The next day of deliberations was largely the same as the day before.
The pride of the clans was getting the better of them. They were so convinced that Lochlann couldn’t touch them here.
I didn’t know who would win in a war. I only knew that I didn’t want to find out, especially not when my father, Uncle Finn, and Gallagher would be the ones leading it.
After another long day hearing the variety of ways I could and should be killed, Theo led me back to our tent. We passed a sparring ring on the way, this time with swords. Once again, Theo’s eyes lit up.
I couldn’t help the way the corners of my mouth pulled up into a smile. Seeing him excited about something helped lift the fog from my own mood.
“Go,” I said, through a small laugh.
“It’s fine. We can walk some more, maybe grab some food from the other carts.” Even as he said it, his eyes drifted in the direction of the sparring ring and I shook my head.
“You shouldn’t have to miss out just because I’m here. It really is fine. I’ll watch from a distance this time.”
Theo’s mouth tilted in a dubious grimace.
“Safely,” I added.
What I didn’t say is that we didn’t have time to go back to the tent first because a rainstorm was coming, and I couldn’t afford to arouse any suspicion by grabbing a cloak with the clear blue sky.
But I would risk a little rain to watch Theo swordfight, especially when the alternative was stewing back in the tent. Alone, most likely, since Inessa spent her days with her family.
Theo visibly warred with himself, and I smiled up at him, reaching out a hand to touch his bicep.
“Would you really deprive me of the chance to see you and all those glorious muscles in action?”
His eyes widened, and red flooded his cheeks as he stepped back. “Princess Rowan! You can’t say those things here.” He shot furtive glances around, and a giggle escaped me.
“I’ll stop if you let me come,” I pressed.
Theo ran a hand over his face and shook his head. “Fine, if you at least try to be inconspicuous this time. But know that you’re impossible.”
“Oh, I do know,” I said in a cheeky tone, finally eliciting a small grin from him.
He found me a place to sit on a hill just behind the sparring ring. Everyone down by the ring crowded in close, placing bets and cheering on or booing at the competitors.
Though I would have preferred to be closer to the action, I couldn’t deny that I liked my vantage point from the hill. It gave me a clearer view of the match than I would have had standing on my tiptoes in a sea of giant men.
When it was Theo’s turn, I sat up a little straighter, grinning as he nodded in my direction.
I couldn’t help but swoon a little as he took off his shirt, and the fading sunlight caught on the hard ridges of his chiseled abs. He was flawless, like an artist had painstakingly carved every inch of him with precision and care.
The man sparring with him removed his shirt as well, revealing a tattoo of an eagle in flight, the feathered wings spanning all the way from one shoulder to the other. He flexed and lifted his sword in the air.
More boos than cheers rang out, and I wondered if Theo was a favorite or if this man was just unliked.
The man serving as the announcer called for the match to begin, using the common tongue. Theo raised his blade, lightly tapping it against his opponent’s to signal the start of their fight.
Eagle immediately took on the offensive and lunged forward, arching his sword to the right before bringing it down quickly. Theo took a step back and met his blade, the sound of scraping steel echoing through the valley.
They tested each other several more times, looking for weaknesses before the fight began in truth.
The man came at Theo with a blur of speed, raining down blow after blow. He was quick on his feet, shuffling around with rapid, darting motions to catch Theo unaware.
But Theo never wavered. He met each thrust of the other man’s sword, deflecting with lightning fast speed, never allowing the man an opening, but never attacking, either. After a while, it was clear that the man from Eagle was waning, while Theo was hardly winded.
It was clear that he was gaining the upper hand. At least, it was clear to me.
I was so enraptured watching the powerful arcs of Theo’s sword, I nearly missed the crackling awareness of an adversarial presence nearby. Lord Evander approached, a smug grin on his lips.
“My money’s on the Eagle.” He side-eyed me. “Our Lord Theodore is already being worn down.”
I scoffed. “Hardly.”
“Care to wager?” He raised an eyebrow as he took a seat next to me.
“You know that I have nothing here that’s mine.” I rolled my eyes.
“I’m sure I’ll think of something,” he said smoothly, wrapping his arms around his bent knees.
Was anyone here not a lecher? “Ew. No, thank you.”
Now it was his turn to roll his eyes. “Why do you always assume I want that from you? I think I’ll add conceited to your list of admirable qualities.”
My cheeks reddened, but I said nothing.
“In any case,” he went on. “I was thinking more along the lines of answering a question.”
So he could ask me something important about my kingdom or Theo’s clan? “Still no.”
“So you were just being loyal before, then. You don’t actually believe Elk is going to win this one?”
“Of course I do.” I scowled, pointing to the match. “See, Theodore is baiting him. Eagle is flagging, and Lord Theodore is allowing him to tire himself out on the offensive. He’s just biding his time.”
We watched as exactly that unfolded. Eagle’s blows became slower, and Theo took advantage of that by shifting from parrying to going on the offensive, effectively reversing their roles. Eagle stumbled backward at the onslaught just as they were both shadowed by the ominous clouds rolling in.
“Then what do you have to lose?” Evander taunted.
I glanced away from the fight to look at his smug face. Taking his coin did sound appealing right about now. And I only promised that he could ask a question, not that I would answer it. “Fine. Two gold pieces for one question.”
“That’s an expensive question.”
“I have expensive taste.” Might as well feed into his image of me as a princess. It wasn’t entirely a lie, but mostly I just wanted to take as much as I could.
“All right. Have it your way. I suppose you already know what’s going to happen next?”
“Not blow by blow, obviously, but any idiot,” I looked at him meaningfully, “can see that Lord Theodore is going to switch it up and feint to the left before delivering the winning blow.”
Evander narrowed his eyes at me before turning back to the fight.
Sure enough, within five moves, Theo had successfully knocked the man’s sword from his hand, raising the tip of his blade to his opponent’s neck. The man’s hands went up in surrender and cheers erupted from the crowd.
I held out my hand in Evander’s direction. A moment later, he handed over two coins with a sigh.
“I see you were right,” he said, but something in his voice was off. Rather than defeated, he sounded distinctly…amused.
Suspicion slithered over me just as the caller in the sparring ring shouted over the roaring crowds.
“…Elk will face off against Bear!”
The air whooshed from my lungs. I shot Evander an accusing look that bounced right off of him.
“Looks like I’m up next,” he said with a dry laugh, getting to his feet and walking down the hill. Just before he got to the ring, he turned back and called over his shoulder. “Oh, and thanks for the tips. They should come in handy.”
I barely heard the last few words over the furious thundering of my heartbeat drumming in my ears. Here was hoping Theo wiped that stupid smug look off of his face.
