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“He’s handsome, and he’s humble,” Garben snarks, and I’m suddenly not sure if I want Ada to befriend him or not.
I shake my head at Garben, not knowing what to say. I haven’t ever considered how anyone else would feel about me courting Ada, or the other guys, for that matter. It isn’t like I’ve spent my time leading women to believe I have an interest in them. I also understand that Garben likes to tease, so this could be that.
If anyone was heartbroken over us being with Ada, they would be heartbroken over Ecaeris and Connak. The former giving them the chance to be royalty, and the latter being ridiculously flirtatious. Imryll and I have always been more reserved.
Garben sighs as he looks around. “How far out did you push the barrier?”
“We’re going to circle three.” I point into the distance as we pass the markers for circle one, our usual patrol route.
He whistles. “Circle three? That far?”
“We’ve added more guards to patrol, so we won’t have gaps in the route,” I explain. “But we felt it was needed for the next few weeks, just to be safe.”
“The guards talk, you know?” he tells me. “They’re expecting peace with all the Shades in the village.”
I tip my head in acknowledgement. “It will come.”
“But not soon?” he guesses.
“I don’t have an answer for you.”
“Not knowing is answer enough. On the horizon is better than never.” Garben regards me as we match our pace. “You’ve come a long way from that scrawny teenager I met so many years ago.”
I scoff. “I’m sure you’re well aware, but it hasn’t actually been that long.”
“And I’m sure you’re well aware that a decade feels like two days and forever at the same time,” he snarks, his reply reminding me of something Ada would say.
I grin at him. “That it does. I’m thankful it was you who trained me and not—”
Garben spits. “Like I was going to let Noctis step away from the tavern long enough to get his hands on you.”
“Because he’s such a good host?” I suggest.
“Because he’s a poor teacher.” Garben glances at me. “What is it like to be in the favor of two queens? Will you take up your lover’s royal detail or stay in the field with the rest of us?”
“We haven’t talked about it.” I scrub my hand over the top of my head. “Ada doesn’t need as much protection as you think.”
“She’s a fragile thing,” he points out.
I can’t help but chuckle at him. “She is anything but fragile. You should come by and train with us one day.”
“Fight with the future queen?” he asks, unsure if I’m joking.
“Aye. She won’t take it too easy on you.”
He nods thoughtfully. “When does her new reign start?”
“In the coming months, I suspect,” I tell him. “Queen Isolde is mentoring her until they’re both ready.”
I stop near the arrangement of orange mushrooms that signal our post at the third circle. The humidity in the air has their sweet aroma tingling my nose.
“I hate the way these things smell,” one of the guards greets as he points at the mushroom. “The red ones smell better.”
“We don’t have anything to report to you. It’s been a quiet night, other than his complaining,” the second guard says, tipping his head. “We’ll be off now.”
Garben watches them curiously as they leave. “They were in a hurry for two chaps that had a quiet day.”
“They’re probably sick of each other,” I comment. “We switched up some pairings.”
