Chapter 9
Sabine awoke in a cold sweat. Feeling a sense of wrongness, she sat up, glancing about her room. Nothing seemed out of place, and no one else was in the room. She missed her dog, Harta. Whenever the animal was near, she felt safer. She laid back down, her heart beating erratically. Unable to relax, she got out of bed and padded over to the window, looking outside. The clouds had covered the moon and stars, making it hard to see anything. Her hands shook, and a light sheen of sweat covered her forehead.
Naya had said if she needed anything—no matter the time—to ring her. Sabine went over to the rope and pulled it. She stood there, waiting. For some strange reason, she hoped Evander came. His presence would ease the tension building inside of her.
A soft knock came from her door.
“Come in,” Sabine said.
Naya entered, wearing a sleeping gown. “What can I do for you?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” Sabine admitted. “Something feels wrong. Maybe a cup of tea will help?”
“Of course.” Naya left the room.
Sabine went back over to the windows, staring outside. A light rain started to fall. It felt as if she stood there for quite some time—far longer than it should to make a cup of tea. Worry filled her, and she began to pace about the room. Something was wrong.
A soft knock sounded on her door again. She rushed over and opened it to find Evander standing there, his hands on either side of the doorframe. Shirtless, his pants hung low on his hips. Even in the dark lighting, she could see the curves of his torso and the bandage across his wound.
She took a step back, forcing her eyes to focus on his face. “What’s going on?” she whispered, noticing his wet hair.
“Naya woke me and said you told her something felt wrong. I went out and spoke with the sentries on duty. Ex was spotted nearby. We think he’s surveying the area. He won’t come near the palace. Not only are there traps, but to make a move against my parents is treason. He wouldn’t survive.” Water dripped onto his face, running down the side of his cheek.
“I didn’t know Naya would tell you.”
“You need to learn to always trust your instincts,” he replied.
She moved closer to him. “Regardless, I’m sorry I woke you.”
He ran a hand over his face. “I was up.”
“Couldn’t sleep?”
He shook his head.
She reached up, placing the palm of her hand on his cheek, as he’d done to her earlier tonight.
He closed his eyes. “I was…trying to think of a way to get rid of Ex.” He opened his eyes, looking directly into hers.
“Will you come in?” she asked, needing the comfort of his presence. Without him, she’d never be able to fall back asleep.
“I can’t,” he whispered. “But if you want, I can remain out in the hallway as your guard.”
She couldn’t believe he’d be willing to do that for her. “That’s not necessary,” she said. “Go back to your room. You need to sleep.”
He nodded but didn’t move. “Do you still want that tea?”
“No.” She needed to let him sleep. He was still recovering from the injury she’d caused him.
“Goodnight, Sabine.” He tapped the door frame before turning and walking away.
She watched his retreating form until she could no longer see him. Then she closed her door and climbed back into bed, knowing sleep would not be coming anytime soon.
* * *
The next morning, Naya arrived with a tray of food for breakfast, surprising Sabine since she’d assumed she’d eat with Evander. After she dressed and ate, Naya led her to an empty room where she was asked to wait.
Alone, Sabine surveyed her surroundings, wondering when Evander would arrive and what they would work on. She wiped her sweaty palms on her pants, hoping he still planned to train her. To the right, a handful of floor to ceiling windows overlooked the lake. Thick clouds covered the sky, and a light rain fell outside. As she meandered around the room, she estimated it to be forty feet by thirty feet. While no furniture adorned the room, there were a few potted plants in each corner. No rugs covered the smooth, dark wood floor.
“Good morning,” Evander said.
Feeling a sense of relief, Sabine turned and found him standing just inside the room, leaning against the wall, watching her. “It’s about time you showed up,” she said, trying to keep the mood light. After last night, she had a surge of emotions raging through her that she didn’t want to acknowledge or even consider.
He pushed away from the wall and came farther into the room, his focus solely on her.
Warmth spread through Sabine, and she felt her face heat up. Ignoring her body’s reaction to Evander, she asked, “What’s on the agenda for today?”
“Same as last time,” he said, his voice sounding husky. “I want you to rely on and use your senses.”
“Okay.” She couldn’t look away from him. Something about the intensity of his gaze, the smooth way he walked, the confidence he gave off, pulled her in.
Evander placed his hands on her shoulders. “I’m going to blindfold you.” He turned her so her back was to him. He let go and then reached in front of her, revealing a black silk scarf. He placed it over her eyes, tying it at the back of her head. With the fabric secure, he put his hands once again on her shoulders. “I want you to focus on your surroundings,” he whispered in her ear. “Take a deep breath, and let me know what you see and feel.”
She shivered from the warm caress of his breath and the nearness of him. “Obviously, I see nothing.” Her voice came out breathy, so she cleared her throat, not wanting him to know he had any effect on her.
Evander chuckled, making her toes curl.
She could feel the heat of his body behind her, hear the gentleness of his breathing, and imagine the grin on his face. It annoyed her that she could be so in tune to him. However, it had to be because they’d just spent so many days alone together—nothing more. It couldn’t possibly be anything else.
“I want you to see without looking,” Evander whispered next to her other ear. “Use all your senses because your eyes can deceive you. Being blindfolded will force you to focus on what you hear and smell. Trust your instincts.” He squeezed her shoulders.
She took a deep breath, clearing her mind and trying to focus. The first thing she noticed was Evander. “I smell you,” she admitted.
“How do you know it’s me?”
A good question and an answer she didn’t want to give. She’d recognize his scent anywhere. “I don’t know,” she lied.
“I think you do,” he whispered, his chest pressing against her back. “You need to learn how to identify various scents so you know who or what they belong to. I’m sure it’s nothing you’ve ever had to pinpoint before, so take your time.”
She breathed in Evander, trying to put into words what scents were uniquely his. “You smell like…” She hadn’t really thought about it before and found it difficult to formulate the right words. He didn’t have strong, distinguishing smells—probably on purpose—but there was something that was distinctly him. “I don’t know. Sweat maybe? It’s just the smell of you.”
His nose glided along her neck as he breathed her in. She held perfectly still, afraid to move.
“And you smell like a hint of rosemary. It’s hard since these clothes don’t belong to you, but I can smell it on your skin.”
She’d never considered how she smelled before. Or ever thought Evander would have smelled her like that. Being blindfolded only enhanced the feeling of his touch, making her skin tingle.
Evander released her shoulders and stepped away from her. “What else do you sense?” he asked.
Her back suddenly felt cold without him touching her. She stood there, listening, trying to figure out where Evander had gone or what was happening. Something shifted in the air in front of her; however, she was certain Evander was still standing behind her. She couldn’t say how she knew other than instinct. “Is someone else in the room?”
“Why do you think that? Put it into words.” His voice still came from behind her.
The air smelled fresher. “I think a door opened because of the smell.”
“Good,” Evander said. “What else?”
She tried to focus on the room again. “I think someone is in here.”
“Why?”
“The air shifted.” It sounded dumb to say, but it was the only way she could express her thoughts. “And…I think I smell jasmine.” She couldn’t be certain, but there was definitely a light floral scent that hadn’t been there before. A soft patter, like footsteps, came from Sabine’s right. She reached out, her hand touching a narrow, boney arm. “Are you a woman?”
“I am,” Gemma said.
Sabine hadn’t realized Gemma would be aiding in the training today.
“Now listen for a moment, then tell us what you think is happening in this room,” Gemma said. It sounded as if she’d stepped a few feet away.
Utter silence greeted Sabine. She strained to listen, not hearing a single thing. She no longer felt either Evander or Gemma nearby. Even though she had the blindfold on, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, forcing herself to relax. An odd smell filled the room—barely there but there nonetheless. A hint of food and soap. Then she heard the soft pitter-patter of feet followed by people breathing.
She wiped her hands on her pants. “The room is filled with people.” She was certain of it.
“Astute,” Gemma answered. “It has been a pleasure assisting you this morning.”
Sabine heard the sound of footsteps on the floor again, this time heading toward the door, and she assumed everyone was leaving the room. When it became silent again, she asked, “Are we done?” She reached up, removing her blindfold, expecting to be alone with Evander.
Serilda stood before Sabine, startling her.
“Forgive me, Your Majesty, I didn’t expect to see you here.” Sabine clutched the blindfold in her hands, wondering where Evander had gone.
The queen smiled. “I want to speak with you.” She wore a long-sleeved black top with a matching skirt. No crown adorned her head, and if Sabine hadn’t known this was the queen standing before her, she never would have guessed.
Glancing about the room, she didn’t see anyone else. “I was just training with Evander and Gemma,” she said, as if she needed to explain why she was in the room.
“Let’s take a walk.” Serilda gestured toward the door and headed that way, the expectation for Sabine to follow clear.
Suddenly nervous, Sabine trailed after the woman. They exited the building and went along one of the wooden pathways. She had no idea what the queen wanted to discuss with her and hoped it wasn’t about Evander or the kidnapping.
Serilda led the way across one of the bridges and to a large gazebo.
Sabine wanted to ask how all of this had been built over water but knew now was not the time for that conversation.
“No one will be able to overhear us here,” Serilda said as she entered the gazebo furnished with two cushioned benches and a table.
The gazebo was situated over the water, and no other buildings or walkways were nearby—just the bridge they’d taken to reach it. The roof offered protection from the rain though the air remained chilly. The queen sat on one of the benches, so Sabine sat on the other.
There was something peaceful and serene being out on the water like this. “Your kingdom is beautiful,” Sabine said, gazing out at her surroundings. Several large trees lined one part of the lake, their branches hanging low over the water.
“I’ve heard the palace in Lynk is beautiful as well,” the queen said as she folded her hands on her lap.
Sabine felt as if this conversation were a test of sorts. As to what she was being tested on, she had no idea. However, she knew she needed to tread carefully. They were both queens of kingdoms capable of causing great harm. She smiled and replied, “I suppose it depends on what your definition of beauty is.” The Lynk palace had always scared her since it had been built so high up. It always felt as if she would tumble to her death at any moment.
“Very true.” Serilda watched Sabine for a moment before saying, “I’ll get to the point of this conversation since I have a lot to do today. My son is very important to me and to this kingdom.”
“I’m sure he is.” So this was about Evander. Sabine clutched her hands together, preparing herself to answer as vaguely as possible.
“He cares for you. I can see it.”
An interesting way to start this conversation. “We have become friends.” Though friends didn’t feel like quite the right word.
“I’m concerned that when you return to Lynk, your husband will question your time with my son.”
A valid concern. “I’ve already written to Rainer letting him know the situation. I’ll be frank with you.” She took a deep breath and continued, “My husband needs me alive in order to maintain his position as king. Your son is doing everything in his power to keep me alive. Rainer will be grateful, I’m sure.”
The queen crossed one leg over the other. “If I can see your friendship with my son, so will King Rainer.”
“I think Lynk having a strong connection to Avoni will benefit both kingdoms in the long run. If that can come from my friendship with your son, then that is a good thing.” It would hopefully allow their two kingdoms to work together—especially if Lottie was to marry Evander.
Serilda raised a single eyebrow, the look condescending. “You clearly do not know your husband well.”
“We haven’t known each other for very long.”
“You haven’t known my son for very long either and yet, you seem to know him.”
A point well made and taken. Sabine didn’t have an answer for Serilda. The men were so vastly different that she couldn’t even compare the two.
“Rainer is a jealous man.”
Sabine remembered how Rainer had reacted to Markis. However, given that his mother had had an affair with one of her guards, she understood his behavior on the matter.
“I can tell by the look on your face that you know exactly what I’m talking about,” Serilda said. She stood and went over to the railing, gazing at the lake surrounding them. After a minute, she turned and faced Sabine. “I need you to be completely honest with me right now. Your life depends on it.”
“How so?” Sabine feared the queen would ask if her son kidnapped her. Because if Rainer found out that Evander kidnapped Sabine, he would unleash his army against Avoni. The queen had a right to be concerned.
“As long as you answer truthfully, you will live.” Serilda’s eyes narrowed. “And trust me when I say I’ll know if you’re lying to me.”
A sheen of sweat covered Sabine’s forehead. She would have to be honest with the queen—and she’d promised Evander she wouldn’t tell them he’d taken her. “What if I can’t answer your question without breaking a promise?”
“Then tell me that, and we’ll go from there.” She folded her arms.
Sabine nodded. “Okay.”
“Did you know about Rainer’s plans with regards to the Avoni delegation?” Serilda asked, her eyes intently watching Sabine.
She wasn’t sure if the queen was referring to the night of the masquerade ball. “Do you mean about him and your ship?”
“Yes.” Her eyes narrowed slightly.
“He didn’t tell me anything if that’s what you’re asking.”
“But clearly you know something. Tell me what you know and how you came to know it.”
Sabine swallowed, trying to recall everything. She didn’t want to get a detail wrong and be put to death for it. “When I was searching for my sister’s killer, I came by some palace gossip. A few of the women thought the masquerade ball Rainer was throwing was as a distraction so he could have the Avoni ship searched.”
“Why would he have the ship searched?”
“To see if there was evidence someone from Avoni killed my sister.” But by that point, her and Rainer were married, so he knew the assassin was hired by someone in his inner circle—if he hadn’t already discovered it was Lottie. Knowing this, she didn’t understand why he’d search the Avoni ship…unless it was to plant evidence. The night she’d discovered her sister’s killer, the assassin had been doing that very thing—planting evidence to make it look like someone in the delegation had killed Alina. Sabine wiped her forehead.
The queen’s eyes narrowed even more.
Sabine needed to be totally honest. “Now that I’m thinking it through, I see he couldn’t have been searching it. He had to have been planting evidence.” Wanting to pin the assassination on Avoni so he could say he solved the murder, strengthen his position as king, and have a reason to attack his neighboring kingdom.
“Is there anything else?” the queen asked.
“I already told your son Lottie is the one who hired the assassin, Ex. I saw her and Ex in the rooms the Avoni delegation was staying in. They planted evidence there. However, I took it on my way out. I couldn’t read it since it was in another language. It got destroyed.”
“And that’s everything you know?” The queen pushed off the railing and came closer to Sabine. “There isn’t anything else you need to tell me?”
Sabine wiped her sweaty palms on her thighs, trying to think through everything to see if she missed something. Other than the kidnapping, she thought she covered it all. “I don’t think so.”
Serilda nodded slowly. “I want to reiterate that there isn’t anything else that you know about the delegation I sent to Avoni?”
“I can’t think of anything.” Rainer hadn’t let her join in on any of the talks the two kingdoms had, so she hadn’t interacted with them much.
Serilda patted Sabine’s shoulder before sitting beside her on the bench. “You are not aware that King Rainer killed my entire delegation before they left Lynk?”
“What?” She must have heard the queen incorrectly.
“Everyone in the Avoni delegation, save Evander, was murdered.”
It felt as if Sabine had just been tossed off a cliff. She couldn’t breathe. She bent forward, resting her elbows on her thighs and gripping her head with her hands. “When did this happen?”
“The night of the masquerade.”
The night Evander had kidnapped Sabine. “How?” she asked, unable to believe that Rainer had managed to murder a dozen assassins on his own. He had to have used his army to accomplish such a feat. But perhaps it was a mistake. However, she couldn’t turn a blind eye to the facts. She’d seen with her own eyes Lynk soldiers escorting Bakley children north toward Lynk. She’d read Rainer’s mother’s journal revealing his father had abused and eventually killed his mother. When she saw Rainer fight, she’d seen brutality in him. Again, just because she didn’t want to believe it didn’t mean it wasn’t true.
“From what we’ve gathered, King Rainer had holes put in the bottom of the ship. When my people left, his soldiers on land shot fire tipped arrows at the vessel. There are also rumors he had some sort of poison on board, but I can’t verify that.”
Which meant the people in the Avoni delegation had either burned or drowned. What a horrible way to die. “Why would he do something so awful?” She couldn’t think of one rational reason for him to murder them.
“That is a very good question.” Tears filled the queen’s eyes. “Is there anything you haven’t told me?”
Sabine rubbed her face. The queen had to have known and been friends with the people who were killed. Her grief had to be immense. “There is one thing I haven’t told you,” she whispered. “One thing I promised Evander I wouldn’t reveal.”
Serilda’s shoulders sagged, as if she knew. As if Sabine’s words had confirmed her suspicions.
Panic gripped Sabine. “It can’t have anything to do with me being here in Avoni or with Evander.”
“Are you certain?” Serilda asked.
“Rainer’s plan had to have been in place long before I left Lynk.” She’d known he’d planned to do something with the Avoni ship—she just hadn’t thought he’d destroy it along with the delegation.
“The reports I’m receiving indicate Rainer retaliated against the delegation because one of its members took you.” Serilda stood.
“That’s not possible,” Sabine insisted. “Both events happened simultaneously.”
“Did my son kidnap you?” Serilda asked point blank.
Sabine nodded.
The queen sighed. “This complicates things,” she mumbled.
“Rainer never has to know,” Sabine insisted.
“Possibly. But what you should be asking yourself is if Rainer thought you were on board that ship he destroyed.”
A wave of dizziness came over Sabine, and she bent over. “He needs me. He’ll lose his throne if I don’t give him an heir by the time he turns twenty-five.” Her voice sounded lifeless, monotone. How she felt right now. But she knew there was more to it than that. Rainer had a backup. However, she was under the impression the backup child only worked if it was passed off as hers. But if Rainer had purposefully killed her and then didn’t tell anyone she was dead…Sabine rubbed her face then looked up at the queen. “I’m so sorry for your loss. I didn’t know any of this would happen.” And now that she’d written that letter to Rainer, if he thought he’d killed her—which she didn’t think he’d do—now he knew she was alive.
“Oftentimes our actions have consequences we don’t anticipate.” The queen leaned against the railing, observing Sabine.
“Are you going to retaliate?” she asked, wondering if there was more to this conversation than the queen trying to discover Sabine’s involvement in all of this.
“I haven’t decided what we’re going to do.” She folded her arms.
“Evander agreed to marry Princess Lottie,” Sabine said. “That might help relations between our kingdoms.”
“Possibly. Or when he agreed to marry her it only confirmed Rainer’s suspicions that Evander was the one who’d taken you. After all, Evander is the sole survivor—which I am grateful for.”
Sabine felt sick to her stomach at all the queen had revealed.
“I know my son brought you here for an important, valid reason. However, I think your stay here should be short. Avoni families will be asking questions. You will be seen as the enemy, and you’re in a land of assassins. I can only guarantee your safety for one week. That is all. I suggest you find somewhere else to hide, or return to your husband and leave my son out of this.” And with that, she turned and left the gazebo, not giving Sabine a chance to respond.
Stunned by all that had been revealed, her eyes filled with tears. Sabine couldn’t believe Rainer had killed the entire Avoni delegation. She truly did not know the man she’d married. It seemed with each passing day, things only became more and more complicated. She blinked the tears from her eyes and stood, about to head back to her room, when she realized she had no idea how to get there. If she wandered around the compound, she was bound to run into someone who’d help her—unless word about the delegation had spread. In that case, she could cross paths with someone who’d lost a loved one. The people who lived here in Avoni had to hate Lynk, and now that Sabine was the queen of that kingdom, they had to hate her by extension. Being here in the land of assassins no longer seemed like a wise idea since she was their enemy.
Feeling exposed out in the open, she slid to the floor and leaned against the posts of the railing, curling her legs to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. Everything was a mess, and she didn’t know how to fix any of it. If she went walking around here, someone could kill her out of spite. The worst part was she couldn’t even blame them. Her husband was responsible for killing the entire delegation. She wondered if Evander knew.
Leaning her cheek on her knee, she tried not to cry, but the tears came of their own accord. Right now, she really needed her sister to talk to. Sabine had married a monster—a man who wanted to take over all the kingdoms, wage war against thousands if he had to, and for what? Power? Money? Why couldn’t he be happy with what he had? And her role in all of this was to simply be a breeder. She was expected to have his children and then be gone—like Rainer’s own mother. Sabine was a means to an end.
Her life suddenly felt rather bleak. If only there was a way to change the course of it.
Footsteps sounded on the bridge. Sabine peered around the post and spotted Evander approaching the gazebo. His face remained blank, unreadable. If he knew about the delegation, he would hate her. Maybe he’d kill her himself and be done with her. He’d save himself the trouble of dealing with the assassin, and he’d have retribution for all of those families who’d lost a loved one.
Evander stepped into the gazebo.
Sabine refused to meet his eyes. Embarrassment, horror, and sadness all warred within her. She had no idea what to say to him. She couldn’t be the queen of a kingdom responsible for such atrocities. And yet, she was. She held some responsibility for what had happened. Maybe she could have stopped it if she’d been more involved, had pushed Rainer to tell her his plans, or even if…well, she didn’t know. But she could have and should have done more.
Evander squatted before her. “I’ve been looking for you,” he said, his voice soft and gentle, almost caressing. “When you didn’t return to your room, I got worried.”
She shrugged, still not looking him in the face. She had no idea what to say or how to apologize for something Rainer—her husband—had done. She didn’t want to be associated with him. However, it was too late for that. She was his wife and the queen of Lynk.
“I take it my mother told you,” Evander murmured, moving to sit beside her.
“How long have you known?” she asked, needing to know.
“I just found out last night.”
“You must hate me.” Her voice cracked.
“Why would I hate you?”
She wiped her tears with the edge of her sleeve, unable to speak. She didn’t know the right words to express her sorrow or how to tell him how sorry she was for what had happened.
“You had nothing to do with their deaths,” he said, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. “It’s not your fault.”
As the queen of Lynk, she was responsible. The tears kept falling.
Evander sat there holding her, not bothering to say anything else.
There was nothing he could say.
* * *
Sabine stood in front of the windows in her room, staring outside, as a light rain fell. She’d been standing there most of the day. Thinking. After Alina’s death, she’d jumped headfirst into agreeing to marry Rainer without fully understanding the consequences of her choice. All she’d thought about was revenge. Now, all she wanted to do was to return to Lynk and demand Rainer make Lottie pay for having Alina murdered. She wanted Rainer to be held accountable for killing the delegation. She wanted the Bakley children returned to their families. But she held no sway with the king, and he would not listen to her. To outsmart Rainer, she would have to come up with a plan. She had a few ideas, and one in particular that she thought might be crazy enough to work. But she wasn’t ready yet. She needed some more information before she could do anything.
A soft knock sounded on her door. “Sabine?” Evander called out.
“Come in.” She didn’t hear the door open and close but rather saw Evander’s reflection in the window as he came up behind her.
He stood there, his arms folded, watching her. He lifted his right hand, rubbing his jawbone. “I wanted to check on you,” he said, his voice soft.
“I didn’t think you were allowed in my room,” she whispered.
“I’m not.”
“Then why are you in here?”
He took a step forward, coming to stand at her side. “Everyone already thinks we’re having an affair.”
“Why do you suppose that is?” She’d been wondering what it was about her and Evander’s friendship that gave his family pause. At first, she thought they got along like brother and sister. But deep down, she knew that wasn’t the case. She no longer thought of Evander that way.
“They’re just being overly cautious,” he said, not meeting her gaze in the reflection.
“You being in here won’t help the situation.”
“Then no one can know I’m in here.”
She turned toward him but he remained facing the window, not meeting her eyes. “Is something bothering you?” He wasn’t acting like himself. After she asked the question, she wished she could take it back. The entire delegation he’d traveled to Lynk with had been killed. Of course he was upset. She reached out and rubbed his arm. “I’m sorry.” There was nothing else she could say.
“We need to deal with the assassin,” Evander said, still not meeting her eyes. “He’s been spotted outside the wall again.”
She moved to stand in front of him. “Are you mad at me?” She wouldn’t blame him if he was.
“No.” He finally looked at her.
The more time she spent with him, the more handsome he became. She took a deep breath, letting the air out slowly. “Then what’s the matter?”
His focus went back outside the window to the lake, not looking at her. She wanted him to turn his beautiful eyes her way again. When he looked at her, she felt like she was home.
He shook his head. “Honestly?”
“Please.”
He glanced at her. “I spoke with my parents. They’re not happy with me. I’ve been reprimanded for kidnapping you.”
“I’m sorry I told your mother.” In her sorrow, she’d forgotten she told the queen about what really happened. “She said my life depended on telling her the truth, so I did.”
He closed his eyes. “And…they’re not happy about our…relationship.”
“Our friendship?” she asked. “Isn’t us being friends a great benefit to both our kingdoms?”
He peered at her. “My family feels I’ve formed an unhealthy attachment to you, and you’re skewing my thinking and reasoning.”
Taken aback, she didn’t know what to say. She wasn’t manipulating Evander. She truly cared for him.
He ran a hand over his face. “Sabine.”
She loved the way he said her name. She smiled at him. When he looked at her, a warmth blossomed inside her.
“Sometimes I can’t figure out who you really are,” he mumbled.
His words hurt her. “What’s that supposed to mean?” They’d spent enough time together that he should have a good idea of her character.
“All our spies say you’re a flirt, you have suitor after suitor, and take nothing seriously.”
Something unpleasant formed in the pit of her stomach. “Is that so?” The fact that he was even bringing this up and asking her to defend her actions spoke volumes. She would not dignify it with a response.
“But the Sabine I know is none of those things.”
The unpleasant sensation in her stomach evaporated as quickly as it had formed.
He reached out and took hold of her hand. “I can’t help but wonder who the real Sabine is.”
“I ask myself that question all the time.” The rain started coming down harder.
“You don’t know who you are?” he asked, his voice laced with skepticism.
“No. Do you know who you are all the time?”
His brows drew together.
“Let me put this another way,” she said. “When I was in Bakley, living with my family, I was one person. I’d never traveled or been on my own. I was a little spoiled. I was a flirt. Then my sister died, and I went to Lynk. I changed. I had no choice but to become the person I needed to be to survive. You can’t tell me you’re so old and wise as to know exactly who you are and what you’re supposed to do all the time.”
The corners of his lips pulled into a smile, and the lines around his eyes softened. “No, I suppose not.” He squeezed her hand then released it.
Sabine wasn’t sure what exactly was going on between them, but she had a feeling their friendship was teetering on something undefined. She needed to diffuse whatever was building between them. “Good. I’m glad you don’t think yourself overly wise,” she teased, nudging him.
He chuckled, the sound like honey.
“Now let’s figure out what we’re going to do about this assassin. Your mother wishes for me to leave within the week, and I think that wise. We can’t have rumors spreading about our friendship. I’m sure my husband would be insanely jealous to learn I’m consorting with his enemy.”
“Enemy?” he said, his brows raised. “I’m going to be your brother-in-law.”
His words repeated over and over in her mind. The thought of him marrying Lottie didn’t sit well with her. And Sabine didn’t want Evander to be related to her that way. It felt wrong.