“General Sergi Vinyes has expressed an interest in you, my dear.”
If she thought she’d been cold before, now her blood was nothing but ice. She couldn’t breathe. General Sergi Vinyes was a monster, as bad as her father if not worse. She knew she could not say that to her father, but she also couldn’t hold her tongue completely.
“He’s more than twice my age, Father.” And known for his brutal tactics on the military fields—not with enemies, mind you. Because despite Enzo’s blood lust, he had not engaged in a full-on waryet. The general was known for his cruelty with hisown men.
“What of it? I was more than twice your mother’s age when we married.” He smiled as if this was a positive, something to brag about.
Evelyne wanted to retch.
“Father,” Alex said in that calm, firm voice of his that allowed Evelyne to think there was some hope of getting out of this. “I am getting married tonight. And, with any luck, there will be a royal baby announced by next year. There is no need to rush Evelyne into marriage. She is young, and it is best to spread the pomp and circumstance out a bit, don’t you think?”
“She will accept Sergi’s proposal when it is offered. End of story.”
He turned his back on both of them, a sign of dismissal. But Evelyne…
“I will not marry him.” Could not. Would not. There was no arguing with her father, but she could not marry the violent general twice her age.
Very slowly, Father turned to look at her with that icy blue gaze of his. She felt Alexandre come to stand behind her, but she knew… Even two against one they would not win.
“You will,” Father said very quietly. “It is not your decision to make.”
Alexandre put his hand on her shoulder. “Evelyne, let this rest for now,” he murmured in her ear.
“I will kill myself before I marry him.” And she meant it. She would not suffer through that. It was bad enough the way her father treated her, the punishments she was subjected to. She would not be bartered off into even more violence.
“Ah, Evelyne.” Father tsked. “You will not have the chance.”
She saw it so clearly. She would not have the chance.
She thought she’d been about to experience some modicum of freedom, and instead she was sentenced—far earlier than expected—to an even worse jail than the one she’d imagined.
No. No, she wouldn’t take it. Shewouldn’t. She turned on a heel and ran.
She ignored Alexandre calling her name. She had to find Jordi. He was her only hope. And she still had hope. They would run away together. He would take her away. France. Spain. The end of theworld, she didn’t care. Just away.
Since Jordi was one of Alexandre’s aides, he was quite busy with wedding preparations. But that meant Evelyne knew exactly where to find him. With just hours before the wedding, he would be in the ceremony hall, dealing with last minute details.
She ran down hallways, upstairs, and when at last she found him in the ballroom double-checking seating assignments, she ran right to him, grabbed his arm. “Jordi.”
“Evelyne, calm down.” He gave her a scowl—she’d called it handsome on more than one occasion, perhaps perversely enjoying his occasional disapproval.
Because sometimes he did not approve or agree, but helovedher just the same.Regardless. She did not have to be anyone but herself with Jordi.
“Jordi,” she repeated, breathless from running. “Father has insisted I accept a proposal from General Vinyes. We must run away! We’ll run away together. It’s the only way.”
Jordi looked at her like she was speaking in tongues, but he patted her hand. “Calm down, Evelyne.”
“Calm down? Are you listening to me? General Vinyes. I cannot marry him. We must leave the palace at once.”
“Your brother’s wedding…”
“That is why we must go now. Alexandre will understand. Come.” She tugged on his arm, but he did not budge.
“Evelyne… I cannot go against your father. He is aking. Do you know what he’ll do to me?”
“That’s why we’ll run away.” Panic had big, heavy wings now, beating against her chest. Why wasn’t he rushing to help her? Why wasn’t he rushing to agree? Why was he looking down at her with something close to pity?
“Don’t you understand?” she implored him. “He won’t change his mind. We must…” It dawned on her then. “You were never going to marry me.”
