Clint glanced to his side, pointing at himself with a scowl. "Is he fucking talking about me?" he muttered under his breath.
Clint's glare deepened, but before he could snap back, the duke took a step forward, his voice carrying over the murmuring crowd.
"Enough speeches," the duke announced. "You all know the rules. The hunt begins now." His gaze swept over the gathered knights, servants, and onlookers. "Bring back the biggest you can find. Strength and skill will be rewarded—failure will be remembered."
He raised a hand and motioned toward the forest. "Go."
A ripple of movement went through the group as the knights began to disperse toward the tree line, excitement and tension mixing in the air.
Clint's eyes wandered to the side, catching sight of Elwyn standing apart from the rest, arms loosely crossed, eyes distant.
Clint muttered under his breath, "Tsk… looks like he's got a bit of hate for the duke…"
