“I’m sorry about Emily.”
Rowan’s eyes darkened. “I was going to propose.”
“What? I didn’t think you were that serious with her.”
“We weren’t at first, but she’s been staying at the castle. It just feels right with her… felt… it felt right with her.” Rowan crumpled into a chair, covering his face with his hands.
Evelyn took a seat beside him, not sure what to do. “I’m sorry, Rowan.”
He didn’t respond right away, and Evelyn’s guilt festered.
Rowan didn’t just lose his girlfriend. He also lost the future he’d been imagining, like Hannah lost her dreams when I married Leo. I stole that from both of them.
After a few minutes, Rowan sat up and forced out a long breath. “So. What else did I miss?”
Evelyn braced herself. “I found out who my real mother is.”
Rowan froze. “Father told you?”
“No, actually, Haydn did. He was there when she and Father met in Lochmatten. Turns out, I look exactly like her.”
“I couldn’t tell you, Evvy. Father made me promise?—”
“I know. He said as much.”
Rowan sighed. “I was so angry at him. Father had been gone for months, and then it was like the world crashed down around us. I was with Mother when she died. Did I ever tell you that? She was in labor forthree daysand I stayed at her side the whole time. The Healers tried everything. Hannah and I had to say goodbye, and then the Healers cut the baby out. It was a boy. He was alive when he was born, but he had been in distress for too long. I held him, but the Healers knew he wouldn’t make it, so I didn’t let Hannah back in the room. His lungs gave out in a couple hours.”
Rowan and Evelyn were both crying quiet tears.
“I was preparing to tell Hannah she’d lost a brother,” Rowan continued. “That’swhen Father came home, holding the tiniest baby I’d ever seen. I thought I was hallucinating. He handed you to me, said your name was Evelyn, and asked me to show you to Hannah. I was too exhausted to argue. I walked into her room with you bundled in a blanket. She was so excited to have a sister. I didn’t say anything but your name.”
“She had no idea?”
“No. Mother had been sick her whole pregnancy, so Hannah assumed you were so small because of that. The Healers looked you over and said you would be okay. I don’t know how Father convinced them to keep quiet, but they did. He told me the truth later that night. I screamed at him until I lost my voice. It took a long time before I was willing to forgive him.”
“I’m surprised you forgave him at all.”
Rowan’s gaze unfocused. “But you were so little and beautiful and packed with attitude. Your tiny fingers couldn’t even wraparound my thumb, but you loved to pull Hannah’s hair. I was the only one who could get you to settle down when you cried. Once you started walking, you were my shadow. Which got annoying sometimes. I was a teenager, and you had a bad habit of accidentally setting my stuff on fire.”
“I remember that!”
“You have always been my sister, Evvy. I was angry with Father but never with you.”
A short knock sounded on the door and Damien entered the room. His uniform was blood-stained from the fight earlier. Evelyn and Rowan stood and approached him. Damien’s expression softened at the sight of Evelyn’s tear-stained face.
“Prince Rowan.” Damien bowed. “My name is Damien Fontaine. I’m a captain in the Royal Army. Aside from the circumstances, it’s good to meet you. Your sister speaks highly of you.”
“She just finished catching me up on the madness around here.” Rowan reached out to shake Damien’s hand. “Thank you for protecting her.”
“I think Evelyn proved tonight that she needs little protection. And I apologize for interrupting, but I do need to speak with her.”
Rowan checked with Evelyn, who nodded.
“I’ll hunt down some tea,” he said.
Once Rowan left, Damien stepped close to Evelyn.
Her eyes pleaded for mercy. “I didn’t know.”
