“Don’t say anything,” Damien ordered. “Don’t let any of them know what you heard. Don’t confront your father or make Leo feel guilty.”
“You want me to let it go?”
“No. You should be so fucking angry at them. You never have to forgive them if you don’t want to. But if Leo wants to ruin his own fucking life, let him. If your father wants to destroy his relationship with you, let him. Don’t let their terrible choices control you.”
“But I’m stuck in this palace. How do I act like everything is fine?”
Damien tilted Evelyn’s chin up and locked eyes with her. “Stand up straight and smile. Pretend you’re a princess.”
“I am a princess,” Evelyn whispered, recognizing the command.
“Then pretend to be good at it.” He wiped the tears off her cheeks. “You deserve better than this. They’re using Hannah for her magic. You deserve to be with someone who will love you without an agenda.”
Evelyn couldn’t tear her gaze away from his green eyes that seemed to glow. “Someone who will dance with me all night.Someone who introduces me to his family. Someone who brings breakfast to my room when he knows I’m upset.”
Damien smiled. “That someone sounds great. Is he handsome, too?”
“Yes.”
“Tell me when you find this perfect man. I bet he would love you.”
31
Mail
Damien walked Evelyn up to her room while Leo, King Tristan, and the lords continued their betrothal planning meeting. Evelyn slipped through her door while Damien paused to speak with her guards.
“No one enters her room today,” he ordered. “Including the kings.”
“We can’t—” Simon began.
“I’m not asking you to draw your sword against Alexander. Make something up if he or King Tristan want to see her. Tell them it’s coming out of both ends and the princess needs privacy.”
“Fuck you, Damien,” Evelyn shouted.
Damien ignored her and focused on Rory. “She isn’t a prisoner. She can go wherever she wants, as long as you’re with her. But no one can be in her room today. Can you handle that?”
“Yes, sir,” Rory agreed.
Damien looked at Evelyn. “Keep quiet.”
Once he closed the door, Evelyn fell onto her bed and screamed into a pillow.
“I will do anything to make it up to you.” “I can’t lose you, Princess.” “I will always want to be with you.”
All. Fucking. Lies.
And I fell for it. Again. Leo was never going to pick me.
She cried until her whole body ached.
Simon knocked on her door a while later. “You have mail, Princess. A package arrived for you.”
Evelyn forced herself to get up and open the door. Her guard held a box wrapped in gold paper.Evelyn Connollywas handwritten on top, withGryon Palaceunderneath.
“Who is it from?” she asked.
“It arrived on a messenger ship from Lochmatten.”
