Chapter 99

Before Teoderic got within ten yards of the princess, Eli stepped in front of him and grabbed him by the collar, and two of the princess’s other guards came shooting through the back of the crowd, clutching at the angry ex-Representatives arms. Landon stared in disbelief at how quickly it had all unfolded. When he realized Cassius was sweeping the princess into the castle, out of harm’s way, and several of the Queen’s Guard were between her and the bad actor, he felt as if he should’ve done something. Why had Cassius and Eli anticipated this while he stood dumbfounded, staring on?

He caught eyes with Jate and then Drake before all three of them hustled up the steps behind the princess, creating an even thicker barrier between her and Teodric. The other dismissed Representatives were being escorted away by members of the Queen’s Guard, and as Landon looked over his shoulder, he saw one of the queen’s men using the butt of his sword to drive compliance home through Teodric’s thick skull. Eli was trying to interject, but the tall man with the jagged scar on his face made it pretty clear this was now a matter for the Queen’s Guard, and the commander had best step aside.

Once inside, Landon followed along the small party accompanying the princess. She had asked to speak to him after all, so he didn’t feel completely out of place. Once they were around the corner, and the queen and her guards had broken off, heading toward her own chambers, Kit stopped and turned to face them.

Her hands were shaking, and she was clutching at Cassius’s arm, which was wrapped firmly around her shoulders. “Thank you,” she said, looking up at him, and then she looked to the other three Representatives who had escorted her inside, as well as her guards. “Thanks to all of you. I had no idea....”

“Bastard,” Cassius muttered.

“The Queen’s Guard is putting him in his place,” Drake assured her, and Kit’s eyebrows arched.

“I never meant for him to get hurt. Or anyone for that matter. He just needed a moment to think about it, to accept it. Poor Teodric.” She was shaking her head, looking at the floor.

“His reaction wasn’t normal,” Jate reminded her. “No one should come after you like that. Ever.”

Kit nodded her head, and Landon thought he should come up with something to say, something clever, something to make her feel better. But he could only think of one thing. “Are you all right, Princess?” he asked, stepping forward.

“Yes, I’m fine,” she said, launching herself away from Cassius and into his arms. Landon hardly had time to open them before she was clinging to him, and he wrapped her up tight, glad to have her nestled in his chest but surprised at her reaction. He caught Cassius’s eyes, assuming the other Representative would be angry, or at least jealous, but instead, he only looked amused.

After a moment, Kit stepped back. “Thank you, Landon,” she said, her blue eyes tearing up a bit. “I’ll see you at nine?”

His eyebrows shot up, and he stared at her dumbly, trying to decipher exactly what she was asking. Jate leaned in close to his ear and whispered, “Say yes.”

“Yes,” Landon echoed, and then realizing that she was asking what he assumed she had been asking, he repeated it, “Yes, yes, of course.”

A peel of laughter rang out of the princess’s mouth, and even though he felt silly, at least he’d made her laugh. She leaned up then and kissed his cheek before waving to him and the other Representatives and falling into step with her guards. Landon’s feet wanted to follow, but it was clear she was safe now, and she expected them not to come along.

“Damn. I’m jealous,” Drake muttered. “But I’m proud of you, youngster.” He violently shook Landon’s shoulders, almost knocking him over.

“I’ve seen the way she looks at you,” Cassius said to the other giant of a man whose hand was still on Landon’s shoulder. “It’s just a matter of time.”

“I hope so,” Drake said, shaking his head. He withdrew his hand and folded his arms in front of him.

“Aren’t you jealous?” Landon asked, looking from Cassius to Jate and then back again. “That is... you’ve both been with her. Don’t you hate the thought of any other man sharing her bed?” Landon hadn’t been able to stand the thought, even though he had yet to pleasure the princess himself.

“No, I wouldn’t call it jealousy,” Cassius casually replied, leaning on the wall. “I just want her to be happy. She has to experience everyone she’s interested in order to decide who she likes best.”

“Besides,” Jate added, “she gets to Room seven. And... I have a feeling even after she’s made her selections, this will be a long process.”

Landon was surprised to hear that. “You don’t think she’s just going to pick someone and that will be that? Not even the commander?”

“Not at all.” Cassius sounded confident in his response. “She is quite fond of Eli. But I know how she feels about me, and I’m not giving up on her yet.”

“I can say the same,” Jate replied, and there was some sort of passing of knowledge between the two, a knowing glance Landon assumed he wouldn’t understand. Until later that night.

Realizing he’d be with the princess himself in a few hours made his stomach tighten both in anxiety and anticipation. He’d bedded his fair share of women in hopes of someday having an opportunity like this, but she had a lot of experience. Would he be enough for her? Hopefully, he wouldn’t do anything to embarrass himself, like he had just now when she’d asked him. Jate wouldn’t be there to whisper in his ear in the bedroom—thank the goddesses.

“Come on, lad. You’ll be fine,” Cassius said, as if reading his mind. He clasped Landon on the shoulder and steered him toward the hallway that led to all of their rooms. With the four dismissed that day, there would only be thirty-eight others, and that meant Landon’s chance at being Roomed had improved both numerically and hopefully exponentially since he’d won the hunt. If Kit ended up caring for him even a fraction of the amount he already felt for her, his chances at winning her over were infinite.