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“There she is,” Tannin greeted, and the charm on his handsome face made my insides melt against my will. “Where did you wander off to?”

“Er...”

I was lost for words. Not only because I hadn’t planned an alibi, but also because the scene playing out before me was so beyond my expectations that it left me dumbfounded.

“I was just practicing my skill with a slingshot,” I lied on the spot, then held up the dead dove by its feet. “Figured we’d need other sources of meat than just the chickens.”

“Oh, good,” Jax said, coming to me and taking the dove from my hand. “I can add it to the stew. But, Aliya, you really shouldn’t be outside alone. It’s dangerous out there.”

The look on his face was so sincere and devoid of his typical snark that all I could do was stare at him. And did he just say my name? He usually only referred to me asPrincess.

“Uh, okay,” I stammered. Who were these guys?

Jax took the bird to the counter and began plucking the feathers. “Tannin and I thought we’d makeyoudinner tonight. You know... to show our appreciation for everything you’ve done for us.”

My eyes widened, my bewilderment growing to the point of stupefaction. What the hell was going on here? Was I dreaming?

“So, why don’t you go take a nice bath or something and just relax until dinner is ready?” Tannin suggested.

“O-okay...” I mumbled in a daze, then walked like a zombie out of the kitchen.

Was this actually happening? Tannin had always been the nicer of the two, but after he’d run out on me this morning, I’d expected him to continue to avoid me. And Jax? He was never nice. Even when he was giving me unbridled pleasure, he was kind of an asshole about it, and especially after.

What had caused this sudden turn in them? Maybe I’d misjudged them... Or maybe they were up to something.

I wasn’t about to let my guard down just because their attitudes had suddenly changed. I wasn’t that easy or that foolish. Not anymore. I was the princess of Varinya, and no matter what tricks they pulled, I was still going to banish them from my castle.

However, since the responsibility of preparing food was off my shoulders—for the first time in over a year—I was going to do what Tannin suggested and relax. I was bone-deep exhausted after all the magical energy I’d expended today. And a long, hot bath sounded lovely!

As soon as I got up to my room, I filled the tub with the hottest water I could stand. Then I stripped out of my dirty clothes and slowly sank into it, goosebumps of pleasure covering my skin as the heat saturated into my sore muscles.

Ahhh. Heavenly.

I must have dozed off because a knock on my door made me snap to awareness, my jumpy movements sending water spilling over the edges of the tub.

“Aliya? Dinner is ready,” Tannin called through the door. “Take your time.”

Damn, how long had I been asleep? Long enough for my fingers to be pruney and the water to be tepid, obviously.

I got out, dried myself off, and put on a simple yet elegant dress befitting a princess. Nothing too flattering or ostentatious. I was done trying to impress those men, and I wanted to be comfortable in my own home.

When I entered the dining room, I was shocked by how artfully the table had been set. Bowls of stew were placed in front of the three chairs at the end of the table, and a dish of roasted vegetables sat in the center, surrounded by candlesticks that lent a cozy orange glow to the room.

Jax and Tannin were standing behind the table, apparently waiting patiently for me.

Tannin pulled out my chair as I approached, then tucked it in after I sat. Then they both took their seats on either side of me, looking at me with some emotion I couldn’t decipher. Whatever it was though, made my insides feel warm and gooey.

I looked away, unwilling to let their gazes affect me, and focused instead on the food in front of me.

“This looks really good,” I said, my tone somewhat reserved. “Thank you.”

And it smelled good, too.

I lifted the spoon from the bowl, careful not to let any of the stew spill, and blew on it to cool it. I could feel their eyes on me the whole time, but I kept my eyes fixed on liquid and chunks in the end of my spoon.

Tentatively, I touched the broth to my lips, then put the spoon in my mouth when the heat wasn’t too much.

“Mmm,” I hummed in delight. It was so hearty and savory, and the meat and vegetables were the perfect texture. I hadn’t tasted stew this good since before the kitchen staff fell ill.