Evelyn let Damien help her into the carriage. He sat next to her, stretching his legs out in front of him.
Before the door closed, Evelyn realized Leo was looking as Damien whispered something in her ear. She smiled and took Damien’s hand.
If I have to watch Leo with Hannah, he can watch me, too.
34
Questions
In Evelyn’s nightmare, King Gerard shattered the glass of his coffin before climbing out of it. His empty eye sockets seemed to fixate on Evelyn. The dead king screamed at her, except the sound was all wrong because his tongue had been cut out. Evelyn blinked, and his nose and ears were gone, too. King Gerard crawled toward her on bloody stumps where his hands had been. She cried out for help, but she was tied to the chair like the dead soldiers.
After waking from that, relaxing her mind and body in order to summon Energy magic was a welcome reprieve. She was getting better at it, and the ball of light kept getting bigger every time.
Evelyn kept picturing Leo and Hannah holding hands. Her heart hurt like she had a knife stuck in her chest. Thinking of Haydn became a distraction.
As much as I sometimes want to claw Haydn’s face off when he speaks, I am attracted to him. The idea of going to Lochmatten is enticing. Haydn promised knowledge and magicand… maybe not love, but he made it clear he wants to be with me.
What the hell did Leo promise me? Just lies.
Evelyn kept going back to the note Haydn had sent her: “P.S. I miss you. Let me know when you tire of the kingdoms.”
It would be nice to see Haydn again. I have so many questions about the necklace and Energy magic. But am I even allowed to invite him here? This isn’t my palace. Though I doubt an improper invitation would deter him.
Evelyn found parchment and a pen in her desk, then paused.
What do I even say? “If I promise not to slap you again, will you answer some questions for me?”
Somehow, that didn’t seem like an invitation Haydn couldn’t refuse.
Instead, she wrote:Come back. -E
She folded the parchment into an envelope and addressed it to:Councilor Ritter, Lochmatten.
Evelyn went downstairs, followed as usual by Simon and Rory. She gave the letter to a guard at the front door whom she had seen handle mail before. Then she went to breakfast.
Leo glanced up at her when she entered the dining room, but Evelyn avoided making eye contact. She took a seat by Lord Nicolas. He had become her regular alternative to Damien.
“Good morning, Princess,” Nicolas said.
“Hey,” Evelyn said.
“I do wish you wouldn’t be so formal with me,” he teased.
She sat up straight and smiled at him. “I hope you are having a pleasant morning so far, Lord Nicolas Auclair of the Vision Court. It is my greatest honor to be in your presence once again.”
Nicolas laughed. “That’s much better!”
Evelyn rolled her eyes. “You need as much attention as Damien.”
“I take that as a compliment.”
“Of course you do.”
Councilor Moeller’s ship arrived mid-morning, and everyone gathered on the patio to greet him. Leo tried to blend into the background. King Tristan whispered something to him, which Evelyn guessed was a friendly reminder that Leo was a king now and needed to act like it. Leo moved to the front of the group after that.
Moeller was tall, with shoulder-length brown hair and a perpetual look of condescension and boredom. He knew the kingdom was lucky to have him there and his goodwill could be revoked at any time. Maybe that was a lot for Evelyn to assume after ten seconds, but she also thought she was right.
The councilor greeted Leo politely and even kissed Queen Camille’s hand. He moved down the line to meet each of the lords and then the Connollys.
