Chapter 24
Promises
Lunch came to an end without incident, and everyone stood from their seats at the table. Leo was trying to catch Evelyn’s eye, but she wanted out of the room.
“King Tristan, would you mind if I borrowed your younger daughter for a moment?” Haydn requested. “I’d like to discuss something with her before I leave.”
No no no no no no no.
“Certainly! Evelyn would be very happy to speak with you,” King Tristan said, giving Evelyn a look that warned her to play along.
“Of course, Father,” she said. “You know my heart’s greatest desire is to spend more time with Councilor Ritter!”
King Tristan glared at her insolence.
Haydn made his way around the table to Evelyn, not bothering to hide his delight. “That’s my favorite princess!”
He put a hand on her back and guided her toward the front of the palace.
“Where are we going?” Evelyn hissed at him.
“For a walk. Don’t worry, your goons will supervise us.”
Evelyn glanced back. Damien and Rory were following them.
“Would I be in danger if they weren’t here?” she asked.
“Have I ever tried to hurt you?” Haydn challenged. He opened the front door, then bowed dramatically. “After you.”
Evelyn rolled her eyes and went outside. Haydn left the door open, expecting Damien and Rory to continue their patrol.
“Honestly, Princess,” he said. “I dance with you. I tell you how beautiful you are. I make promises to help you. I have only been truthful with you. And you still think I have ill intentions?”
“Yes,” Evelyn replied. “Why else would you trick me into a tattoo?”
“We could make another deal—”
“No.”
“A deal where I swear not to harm you.”
“No.”
“It would be magically binding. With a strong enough Bargain, it would actually kill me if I hurt you.”
“There’s a possibility of you dying?” Evelyn quipped. “I’m intrigued.”
“You don’t mean that.” Haydn ran a finger down her arm affectionately. “You were worried about me after the explosion, remember?”
I remember everything about the explosion.
And no, I don’t want anything bad to happen to Haydn. But I don’t have the energy to deal with his games today.
They wandered up the cobblestone road along the west side of the river. Damien and Rory stayed about fifty feet behind them.
“So you want the deal?” Haydn asked.
“Absolutely not.”
“You don’t even know what I want in exchange.”
“Is it just me”—Evelyn pondered—“or is there something dubious about only promising not to hurt me if you get something in return?”
“That’s a fair point. Forget the deal.”
Haydn drew a small dagger out of a pocket. Before Evelyn could scream or run, Haydn sliced his own palm open and quickly put the dagger back. Damien and Rory wouldn’t have been able to see anything other than Evelyn’s horrified expression.
Haydn held out his bleeding hand like he was giving her a present. “I promise to the old gods that I will never cause you physical harm, Evelyn Connolly.”
He closed his hand into a fist for the length of three heartbeats, then opened it again. The blood had vanished and there was no sign of injury.
“How did you do that?” Evelyn asked breathlessly.
“Magic.”
“Why did you do that?”
“Did it make you trust me even the tiniest bit more?”
Yes.
“I’m not sure I like how fast you can pull blades out of nowhere,” Evelyn said instead.
“But I can’t use them against you now.”
“Is it Bargain magic?”
“Pretty similar.”
Evelyn examined his hand again. There were drops of blood on the cobblestones but not a scratch or stain on Haydn.
“Did I scare you?” he asked.
“No,” Evelyn lied.
“I’m sorry I scared you.”
Sorry.
She heard Leo’s voice in her head: “I’m sorry I lied to you.” “I’m sorry, Evelyn. I messed this up and I am so sorry.”
Evelyn continued walking.
He begged for my forgiveness last night and has Hannah at his side today.
Haydn matched her pace. “Have you thought more about my offer?”
“What offer?”
“I asked you to come away with me.”
For fuck’s sake.
“No,” Evelyn said rudely. “I didn’t waste any time considering that option.”
“Why not?” he asked, unfazed.
Because I’ve been too busy thinking about Leo.
“Because I don’t want to.”
“Did the prince make you a better offer?”
He didn’t make me any offer. He doesn’t even know what he wants.
“What is your obsession with deals and offers?”
“He hasn’t asked you to marry him. I can see that much. Is he going to propose to Hannah?”
“You’re the one who knows everything. You tell me,” Evelyn snapped.
“I would if I could, Princess.”
Evelyn took a deep breath but wondered something else. “Did you know what he was doing?”
“You mean how he was lying to your face every day?”
“Yes,” Evelyn growled.
Haydn shrugged. “I figured it out. You had me confused that night in the bar when you claimed not to know the prince.”
“I didn’t know him then. Not really.”
“I thought you were lying. But then your big, sad eyes kept looking for him at the ball. Is that why you’re in such a bad mood today? You learned about his lies?”
Evelyn bit down on her tongue instead of screaming. “If you knew, why didn’t you tell me?”
“I wanted to see how deep a hole Alexander would dig for himself.”
“A pretty fucking deep one.”
Shit, I didn’t mean to say that out loud.
“So what’s your plan?” Haydn asked.
“Plan for what?”
“Alexander broke your heart. Fontaine is your guard dog but not your lover.”
“I don’t need you explaining any of that to me.”
“What’s next? What is it you want?”
“That’s none of your concern.”
“It is if you consider joining me in Lochmatten.” Haydn pushed Evelyn’s red curls off her shoulder.
Evelyn moved out of his reach. “Why the hell would I go anywhere with you? I don’t even want to be here right now.”
“Because I can give you everything you want.”
“Bullshit.”
“You don’t want to be the most powerful woman across two kingdoms and my isle?”
Evelyn stopped and looked up at Haydn.
This is almost definitely a trap.
“What are you talking about?”
Haydn smiled. “I am much more powerful than the liar you are so fond of.”
“What does that have to do with me?”
“If you marry me—”
“No!” Evelyn yelled in his face.
I’m not discussing marriage with him or anyone. Not today. Not when Leo could marry my sister, but he might want to marry me and I don’t know what I want.
“If you marry me,” Haydn repeated, “you would get access to all of my magic.”
“No one even knows what kinds of magic Lochmatten has. Maybe herding cats is the most impressive thing you can do.”
“I assure you it’s much more than that.”
“Then tell me what you can do,” she insisted.
Haydn crossed his arms. “Marry me and find out for yourself.”
“That’s not happening. What would you even get out of this arrangement?”
“I would gain your Fire ability, of course. Honestly, it’s a much better deal for you than it is for me.”
“If it’s not a good deal for you, why would you even offer it?”
“Because I could wake up to your sweet, scowling face every morning.” He traced a finger down Evelyn’s cheek, but she swatted his hand away and started walking again.
“You’re lying anyway,” Evelyn said over her shoulder.
“Am I? About what?” Haydn caught up to her immediately.
“Even if the hells freeze over and I do marry you, I wouldn’t get all of your abilities. That’s not how it works.”
“Why not?”
“Because kings are the ones who gain all the magic. Queens only get a piece of the kings’ original powers. You would end up with all the Elemental abilities, and I would… what? Be able to make meaningless deals?”
“You’re forgetting one very important detail, Princess.”
“Yeah? What’s that?”
Haydn snatched her wrist. “I am not a king, and you would not be a queen. The traditions you are used to would not apply. The spell royals use to share magic in the kingdoms always favors the husband. That’s why kings end up with all the power.
You assumed that’s how the magic works, but the spell was written that way on purpose. ”
Evelyn blinked. “No… that can’t be right. That would be intentionally limiting the queens’ powers. Why would we do that?”
“Your arcane customs have not been the focus of my research, sadly.”
“But, wait… how does it work in Lochmatten?”
“Exactly as I explained earlier. Magic exchanged through vows is fully shared. A man and his bride”—Haydn squeezed her wrist—“have identical power.”
“How? What’s different about your spell?”
“We simply wrote it to be balanced instead of biased.”
“Could that be done here?” Evelyn’s mind reeled. “Could the spell be changed in the kingdoms?”
“Theoretically, if the king allowed it.”
“So the answer is no.”
Haydn laughed. “You do understand how things work around here!”
Evelyn stared up at him, trying to process everything he said. But also trying to detect if he was lying.
“What’s on your mind, Princess?” Haydn asked.
“I would have all of your abilities? Whatever the hell your powers are, I would have them too?”
Her questions made Haydn’s eyes light up, and Evelyn had the sudden feeling of being caught in a spider’s web. It didn’t help that he was still holding her wrist.
“Yes,” he said, tilting her chin up higher. “You would be my equal. Does that appeal to you?”
“What’s the catch? Other than being stuck with you.”
“You wouldn’t be a princess anymore, and you would leave the continent.”
That sounds really nice right now, to be honest. I never wanted to be a princess in the first place.
“There has to be more to it,” she said.
“You’re trying to imagine the worst. I think you’ll find I’m not all that bad.”
“Then tell me about your magic. I know it’s not just silly Bargains.”
“I can’t tell you. Not yet.”
“And I’m supposed to take your word for it?”
Haydn thought about it. “I can give you a glimpse of what your life would be like with me.”
“How? Will I have another tattoo?”
“No. This isn’t Bargain magic.” Haydn tapped his temple. “It will feel real, like you’re standing in Lochmatten with me, but it’s all in your mind.”
“You’ll be in my head?”
“Yes, but just for the visions. I can’t read your thoughts or play games in there. It won’t even hurt. But I won’t do it unless you want me to.”
This is already more information than he’s given me before. But I’m so, so curious.
“You’ll show me your magic?” Evelyn asked, stalling for time.
“Stop being nervous. Say yes.”
Oh, this is a bad idea.
“Yes.”
Haydn looped a hand around the back of her neck and whispered, “Look.”
Suddenly, Evelyn was on the deck of a ship, approaching a coastline with rocky cliffs, evergreen trees, and castle towers peeking out of the canopy. The only building that could be fully seen from the water was a lighthouse. The forest was a fortress.
This is Lochmatten? Even their own shores are hiding secrets?
Haydn wrapped his arms around her from behind, his body a warm barrier against the harsh winds. He kissed the back of her head. “Welcome to your new home.”
The scene changed and Evelyn stood inside the base of a hollow castle tower.
She had to tilt her head back to barely see the top of it.
The circular walls were covered in bookshelves, with occasional gaps for windows.
Every eight feet up, a horizontal ledge jutted out from the wall, creating a ring where visitors could stand to browse the books.
Haydn took Evelyn’s hand. “Do you like my library?”
“How do you get to the books? There aren’t any stairs.”
“Magic. I’ll show you later.”
Evelyn’s vision shifted again and she was in a different room. She could tell it was a large space, like a ballroom, but it was too dark around the edges to see details. A row of high windows along one wall provided the only illumination, but the sun was setting.
Haydn appeared in front of her. “Are you ready?”
“For what?” Evelyn asked.
He pressed his palms together in front of him, fingers pointed toward Evelyn. His eyes began to glow gold. Slowly, he separated his hands and the same golden light emerged between them. The light writhed and formed a sphere the size of a cantaloupe.
Evelyn couldn’t take her eyes off the light that seemed alive. “What is it?”
Haydn shook his head but said, “I’ll show you how to do it.”
Then Evelyn was outside, dancing with Haydn in a courtyard under the bright stars and full moon. She wore a flowy, black sheath dress that was nothing like yesterday’s huge ballgown. They were surrounded by dozens of other dancing couples.
The song ended, but Haydn held her tight. “Keep dancing with me. I’m not sharing you, Princess.”
“You said I wouldn’t be a princess here,” Evelyn reminded him.
“Then I’ll call you mine.”
Everything changed again, and this time Evelyn was lying naked in a bed. Haydn was on top of her, kissing her neck. He had one hand in her hair while his other palm cupped her breast. She could feel him thrusting between her legs and she moaned, which only made him go faster.
“Oh, gods!” Evelyn arched her back and spread her legs wider, needing more of him. “Please don’t stop!”
Without warning, everything went back to normal. Evelyn was once again standing on the cobblestone road in front of the palace.
An overwhelming lust lingered in her body while the images faded away. Evelyn swayed and gripped the front of Haydn’s shirt to steady herself.
“Come with me, Princess,” Haydn said seductively.
Evelyn was ready to make poor life choices with this gorgeous man. But the desperate feeling of needing him dissipated as quickly as it started. The magic had officially worn off, clearing her head.
She let go of him and took a step back. Her mind replayed what Haydn had shown her, and Evelyn’s face heated.
He created a vision to fuck me? I agreed to see his home and his magic, not to go to bed with him!
Haydn closed the space between them. “Say yes and I’ll take you away from here.”
Evelyn slapped him.
Haydn stumbled back at the sudden impact. He recovered quickly and smirked at her. “I can certainly revise the plans if you like it rough.”
Rage burned in Evelyn’s eyes. “You went too far.”
“You aren’t mad at me, love. You’re embarrassed by how much you liked it.”
He winked at her and Evelyn was ready to hit him again. But Rory appeared and dragged her away.
Damien stepped in front of Haydn. “Sorry to cut this short, Ritter, but the princess is quite tired. Isn’t it about time for your ship to depart?”
“Of course, Fontaine,” Haydn said like nothing had happened. “I should say my goodbyes to the kings, and then I’ll be on my way.”
“Let’s get you back to your room, Your Highness,” Rory said calmly, like it was past her bedtime and she hadn’t just assaulted an ally.
Evelyn tried to hide that she was shaking. “Thank you.”
Rory only nodded and led her forward.
“Princess Evelyn!” Haydn called out, making her flinch. “Good luck tomorrow!”
Good luck with what? What does he know that I don’t?