“Aye, I’ve got eyes, don’t I?” Paxton had seen, all right. And he’d heard every word the bloody Ascomannians had muttered in lewd laughter out of earshot of the guards. He thought there’d be a fight between Harrison and one of the men when the lieutenant told him to shut his mouth, but Lief had defused the situation, making them all laugh with a story about a coldlands woman who’d dumped her ale over the man’s head when he’d commented on her bottom.
Paxton didn’t move a muscle, even after the other hunters climbed down and went about their business. The Zandalee three jumped from their high perches into the field with the oak tree, landing in impressive crouches. He stared absently as they took turns on that fabric thing. Judging by the way they struggled and grunted, it must have been harder than it looked.
Aerity had made it look easy. He thought about that morning in the infirmary, the way she’d hugged Mrs. Rathbrook and kissed the woman’s cheek. It was one thing to be polite to a Lashed, which few were, but to show that level of affection? It had taken him completely by surprise. Aerity was the future of this kingdom—she’d someday be queen. She could change these lands for the better. Was there hope to be had after all? Paxton gave his head a shake.
He turned and hung his feet over, facing the commons area, and dropped to the rafter rows of seating below.
Lord Lief Alvi was waiting for him at the bottom. They clasped hands when Paxton reached him.
“Quite the prize, is she not?” the coldland lord said, nodding in the direction of the tree on the other side of the wall.
Paxton shrugged, sort of wanting to silence Lief with a punch to the throat at that moment. “If you fancy the circus life.”
Lord Lief Alvi gave a loud laugh. “If only marriage were as entertaining as a circus. But at least that one would bring a bit of fire to the arrangement. Not all royal lassies are so . . . interesting.”
Paxton said nothing, unsure if Lief was baiting him for his stance on royals. He sometimes forgot the hunter was royalty in Ascomanni.
“Your man Harrison, though. He’s got a history with the princess, aye?”
Paxton shrugged. “They know each other.”
Lief’s eyebrows went up and down, and he chuckled. “The lad’s in love, I’d say. This hunt’s a dual purpose for him—vengeance and love.”
This turned Paxton’s stomach for some reason, and he found himself saying, “I believe there is only friendship between them.”
At this, Lief laughed and slapped Paxton’s arm. “He’s after her hand, just like you and I.”
“I don’t fancy the idea of marriage,” Paxton stated.
“Aye. I probably wouldn’t either if it wasn’t expected of me.”
Paxton supposed each man and woman had their struggles to overcome, but he was glad not to be a royal with all the ridiculous things expected of them.
“I daresay you will fancy the idea of marriage a bit more if you kill the beast and earn a plump bed inside that castle.” Lief elbowed Paxton in the upper ribs, making him grunt.
Paxton grumbled, and the Ascomannian lord chuckled, walking away.
Chapter
21
The next morning, after the night’s silent hunt and silent breakfast, Paxton and Tiern sat with the other hunters around the fire pit to discuss. Though it was daylight, the fire was good for keeping them warm against gusts coming up from the sea. The Zandalee were the last to join, one of the women shamelessly rubbing her hip against the back of Tiern’s head as she passed. His mouth froze midsentence. Samuel and Harrison choked back their laughter.
“I agree, Tiern,” Lief said from across the fire, not having seen. “It seems to set out at random. There’s no pattern to where it chooses.”
“Jes,” said Kalorian man who’d seemed to have a leadership role among his men, and one of the few who spoke Euronan. His hair was shaved along the sides, a strip of black slicked down the middle. “This is like no animal I have hunted. I cannot predict.”
Paxton and the others nodded.
“Auda,” Zandora said in a low voice from where she sat behind him. Paxton nodded. He recognized the Zorfinan word for water.
A hissing sound was made from across the fire. Paxton was surprised to see the Zorfinan men staring at the Zandalee with contempt. When Zandora made a gesture with her fingers, they all looked away.
“Why do you think they hate each other?” Tiern asked Paxton.
“They say our tribe is cursed,” Zandora murmured from behind them. “They are fools.”
Paxton, Tiern, Samuel, and Harrison all swung their heads around.
“You speak Euronan?!” Tiern said.
Zandalee gave a shrug. “When it suits me.” Her accent was strong.
“Why am I not surprised?” Samuel chuckled, shaking his curly head.
The three Zandalee looked smug in their black head scarves wrapped securely around their dark faces and necks. They each sat on the grass lazily, two leaning back, Zandalee in the center with an elbow on her raised knee.
“My sisters speak only Zorfinan.”
“They’re your sisters?” Tiern nodded to the other girls.
“Jes. I am the oldest. Some call me queen of our tribe.”
“So, the girl you lost,” Paxton said respectfully, “she was your sister, also?”