He shook his head. “I don’t, but I’m sure we’ll hear all about it when he returns.”
We laughed, and the sound was so easy and natural. I’d always felt at ease with Haxil, ever since that first night in High Liss when he’d been nothing but understanding as I came to grips with my new life beside the crown prince.
“I’m surprised you came to guard me,” I said, peering up at him curiously. “I figured Prince Norivun would have sent Nish instead of you.”
Haxil scratched his jaw.
I raised my eyebrows. “Is that look because Nish is supposed to be here instead of you?”
Haxil shrugged guiltily. “When Sandus left, he told either Nish or Ryder to accompany you, but it’s Ryder’s day off, and Nish—” He coughed.
“Nish what?” I bristled.
“Ock, you know how he can be. He had a few colorful words for babysitting you, as he called it, so I offered to go instead.”
I rolled my eyes at Nish’s pettiness. The guard hadn’t liked me from the start, and despite me becoming a permanent fixture in the castle and him traveling with me daily to the fields, it didn’t seem as if that feeling was going to disappear anytime soon.
“Why does he hate me so much?”
“He doesn’t hate you. He’s just . . .” Haxil sighed. “Nish is hard to win over. It’s not just you he’s like this with, but if you do win him over, he’ll be loyal to you for life.”
“Like he is to Prince Norivun.” I recalled Nish’s snarl all too well when I’d first met the crown prince and uttered my contempt of him.
“Exactly.”
Back in my chambers, I rang for food, then stripped out of my sweaty training clothes and took a quick bath to ease my muscles. Once dressed in loose pants and a warm sweater, I ventured back into my living area.
Fragrant scents from the delivered food filled the room. An entire tray, brimming with my requests, sat near the couch. And of course, as was per usual, there was far more than I could consume despite needing a plentiful amount to maintain my magic.
I opened my chamber’s door and quirked an eyebrow at Haxil, who stood in the hallway. “You hungry?”
The guard’s hands were clasped in front of him, wings tight to his back while his familiar swords poked out from beneath each wing. He gave a wolfish grin. “I’m always hungry.”
I laughed. “Come and join me then. Cailis is still out, and I’m getting nervous about my upcoming Trial tests. I would love some company so I don’t stew over them.”
Haxil bowed. “I couldn’t say no to that. It would be my pleasure to distract you whilst eating all of that wonderful food I smelled on its way in.”
I laughed, and Haxil closed the door behind him before joining me on the couch.
The huge tray took up most of the table. Roasted duck sat on a bed of grilled acorlis. Beside it were fried greens, buttery buns, pasta in a rich cream sauce, apple dumplings, tender meat loins in gravy, figs and berries in flaky crepes, and a few other side dishes.
“A feast fit for a queen.” Haxil pulled a napkin onto his lap and spread it over his thighs before grabbing a plate.
I swallowed a smile and gestured to his napkin. “Such lovely table manners you have, Haxil.”
He grinned. “I may be seen as a brutish guard by some, but I can assure you that I don’t eat from a trough each night.”
“I never would have assumed you did.” I smiled back and insisted he fill his plate first since he was my guest.
He grumbled. “Females are to go before males.”
“If you buy into that sort of thing,” I said with a shrug. “Go first. Please.”
He reluctantly did as I asked. When he finished, I reached for a plate and speared a few servings of meat before taking portions of all of the sides.
Haxil’s plate sat in front of him, untouched as he waited for me. “So do you not approve of chivalrous behavior, Ilara? ’Tis the way of the Solis, you know.”
“Perhaps.” I leaned forward more and scooped up a spoonful of greens. “But I keep thinking about Lady Furyful. She’s the heroine in a book I read last month that I can’t get out of my head. It was Of Fae—”
“And Might,” he finished for me.
My eyes widened, and I stopped mid-movement from grabbing a bun. “You’ve read it?”
“Indeed. It’s one of my favorite novels. ’Tis a most enjoyable adventure. I loved the battle scene in Kroravee. Ock, t’was epic, although the swoony romance in the book I could have done without.”
I turned to face him better and tucked my legs beneath me. He didn’t begin eating until I grabbed my fork. “Then you’ll know that Lady Furyful’s viewpoint on males and females doesn’t align with traditional Solis beliefs either.”
Haxil took a huge bite of his duck and nodded. “Lady Furyful is very convincing in her beliefs about equality amongst fae.”
I popped a fig pastry into my mouth. “Do you disagree with that?”
He finished chewing and forked a bite of pasta. “It’s not that I disagree. Females can be just as powerful as males in their magic, and just because you’re generally of slighter build doesn’t mean you’re in any way weak.”
A smile spread across my face. “I knew I liked you for a reason. So what was your favorite scene in the book? Mine was when she led the battle against the Borggish in the end, putting an end to their advancement into our realm. When she confronted their leader near the portal and sliced his head clean off . . .” I leaned back and closed my eyes briefly before sitting back upright and picking up my bun again. “Her bravery took my breath away.”
Haxil laughed. “How very noble of a scene you chose. My favorite was when Lady Furyful shaved Sir Risserton’s balls off. It was wonderfully gruesome.”
I laughed, and Haxil joined in.
The meal passed quickly as we ate while volleying our opinions about Of Fae and Might back and forth, before launching into other books we’d read. I was delighted to find that the guard was extremely well educated, putting my poor learnings to shame, although I was valiantly trying to correct that by reading everything I could get my hands on.
I told him of my latest book while sipping wine from my goblet. I had no idea how much I’d consumed, but the warm fire and the feeling sweeping through me could have been from the alcohol, or perhaps it was from the stimulating conversation. I’d never had a male friend who’d also liked to read. Both Tormesh and Finnley hadn’t found much enjoyment in it, both preferring to spend their free time outside versus sitting in a chair with a book.
“And then, just when she was about to—” Intent on re-enacting a battle scene from a history book I’d read about a female general, I leaned over Haxil but lost my footing and fell face-first onto him instead.
His arm whipped around me automatically to break my fall, but I’d put too much momentum into the scene, so he couldn’t stop me completely.
A rush of air whooshed past my face, and then I was on the floor, right between the couch and table with the guard on top of me.
For a moment, we both stared at one another, and then I burst out laughing.