Chapter 25
Liam’s induction went off without a hitch, black eyes and all.
His skills as an expert archer hadn’t gone unnoticed. He was given a place among the Hawkeyes, a group of expert archers reserved for only those who could send their arrow through a small rosebud at three hundred paces. As part of the induction, each member took turns pacing off from his respective single stemmed rose after he’d anchored it in a vase filled with sand. There were six members, Liam would make seven.
Liam stood across the yard directly in front of me. I could only imagine the pressure he was under, not just to make the shot, but to live up to what would be expected of him as a member of the Knights of Castle Lux. Even after his tantrum or whatever you wanted to call it the day before, my heart went out to him.
He looked my way and I sent him what I hoped was a reassuring smile. My moral support was the very least I owed him, after all, he had saved my life.
One by one each member of the elite Hawkeyes drew a slim arrow from a quill, each tipped with a razor sharp black stone that glinted in the sun. One by one they released their arrows, each flying true, like the roses were calling them home. The blood red blooms swayed just slightly as the arrows passed through them.
I knew little about archery, but I knew enough to be impressed.
Then, it was Liam’s turn. The green of his eyes was darker as he studied the target for a breath. He nocked the arrow the way people drew breath. Instinctively. The arrow pressed into his cheek as he lined up his target. He was never more at home than he was with an arrow drawn. Silently, he released the arrow and I held my breath.
The arrow pierced the bloom, sending a spray of red into the air around the stem. The other men had hit their target, yes. Liam had annihilated his.
The crowd went wild. Even Nikolas smirked.
I grinned as well, happy for him, but at first I didn’t understand. The arrowheads were simple, shaped like the tip of a sword. Then the answer clicked inside my head, Liam had set the arrow spinning. Straight and deadly to its target, it never wavered in its path, but inflicted far more damage.
Once the onlookers calmed down, Liam was asked to take a knee where he repeated the creed of the Knights of Castle Lux. “Honor, Fealty, Duty.”
My father stood before a kneeling Liam, touching a sword to his shoulders and naming him, ‘Sir Liam Raythen.’
As had been discussed beforehand, Liam had opted to go with Liam as opposed to William. Couldn’t say I blamed him. Liam is what his mother called him and Liam came with a more pleasant connotation.
Liam looked so pleased, happy even. And, happy wasn’t something Liam often looked. Brooding, sure. Mysterious, contemplative, angry, uneasy, gorgeous…absolutely. But, happy? Not so much. I was glad to see him in a such a state. It was all so nice…my mother doting on Liam, my father gracing Liam with his warm smile and overfriendly pats on the back, the men of guard taking him in as one of their own…no questions asked…as if he’d proven his fealty over his lifetime instead of a few days…all very heartwarming.
Even Nikolas accepted Liam with open arms, metaphorically that is. There was no actual chest bumping or weird guy hugs to be seen. The two of them acted as if they had not gotten into a physical altercation just the day before…as if they were almost friends. It still blew my mind and at the same time spawned a new respect in me for each of them.
A feast followed Liam’s knighting and everyone ate and drank and some of the guard even took to singing. They were awful, each one of them, but entertaining none the less and my ears didn’t even bleed as I had feared they would.
Soleil even came to offer her blessing to Liam, stroking his face with the back of her hand and just like that, his bruises and swelling ceased to exist, leaving him mind-numbingly gorgeous again.
I was thoroughly enjoying myself…until the part where Brigitte and her parents took turns fawning over Nikolas. Brigitte, of course, had the monopoly on the fawning.
At one point, and this was the point where I really began to no longer enjoy myself, there was a very awkward kiss that involved Brigitte closing her eyes and wrapping her skinny twig arms around Nikolas’ neck while she planted one on him. Nikolas responded by standing stock still with eyes wide open and round like saucers, like maybe if he were still enough she would leave him alone, like you do with a bear or some type of wild animal that’s mauling you. But, it didn’t work. I turned away, looking in any direction except the one where Nikolas had a Brigitte on his face.
It was at that point that I decided that she had a fish mouth and I hated her…or at the very least had a healthy dose of dislike aimed in her direction.
The celebration ended sometime late that afternoon and my parents took me on a tour of the castle and set to introducing me to those who worked in the castle. By the end of the day, I was beyond confused and couldn’t remember a single name of anyone I’d been introduced to, aside from my own ladies, Mattie and Leyona, but happy to have met everyone and glad to have spent some time with my parents.
It was a really great afternoon…except that I’d seen little of Nikolas and heard even less from him. And by less, I mean nothing. He was absent from dinner that evening, though Liam was there as he’d been invited in honor of his induction. He looked good in black, but there was something to be said as well for the way his cream colored tunic hung from his broad and well-defined shoulders. But then, he could wear seaweed and still be devastating.
The only positive about Nikolas’ absence was stupid fish mouth Brigitte and his parents were absent as well. I didn’t think I could stomach anymore wedding plan talk without puking, probably all over the pretty table, and that would be such a waste.
But, idiot that I was, I couldn’t help wishing he was still there…even if stupid fish mouth Brigitte and his parents were the price to pay in order to see him.
Liam seemed to sense my mood and did an admirable job of distracting me through dinner using clever observations about Lady Belmont’s ability to make you want to remove your own fingernails just to focus on something besides the sound of her voice. That got a laugh out of me and then he laughed and I tried to concentrate on the way his face lit up…the way his pale green eyes got lighter when his mood did. It almost worked. Almost.