“No one knows yet. But since the room has been empty, maids have only been going in every few days to dust. So they aren’t surewhenit happened, either.”
“Do we need to go home?”
Please say yes. I want to be back in my own bed. I want to see Rowan and tease him about his girlfriend, Emily. I want to eavesdrop on discussions about who will replace my father as Lord of the Fire Court. At this point, I even miss the rain. If I end up leaving with Haydn, I still want to go home for a while first.
“No, Rowan is handling it,” King Tristan said. “He ordered increased patrols and frequent checks of all spaces in the castle and on the grounds. But no one could tell if the intruder took anything or not. Nothing is obviously missing, but without me there to check my belongings, they can’t be sure. It’s not important enough for us to leave.”
Dammit.
Hannah wrung her hands. “What do you think they wanted?”
“I don’t know. Anything of real value would be in my office or the armory, not my bedroom. But since no one was hurt, I don’t want to worry too much about it. I trust Rowan to take care of things.”
He’s saying that to keep Hannah calm.
Leo knocked on the doorframe. “May I interrupt?”
“Of course,” King Tristan said.
Evelyn avoided Leo’s gaze as he walked in.
He isn’t mine, and I am not his.
“King Tristan, I apologize for the delay in my decision,” Leo said. “I wish to ask you now for permission to marry your daughter.”
Hannah put a hand over her heart, while Evelyn felt like she had been pushed off the side of that dragon mountain.
King Tristan beamed. “I am so pleased to hear that, Alexander! Hannah will be?—”
“Not Hannah, Your Majesty.”
Evelyn stopped mid-freefall.
Not Hannah?
King Tristan’s expression hardened. “Pardon?”
“I wish to marry Evelyn.”
No one in the room made a sound. Evelyn stared straight ahead without really seeing anything.
Am I dreaming? Did he say my name?
“I don’t understand,” King Tristan said slowly. “The arrangement was for Hannah. I thought the matter was settled?”
“Your eldest daughter is lovely. She will be a wonderful bride for someone else. I simply cannot marry her.”
A strangled cry burst out of Hannah’s mouth. Flames flashed across her eyes and over her fingers before she tamed them. Then she swiftly left the room without acknowledging anyone.
That was the closest to a full-blown tantrum I’ve ever seen from my sister.
Evelyn’s head was spinning. She took a seat on the couch behind her to avoid collapsing on the floor.
“Are you sure you want to marryEvelyn?” her father asked.
Evelyn dug her nails into her palms, nearly hard enough to draw blood.
Are you sure you want this ill-tempered pile of garbage to be your bride?
