courting you.’ You hold her close, you kiss her, you tell her how fond you are of her.” He paused, rethinking his words. “Or in my case, you draw her pictures, then hide them away. You recite poems that land you on a reward with another Woman. You give her a rose and then toss it off the side of a tower.”
Leila let out another adorable giggle, then pulled him close for a longer, deeper kiss. He dragged his hands to her waist, sinking into her touch, her lips.
“Don’t stop,” she whispered.
“Kissing you?”
“Courting me. I’ll never tire of it.”
Tobias chuckled—then fell silent, his mind transported back to the Welcoming, to the Sovereign. Rid yourself of these worries—but it was easier said than done.
“Is something wrong?” Leila said.
She stared up at him, waiting, and he lost himself in the yellow flecks of her eyes, then found further distraction in the freckle above her cheekbone. The Sovereign drifted from his thoughts, a breeze that would likely blow his way another time. But not now.
“Not at all.”
And then he kissed her, focusing on her touch, her taste, fuel to continue for another day.
***
“Selene.”
Tobias raised an eyebrow. It was morning, though he had been awake for a while now, staring at his paints and trying in vain to wrangle some inspiration. Orion, on the other hand, was still flat in his bed fast asleep, and this was the second time he had said that name.
“Selene.”
The third time. Tobias almost felt guilty, as if he had invaded the man’s privacy, but Orion’s sleep mutterings were starting to occupy permanent space in his mind.
The chamber door flew open, and Pippa barreled inside, a wild grin plastered across her face. “We’re going to play a game!”
“A game?” Tobias asked.
“Yes!” Pippa grabbed his wrists and yanked him from his bed. “Get up!” She scurried to Orion’s bed and jumped on his sleeping body. “Up, silly!”
Orion’s eyes shot open. “Mother of—”
“Come on.” Pippa giggled, climbing off Orion. “Romulus is waiting.”
“Romulus?” Tobias said.
“He’s outside. By the woods.”
A weight dropped in Tobias’s stomach. The woods—the site of their next challenge.
“Hurry. We’re playing a game!” Pippa darted from the room, leaving a trail of disarray in her wake.
Orion sat in his mess of sheets, rubbing his eyes. “That one.” He chuckled, hopping to his feet. “She’s like a rabbit, hopping around like that. Nearly hoofed me in the stones.”
Tobias didn’t respond, preoccupied. “Orion?”
“Hm?”
Tobias shook his head. “Never mind.”
“Speak your mind.”
The words hovered on the tip of his tongue. “Who’s Selene?”
Orion went quiet, pulling his shirt overhead and shaking his long hair into place. He rested his hands on his hips.
“My wife.”
Tobias froze, staring blankly at Orion, who simply slapped him on the back.
“Well, come along, then. We have a game to play.”
He shuffled from their chamber, leaving Tobias gaping at nothing. Orion has a wife? After a moment of paralyzed disbelief, he threw his shirt on and left the room.
Tobias and Orion headed to the entryway, where Pippa and the other competitors were already waiting. Skipping down the front steps, Pippa led the way to the challenge, and while the other men spoke casually amongst one another, Tobias was on edge. This was their first challenge outside the labyrinth, and he hadn’t a clue what to expect.
A blanket of trees materialized in the distance, the woods much less ominous in the daytime. As he neared the stretch of green, a man he hadn’t seen in days trudged into view.
“Romulus.” Pippa scurried toward him. “There he is!”
The Proctor gazed over the line of men as Pippa took root at his side. “Good morning, gentlemen.”
The group stood in a wide, open field sitting beside a lush, green forest; a serene sight, yet the space somehow managed to feel stifling.
“It’s been some time since we’ve shared words,” the Proctor said. “The past few days have served as a respite from duty. But the tournament is still afoot, and the quest for The Savior’s hand remains your chief task. Today marks the end of your reprieve and the continuation of the tournament here on the palace grounds.”
Tobias braced himself for the phrase that would inevitably spill from the Proctor’s mouth.
“Welcome to your seventh challenge.”
And there it is.
“The Savior’s birthright is no easy burden to bear. Thus, it is up to Her Champion to remain dedicated to Her care for the entirety of Her reign. Today, we test your commitment. Your ability to surmount conflict and opposition for the sole purpose of pleasing our Savior.”
“Where is She?”