Chapter 1 #2
Aurelia’s smile faltered briefly before she recovered. “Yes, he is. His responsibilities in Rosewyth are vast. You wouldn’t understand how demanding his position is.”
“Of course,” Evelyne responded, her tone honeyed with sarcasm. “What a blessing to have such a devoted husband.”
Aurelia’s fingers tightened almost imperceptibly on her napkin, though her expression remained neutral.
“That’s enough, ladies,” Celeste interjected, and the room stilled instantly. “Evelyne, you will ensure your presentation today is without flaw. And Cillian,” she added without turning to him, “do not enable your sister’s nonsense.”
Cillian turned to Evelyne, mischief glinting in his golden eyes.
Without a word, he tapped her foot under the table.
A minimal gesture, but one that said everything.
Evelyne’s lips twitched, the tension in her shoulders easing just slightly.
As the conversation shifted back to the day’s plans, she took comfort in his quiet presence.
Evelyne adjusted her posture, sitting straighter as her mother’s critical stare settled on her.
She had stepped beyond the age by which women of her standing were expected to be brides.
To her mother, this was an oversight, a failure to be rectified.
To Evelyne, it was simply her reality. What she could not reconcile was why men were free of such scrutiny, their futures untouched by the ticking clock that bound young women.
Her sister had followed a much different path.
Their parents had been cautious with Aurelia’s prospects, unwilling to accept anything less than perfection for the family’s eldest daughter.
That diligence had paid off when Leopold entered the picture.
He was handsome and charming. His white-blonde hair was always perfectly kept, and years of successful trade with the southern lands had earned him both wealth and respect.
It was easy for Evelyne to see why her sister was so captivated.
He was the ideal match, a seamless blend of ambition and power.
Their mother had been thrilled when Leopold asked for Aurelia’s hand, and even their father had given his approval without hesitation.
But Evelyne couldn’t help but wonder whether Aurelia truly loved him or had simply fallen in love with the idea of him.
That life was never meant for Evelyne—or at least, it never felt that way.
At nineteen, she’d been expected to step into the world of court: attending grand balls, mingling at glittering gatherings, and entertaining the advances of eager suitors.
Her late-spring birthday had conveniently delayed her debut by a year, offering a brief reprieve.
But just as her time finally came, everything changed.
***
It started one evening in the library. Cillian, a teen at the time, had been reading in a chair by the fire while Evelyne sorted through books at the far end of the room.
The atmosphere was peaceful, as it often was when they shared that space, until Cillian’s voice broke through the silence.
At first, it sounded like faint, nonsensical muttering.
Evelyne had laughed, thinking he was teasing her or practicing some dramatic monologue.
But when she turned to look at him, her smile faded.
Cillian stood frozen, his gaze locked on the fireplace. His complexion was ashen, and his golden eyes had turned an unsettling shade of black, devoid of any life or awareness. His lips moved quickly, forming words she couldn’t understand.
“Cillian?” Evelyne’s voice wavered, but he gave no response. His body remained rigid, his focus unbroken. A cold sensation crept over her as she rushed to his side, trying to shake him gently. But he didn’t react at all.
Panic hit her. She ran from the room, shouting for her parents.
By the time they returned, they found Cillian collapsed on the floor.
He was on his knees, hands grasping at the air like he was struggling against something invisible.
Evelyne could only stand in the doorway, trembling, as she watched her brother writhe in agony.
When the fit passed, he lay there motionless, his chest rising and falling in shallow breaths.
Their mother knelt beside him, her composure cracking for the first time Evelyne could remember.
Healers were summoned immediately, and for weeks afterward, the household was consumed by uncertainty and fear.
The hallucinations came and went, each episode more terrifying than the last. But the healers offered no clear explanations and gave only vague assurances that they would likely resolve over time.
One night, Evelyne refused to leave Cillian’s side after a particularly harrowing fit.
She helped him to bed and pulled a chair close, unable to shake the sound of his anguished screams. Settling into the chair, she began reading aloud, page after page, trying to drown out the memory of his cries with the steady rhythm of her voice.
Sometime in the night, Cillian stirred. She glanced up just in time to see his golden eyes flicker open, locking onto hers for a fleeting moment before darkness pulled him under again.
“No!” he cried out. “Leave me alone. Please…” The last word came out in a whisper, barely audible, before his body stilled and he drifted back into sleep.
The sound of his voice struck her like a blow, her chest tightening with helplessness.
What kind of torment gripped him so deeply?
She wished she could take the pain from him, absorb the fear he carried alone.
But that night marked a turning point. From then on, Cillian’s nightmares seemed to fade, and Evelyne’s entire outlook began to shift.
How could she focus on dances and suitors when her brother’s wellbeing was so precarious?
The little excitement she’d once associated with her debut season faded into insignificance.
As Cillian gradually regained his strength, Evelyne became increasingly disenchanted with the idea of marriage.
Especially when the men she encountered at social gatherings always seemed preoccupied with superficial ambitions, their interests centered only on fortune or appearances.
She could no longer feign enthusiasm for their exaggerated stories or insincere flattery.
Each interaction left her feeling more distant from the life her parents envisioned for her.
Yet now, here she was, preparing to step back into that world one last time—not for herself, but to appease them. This time, however, it had to end with her finding someone.