“It’s fine, I’m fine.” I give him a small smile. “I… will be fine. That better? So pushy.”
Arel looks up at us as he puts the swords away. “So, he’s just always been this way, has he?” I nod, Kaleb and Aron chuckle, as Wyatt tries to mutter his way out of it.
Kaleb shouts from the fence, “Come on, why don’t you show your sister-princess your bow skills?”
Wyatt acts shy but picks up his bow and quiver and walks to the archery range. I lean against the fence, watching him hit target after target. He has changed so much since I left Vendyl, still has his playfulness, but there’s more. There's a darkness surrounding him. I don’t know exactly what he has gone through getting to this point, but it’s changed him. I just hope he doesn’t forget who he is. He’s gained so much muscle, too, in the few months he’s been here. I almost didn’t recognise him in the woods.
“You’re welcome for the clothes. Black looks good on you,” a rough voice says as he leans on the barrier with me. “Although I hoped you were brave enough to show up wearing what you were last night.” I twist my neck to look at Ronan, leaning against the fence so casually, not even looking my way. Anyone would think he is watching Wyatt, not flirtatiously speaking with me. I continue to glare at him, and the corners of his mouth turn upwards.
“Andi, can I have a word?” Caelan shouts from the entrance posts. I nod in response, pushing past Ronan. Wyatt runs up, dropping his bow at Arel’s feet, and follows me up to the chief’s hut.
Caelan sits in the large wooden chair at the far end of the hut, pointing to a chair beside him for me. Wyatt perches on the side.
“Forgive me for not bowing, Your Highness, I’m an old man now.”
Wyatt scoffs, and Caelan gives him a stern look that shuts him right up.
“Oh, please, don’t. I’m not a real princess. Well, I am… but I wasn’t brought up being one, so you don’t need to do the formalities and whatever, I—” Wyatt places a hand on myshoulder to stop my rambling, and Caelan smiles at me. “Sorry. It’s all still new to me.”
“No need to apologise. We are glad to have you here. I am aware of the situation between Myles and Lura and their mating bond. Have to say I was astonished. I have only ever heard of one other couple with a mating bond. They are very rare.” I look to my feet. “I have suggested to them both, it would be in everyone’s best interests for them to return to Lura’s.” My eyes snap up to Caelan. Myles gone, I never thought about what would happen now. I guess Caelan is right, they can’t stay here, with me. But he has been a constant in my life for so long. My eyes fill with tears that I blink away.
“If you're agreeable, we will give them supplies and they will be on their way tomorrow morning.”
Wyatt leans down. “Might be for the best, Andi. Their mating bond can’t be broken, and even if it could, would you want to be with him after all he’s done?”
His voice is woven in anger. I hate it when he’s right. Even if there was a way to break it, he has been with her. Then kept me in the dark, they both could have told me, at any point.
I remember when I finally learned to aim. Myles lifted me up in an embrace but dropped me a second later, looking over his shoulder at Lura. Her face when I woke up later that day, the tears and rage in her eyes. She always had the strangest expressions when it came to me, I just assumed it was worry or shyness.
Standing, I dust off my clothes, turning to face Caelan. “Thank you. I think that would be for the best.”
He reaches behind his chair and pulls out Dad’s box. I gasp, I haven’t seen it since we left Cyvail, I’d forgotten all about it. “He said you would want to have this.”
I scoff. “Not brave enough to hand it to me himself?” Caelan stands up, taking my hand, covering it with his own.
“He is a small man with small ambitions. You are a princess and heir to the throne of Linorah. You deserve better than him. And don’t you forget it.”
Chapter Forty
Wyatt
“Wait up,” I shout after Andi. Grabbing hold of her arm, turning her to face me.
“What do we need to do? Eat? Fight? Drink?” I wiggle my eyebrows at the last suggestion. Andi flashes me a grim smile and proceeds to pace beside me. I haven’t seen her like this since her dad died, and her mum disappeared into work, leaving Andi to figure out how to help her family while dealing with her own grief.
“Uh… I don’t know. I don’t know what to think or how to feel, it’s like my emotions are in shock. One minute I’m fine, happy, and joking. Next, I’m angry-crying and tearing apart my clothes. Ronan gave me these.”
I look at her confused, then register the black clothes she is wearing. I saw her and Ronan chatting together in the training field this morning but thought it was just Ronan chancing his luck. My jaw tenses, “Did you two…”
“Uh, no. Nothing like that, you have such a dirty mind. He came by with some food last night, and I was… indecent. I was so angry with Myles and Lura that I tore the clothes I had to pieces because they were hers. Ronan left me them this in the morning.”
I think Ronan and I need to have a little discussion about boundaries. “Okay, fine. But you should stay away from Ronan.” Andi glowers at me and crosses her arms.
“Oh, is that right? Since when do you tell me what to do with my life? Yesterday I was engaged, remember? My ex is still here, walking around hand in hand with hismate. I’m not going to hook up with the first guy who speaks to me. I just… I just need some space, okay? I need to walk for a while.”
I nod. “Whatever you need, but… I’m here when you need a drinking buddy. I know where the good stuff is kept.”
Andi smirks, walking away. “Nobody could ever hide the good stuff from you.”