“And Piers?”
“Patrolling with Gamma Team. They’ll be back tonight.”
After a few more questions, Griffin sends the women back to the coolness of the castle. Before leaving, they dip down awkwardly in my direction, I think as a sign of respect. For Magoi? For me? Officially, I’m a nobody. Don’t they know I’m supposed to be the one bowing to them? I can’t help shaking my head as they disappear into the castle.
Griffin turns to me, his gray eyes flinty. “What?”
My heart flips over. It’s the first time he’s really looked at me or talked to me in two days. He wasn’t being cold, or even unpleasant. I don’t think it’s in him to be that childish. He just busied himself with other people and other things until there was no room left for me.
My pulse abnormally quick, I answer, “You’re clearly in charge no matter who’s Alpha. And they need to work on their curtsies—and who to give them to. People will laugh when they see them wobbling like that.”
“Who cares what people think?”
“You care. The second people laugh at you, it’s over. You took this on, now you all have to play the parts. Flawlessly. Or else…” I make a throat-slitting motion.
“Can you teach them court etiquette?”
“Seriously? Now I have to play nursemaid as well?”
“Can you?” he repeats evenly.
I hesitate. Becoming a personal princess trainer could work to my advantage. “For a price.”
Griffin’s tone hardens. “What price?”
“If Fisan or Tarvan royalty come here, I stay hidden. Same thing for their top advisors.”
“Invisible hidden? Or not-in-the-room hidden?”
I look at him like he’s left his only bucket at the well. “Invisible hidden. I won’t be much use detecting lies if I can’t hear them.”
He studies me for a moment, as if assessing my motives, and then agrees.
Huh. That was easy. “Is that a promise?”
He nods. “It’s a promise.”
In the waning light, his gray eyes are darker, softer, but still magnetic. I tear my gaze away before I give in to any ridiculous urges, like being nice to him. “Can I have a bath now? I need to wash off that cave.”
I don’t mean the dust, and Griffin knows it. His expression flattens in an instant, and the sinking, hollow feeling in my stomach feels a lot like regret.
We stable the horses behind the barracks and then make our way across a second, smaller courtyard. “You’re welcome to use the royal bathhouse.” Griffin points toward an arched entryway, his voice unbearably neutral.
I scan the buildings. “Where’s the women’s pool?” A quarter of the soldiers spilling out of the barracks were women. Unusual, but not unheard of.
He points to our left. “It’ll be crowded. There are over a hundred women in the barracks. You’ll have more privacy in the royal bathhouse.”
True, but the idea of sharing his family’s personal space is just too awkward.
“Cat?” Flynn calls.
I turn, and he grabs me, his big arms squashing my ribs.
“Ow! You big oaf! What are you doing?”
Kato snatches my ankles and swings them up. Carver leads the way, whistling a marching tune, and they start toward the royal bathhouse, Griffin trailing behind.
“What’s going on?” I curse, wiggling helplessly. Well, not exactly helplessly with all the Fire Magic I have stored up, but I don’t want to maim or kill anyone, either.
“Initiation,” Griffin says tersely. “Don’t bother struggling.”
Ten seconds later, Kato and Flynn toss me into the water, boots and all. Fuming, I sink to the bottom of the pool and stay there until my lungs nearly burst, watching the smug looks on their faces veer toward concern.
“Gods, Cat!” Kato says when I finally surface. “You’re the last person I thought we’d drown.”
I spit an enormous mouthful of water at him. Kato uses his dusty forearm to wipe off his face, leaving it streaked with mud, and I can’t help laughing when he gives me a huge grin from behind whiskers and grime.
“Don’t take long. We’re next,” Griffin says in clipped tones.
“At least you didn’t all strip naked and jump in with me,” I joke.
Kato chuckles. “Maybe next time.”
“Out!” Griffin barks.
“Did you leave your sense of humor somewhere?” I ask, treading water and trying to take my boots off at the same time.