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Bach patted me on the back with a big hand as a deep chuckle escaped him. "No harm done, miss Rina. I'm sure we're all touched by your concern."
Mirri took my hand in his and lifted it to kiss the back, his golden eyes full of amusement. "We're well, mistress, never fear."
Adder's sharp, highborn features remained as stoic as ever, but he shocked me by reaching out to pat me on the head like a puppy. "Your concern is touching."
Fife's brilliant green eyes met mine, and his pretty lips curled upward in a mischievous grin. "Why didn't I get a hug? After all, I'm the one who was wounded saving these idiots." He held up his hands in illustration, displaying a pair of silk gloves with intricate stitching on the back—healer's cloth designed to cover larger areas of damaged skin.
I gasped and moved forward, reaching out to grasp Fife's elbows so I wouldn't hurt his wounded hands. "What happened?"
I glanced up from his hands to meet his eyes again, and he smirked. "Nothing so terrible, my dear. But I'm not one to pass up the opportunity to receive attention from a beautiful woman."
I snorted at his flirting attempt to distract me. "Your hands," I demanded. "Tell me they aren't permanently damaged?"
Fife was a cleric and a musician. His talented, graceful hands were his tools, implements of both his hobby and his trade. While a powerful fae certainly could do magic without the use of their hands, it was far easier to do complex workings with the use of gestures, and symbols, and such. Powerful magic like that was far beyond me, but I had seen it performed by the palace's high cleric, and the grace and skill required was staggering.
Fife only shrugged, his teasing expression growing slightly more serious. "I burned my hands drawing sigils on the door so I could break the locking spell and get us out of the burning building. Bach did his best to shield me with what water he could pull from the air around us, but the fire wasn't natural. It was magic-enhanced, and it burned hotter than normal." He shrugged. "I sustained some pretty severe burns, but between my own healing skills and the attentions of the royal healers, I'll be fine." He flexed his fingers slowly in illustration. "Just a bit tender and stiff still. But the gloves will help speed things along so I'll be all healed up before the next challenge."
Right. The challenge. It was a rather unwelcome reminder that I had a part to play here. I was supposed to be nothing more than a flitting gossip. A minion of the queen. My reactions to these men must seem nonsensical. I released Fife's arms and stepped back out of his personal space, smoothing my hands over my soft cotton skirt and straightening the peasant blouse I had chosen for this informal setting. "This is excellent news," I said, pausing to clear my throat and square my shoulders. "I'm sure the Prize will be happy to hear that you're all relatively unscathed."
I felt a bit unhinged. And more than a little mortified by my behavior. Suddenly, I was desperate for this stupid tournament to end so I could go back to hiding in the quiet northern reaches of Elfhaven, where no one would see me die of embarrassment.
Chapter 23
Thankfully, the males of Raven team all seemed to take my odd lack of propriety and boundaries in stride, and they said nothing more of my over-the-top concern for their welfare. Instead, they asked me to eat with them. They fell into easy chit-chat with Currant and Janis as we all stood in line at the heavily laden food tables, including my guards rather than treating them like inanimate accessories, the way some other nobles might.
The food was amazing. It was nothing as fancy as what they served in the palace, or even the fare prepared by my own amazing cook back home. It was hearty and earthy; roasted meat, locally harvested vegetables, and fruit. And it was all prepared by the locals in honor of the contestants' hard work. It was utterly perfect. Conversation and banter flowed around the rough plank table where we sat, as the members of Raven team regaled us with tales of their hijinks growing up together in the countryside of Zora. It sounded like the four boys had nearly been the death of Bach and Fife's mothers before they were fully grown. And maybe a few times since.
I smiled the entire time, all of my worries about the tournament and the political machinations around me banished by the warm energy these men exuded. Even Adder smiled from time to time, as if he didn't want to, but just couldn't help himself.
By the time we finished eating, the music was in full swing, the musicians happily sawing at fiddles, plucking at strings, beating deep primal drums, or playing wild, reedy flutes. People danced in the cleared area, masked highborn nobles mingling with competitors, lowborn fae, and a few humans, as they all partook in this last bit of fun before the last challenge.
My heart was in my throat as it really sank in that this whole ridiculous game was coming to an end. One more challenge, then the final scores would be tallied, and I would find myself bonded to a group of males I barely knew—mates, partners…strangers who would share in my stewardship of Larkwood.
It was hard to breathe around the lump in my throat as I looked around at the men of Raven team. Them. I wanted it to be them. But even though I had a lot of say in the outcome, I knew my word wasn't final. If the men who won the tournament—or the men I chose—didn't suit whatever goals the king and queen had in mind for the stewardship of Larkwood, then I might end up married to anyone.
Goddess, let it not be Lion team. Anyone but them.
"Miss Rina?" I looked up to find Bach standing beside my wooden bench, one of his big hands outstretched toward me. From his expression and his lifted brow, I got the impression it wasn't the first time he had called my name. Maybe I should slow down on the spiced wine.
"I'm sorry?" I said with an apologetic wince. "I was lost in thought."
His smile was too soft to be directed at a mere acquaintance, but I soaked it up all the same, hoping no one noticed in the dim, flickering glow of the torchlight. "I asked if you'd like to dance?" He tilted his head toward the wild jig taking place off to the side, where the musicians were playing their hearts out to the amusement of a crowd that was now well into their cups.
I took his hand and let him pull me to my feet. "Shouldn't you be mingling with the nobles?" I asked with a glance at the intricately masked highborns around us. "After all, the Prize could be here, making her rounds among the champions. You might miss out if you're wasting your time on a mere gossip mongering lackey."
He drew me into the throng of dancers, looking back to pin me with his piercing blue gaze. "You're no mere anything, Rina, and we both know it."
I stopped breathing. For a moment, I scrambled to figure out how he had determined my real identity with the queen's spell in place. But then he bent closer to be heard over the music and the boisterous crowd around us. "I'm not one to put much stock in social status, and ranking, and all that nonsense. Who cares what your job is? You're a lovely woman and I enjoy your company. If the Prize wishes to dance, she'll find me. Though I'm certain if she's here she's probably more concerned with the team who's in first place. And besides," he said with a wink, "I'd like to see if you can keep up with this music without stomping on my feet!"
I grinned up at him as air filled my lungs again. I wasn't sure if I should feel relieved or disappointed. For one fleeting moment, I thought he saw me for who I really was, rather than the shallow part I played, and it made my heart sing. But of course, that would ruin everything. It was better this way. So, I tucked my disappointment away. "Challenge accepted," I shouted to him as we spun into the dance.
I danced with the other competitors throughout the night as well, making my rounds with every team to make sure I didn't seem too focused on Raven. I even forced myself to dance with a member of Lion team. Though I managed to avoid dancing with Talon, instead rushing through a short reel with one of his underlings, who was slightly less offensive.
I enjoyed myself, letting myself get swept up in the music and the mingling of various fae auras around me. I didn't realize how much I had needed this outlet, this break from palace life and my formal duties as steward. In any other situation, Ama would be here at my side, and we'd drink and dance 'til sunrise. But she was currently off somewhere enjoying the night with the foreign princess who had so thoroughly caught her attention. So, I spent as much time as possible with Raven team instead, somewhat glad that Ama wasn't here to rib me and give me meaningful looks.
The males were all beautiful dancers, confident, graceful, and unconcerned about looking silly as they lost themselves to the music. Bach and I danced to another jig and a sarcastic waltz with bawdy lyrics. Mirri led me through several light-hearted reels. Fife was my partner for the group dances, and he spun me through some wild nomadic thing that I had never seen before, a delicious spark of magic flaring between us every time his gloved hands touched mine.
Adder didn't seem to be as big a fan of dancing as the others, but even he allowed himself to be pulled into the revelry now and then. As the evening drew to a close and things calmed down, he led me into a slow dance that was more intimate than all the others.
