Devan

“Darling, no, don’t leave meeeee!”

Devan let Tan cling even as he prayed once again for patience. He just knew he’d get this reaction this morning. It wasn’t even a stretch of the imagination.

Tan blinked up at him with liquid eyes, bottom lip trembling with hurt. “I’ll miss you.”

There was sincerity there, which touched Devan, because for all the theatrics Tan really did care for him. It was nice. Baffling. Worrisome. Sometimes alarming. But nice. Devan really didn’t know how to handle it, either. The attraction he felt for the man was just as confusing in some ways as everything else.

“I can’t just not go home,” Devan pointed out.

“I know.” Tan abruptly sobered, his expression serious. “Truly, I know you can’t just abandon your place there. I also know you’re going to be in serious trouble because of what you did. The soldiers meant to burn the town will report what happened. Your princess will throw a royal fit.”

Devan winced. If only he could refute that. He really wished he could. Sadly, they both knew better. Princess Serenity liked to throw fits if she broke a nail, for heaven’s sake, it wasn’t like she had any control over her temper. For this situation, she would absolutely lose her shit.

“Why, Devan?” Tan asked quietly. “Why go? Are you truly telling me there’s not one other person who can keep her in check? Must it be you who is sacrificed?”

“Unfortunately, yes. If I’m not there, Goodwine will be driven to absolute ruin.” Devan wiped a hand over his face, the stress of it all tightening his shoulders. Look at him, he wasn’t even there yet, and the stress of the royal court was getting to him. “You have to understand, there’s no one willing to stand up to her. Even her own father is scared of her. The court as a whole is under the impression that she’s goodness and light, so if she says something ruthless, they assume it’s the best option. Only her immediate staff knows the truth and they’re not very good at managing her. Wells and I are the only ones who manage it on a regular basis.”

“So if you leave your position, what almost happened in Siset will be a common occurrence? Is that what you’re saying?”

“Unfortunately. She just doesn’t care about human lives. What she wants is more important. Always. When she loses her temper, she doesn’t even make sense. There’s no logic to her emotional outbursts.” Devan gave Tan a sad smile. “If I leave, I do so knowing that I’m abandoning the entire country to her reign. I can’t stomach it.”

Tan looked away, brows drawn into a troubled frown. “How did you even get into this position to begin with.”

“I honestly can’t tell you. I lived through it and still have no idea.”

Tan’s grip on his arms tightened. “Devan, look at me. I’m serious when I say this. If you need me, call me. I’ll come help you. Don’t ever think you have to face it all alone.”

As silly as this man sometimes acted, and despite his reputation, he was dependable. Tan had proven that without a shadow of a doubt. The words touched Devan like the man had reached into his chest to cradle his heart with both hands. He felt the back of his eyes burn a little with emotion.

“Thank you, Tan. I will call you, I promise.”

“Good. Alright, I’ll take you back, but I want it noted that I do so under protest. Strong protest.”

“So noted,” Devan agreed solemnly, struggling to keep his mouth from twitching up in a smile. He kept a steady hand on Dan’s reins as Tan readied the spell.

With a flick of his magic against the portation spell under their feet, Tan sent them spiraling away. His magic was unique in Devan’s experience. The court mages had sparkling magic, like whites and golds all intertwined. Tan’s didn’t look like that. It was more earthy in hue, browns and greens with threads of black holding it together. Devan knew the color of magic was a mix of the elements a magician used as well as personal aesthetic. What these colors said of Tan, he wasn’t quite sure. Devan wasn’t well versed enough in magic to interpret it. Still, it was a curious mix to his eyes.

They landed without more than a slight jar under his feet. Tan’s portal spells were always buttery smooth. Better than the court mages’, which said something about his magical abilities. If pitted against a court mage, Devan’s money was on Tan.

Tan had brought them just outside the main highway, on the branch leading from the north, in the thick section of the woods and out of sight of the main walls. Devan knew this patch of road well, as he’d traveled it often. A smart place to bring him, and it wasn’t far at all from the castle.

“Thank you.” Devan smiled down at the man. “Call me too if you need me, alright?”

“Awww, darling, you do care!” Tan leaned up and hugged him around the shoulders, arms tight for a second. “Be bad and don’t get caught, alright?”

“You’re such a poor influence.” Even though Devan said that, he hugged him back.

“You know it. It’s why you like me.”

There was a bit too much truth in that. Devan chose wisdom and didn’t respond. He just let go and stepped back, pulling the reins over Dan’s head before swinging up and into the saddle with a practiced heave. Easier to do without plate armor on. The more casual grey trousers, chain mail, and silver-on-white doublet let him have the ease of movement while still being dressed appropriately for court.

Tan waved goodbye as he turned and nudged Dan into a trot. The past few days had been blissful, really. Tan was not only entertaining but good company. Staying with him had been a vacation Devan didn’t know he’d needed. He hadn’t wanted to leave. He’d learned that when Tan wasn’t trying to tease him, he could be the quiet company Devan often craved. Nothing demanding, not needing anything, just there with him. It had made Devan’s heart ache, sometimes. If he hadn’t been a knight, if Tan wasn’t a black sorcerer, he could have followed through with the temptation that man brought.

Damn oath tying him to the princess. Devan had regretted becoming a knight many a time, it wasn’t anything new, but damn the feeling grated still.  

The capital was in full glory, the gleaming white walls freshly washed down with magic. Devan slowed to a walk as he crossed the drawbridge, waving hello to the guards on duty as he passed. They waved back but one of them also gestured him in closer.

It took him a minute to connect that red hair with a name. Vargas, that was it. “Vargas, what is it?”

Vargas lit up in a brief smile. “Oh, I didn’t think you’d remember my name, Sir Salvino. I just thought it best to warn you, Princess Serenity is in a tizzy. There’s some kind of monster ambushing travelers in Hunter’s Woods. She’s been anxious for your return and asking us every few hours if we’d seen you yet. You best go directly to her.”

Oh god. She’d already found a good punishment for him, in other words. Devan hid the thought behind a bland smile. “I see. Thank you for the message, I’ll see her immediately.”

Vargas smiled back, clearly thinking he’d done a good job.

Devan didn’t have the heart to tell him otherwise.

He rode through the city streets with a sort of grim resignation. Devan didn’t pay any attention to the street vendors hailing him, offering everything from flowers to beverages. He ignored the people he passed by, barely acknowledging anyone of rank who might hail him, and just rode straight through to the castle.

A monster in Hunter’s Woods? Well, now, that was new. Or was it? Sometimes the reports from the north took a while to come to them, granted. He’d seen one urgent report arrive three months late—entirely too late, as it happened, the sender long dead. Devan had rather lost his shit over that one. The messenger who had lollygagged and dragged their feet getting to the capital had lost not only their job but hide off their back by the time he’d been done with them.

He really, really hoped this wasn’t another case of a delayed report coming in. That just gave the situation time to get worse. Devan just knew, too, that she’d send him alone to deal with it. Whatever it was. It’s how his bitchy princess rolled.

Dan took him straight to the stables without any guidance on his part because of course the stallion had only one goal: to get rid of his rider and acquire apples. Never mind that he hadn’t done more than a brief trot for twenty minutes. Apples. Damn horse was spoiled beyond belief. Devan dismounted with a heavier sigh than was physically warranted, turned, and headed for the side door. He wasn’t about to tell Dan that with their luck, they’d be back on the road tomorrow. The horse would pitch a fit.

He cleared the door, leaving the relative warmth of the sun for the coolness of the castle interior. The place had started off as a defensive fort, and this side of the castle still reflected that purpose in the stoutness of its walls and the undecorated grey. His boots made a distinct clipped sound against the stone tiles as he marched steadily over them.

Devan more or less knew where Princess Serenity would be at this time of the day. She liked to sun herself on the upper balcony overlooking the city. It gave her a chance to show off to the public without actually engaging anyone. Odds were she was there.

Devan gained the first level, heading for the second, when Wells caught up with him. His first lieutenant looked rough, to say the least. Dark bags under his blue eyes, fair hair standing on one end, just on the right side, and ink stains on his fingers. Devan wasn’t surprised. The man normally looked this frazzled when he had to shoulder both his and Devan’s workload.

He might have felt a tinge guilty for the mini-vacation with Tan. Just a smidge.

“Wells,” he greeted.

“You’re in for it now,” Wells returned with a grimace, wheeling to fall into step with him. “Her Highness is fit to be tied because you ruined her plan.”

“I figured as much.”