversation that didn’t really go my way and-”
“And as the Queen’s sister you are, perchance, rather used to getting your way?” The question slipped off his tongue with such ease, it took me a second to realize he’d sort of insulted me right back.
At first, I was appalled by his nerve to say something so forward to me. Then I found that I kind of liked it. He was treating me the way I wanted to be treated; the way I would be treated if I was a soldier in the Queen’s Army instead of the Queen’s precious sister.
I planted my hands on my hips and gave him my best devil may care grin. “I’m just a poor loser choking on sour grapes today, to be honest.”
He threw his head back and laughed. The sound reminded me of water rushing downstream in a frenzied race. It was pleasant.
“Come on then, Princess, let’s join the others and get you some crushed grapes that aren’t sour,” he said.
I fell into step beside him, and less than a minute later he was stepping into the tent.
Titus was sitting at a long bench table in the far corner. He was flanked by the other two men from the final round of the competition. They were drinking out of stone mugs that were foaming over with mead. I could smell it from where I stood and I inhaled deeply.
No point in letting this beautiful day go to waste, was there?
The handsome lion shifter at my side put his hand be
tween my shoulders and guided me towards the table. He indicated that I should take the seat beside Titus and then he dropped down in the vacant spot beside me.
He threw his hand in the air and summoned a server to bring us a round of drinks before leaning forward on his elbows and jerking his thumb in my direction.
“Gentlemen, meet the lady who nearly kicked our asses in the tournament, Iris. Princess Iris, I should say,” he clarified, dipping his head to me in apology for not leading with my title. “I’m Mathias. Pleased to meet you, Princess.”
“I’m not a princess, so Iris is fine,” I said, sticking out my hand to the dark-skinned male, trying not to seem too eager but already tingling with anticipation.
His green gaze flicked to my hand and he waited a beat before shaking it. An instant arc of electricity skittered between us and his nostrils flared as his eyes lit with surprise.
“Eryk,” he said, his voice low. He spoke rather slowly, like a man who measured the weight of each word he spoke.
The man beside him, the charmer who had caught the handkerchief from one of the maidens in the square, flashed me that rugged smile of his again before shaking my hand.
“And I’m Dimitri, pleased to meet you.” He lifted my hand to his lips, where he planted a kiss across my knuckles.
I pulled my hand away and rubbed my knuckles on my pants to quell the tingling while Titus gently shouldered me.
“And you already know who I am,” he said, his voice so deep and powerful that I could feel the vibration of it beneath my bottom on the wooden bench we shared.
“Titus the Brute,” I said with a reluctant smile, “our victor. Congratulations...I suppose.”
Titus laughed. It was a booming sort of laughter that rumbled through me and made my reluctant smile stretch into a full-fledged grin. He fixed me with a long look before saying, “Try to sound at least a little happy for me, won’t you, Princess?”
“Not a princess,” I said again, before looking back to the other three. “You are all quite talented with the bow.”
“If not a little crass,” Eryk said darkly, shooting Dimitri a scowl. “The whole thing with the horse. What was that all about?”
Dimitri chuckled. “I wasn’t really in it for the gold. Gold is good and all, but the women… that’s the real prize. And you have to find a way to stand out from the crowd if you want to catch a woman’s eye, right, Iris?” he asked, his eyes glittering with amusement and something else that had my heart beating just a little faster.
Eryk turned his attention back to me and tipped his head in a curt nod. “You were extraordinary yourself, Iris. If Titus here hadn’t split your arrow, we’d still be out there waiting for them to figure out who won. I call it dumb luck.”
“Thank you,” I said, “but I wouldn’t call it luck. He beat me fair and square and it was a bold move that could’ve backfired. He took the risk, and reaped the reward.”
Titus treated us to more of his booming laughter just as a server arrived at the end of the table with a tray of drinks. She passed one around to all of us, and before mine was even in my hands, Titus asked her to keep them coming.
I opened my mouth to protest, and then shut it firmly. There was nothing wrong in partaking in some celebratory drinks with my fellow competitors.
Mathias raised his mug of mead and we all followed suit. The amber-colored liquid frothed when we clanked our cups together, and then we all drank greedily. I wiped foam from my upper lip when I was done, and then became absorbed in listening to the men talk.
I’d spent quite a bit of time with men on the training grounds, but I’d been so intent learning and improving my craft, I’d rarely gone out drinking and making merry with them, choosing instead to practice alone or work on new arrow designs. And there was no denying that I’d never been in the presence with men such as these. The closest I had come to it was being at dinner with my sister and her four suitors, although even that was different. They only had eyes for Anaya. These men, wild and unruly, were brewing up a storm inside me of the likes that I had never felt before. Each time one of their gazes fell on me it was like a bolt of lightning was ripping through my veins and setting my skin on fire.
I realized sharply that I was genuinely attracted to them. Every single one of them.
Titus and his booming voice and strong, capable hands. Dimitri and his easy grin. Mathias and his warmth. And Eryk…oh, Eryk. There was something beneath that aloofness. Something hot and pulsing just waiting to be unleashed.
I took a long pull from my mug, suddenly parched again.
The second round of drinks appeared a moment later. The men had all polished theirs off and they reached for their mugs. Titus pushed one towards me then glanced down at my still half-full mug.
“You’re falling behind there, Princess. I was sure with the way you shoot you’d be able to match us drink for drink. What a pity.” He took a long slow drink but kept his eyes on me.
Was that a challenge?
It definitely felt like it, and I’d never been good at resisting one of those.
I lifted my mug to my lips, tilted my head back, and polished off the last of my drink in four easy mouthfuls. The men clapped their hands on the table and cheered me on as I matched Titus for a second round. We stared each other down while finishing the second drink at the same time.
I slammed my mug down, licked my lips, and blinked up at him innocently. “You were saying?”
“Well, I’ll be damned,” Titus boomed, “there’s some fire in you, Princess. I like it.”
“Iris,” I tried one last time.
Mathias rested his hand on the small of my back to draw my attention to him. His golden hair shimmered in the candlelight as he leaned in toward me.
“Don’t let him egg you on too much, he won’t stop until he’s unconscious on the floor. He’s three times your size, you won’t be able to match him.”
Another battle I was destined to lose, then.
What Mathias was saying was true. I nodded my agreement and Mathias gave me a soft smile before shifting back to face the others at the table.
Was he looking out for me? I studied the sharp line of his jaw, the tendons in his neck, and the bit of exposed chest at the collar of his shirt.
I suddenly felt very hot. My cheeks were burning as a rush of dizziness washed over me. I blinked and clutched the edge of the table.
Were these men so physically attractive that I was struggling just to sit upright?
Surely, that couldn’t be.
Mathias’s hand was on my back again. “Iris,” he said in my ear, his breath hot and smelling like the sweet amber mead, “are you alright?”
I tried to nod. It only made me dizzier. I pressed the heel of my hand to my forehead and closed my eyes in an attempt to make the spinning stop.
“I’m just not feeling very well all of a sudden,” I said. “I should go… I need to find my sister. Something’s wrong and-”
“Let me take you outside the tent for some fresh air,” Titus said, drawing me to my feet.
I stumbled along toward the opposite end of the tent, letting Titus lead the way. It was only when we stopped moving that I managed to open my eyes.
The noise and bustle of the square felt far away and I realized we were behind the tanner’s hut.
“What’s going on? Why--”
But my words were cut short as something was forced over my head. I froze in place, confused and overcome with panic. I reached up in an effort to tear the thing from my head--it smelled like burlap and twine--but my hands were clumsy, as if I was moving in slow motion.
Big hands caught my wrists and pinned them behind my back.
Someone grabbed me around the waist and hoisted me unceremoniously up over their shoulder. I tried to scream. No sound came out. My throat felt hot and tight, and it was becoming impossible to keep my eyes open.
Whoever was carrying me was walking and I was hanging over their back like a rag doll. The rumbling voices
around me died away as I tried to scream, but it was no use. Already, the darkness was swirling around me and closing over me like a wet blanket.
My last thought was of my sister, Anaya, and how right she’d been.
I couldn’t protect her. Hell, I couldn’t even protect myself…
And then I thought no more.
Chapter 4
Dry.
My mouth was so dry. That was the first thing I became aware of as I slowly edged toward consciousness. I felt like I hadn’t had water in days. I ran my tongue over my teeth and the roof of my mouth in an attempt to create moisture. It didn’t work.
Slowly, I opened my eyes.
I was on my back, staring up at a starry night sky through black silhouettes of tree branches.
The woods.
It was the middle of the night and the air was perfumed with an array of tantalizing scents.
Moss, pine, wood smoke, meat…
And men.
The events leading up to now came rushing in as I swallowed thickly. I turned my head to the right to see the four strangers from the tournament sitting around a crackling fire. A pair of small creatures—rabbits, I realized as I sniffed the air again—were cooking away on a spit above the flames. I could hear the sizzle of juices dripping onto the stones below and it made my mouth water.
I propped myself up on my elbows and was shocked to discover that my hands were not tied. I had free range of motion and none of the men were even facing me. Was I that small of a threat to them? Did they really think so little of me that they felt safe to cook with their backs to me?
Arrogant bastards.
But my face flamed with shame as I recalled how easily I’d allowed myself to be tricked.
A few longing looks, a wink and a smile paired with a couple of compliments, and I’d fallen right into their hands. This was exactly the reason why Anaya didn’t want me in the army. She feared that my life would at some point be in jeopardy, and she knew that she would risk anything to ensure my safety—whether it be her own life, the life of one of her mates, or the lives of our people.
And now here I was.
