Page 13 of Sent To A Fantasy World and Now All the Men Want Me: Volume 4

Red Wine and A Spark Ignited

Golden light spilled into the cottage, coming through the large window in the main dining room. The sun dropped lower in the sky as the minutes ticked by, taking the little warmth of the day with it.

The only sound came from the broom bristles against the floor as I swept.

Lake had gathered bell peppers and onion for dinner, then went back outside to tend to his garden. Rowan was napping upstairs before having to work later that night. With the casserole in the oven, I busied myself with house chores. Dusting the reading parlor. Sweeping the floors.

Obsessing over an evil red flower and its evil glowing ways. An omen of death.

My death.

Two days had passed since Briar told me the meaning behind the lily, and I’d caught myself jumping at every small sound. I’d even screamed once when seeing my shadow from the corner of my eye.

The heavy thump of boots came from the front of the cottage, followed by a string of gruff voices as the door opened and closed. I paused in my sweeping and looked toward the archway just as my favorite group of knights stepped through, my captain in front.

“You’re home early,” I said in surprise. “I wasn’t expecting you for another half-hour.”

“How fortunate we’re here then.” Maddox looked me up and down, a slow smile forming on his lips. “It’d be a shame to miss this sight.”

“What sight?” I cocked my hip, resting my weight on the broom. “Me being a smoking hot working man?”

“More like…” Maddox neared me. “A muffin maid. With your little broom and apron.” His smile grew as he cocked his head. “A broom bigger than you are.”

“Oh, hush.” I aimed the handle at him. “I have a weapon and know how to use it.”

“I’m terrified. Truly.”

“It’s awfully endearing, you being so small,” Duke said. His red hair was tied back in a low bun. “Makes me wish I could fold you up like a handkerchief and place you in my pouch for safe keeping.”

“Evan is no mere handkerchief,” Quincy countered with a half-cocked grin. “He is more like a token given to a brave knight before battle by a beautiful princess wishing him a safe return.”

“Who’s the princess in that scenario?” Duke scratched his chin.

All eyes moved to Maddox.

He snarled. “The day isn’t at an end yet. I could always order all of you back to the field for more drills.”

“Evan the Small will protect us from your wrath,” Duke said before my feet came out from under me.

“Hey!” I lost my grip on the broom, and it clacked against the wood paneled floor.

“Couldn’t help myself.” Duke lightly swung me from side to side, his beefy arms secured around my middle. “Your cuteness is too powerful. Irresistible, just like your treats.”

“Or perhaps you’re just weak willed.” Baden crossed his arms. “Easily swayed when it comes to a pretty face.”

“I suppose you’re safe then,” Duke told him, gently placing me back on the floor. “Not a pretty thing about you.”

“Says the bastard in need of a haircut.”

“You leave my luscious locks alone,” Duke said. “My hair’s my best feature.”

“Then, I pity you.”

I had missed this—the light-hearted banter when my knights visited and how they livened up the cottage. Quincy joined in, saying his face was the prettiest of them all and earning punches to his shoulder.

“Speaking of treats,” I interrupted them. “There’s a platter in the kitchen if you want a snack before dinner.”

They looked at each other before rushing that way. Quincy trailed after them, then ran faster, yelling for them not to eat it all.

Maddox caught me around the waist and pulled me against him. “Something smells delicious.”

“I’m making beef casserole with peppers and cheese,” I told him. “Bread too.”

“Not the food.” He smiled down at me. “I was talking about you.”

“Oh?” I met his smoldering gaze, trying to keep my composure under the force of it. The man was too hot for his own good. “And what do I smell like?”

“Hmm. Allow me a moment to properly assess.” Maddox pushed his face into my hair and slowly glided his nose over to my temple, then down my cheek, stopping once his mouth ghosted across mine. “You smell like… sugar. And coffee.”

“Both are good smells.”

“But mostly?” He slid his hand to my jaw. “You smell like home. A place I can escape to when the world becomes too heavy.”

My heart wobbled. “Is the world too heavy today?”

He cradled the back of my head and brought me to his chest. “It’s much lighter now.”

I welcomed the feel of his arms and focused on the steady heartbeats beneath my ear. Maddox wasn’t one to easily admit when he was struggling, but I’d learned to pick up on those subtle changes in his behavior. Calling me sweetheart more. The lingering eye contact. And the way he held me, like we were the only two people in the world, frozen in a moment.

“Is everything okay, big guy?” I whispered. “Whatever it is, you can tell me.”

His hold on me tightened. “There was another incident this afternoon. A nobleman was attacked near the docks. He survived but only just.”

“Why was he attacked?”

He drew back and focused on a strand of my hair, catching it between his fingers. “The possibility of war has created a divide between the have and have-nots.”

Callum stood behind him and offered me a tight smile. “Many nobles profit off war, while ordinary folk feel the full effects of rationing food and coin, struggling to make ends meet.”

My throat felt tight. “And with the threat of war looming over our heads, it’s making them desperate.”

“War hasn’t yet been declared,” Maddox said. “But while the king consults with his advisors over the situation with Haran, the knights will do all in our power to keep peace in the kingdom.”

Commotion sounded as the knights exited the kitchen.

“These are incredible,” Quincy said with his mouth full, holding a chocolate chip cookie in each hand. Both had bites taken out of them, as if an attempt to prevent the others from stealing them. “Whatever’s in the oven smells good too.”

“You’re not allowed anywhere near it,” Baden told him, then pointed to me. “If he ever asks to help you in the kitchen, tell him no. Quincy here was assigned to the mess hall once during a rotation of duties, and he burnt the soup to such an extent it looked like blackened sludge. As for the bread? Like rocks. Nearly broke off my tooth.”

Quincy made a face. “You make it sound worse than it was.”

“No, he’s being kind actually,” Duke said, holding a chocolate muffin. “You’re a culinary disaster.”

“Since when do you take his side?” Quincy asked.

Duke took a bite of the muffin. “Since he let me have the last one of these.”

“The last one?” Maddox asked.

Duke paused in his chewing, glanced at the muffin, lightly brushed off the top, and held it out. “Here ya go, Captain. Saved you the last one. Ignore the bite in this area. I had to taste it to ensure it wasn’t poisoned, you see.”

Maddox frowned at it.

I laughed. “Look who’s a sad toad now?”

His lips twitched. “Careful, sweetheart, or I really will bend you over my knee and spank you.”

“You’d have to catch me first,” I said, then dashed toward the kitchen.

Duke’s boisterous laugh echoed behind me. But so did the heavy thumping of boots against the floorboards as Maddox gave chase. I squeaked and ran faster, regretting my life’s decisions; being a brat to my captain the biggest one in that moment. Just as I reached the kitchen island, he caught me around the waist and lifted me off the floor.

“I surrender! Have mercy!”

Maddox pressed his mouth to the shell of my ear. “Muffin lords shouldn’t surrender so easily. What of your reputation for being small but mighty?”

“Stories always embellish a hero’s triumphs,” I said with an irrepressible shiver. His low, gravelly voice did things to my belly—and nether regions. “But I’m not really a hero. More like a coffee addicted harem protagonist from a slice of life anime.”

“A… what?”

“Oh, little treasure. Please never change.” Rowan appeared on the counter, one leg dangling down and the other bent at the knee. He wore his spy clothes, minus the mask.

“Ro!” I smiled. “Did you enjoy your nap?”

“I did.” He smirked. “I also enjoyed watching you dance and sing earlier with your little broom when you thought you were alone.”

“If only we’d come home even sooner.” Maddox placed me back on the floor but kept his arms around me. “Such a shame.”

“Oh god.” I sighed and slumped against him. “I’m going to run away and live in the woods. Surround myself with a boma to keep out ravenous animals.” I patted his belly. “You’re the ravenous animal in that situation.”

A deep laugh rumbled in Maddox’s chest.

“I smelled that casserole all the way from the front porch.” Briar strolled into the kitchen, looking handsome as hell in his white button-down shirt.

“Briar!” I wiggled, and Maddox softly kissed my hair before letting me go to him.

“Evening, love.” He caught me against his chest and smoothed the bangs from my eyes. “How was your day?”

“Busy, but good. Miles and I could barely keep up with orders. Maple glazed donuts were really popular. I put them on the menu as a weekly special paired with a brown sugar roasted coffee.” I snuggled into his shirt, loving the whiff of magnolia. “What about you?”

“Busy, but good,” he echoed me, and I felt him smile against my hair.

“Any more dead demons?”

Another smile. “No.”

“What about Herbert? Has he escaped his glass prison with murderous intent?”

“Herbert is with Thane. They’re crafting more elixirs.”

I shuddered.

“Is dinner ready?” Duke asked, poking his head through the doorway.

Quincy shoved up behind him. “We’re starving.”

“Bugger off.” Duke shook off his hold. “You shouldn’t be hungry. You ate the whole platter of cookies, you gluttonous bastard.”

“And they were tasty.” Quincy tossed me a smile, causing the deep scar cutting across his face to wrinkle.

Rowan sighed. “I hate all of you.” He pushed from the counter and grabbed my hand, pulling me away from Briar. “But you’re not so bad, I reckon.”

“You reckon? Said like a real southern boy.” Then again, he’d said Solynia was in the south. Maybe they all had southern twangs down there. “Are you about to leave?”

He nodded. “I’m meeting Draven and Reign in the tower, then going wherever the night takes us.”

“The tower?”

“Our base of sorts.”

“Oh.” I fidgeted with the clasp on his cloak. “Could a certain muffin visit this mysterious tower?”

“That’s not my decision.” Rowan put on his mask, leaving only his topaz eyes showing. “But take it from me, you aren’t missing much. The tower is dark, dusty, and not a place for a bundle of goddamn sunshine like you.”

“Are you hungry?” I frowned. “I don’t like sending you away on an empty stomach.”

“Stop worrying. If I get hungry, I’ll swipe something from the tavern.”

“No stealing.” I poked his chest. “And you better be home when I wake up in the morning. Otherwise, I’ll pack a knapsack and take Star on the road, tracking you down.”

His raspy laugh feathered across my heartstrings. “You can’t ride a horse by yourself. You’d fall off before you reached the end of the yard.”

Maddox laughed, then tried to stifle it with a cough.

After brushing aside my bangs, Rowan turned and left the kitchen. I lifted a hand to my necklace—a habit for when my heart ached. The rowdy cottage felt a little less bright without him in it.

“Hello.” Lake stepped into the kitchen, his fluffy ears lowered in his timidness.

“There you are, wolf.” Duke approached him. “What do you say about a game of chess after dinner? I brought my new pieces for the very occasion. Finished the king this morn.”

“The new pieces?” Lake asked. “With the cherry oak?”

“Aye. They’re beauties, if I do say so myself.”

Lake and Duke had bonded during the trip to Exalos. Turned out, they had several things in common. Whittling was one of them. A liking for chess was another. They had then made their own chess pieces as a fun project so they could play together.

I was happy Lake had made a friend. He’d come so far since the night I first met him in the forest. Back then, he’d been untrusting of everyone. Lonely.

Once the food was ready, Maddox and Lake carried out the casserole, while Briar sorted bottles of wine. A commotion came from the dining room before gruff laughs sounded.

“We better get in there before they eat all the food,” I said.

Briar smiled as we grabbed the wine and glasses and joined the others.

The knights shared stories over dinner. More about poor Hudson, who sounded more and more like one of the himbo love interests I used to read about in my old world; tough but kind of ditsy. Then, a story about Nikolai being slapped near the firepit as one of the women he’d been sleeping with learned about another woman he’d also been fucking.

“Serves him right,” Duke said with a robust laugh.

Maddox shook his head and drank from his mug—drinking water unlike his men.

“We don’t have such a problem,” Briar said, his cheeks a bit flushed. He was on his second glass of wine. “Communication is how our relationship stays so strong. Our Evan has so much love in his heart, and I, personally, enjoy seeing him bless others with that love.”

“Aye,” Lake said. “He made me realize I was only existing before he came into my life. I’m sure the others feel the same.”

“Stop.” I fidgeted in my chair. “You’re gonna make me cry.”

“We only speak the truth, love.” Briar smiled at me. “My heart knows a type of joy that goes beyond my comprehension.”

“That’s the wine talking.”

Quincy snorted. “Wine only gives him the courage to say it in front of us.”

“We all love you, little prince.” Duke reached over and roughly ruffled my hair. “But for me, you are a younger brother I will kill to protect.”

“I’ll protect him better than you ever could,” Baden said, reclining in his seat.

As the two of them bickered, I drank from my mug and laughed. As a total lightweight, I tried not to drink more than one glass.

Maddox pressed his leg to mine beneath the table. “I’m told a castle guard came to the training field today while I was at the docks.”

“Aye.” Callum dabbed at his mouth. “It was Ban.”

“Why?” I asked, suddenly nervous. I blamed that evil red flower. I’d been on edge ever since learning about it. “Did something happen? Prince Sawyer told me about the assassin Sir Noah caught in his room. Did—”

“Calm down, Ev. Nothing’s wrong.” Callum patted my hand. He quickly moved away, but the warmth of his skin lingered on mine. “He watched our drills for a while and approached me after. I asked what he wanted, but he only grunted as usual.”

“Think he wants to see you,” Duke told me.

“Me? Why?”

Duke shrugged. “Just a hunch.”

“His face lit up when I said your name,” Callum added. “It appears you have another admirer.”

“Oh, I doubt that.” I gave a dismissive flick of my hand. “He’s probably just missing my baking. Snickerdoodle cookies are his favorite.”

“He prefers cookies? Good.” Maddox drank from his mug and cut his eyes at Duke. “One less muffin rival.”

Apparently, someone was still salty about being given a muffin with a slobbery bite taken out of it.

Duke grinned.

“Ban is wasted as a guard,” Quincy said between bites. “Imagine being in battle and seeing that mountain swinging a sword at ya. I’d shit myself.”

“You’d shit yourself anyway,” Baden told him, which caused Duke to choke on his food.

Callum laughed so hard water shot from his nose.

“How childish.” Quincy huffed.

As more laughs followed, I glanced at each of them. At the men who owned my heart and the knights I’d come to love and see as my family too.

Callum and I locked gazes from across the table.

All the voices around us muted. He’d looked at me countless times over the past year, but it felt different now. There was a softness to his eyes that hadn’t been there before. And when the faintest hint of a smile touched his lips, heat rushed through my veins.

“Who’s ready for dessert?” I pushed from my chair and dashed toward the kitchen without waiting for a response. Once alone, I slumped against the counter and took deep breaths, trying to calm my racing heart.

Why had Callum looked at me like that? Almost like he… no.

I was just a brother in his eyes. Nothing more than clumsy and awkward little Evan who rambled too much and lived off sweets and coffee. Not someone like that pretty brunette.

Once composed, I returned to the dining room with a platter of pecan sweet buns. It was then pounced on like the knights hadn’t eaten in weeks. Silly boys. Briar took one before kissing my temple. He smelled like berries and magnolia. The berries came from the wine.

“Someone looks relaxed,” I said, gently patting his flushed cheek.

“Quite.” He gave me a lazy smile. “Relaxed and suddenly ravenous for this sweet bun.”

As he tore into it, I giggle-snorted. It was a side to Briar I rarely got to see.

He drained the last of his wine before pouting at his mug. His hazel eyes were glassy and heavy lidded. Dude was sloshed. He’d been working his ass off at the clinic lately and deserved to let loose. It’d do him some good.

“Unhand that sweet bun!” Quincy pointed at Baden. “It’s the last one.”

“As if I’d give the last one to you,” Baden responded. “I’ll arm wrestle you for it.”

“We could always have a duel,” Callum chimed in. “To make it fair, I’ll even tie one hand behind my back.”

They booed him. Because they knew he’d win, even with only one hand. No one matched my cinnamon roll when it came to swordsmanship.

“Charge!” Quincy ducked his head and barreled toward Baden, shoulder-slamming him.

Baden stumbled backward into a table, his grip loosening on the bun. Callum took advantage of the distraction to snatch the pastry from him, but before he could take a bite, Quincy lunged forward and slapped it from his hand. The three then dove after it.

“Enough,” Maddox told them. “Gods, you’re not youths anymore. You’re men of twenty.”

“He’s, like, forty.” Quincy nodded to Baden.

Baden sneered. “Thirty four, you bastard.”

Quincy elbowed him in the ribs, which triggered another round of shoving. Maddox sighed and looked at me, shaking his head. I couldn’t help but laugh.

Nights like these made me forget about all other worries. Doom flowers included.

“We should take our leave,” Callum said, grabbing his cloak from the back of a chair. The other two were still bickering over the bun. “Gratitude for the meal, Ev.”

The line in Maddox’s brow deepened as he regarded his second in command. More than that—his friend. One he trusted with his life and mine. “Have I given you permission to be dismissed?”

Callum paused, caught by surprise. “Sir?”

Hell, he’d caught me by surprise too. Maddox never treated his men that way when we were at the cottage.

Maddox’s blue eyes shifted to me, then back to him. “The hour is late. All of you should stay here tonight. Eat. Rest. We’ll return to the barracks at first light.”

“Yes, sir.” Callum’s brown eyes met mine and crinkled in that way I adored before he averted them.

“A relief, really,” Quincy said as he chewed. “I wasn’t looking forward to the ride back to the castle at this time of night.” He then paused. “What? Why are ya glaring?”

He held a half-eaten sweet bun in his hand. The one they’d all been fighting over.

Baden expelled a breath. “Remind me to kill you later.”

“Welp.” Duke slapped his knee. “Since we’re staying… how about that game, wolf?”

Lake eagerly nodded and jumped up to grab the chess board. He set it up at one of the smaller tables near the window before they dove into a match. They each played a few turns before Lake swiped one of Duke’s pieces.

“Oh stop with the smile.” Duke huffed. “I let you take that pawn. It’s all part of my plan.”

Lake’s fluffy ears twitched, as did the muscle in his cheek.

“Why is he crying?” Baden bumped my arm and motioned to Briar.

Chin quivering, Briar stared at Lake and lifted his glasses to wipe at his eyes.

“Hey, handsome.” I grabbed his arm. “You okay?”

“He’s made a friend,” Briar slurred. “Our sweet wolf. He’s—” Hiccup. “—come so far.”

“Yeah.” I rubbed his back, trying not to laugh. The man was drunker than old Cooter Brown. “He has.”

“All right, physician.” Maddox pulled Briar into his arms. “I’m taking you to bed. Say good night.”

“No.” Briar slumped against Maddox’s chest and closed his eyes. “Not sleepy yet.”

“Oh, I believe you.” Maddox tossed me a look, and I pressed my lips together. “But I’m taking you anyway.”

Briar wiggled his shoulders, eyes still shut. “No.”

Yep. The cuteness was going to make me explode. When sober, Briar was a prim and proper scholarly type. But when drunk? Apparently, he became a brat.

“Prepare to become a sack of potatoes.” Maddox swept Briar off his feet and held him like he did with me.

Laughing, I kissed Briar’s temple. “Good night, handsome.”

“Night… love.”

Maddox cleared his throat.

“What?” I smiled at him. “Do you want a kiss too?”

He returned the smile and bent forward, lightly bumping our heads together. “I always want your kisses. But for tonight, I suppose I’m willing to share.” His gaze shifted to something behind me. “With a certain cinnamon roll, perhaps.”

After another nuzzle, he turned and left the dining room. Briar’s hiccup echoed from the hall, followed by steps on the staircase.

Sneaky captain. He was playing matchmaker.

For the second time that night, I locked eyes with Callum. And just like before, my blood heated.

“Guess I better head to the kitchen,” I said, cursing the shake in my voice. “Can’t let Baden kill Quincy over a sweet bun.”

I spun on my heels and headed that way, thankful for an excuse to leave. Being around Callum jumbled everything in my head. Baking would give me a much-needed distraction. Cookies wouldn’t take long to make. I had several recipes in my arsenal that didn’t require the dough to chill before baking.

But when I reached the kitchen, someone stepped in behind me.

“Allow me to assist you, milord.” Callum joined me at the counter. “Don’t want you cutting yourself. Or tripping and falling into the oven.”

“Rude.”

The sound of his laugh kickstarted the butterflies in my belly. His scent surrounded me, stronger now than it’d ever been. Vanilla bean and warm bread. It was so damn comforting, like that feeling you got during the holiday season when cuddled around a crackling fire and surrounded by the smell of sweets baking in the oven.

That was Callum in a nutshell, this burst of sweet heat that chased away the frost in the air.

“Tell me what you need me to do,” he said, following me into the pantry. “I’ve cooked with my Ma many times and know my way around the kitchen.”

“Unless it involves chopping potatoes?”

“Look who’s being rude now,” he smiled.

Butterflies swarmed my belly. I reminded the little bastards that while I had feelings for Callum, he didn’t feel the same way. He’d been all over some girl. Unfortunately, the butterflies didn’t get the memo. They fluttered like little minions of doom.

“I got this. You just sit and relax.” Preferably at a slight distance. It was hard to think with him so close. Hard to breathe.

An odd expression crossed his face before he took a step back. “If you insist.”

I measured out the dry ingredients and then combined them in a bowl with the eggs, butter, and milk. Once the cookies were baking, I wiped down the counter and then stepped over to the sink.

The air stirred at my back. Callum wrapped his arms around me from behind.

My body froze, yet my heart went into overdrive, thrashing against my ribs.

“Ev?” Callum’s breath tickled my nape. “Did I upset you in some way? You seem different around me. Distant.”

Guilt jabbed at my ribs. I thought I’d hid it well but apparently not. I was being ridiculous. Irrationally jealous. Callum deserved to be happy.

Even if it wasn’t with me.

“No, you didn’t do anything wrong.” I exhaled, releasing more of those hurt feelings. “I’m sorry for acting weird.”

“We’re okay then?” His arms tightened around me. “You and me?”

“Y-Yeah.” Slowly, I turned to face him. Big mistake. His face was mere inches from mine, and his eyes? Like swirls of dark caramel and chocolate. Those traitorous butterflies swarmed again. Once free, there was no bottling them back up. “You’re my best friend.”

“And you’re mine.” His voice shook. “But have you ever seen me as more than that? Or am I just your silly cinnamon roll?”

Flutters attacked my stomach; hummingbirds instead of butterflies. The flaps were much too quick. “What do you—”

“Ignore me.” He stared at me for several beats, his eyes shining with an intensity that made my chest ache. But then, he shoved that emotion deeper, putting on a mask. “I believe I’ve had too much wine.”

When he went to step away, I reached out for him on impulse, grabbing his wrist. “Wait. Talk to me. What’s going on?”

He stared at my hand before slowly lifting his gaze and forcing a smile. “As I said. Too much wine. It was quite potent.”

“Oh. Okay.” A pressure filled my chest. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

“Aye. Just need to sleep this off.” He ruffled my hair like he usually did, but it felt different this time. His hand trembled. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

As he turned and headed for the archway, head lowered and shoulders slumped, I sensed a shift between us. Something had changed.

Or maybe it was only my imagination.