“What happened?” Evelyn asked.
The tips of Leo’s ears went pink. “Absolutely nothing. It was so long ago, and she was a teenager at the time.”
“Well, what girl can resist a rebellious prince?” Evelyn winked.
“Desirée was hardly ever at the palace, so I don’t know what she was thinking.”
“Absence makes the heart grow fonder, Your Majesty,” Damien joked. “Especially when she had enough time between visits to forget how ugly you are.”
Leo ignored him and spoke to Evelyn. “I only ever saw her as Damien’s baby sister. Which is fortunate because if I had tried anything, I’m sure Damien?—”
“Would have removed all of your fingernails and at least one tooth,” Damien casually interrupted.
“Exactly.”
“Who is Damien threatening now?” Nicolas asked, distracted away from his conversation with Lord Robert.
“The king,” Evelyn answered.
“Ah. Carry on.”
“So much for the lords pledging their loyalty,” Leo grumbled.
After dinner, Leo pulled Evelyn aside. She missed touching him, even in little ways like holding his hand. Based on how Leo kept running his fingers through her curls, Evelyn assumed he missed her, too.
“Can I take you somewhere?” he asked. “The beach or the city or the river… anywhere.”
“I can’t right now. Moeller asked to meet with me. I think he has some questions for his investigation.”
Thank the gods Ritter didn’t wish for me to only speak the truth.
No… I shouldn’t be thankful that I can’t lie. I just shouldn’t lie. Dammit.
Leo frowned. “I asked him not to bother you with any of that.”
“Why?”
“I don’t want him to upset you. Everything you’ve seen this week is bad enough without discussing it over and over.”
Evelyn winced. “I haven’t really processed any of it. Everything happened so fast. Sometimes I think I just arrived and sometimes it feels like I’ve been here for years.”
Leo lifted her chin. “I knowweare moving really fast. You’ve only been here for eleven days. But I felt like I knew you after eleven minutes.”
Oh, Leo… there’s a lot you missed in those eleven days. A lot that I am not going to tell you about.
Evelyn returned to Moeller’s temporary office and drummed her fingers on the back of an armchair until he looked up from his desk.
“Show me what you can already do,” he said.
“Nice to see you too, Councilor.”
Moeller had no reaction to her sass. He simply waited.
Evelyn stood up straight and put her palms together. Feeling awkward under his scrutiny, she closed her eyes and focused on her breathing and heartbeat. Light slowly started?—
“You’re doing it wrong.”
Evelyn’s eyes snapped open and she lost the little light she’d created.
