5. Evan
5
EVAN
T he pub was full of cackling barmaids, raucous music, and the scent of stale whiskey and wine. For a hunter with heightened senses, a crowded bar was an affront—the music and flirting too loud, the cloying scent of perfume and sweat overpowering, and the drinks always warm and watered down.
Evan pulled his hood up higher, glancing at Cal, who sat in a darkened corner of the bar with a clear view of the door. Evan met Sylvie’s nervous gaze across the table.
“He’s late,” Evan said softly.
Sylvie nodded, tugging her hood lower, as if anything could hide her loveliness. Evan hadn’t wanted her to come—not because she couldn’t handle herself, but because Sylvie was quite literally too eye-catching to be a clandestine spy. Her grace made her stand out as upper-class. Her face was too memorable for her to slip in and out unnoticed. But trying to argue with her after she’d been cooped up for weeks at the Temple of Aurelia was hopeless. She was worried sick about Cecilia, Rainer, and even Xander. And Evan was worried sick about her.
Sylvie did not speak any more about what had happened to her years ago, but every time Evan thought about it, his fury grew wilder inside of him—the kind of rage that made him hungry for a fight, searching out violence in any minor slight. Thinking of her hurt that way, of the grief in her eyes when she’d told him—like she’d thought he would love her less—filled him with rage so poisonous he worried it would bleed out into everything else in his life.
Evan came to attention as a figure in a dark cloak shuffled out from the back room of the pub, where many men disappeared with whores for clandestine meetings. Evan held his breath, afraid to hope it was who he wanted it to be. The figure darted to their table, staggering side to side before slumping onto the bench beside Sylvie. Evan was about to jump to his feet when the man’s hood tipped, revealing a grinning Reese Reynolds.
“Sorry I’m late. I’m eternally being followed by Vincent’s men, since he hasn’t decided if he trusts me yet.”
Evan stuffed down his panic. “Where does he think you are?”
“At the brothel across the street with Chris Lamotis. He’s covering for us for the moment.”
Evan sighed and shook his head. “What news do you have?”
“Krysk, and allegedly Jeset, are both willing to come to the table to negotiate with Vincent. Obviously Marcos is still holding out in Olney, and he was so bold as to send an inquiry to Vincent requesting the status of his ambassadors given the sudden transfer of power,” Reese said, winking at Sylvie.
“Smart of him,” Sylvie said. “Better that Vincent thinks we aren’t in contact. Also smart of him not to let on more about his personal relationship with Cece.”
Evan nodded. Vincent obviously knew Cecilia was valuable, but if there was yet another person who cared about her safety who Vincent could manipulate, it would only make things worse. He didn’t need to know that Cecilia was like a sister to the king of Olney.
Evan shook his head. The way that woman could wrap princes around her finger was supernatural.
“I’m sure you’ve seen the unrest in town from Vincent’s tax hikes,” Reese continued, his hushed whisper barely audible under the music. “He’s maxed out guard patrols to try to manage the civil unrest, which means that there have been fewer guards in the castle. Xander should be able to communicate more directly going forward.”
Evan nodded. “That’s a relief.”
“How’s Cece?” Sylvie asked.
Reese swallowed hard. “There’s been an interesting development there. I have not seen her because she stays in her rooms most of the time, though I expect we will see more of her now that Rainer is up and about in the castle. I’ve only seen him once, but he’s definitely different?—”
“What’s the development?” Sylvie asked.
Evan took her hand. Sylvie hadn’t slept well since they’d heard Cecilia screaming during the attack. There was a darkness in her eyes like she was reliving her own experience.
Reese hesitated, running a hand through his hair. “Yes, they are telling the story that she and Vincent are engaged.”
Evan choked on his whiskey. “What?”
His mind spun in different directions. If Vincent thought that would gain him favor with the Argarian court, he was foolish. What possible motivation could he have?
“He wants to keep her close.” Sylvie’s voice was a breathless rasp, her eyes growing glassy.
Reese cocked his head toward Sylvie. “Xander says that it’s part of her plan and that we should trust that she knows what she’s doing, but I haven’t seen her with my own eyes to read her state of mind.”
Sylvie looked unconvinced. Evan gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.
“This is a bit of good news, though. Vincent is also still trying to interrogate guards he suspects of treason, but with no luck thanks to Cato’s bargain. The trickster created a mess, as usual,” Reese laughed. “It’s lucky that some piece of it worked out in our favor.”
Evan frowned. Was it possible that Cato had known that? According to the information Xander had passed along about what happened after Evan and the rest of the group made their way out of the castle, it was Cato who’d intervened to keep Rainer from being killed. But the trickster god only did things that were in his own interest. Evan couldn’t figure out why Cato would care if Rainer lived or died. Especially when he’d been content to try to kill Rainer himself a year ago.
“Are you sure that you and Chris shouldn’t get out while you can?” Sylvie asked.
Reese shook his head. “We’re in this up to our necks. We won’t leave Xander and the lot of them at Vincent’s mercy. Vincent is already pandering to the nobles. It will undo all the work we have done this past year to try to promote equity between classes.”
Evan had been turning over the beginnings of a plan in his head. Vincent’s strategy had been perfect in how multifaceted it was. They had to find a similar way to strip him of noble support while riling the common people to their cause.
“Have you had any luck figuring out who in the council you can trust and who are the traitors?” Evan asked.
Reese took a long drink of his ale and scowled. “Gods, that’s wretched stuff.” He drank some more. “We haven’t had much luck yet. Chris and I are working on it but it’s slow going. It’s going to take time to do this right. If we rush it?—”
“We risk not catching all of the traitors,” Evan finished. “We risk doing this again in a few months.”
Sylvie was quiet, staring into her ale. “I’m more worried about leaving them in there too long. Cece is strong, but everyone has a breaking point.”
“But how will she feel if we tell her that we can’t be certain that we’ve rid both kingdoms of all those who could hurt her?” Evan asked.
Understanding bloomed in her eyes. “Like it’s not safe to sleep.”
The words sent Evan’s stomach tumbling. Was that how Sylvie felt before Cal took care of the man who’d hurt her?
He shoved the thought away. Her fear and pain made him so irrational, and he needed to think clearly to strategize.
“We are going to get every last one of them. We just need to be smart, and that means moving slower than all of us would like,” Reese said .
“Why are you so committed? Why risk yourself?” Sylvie asked, her words sharp with accusation.
Reese had always been a pragmatist, but since his brother Teddy’s death he’d become more of an idealist. Evan had a feeling he knew the reason. Though Reese hadn’t tipped his hand, there were subtle hints he’d found a love of his own.
Reese arched an eyebrow. “I see that your fiancé has yet to share his suspicions with you. Chris and I go back a long way—to before his father, who was raised common and elevated to nobility when a distant uncle died. I’ve only known him to be a person with tremendous honor. It disgusts me that people look down on him because of where he came from.”
Sylvie shrugged. “I still don’t see that being enough.”
Evan grinned. He loved her suspicion because it was a reflection of his influence on her.
Reese’s grin grew wider. “You’re wise to be skeptical, my lady, though you only need to ask yourself what you might do if someone wanted to keep you from being with your fiancé.”
Sylvie’s eyes went wide as saucers.
Reese waited for her to say something, clearly aware that aristocracy defined such behavior as deviant.
A smile stole over Sylvie’s face. “Well, aren’t we all just fools in love?”
Reese shrugged. “I’ve found that being smart is overrated where love is involved. If you risk nothing, you gain nothing.”
“I couldn’t agree more. I practically had to die to get this man to commit,” she said, jerking her thumb at Evan.
Reese laughed. “I don’t know. I think he was pretty committed right away. He got that ring out of storage the month after you came to Argaria.”
Evan glared at Reese. “You sellout.”
Sylvie’s laugh rang out. “I knew it! I knew I had him!” She clapped her hands in delight and Evan smiled despite himself.
“Do you have anything else related to saving this kingdom to tell us, or are you content to share all my secrets with my fiancée? ”
Reese shrugged. “That’s all I have for now, and I should be getting back soon. Chris hates when I leave him alone with the whores too long. They’re much better than him at cards and they clean him out. If I have anything else, I’ll leave word for the high priestess at the Temple of Aurelia.”
Reese pulled his hood up before making his way out of the crowded bar.
“We should go, Syl,” Evan said. He reached across the table to take her hand, but before he could, someone stumbled over to their table and slumped into the seat beside her.
Evan had his dagger out and pressed into the man’s groin before his gaze met familiar silver eyes.
His face had been manipulated. His hair was lighter, his skin more olive, and the scar over his eye was so faint Evan could have missed it, but it was undoubtedly Cato.
“Is that any way to greet your greatest asset?” the trickster god asked with a grin.
Sylvie shifted away from him.
“I trust you about as far as this dagger is from your balls,” Evan gritted out.
Cato’s grin grew wide. “Honestly, you try to kill one prince and suddenly?—”
“You killed Davide and tried to kill Xander,” Sylvie said.
Cato shrugged. “Xander killed Davide. Plus, I knew that Cece would save Xander. That woman is stupidly loyal to people who absolutely do not deserve it.”
Sylvie rolled her eyes. “Fine. But you stabbed Rainer.”
Cato cocked his head to the side. “Rainer stabbed Cece and everyone likes him just fine.”
Sylvie bristled.
“I know. We all like to pretend that’s part of a great love story and not a man stabbing the love of his life in the chest because she tricked him. That Little Dove does know how to work those two men of hers, I will give her that. I can appreciate her talent for manipulation. ”
Evan shook his head. “Give me one reason not to kill you right now.”
Cato’s grin turned feral. “I walked into this pub and picked out you and Cal over there immediately. The way I see it, your little street gang is not so well hidden and you could use some help from a master of disguise,” he said, gesturing to himself.
“We would never accept your help,” Sylvie snapped.
“Lady Brett, never say never. Never is a challenge. I think we can all agree that desperate times call for desperate measures,” Cato said. “You all stand out and you really do not need that right now, as Vincent’s guards are going tavern to tavern looking to hunt you and your friends down.”
Sylvie gripped the edge of the table, her knuckles white.
“I can help you all hide, but even better, I can get you into and out of the castle with relative ease when the moment is right. For now, we have work to do out here, and I can help you all blend in.”
Evan wanted to argue, but the notion spun a new idea into his mind. If they could move about freely, they could use Vincent’s tactics against him. His mind flew to the day he and Xander had happened upon the town crier disparaging Xander in the market. In his short time as king, Xander had become a darling of the common folk. They were more likely to rally, especially now that Vincent had reinstated the previously very heavy taxes.
“Are you seeing things my way for once, Farlan?” Cato taunted.
Evan held up a hand. “Let me think for a second.”
“You can’t be serious,” Sylvie hissed.
Evan met her eyes. “We can use this, Syl. You know we need help.”
“We can’t trust him. Vincent could have sent him out here just to mess with us. You are smarter than this.”
“So are you. We’re outmatched and our only hope is to be able to blend. Sometimes war makes strange allies.” Evan glared at the god. “What’s in it for you, Cato?”
All the earlier humor disappeared from the trickster’s face. He looked down at the table, either putting on a front of guilt or actually feeling it. “I may, possibly, have taken things a little far this time.”
Sylvie huffed out a disbelieving laugh and said, “You think?”
At the same time, Evan said, “Just this time?”
Cato held up his hands. “I know, but this time was different. It’s just not fun anymore.”
“Ruining lives?” Sylvie asked.
Cato shook his head. “I unknowingly crossed a line. You have no reason to believe me, but even I have boundaries, which I realize now I don’t want to cross. Pulling strings has always been fun, but it was a game of finding a worthy adversary and besting them. I do not condone violence like that—it’s unoriginal.”
“Unoriginal.” Sylvie glared at him, venom in her tone.
Cato pursed his lips. “It’s common and boring. I don’t like violence for violence’s sake, especially the brutish type that takes advantage of an uneven playing field. I may have gone too far this time and done some damage that can’t be undone.”
Sylvie’s face went ghostly white as Cato met her eye.
“I know you both have no reason to believe me and many reasons not to. I can’t promise we want the exact same thing, but I can promise that we don’t want any more collateral damage,” Cato said.
Evan had never seen him look so serious, but they’d been burned enough by the gods to not trust any olive branches he extended.
Cato ran a hand through his hair. “I realize that you don’t want to, but I’m counting on you being smart enough to know that you have to trust someone now and it’s easier to rely on other people if I help you hide.”
Evan leaned his head back and groaned. They were out of good options. They’d sent Isla to the castle to help, but there was no telling what she would be able to accomplish. Xander wouldn’t leave his people in a lurch. Cecilia wouldn’t leave without Rainer. And Rainer, by all accounts, had no idea who he was.
Disguises would help Evan, Sylvie, and Cal move much more freely. Especially since Cato could make them look different every day .
“I have limited power now, much like Cece. I have to use it daily to walk through the castle to enforce my bargain to keep Cece and Xander from reminding that big amnesiac guardian who he is. By the way, I can no longer enter the castle without Vincent’s invitation thanks to the wards.” He nodded at Sylvie’s angry face. “Yes, Lady Brett, he stole your idea and is using it to keep us gods out.”
Evan tried to find the lie in Cato’s offer. He knew better than to fully trust him, but they also only had bad options and at least if they worked with him, they could keep an eye on him. “How would it work?”
“I’d have to regularly see each of you. But it would allow you to stop hiding out so much. You could do some real damage,” Cato said.
Suddenly a barmaid appeared at their table. “Hey luv, a handsome blond gentleman up front says to tell yas that there are wolves in the henhouse next door. Says he’ll meet ya in the usual place.”
That was the code from Cal, letting them know the tavern was about to be raided by Vincent’s men.
“Is there a back door?” Evan asked.
The maid nodded her head to a dark hallway to their left.
Sylvie’s wide eyes met Evan’s as he handed the maid a few coins and she disappeared into the crowd.
They ducked down the dark hallway, but Evan shoved Cato against the wall before they stepped outside.
“Fine, you can help, but you have to start right now. Hide us so that we can slip out of here without a problem,” Evan said.
Cato turned toward Sylvie. The air filled with the leather and pine scent of his magic as Cato took her hand. She flinched but didn’t pull it away. Evan watched as her face transformed. Her cheeks grew fuller, rounding out her face, her eyes shifting from icy blue to emerald green and her hair from golden-blonde to dark auburn. It was startling to see her look so different, though her mannerisms were the same. While Evan didn’t consider himself particularly romantic, he was certain he’d recognize her no matter what.
Cato took Evan’s hand next and Sylvie let out a startled giggle as his hair lengthened to skim his shoulders, woven through with gray .
“Instant aging,” Cato said with a grin.
Sylvie smirked. “I like it.”
Evan arched an eyebrow. “Do you?”
She nodded. “Very distinguished.”
Cato rolled his eyes as a pounding sounded from the front of the tavern. “Shall we?”
The trio stood and made their way down the dark hallway and out the back door of the tavern as a commotion rose from inside. They paused in the alleyway.
“We’ll meet you at the night market tomorrow at dusk at Graylen’s. It’s the ale stall in the market with the little green moth on the banner,” Evan said.
Cato sighed heavily. “Fine. That’s fair. I’ll be there.”
Evan ushered Sylvie away, weaving through the crowded streets, careful to avoid Vincent’s men despite their disguises. Evan wasn’t totally willing to trust Cato, but he was willing to use the god until he figured out what he really wanted.