Chapter 50
Friends
The party moved to the rooftop of the palace. In Gryon’s southern climate, the roof was more decorative than utilitarian. A stone fire pit was surrounded by plush couches and chairs. Other seating options filled the rest of the space, including tables, low-slung beach chairs, and a hammock.
“Why haven’t we been up here before?” Evelyn asked.
“We’ve been a little busy,” Leo said. “Do you like it?”
“Obviously! This is where all royal meetings should be from now on.”
Nicolas pulled wineglasses from a freestanding bar while Damien popped corks. They had brought enough bottles of wine for everyone to have two and were still arguing over whether it was enough.
Rory and Desirée found a high-top table in the corner and stayed in their own flirtatious little world. Everyone else gathered around the fire pit, lit by Evelyn’s magic. Damien and Simon had to remove a few weapons each in order to sit comfortably.
I love how normal it feels to be with all of them.
No politics, no rank, no expectations. It’s easy.
I wish Rowan were here, even if Damien chased him away from Daphne.
He would fit in with everyone. Should I have invited Hannah?
She would probably have fun, but she hasn’t spoken to me since Leo proposed.
They lost track of time chatting, debating, ranting, and flirting on the roof. Dinner dishes and additional wine appeared on a long table, thanks to the merciful kitchen staff. Rory and Desirée joined the meal before drifting back into their corner.
Two guards arrived after sunset, intending to take over for Rory and Simon, but Leo sent them back downstairs. Simon took advantage of his shift being officially over and grabbed a bottle of wine on his way out to meet Josephine.
The roof was bathed in white starlight and orange firelight. Damien looked over at Rory and Desirée for the millionth time, just as Rory whispered something that made her smile. They had been moving closer to each other all evening.
“Are you going to accept them or not?” Daphne snapped at her brother.
“I thought they would get bored with each other and give up,” Damien said.
“You thought or you hoped?” Nicolas challenged, earning a glare.
Damien sat up and yelled toward the corner. “Flynn!”
The use of his surname startled Rory. He gave Desirée an apologetic look and met Damien on the far side of the roof. Evelyn got up to eavesdrop under the guise of getting more wine.
“Is this real or are you messing with her?” Damien asked.
“It’s real,” Rory replied.
“Then I need you to understand something. If you hurt my sister, I will cut off your feet and strap you to a tree until you bleed out. Got it?”
Evelyn had never heard Damien’s voice sound as deep and villainous as it did then.
I think he means it.
Rory didn’t even blink at the threat. “Yes, sir.”
“Don’t make me regret giving you a chance. You won’t get a second one.”
Rory nodded and Damien dismissed him.
“I thought you liked Rory,” Evelyn hissed at Damien.
He cocked his head. “I do. He’s a good guard. Desirée could do a lot worse than him.”
“Then why are you being so mean?”
“I’m not. He needed to know the potential consequences.”
“Desirée will be more hurt by you scaring Rory away than by anything he’s going to do. He obviously adores her.”
Damien groaned before getting the guard’s attention again. “Rory!”
Rory hesitantly returned. Evelyn stepped away to be polite but was still close enough to listen.
“You’re off duty now, right?” Damien asked.
“Yes, sir.”
“I only told you not to hurt her. Anything else you do with your free time, I don’t want to know about.”
Rory didn’t dare smile. “Understood.”
Damien waved him off before he could change his mind.
Rory whispered something to Desirée, then they left to find a more private spot in the palace.
Evelyn grinned in victory.
Damien scowled at her. “Shut up.”
“I didn’t say anything!”
Leo wandered over to them. “It’s your last night as a princess. Is there anything special you want to do?”
Evelyn yawned. “I want to sleep. And I want you and Damien to hang out in the stables and get drunk like you used to.”
Damien froze in place, caught by surprise.
Leo furrowed his brows. “Why?”
“Because it will be fun,” Evelyn said, “and it sounds like the kind of crap men should do before they get married.”
Leo looked hopefully at Damien. “Are you up for that?”
Damien finally blinked. “Are we burning the place down again?”
“No. Although, since I’m the king now, we wouldn’t really get in trouble this time.”
“You get the wine,” Damien directed. “I’ll find a lantern.”
Leo kissed Evelyn sweetly. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” Then he left to retrieve wine.
Damien stared at Evelyn for a few moments before wrapping her in a tight hug. “None of us deserve you,” he whispered.
“Go be with your friend,” she said.
Damien ran toward the stairs, gaining a significant head start in what was apparently a race. Leo shouted about cheating and tore off after him.
They’ve earned a normal evening where they can be friends, not a king and a captain. Literally everything has been so stressful lately. I want Leo and Damien to be able to relax.
Daphne stood up from the couch and stretched. “Is the night over already?”
“Seems like it,” Evelyn answered.
“I’ll walk you both downstairs,” Nicolas said sleepily.
Evelyn made it to her door and Daphne took the empty bedroom across from her.
“Good night, future queen.” Nicolas bowed before heading to his own room in the other wing.
Instead of going to bed, Evelyn went down the hall and knocked on Hannah’s door.
I have to at least try talking to her.
Hannah’s copper-red hair was in a long braid down her back. She pulled a robe over her nightgown.
“Can I come in?” Evelyn asked.
Hannah stepped aside to let her through. “Do you need help with wedding preparations?”
“No,” Evelyn said quickly. “I wanted to talk to you before tomorrow.”
Hannah shifted her weight. “About what?”
She isn’t going to make this easy for me.
“I’m sorry, Hannah. I didn’t know any of this was going to happen.”
“You didn’t know Alexander wanted to marry you instead of me?”
“I didn’t even know his name was Alexander!”
Hannah gawked at her like Evelyn had confessed to not knowing how to use a fork.
Evelyn launched into the story of meeting Leo, not finding out his real identity until after the ball, and how complicated it had been since then.
This was a lot more fun when I was talking to Daphne and Desirée.
“So that’s what happened,” Evelyn finished. “I was never trying to steal Alexander from you. I wanted to be with Leo.”
Why isn’t Hannah saying anything? Is she even blinking?
“I’m really sorry,” Evelyn continued. “I know you wanted to marry Alexander—”
“I didn’t,” Hannah said quietly.
“What?”
Hannah sighed and sat on the couch. “It was never about Alexander. I wanted to marry a prince. Or a king, I guess.”
Evelyn took the seat beside her. “But… why?”
“I thought that’s what my future could be.” Hannah’s hands were trembling. “I thought maybe that was how I could actually accomplish something.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Rowan found his place in the army, and now he’s the heir to Carrowmore. You have your Fire magic—”
“You have that, too,” Evelyn interrupted.
“My magic isn’t as strong as yours. Everyone knows that. Father loves to brag about your power, but he never says anything about me. Before we came here for the betrothal, I don’t think he talked about me at all. It’s always been about you and Rowan.”
“That’s not true, Hannah.”
“Yes, it is! Even now, on this trip that’s supposed to be about me getting engaged, everyone is focused on you. Because you have even more power than the rest of us and can see past illusions and discover actual murders in the city.”
“I don’t want this magic!” Evelyn argued.
“That’s not the point!” Hannah cried. “You’re so powerful you’re literally saving lives. All I get to do is sit in the palace. Even Father believes that’s all I’m good for. This was supposed to be my chance to be important or special or something.”
“You’re already important!”
Hannah let out a bitter laugh. “To who? Father tried to give me away because I wasn’t useful in Carrowmore.
Alexander didn’t even acknowledge that I was in the room when he announced he wouldn’t marry me.
You have King Alexander, Captain Fontaine, and Councilor Ritter tripping over themselves for your attention. ”
Damien doesn’t count. He’s my friend. My very attractive, flirty friend.
“If I weren’t here,” Hannah went on, “my guard would be the only one to notice, and I don’t think Grant even likes me!”
“I would notice,” Evelyn whispered.
A tear fell down Hannah’s cheek. “But you’re staying in Gryon. You’re getting married and becoming a queen. I have to go home and sit in that cold castle without you.”
“A castle full of fae with Fire magic really should stay warmer.” Evelyn threw her arms around her sister. “I don’t want you to leave. I’m going to miss you!”
“I’ll miss you, too. But I can’t stay here without a reason. I just don’t know what I’m supposed to do in Carrowmore, either.”
Evelyn glanced around the room like there might be a brilliant plan on the wall. “Well… what would you want to do? If it were up to you and Father promised to agree, what would you do?”
Hannah frowned. “It doesn’t work like that.”
“But if it did!” Evelyn’s mind flashed with a memory. “You want to travel, right? You were excited to come to Gryon because it’s on the Sapphire Sea and closer to other countries. Is that your dream?”
“It’s not that simple, Evelyn. I can’t just take one of Father’s ships and sail out of Carrowmore.”
“Sure you could! Call it a diplomatic tour!”
Hannah shook her head. “Now that I’m not marrying a prince or a king, I think I’ve had enough royal visits for a while. I wish I could… I don’t know… jump through a magic mirror and go see what Neskowin and Brevig are really like. But that’s only possible in fairy tales.”
Magic mirrors might not be real, but Haydn’s Traveling magic could get her across the ocean.
“I bet we can find a way,” Evelyn said.
Hannah smiled sadly. “It’s fine. Maybe the next betrothal Father arranges for me will be somewhere exciting. But let’s get through your wedding first.”
She’s done talking about herself. I hate that Hannah doesn’t feel like she has control over her own life, but there’s nothing I can do to help her tonight.
“Are you going to be okay tomorrow?” Evelyn asked.
Hannah stiffened. “Of course. My dress will just be a different color than I expected.”
“You’re beautiful in literally anything,” Evelyn complained.
“Tomorrow isn’t about me. I’m happy for you. I’m glad you found the person you want to marry.”
Evelyn ignored the nervous energy in her body, blaming it on all the wine she’d had. “Me too.”