Page 10 of A Legacy of Stars (The Lost God Legacies)

10

TEDDY

T he morning of the first challenge, the competitors’ tent was already bustling with activity when Teddy stepped inside.

Servants loaded trays of citrus fruits and muffins onto a table in the center corridor, but from the looks of it, no one had touched the food. It was hard to blame them with first-challenge nerves descending.

Teddy hoped he’d be early, but as he strode down the center walkway of the tent, almost all of his fellow combatants were already there, lacing up boots and outfitting themselves with weapons in their individual curtained rooms.

He had slept terribly. The training from Cecilia and Rainer had been helpful, but it was clear by the anxiousness that he and Stella volleyed back and forth as he was trying to get to sleep that they were hopeless with any intense emotions.

His muscles were stiff from sparring with Jalen the previous afternoon and an ache tore up his side as he reached to open the curtain of the same small alcove where he’d suited up for the opening ceremony. He glanced at his name emblazoned in gold on the small wooden placard hanging from the hook outside the room, and then looked down the row of curtained rooms for Stella .

He wanted to get a good look at how everyone was outfitted considering they had no idea what to expect from the challenge, but before he could walk down the hall, someone grabbed his arm.

Teddy turned, his dagger already in hand, and came face to face with Nathan Aiger.

Teddy was so relieved to see his best friend that he sheathed his dagger and threw his arms around him. When he pulled back, Nathan smoothed his linen vest and tugged down his shirt sleeves. It was bold of him to not wear a tunic like most of the men at court, but Nathan was always saying how women noticed when you stood out.

Teddy looked at the flowery embroidery on the vest. He would pass on the latest fashions unless Grace told him otherwise.

“I thought you weren’t arriving until next week, Nate?”

“Easy there. I know you missed me,” Nathan said. “When I heard that you were competing in the Gauntlet Games, I thought it was surely gossip. I am the reckless, charming friend. Teddy Savero doesn’t do things like enter himself into deadly competitions with a bunch of warriors who’d love an excuse to stab him. I had to see it for myself. And here you are, ready to risk life and limb for—” He frowned. “What, exactly?”

Teddy glanced around the room but found no one within earshot. “It’s a very long story, but I stupidly went to the Temple of Desiree, hoping she would heart-bond me and Grace.”

Nathan stared at him with wide eyes. “I swear I come late to one Olney trip and you finally get fun and make havoc for the first time ever.”

Teddy punched him in the arm. “Fuck you. I’ve always been fun.”

Nathan eyed him warily. “Looking very official in the princely gear.” He gestured to Teddy’s heavy armor.

“Official but awfully hot for the climate here,” Teddy said. He was already sweating through his clothes beneath the heavy metal breastplate.

“Yes, but the ladies will love it,” Nathan said. “I take it you didn’t get the bond from Desiree? ”

Teddy ran a hand through his hair and lowered his voice. “Oh, I did. Just not to the right woman.”

Nathan clicked his tongue. “Are you suggesting that Goddess Desiree doesn’t know what she’s talking about? Some might consider that blasphemy.”

“No, I’m saying the goddess was bored and decided to bond me to Stella for entertainment.”

Nathan’s face contorted with shock before breaking into a wide smile. He laughed so loudly and suddenly that Teddy jumped. “You’re kidding. Gods, that’s funny. What did Gracie have to say?”

“Not much. She was busy getting bonded to Stella’s boyfriend.”

Nathan doubled over laughing. “I can’t believe I missed this. So you’re bonded to Stella, and her boyfriend?—”

“The prince of Olney.”

Nathan’s eyes went comically wide. “Arden Teripin is her boyfriend? She and Gracie swapped princes. So you’re connected to your nemesis? How is she?”

Teddy opened his mouth to speak, but Stella appeared beyond Nathan’s shoulder.

“ She is standing right behind you, Nathan Aiger,” Stella said with a smirk.

Nathan spun and bent to kiss her hand with exaggerated reverence. “Lady McKay, lovely as always.”

Stella smiled indulgently at him. “It’s been a while, Nathan. Good to see you haven’t given up on flirting with every woman you come across. Sadly, your efforts are in vain. Have you not heard? My heart is spoken for by one man and chained to another. I’m not sure I can handle a third.”

Nathan waggled his eyebrows. “Well, we don’t know until we try, do we, love?”

Stella laughed, and the bond in Teddy’s chest clenched at the sound. Whatever that feeling was, it was entirely unwelcome.

He’d always admired Nathan’s ease with women, but a prince could never get away with casually suggesting a foursome.

Despite the fact that Teddy knew from their bond that Stella had been up late, she looked fresh as ever. Her cheeks were rosy, and her hair was braided into a crown around her head. She wore fine leather armor, including a Novumi vest that held eight blades, and a dagger strapped to her right thigh. Her bow and quiver of arrows were slung over her arm with the practiced ease of someone who shot daily.

“You’re very dressed up to watch a bloodbath,” Stella said, eyeing Nathan’s vest.

Nathan smoothed his hand over his embroidery again. “Thank you, Stella. I’m dressed to catch any swooning ladies of the court that might need a hero a little farther from the action.”

She laughed and patted his shoulder. “Happy hunting. It was good to see you. It’s been too long.”

Nathan watched her go and whistled low when she was out of earshot. “Can’t believe you’re upset about being bonded to someone with such a fine ass. Fuck me . I don’t care how much she irritates you. You can’t deny she looks great in that leather armor.”

Teddy had been trying very hard not to notice. “Truth be told, this is the first time I’ve seen her out of a dress.”

“Hopefully not the last,” Nathan said, still distractedly eyeing her backside as she bent to tighten the laces of her boot.

Nathan’s admiration filled Teddy with something akin to protective jealousy. That wasn’t right. He did not care who stared at Stella McKay’s ass. They were friends and Nathan had always been a bit of a rake.

“I have no interest in seeing her out of a dress,” Teddy grumbled. “She is just a temporary problem that I’ll solve once I win this tournament.”

Nathan smiled and clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Good to see you looking so confident.” He nodded toward the platform at the end of the center walkway where competitors were gathering. “Looks like you better get ready. I’ll see you after.”

Nathan retreated toward the tent entrance. He paused and turned back. “Ted,” he said, the humor suddenly gone from his face. “Be careful out there. This thing is always hard to watch, but I don’t want to see you?— ”

“I will. All will be well.”

Teddy didn’t feel as confident as he sounded, but that was nothing new. It was the same false bravado he brought to everything in his life.

Before Nathan could say anything else, Teddy turned away from him and walked toward the other competitors.

Outside of the main tent, where the binding ceremony had taken place the day before, there was a small dais, upon which two priestesses in red robes stood, their heads bowed in silent prayer. The competitors gathered in a semicircle around the dais and Teddy took up a spot on the back edge where he could see all the combatants and both entrances to the room.

Fire bloomed bright on the dais and a hush came over the group. The flame receded, revealing the god of war.

There was a hesitation in the crowd. A beat too late, several heads bowed, and others touched their fingers to their hearts and forehead in a salute of reverence to the god.

Endros frowned at the display. “Welcome competitors. Thank you for the truly tepid greeting. Fortunately for you all, I’m not offended.”

The crowd shifted, clearly uncertain whether to believe the god.

“You have been weighed and found worthy of the Gauntlet Games by me, your godly gamemaker.” Endros locked eyes with Teddy as he continued to speak. “Welcome to your first challenge. A reminder of the rules: at any time during the active challenges, competitors can interfere with or take out their competition, but if you do not complete the required task, you will be eliminated from the Games.”

The group of competitors exchanged glances, and Teddy’s gaze drifted to Stella. She stood at the back of the group on the opposite side from him.

“The first event will be only twenty minutes and will take place in its entirety within Olney Arena,” Endros continued.

Teddy wasn’t relieved by that news at all. The Gauntlet Games usually ran one or two weeks depending on how complex the challenges were and how much time was given. Some events took place inside the arena that had been constructed behind Olney Castle, but some of the more complicated tasks took place around the two kingdoms and the crowd would be given certain times to come back and witness the end of a specific event. In between the excitement, the town enjoyed wild parties, storytelling performances, and a street fair in the town square where local and foreign vendors sold their wares.

Endros was either trying to start this year’s Games off with a shorter, more violent challenge to get the crowd excited, or he planned to keep the whole Games quick and deadly and it would be over in a matter of days.

“The first task requires a partner, and since it is the wisdom challenge, I should remind you to choose your partner wisely as this is a challenge that requires you to know them and yourself.” Endros’s words sounded like a threat. “Magic, which includes both elemental summoning and spellwork, is banned from the first challenge. Any contestant using it will be immediately eliminated. Remember, I am always watching and I don’t miss anything. Do not think to cheat, or you will pay a high price.”

With that, the god nodded to his priestesses and retreated to his place of honor in the stands.

The competitors dispersed into whispers, quickly pairing up as if they’d all been expecting to have to choose an ally. Teddy should have expected it. It happened often in the wisdom challenge, usually with regard to choosing an adversary to compete against. Stella would be an obvious choice since he was confident that her ire didn’t extend to actually wanting to kill him.

Teddy made a beeline for her as she shoved several more pins into her crown braid, trying to tame her unruly curls.

He leaned in, keeping his voice low. “Don’t let them get you down. Whatever this task is, you know that people will want to make an example of you because of who you are and?—”

“I know how to fight,” she snapped. “It’s patronizing to explain how this competition works as if we both haven’t been watching it since we were children.”

“We should pair up,” Teddy forced himself to say .

Stella scoffed.

“Fine, then, what about—” He nodded to the tall redhead on the far side of the group. “Jeneva Lampry over there. She’d be a good partner for you.”

Stella scowled at him. “Because we’re both women?”

Teddy groaned. “No, because I watched her in training earlier this week. She worked well with a partner and she doesn’t have magic.”

Stella cast a glance at the red-haired warrior, who was checking the throwing knives stuck into her chest plate. Jeneva was tall, with a muscular warrior’s build. She wore a leather armored vest. Colorful tattoos peeked out from the gap between her shirt and armguards.

“I wonder if her father is losing it over her being in the competition or if he’s proud,” Stella said. “It could go either way with the huntmaster. I know when my mother entered herself in the Huntgames they used to have before solstice, my grandfather wasn’t very pleased, but he was proud. Of course, the Huntgames had way less murder than this tournament.”

“Did you imagine your parents would feel the same?” Teddy asked.

Stella laughed. “No. I knew they would be horrified.” She glanced at the dark-haired woman next to Jeneva.

“Do you know her? She’s awfully small to be rumbling with these warriors,” Teddy said.

Stella nodded. “That’s Katerina Shank. Her father is one of the best smiths in Olney. Don’t let her build fool you. There is not a weapon she doesn’t know how to wield, and she’s also a witch. Her strongest affinity is water, but she has another talent I’m guessing most people here don’t know about.”

“Care to share?”

“Of course, Your Grace , at your royal command.” She pressed onto her toes and leaned in so her lips nearly brushed his ear. “She’s good with poisons. I would take care not to even get scratched by any of her weapons.”

Teddy shouldn’t have been surprised that Stella had done her homework. She was Rainer McKay’s daughter, and he would have taught her to know her adversaries well.

“And what have you learned about me as an opponent?” he asked.

Stella smirked. “You’ll just have to find out.”

He hadn’t really thought about the fact that he was at a disadvantage against her. He’d seen her shoot a bow, but he’d never seen her fight with any other weapon, yet she’d watched him train plenty.

Teddy eyed the competition. “We really should pair up.”

She laughed incredulously. “No.”

Teddy spun on her. “What do you mean no?”

“I mean, I don’t want to tie my fortunes to a spoiled prince who has never had to fight for anything until now.”

“What happened to me being the only person you were worried about beating?”

She cocked her head and looked at him like he was the dumbest man she’d ever met. “You are. That’s why I’m not helping you.”

“But you need a partner.”

Stella nodded to a man in elaborately decorated leather armor. His dark hair was neatly gathered in a bun at the nape of his neck. He caught Teddy staring and flashed a wide, annoyingly perfect smile. The prick winked.

Teddy whipped his gaze back to Stella. “Fionn Silver is a mercenary .”

“Which means he’s one of the few people in the field whom I know for certain can be bought.”

“Loyalty purchased can always be purchased again by a higher bidder,” Teddy said, parroting the words his father had drilled into him since youth.

“I’m giving him something he wants—something he can’t get from someone else,” Stella said. “It’s the proper motivation to guarantee he will help me through this challenge. He needs me alive and well to help him.”

The same nagging jealousy-adjacent feeling tore through Teddy.

It’s just the bond. The only thing he felt toward Stella McKay and her flimsy plan was annoyance, though he supposed it would be distracting if she got herself killed. That, and he’d probably hear it from his father and everyone else if he didn’t at least attempt to protect her.

“Are you worried for me, or for you?” Stella asked. “It looks like most people are paired up, unless you want to hitch your wagon to that burly group of brutes over there.” She nodded to the four men on the far side of the field. “They seem…nice.”

“Be careful with them,” Teddy said.

“You know them?”

Teddy nodded. “Wish I didn’t. That tall, dark-haired one with the narrow-set eyes and the scar on his jaw is Rett Roachelle. Three years back, he was attacked by twenty Sons of Endros and lived to tell about it. They call him ‘The Roach’ because they say he can’t be killed.”

Stella smirked. “And what do you say?”

“I say that there’s more than one way to survive the rebels. The easiest one is to be one of them. They get in a few blows and scar up your face and you live to tell about it while looking like a hero. That’s a compelling story.”

Stella pursed her full lips and glanced at Rett, who winked and blew a kiss. She wrinkled her nose in disgust.

Teddy nodded to the raven-haired hunter beside Rett. “Where Rett goes, Dixon Max follows. He’s a hunter like Rett, so he’s good in combat, but he has magic. His strongest affinity is fire, but he’s also good with earth. Out of their quartet, he’s the only witch, so I’m guessing Rett will pair up with him for this first challenge.” He nodded to two other hulking men beside them. “The big guy with the copper hair is Christophe Wallthrew. A real piece of work who has a reputation for beating his wife. His father is too powerful in Ardenis for us to really do anything about it unless she chooses to leave him. And the dark-haired fellow beside him is Drew ‘The Crew’ Barnett. They say he’s strong as two men, thus the nickname.”

“Those Argarian hunters really love their nicknames,” Stella mused.

“I’m just reminding you to be careful with them,” Teddy said. He eyed her leathers. They were good quality, but they wouldn’t hold up to serious combat and the weaponry Rett and his friends were packing. “You should be wearing more substantial armor.”

“Not if I need to move quickly and be flexible,” Stella countered, tapping her knuckles to the metal guard on his arm. “This won’t help you if the challenge isn’t to lay siege to a castle. This is the wisdom challenge, so I assume it will require a level of flexibility.” A crease formed in Stella’s brow. “Are you well today…after?—”

After his very humiliating meltdown before the binding ceremony.

“Just because you helped me in a rough moment doesn’t mean you have to coddle me.” He sounded harsher than he meant to. “I don’t need you or anyone else checking on me.”

A smile played over Stella’s lips. “Does it give you peace to keep everyone at arm’s length?”

Teddy bristled. “I imagine it must be easier to trust people’s intentions when you’re not a royal trying to stave off rebellion. You are the only person here I’m sure I can trust.”

She crossed her arms, and the leather of her breastplate was so new it creaked with the movement. “Really? You trust me?”

“I trust you to be predictably irrational.”

“Irrational.” She scoffed and shook her head. “Good luck in your first challenge, Your Grace . I’m sure you’ll pass with flying colors given the immense wisdom you’ve shown in this conversation. You’re used to fighting people who know you’re a prince, so I hope you’re ready for a real fight. Try not to be a distraction.” She backed away and bowed with mock reverence.

Teddy groaned. The last thing he needed was for Stella to get herself killed by trusting a Novumi mercenary. He watched her saunter over to Fionn. The sellsword gave her a long, lingering once-over that made Teddy want to punch him.

Fionn caught Teddy’s eye and smirked. “Don’t worry, Your Grace. I’ll take good care of your friend,” he said.

His tone was laced with innuendo, but Stella didn’t seem to mind. She smiled brightly as she slung the strap of her quiver over her chest and checked the string on her bow. Then the two of them walked toward the tent entrance.

If Uncle Evan had taught Teddy anything, it was to distrust everyone until you had proof they were trustworthy.

Teddy had prided himself on making wise choices his whole life. Jalen got to be the fun prince, while Teddy was the responsible, rational one. Perhaps it wasn’t as exciting, but if there was one challenge where he felt confident his experience would help him, it was this wisdom challenge.

A man with dark hair and tan skin crossed the tent and nodded to him. “I believe you’re stuck with me, Your Grace.”

Teddy recognized the cut of the man’s leather armor as that of his mother’s homeland. Teddy owned several such pieces that he used in light combat. Novumi leather workers loved to etch elaborate patterns into their designs.

The man bowed. “Reever Ross at your service—and, given your royal status and the fact that everyone else is already paired up, I won’t charge you for my services. I’ve heard you’re a good fighter and you’re half-Novumi, so that’s good enough for me.”

Teddy didn’t like the idea of partnering with a mercenary, especially after he’d lectured Stella about it, but he had no other option. He followed Reever toward the corridor leading to the arena, studying the tattoo that peeked out of the mercenary’s collar.

“You like it?” Reever asked without looking. He tugged his collar down to reveal the head of a snake. “It’s a symbol for the Novumi god of lies. We mercenaries need his gift for persuasion at times.”

Teddy only knew about the gods and goddesses of Novum from the stories and songs his mother had shared with him when he was younger. Delion . That was the name of the god of lies, but Teddy could vaguely remember something about the god’s wandering ways and his jealous wife.

Before he could ask Reever about it, the mercenary was beckoned into the tunnel to the arena.

Teddy strained to hear anything, but there wasn’t a hint of sound coming from anywhere in front of him. He couldn’t even hear the crowd noise. It made sense that they would take care to use a soundproofing spell to prohibit any competitors from using enhanced hearing for an advantage.

His stomach grumbled, more from nerves than hunger, but he wondered if he should have eaten something more substantial. Still, experience had taught him it was better to fight hungry than to need to stop and vomit mid-battle. Especially with all those eyes on him.

A priestess beckoned Teddy forward and he walked into the tent, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the dimmer light.

This was not the priestess that had bound him to the tournament. This woman was clad in the blood-red robes of Endros. Teddy did not realize there were still priestesses of Endros. The temples in Argaria had been abandoned for years, but it stood to reason that there might be smaller sects throughout the Argarian countryside.

Despite the history between the Savero line and the god of war, King Xander had not ordered the temples destroyed. He’d explained since Teddy was young that faith inspired loyalty and consequences, and if royalty disrespected the gods, then the people would too.

Teddy had long since learned that the surest way to pique the people’s interest was to make something forbidden. It was part of the reason the Sons of Endros had gained so much political traction. They acted as saviors of the oppressed. If they tried to outlaw worshipping Endros, it would have only made things worse.

“Greetings, Theodore Davide Savero. Welcome to the wisdom challenge. Before we begin, you must choose one of the following to aid you in your challenge. Choose either talent or luck. You will need both to complete this task and your partner has already chosen.”

Teddy wanted to pick talent, but this challenge was about wisdom, so the twist was to know your partner—or, he supposed in this case, opponent. It was as much about what Teddy would pick as it was about knowing what Reever would prefer.

With Stella, Teddy would have known beyond a shadow of a doubt that she would pick luck. It would be just like her to pick something mythical instead of something practical. But Reever was a complete unknown. Mercenaries had enormous egos, so it stood to reason they’d be just as likely to think they had all the talent required. However, given the unknown nature of the task, it may have also been practical to choose luck.

“Your selection?” the priestess said.

Anxiety buzzed in his chest. His father was always telling him to trust his gut.

“Talent.”

The priestess nodded and placed her hand on his head. A warm tingling sensation spread from his crown and down through his body.

By the time the priestess removed her hand, his whole body was buzzing.

She nodded toward the exit. “May it serve you well.”