Page 101 of Fate of the Sun King

“The bastard cheated,” Tristan says, yanking off his wet top and exchanging it for the dry one.

“I did not cheat,” Mael says, pressing a hand to his chest. “I really did think I saw a bear.”

Then Mael looks at me and winks.

“It was a squirrel.”

Mael waves a hand. “Squirrel. Bear. I get them mixed up sometimes. I’m more of a city guy.”

Nadir and I exchange a glance as they continue to argue, trying to suppress our smiles.

Mael sets to preparing the fish, and before long, he hands us all a tender piece.

“Did you learn to cook in the army too?” I ask as I accept the food, remembering what Nadir told me that night in the Heart Castle.

Mael snorts. “No. I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth. I had to learn to cook at an early age. I was the oldest of eleven brothers and sisters, and we all had to pull our weight.”

It’s hard to imagine Mael outside his role as Nadir’s captain, but obviously, he had a life before that too.

“Where are they now?” I ask as he sits down across from us.

“In The Aurora. After the war, Nadir made me his captain, and I moved my mother from the tiny house where we grew up and helped all my siblings get settled in homes of their own. I don’t want for much living in the Keep, and my compensation is… generous.”

He and Nadir exchange a look, and it’s obvious they’re sharing a message. I’m not sure what Mael means by “generous,” but I have a sense I understand.

“It’s a good thing I’ve never had a head for numbers,” Nadir says. “I’m sure you drink more whisky from my stash than I pay you in a year.”

Mael snorts and smiles. “At least twice as much.”

“Well, maybe one of you can teach me someday,” I say. “I never really had the chance to learn how.”

“Right,” Tristan says. “Because she was tossed in prison as a—”

“Tris,” I say, interrupting him. “Don’t. That isn’t necessary.”

I understand. While I’ve forgiven Nadir for everything, Tristan has no reason to do the same.

“What?” Tristan asks. “Is this about protecting him?” He gestures to Nadir.

“No, it’s about protecting me.”

“Lor, I don’t get to dictate who you… choose to spend your time with. You’ve always made that clear, but—”

“No, you don’t. That’s always been true. But I also understand why you aren’t ready to trust him. It took me a long time too.”

“Not really that long,” Tristan says, and I nod.

“You’re right. It must seem fast, but we’ve spent a lot of time together, and I need you to accept that he’s a part of my life now, even if you’re not ready to make him a part of yours.”

“Lor,” Nadir interrupts. “It’s okay.”

“No, it isn’t. Tristan, please. You and Willow are two of the most important people in my life. You know that. But it’s not just the three of us against the world anymore.”

It’s been only a few months since I was nothing but a prisoner who never knew if she’d see the next day. And now I’ve competed for a crown, I’m being hunted by two rabid kings, and I’ve met the man I’m supposed to spend the rest of my life with. Everything has changed.

When Willow and I argued a few days ago, I was the one worried about how she might already be slipping away from me, but now that our lives have expanded in ways none of us ever imagined, I understand all of this was inevitable. It had been naive for any of us to think that if we ever got out of Nostraza, we wouldn’t have to contend with a million outside influences vying for our attention.

Tristan’s eyes flicker from me to Nadir and back. “Why, because he’s your mate?”