Chapter 59
Decisions
Leo was discussing plans for the day with General Savatier and Commander Magalie in the ballroom. Evelyn lingered by the door, unsure if Leo would want her to interrupt.
How long is he going to be angry about my Bargains with Haydn?
Damien appeared at her side. “I told you he would show up.”
Leo handed Savatier a piece of parchment. The general read it, then his eyes shot to Evelyn. Magalie had a similar reaction. Evelyn lowered her head to avoid their stares.
“What’s going on?” Damien asked defensively. “Why are they looking at you like that?”
Evelyn couldn’t hear the short conversation Leo had with them. Savatier eventually left with the parchment. Magalie called over all the guards within earshot, including Rory and Simon.
“What’s happening?” Damien asked again.
“Leo is changing the law of succession.” Evelyn’s voice was low and monotone. “If he dies, they won’t appoint a new king. The kingdom will be mine.”
“You… What? How?”
“That’s what Leo was working on yesterday. He told me this morning.”
“But he can’t just change the law. He needs the approval of three courts to—”
“He got it. Nicolas, Robert, and Grégory signed off already.”
Damien was visibly agitated, like he had the urge to fight but there wasn’t an enemy nearby. “You didn’t know Leo was planning this?”
“No.”
“Are you okay?”
Evelyn glanced up at him. “No congratulations?”
“Is this what you want?” he whispered.
She shrugged. “It’s already done.”
The group of guards dispersed from their meeting with Magalie. Rory and Simon returned to Evelyn.
Simon looked a bit dazed, but Rory bowed. “You’ve come a long way in three months.”
“Have I?” Evelyn asked sarcastically.
Damien snorted. “The queen who didn’t want to be royal and the king who didn’t want to rule. What a godsdamned shitshow this kingdom is becoming.”
“Could you not?” Simon snapped.
Damien pointed at Evelyn. “Is this what you always dreamed of as the daughter of a lord?”
Her father’s words echoed in her mind. “Evelyn is not well suited to be a queen… I expected you would marry a lord’s son… I never planned for you to rise so high… ”
No. I didn’t dream about any of this. Damien knows that. He’s the son of a lord. He understands. He doesn’t want this life either.
Lost in thought, she didn’t notice Leo approach and jumped when he put a hand on her back.
“It’s me,” he said softly.
Damien clicked his tongue. “Evelyn explained that you’re making some changes around here.”
“Yes. My bride is more than capable of ruling a kingdom,” Leo declared.
“Of course she is! I just didn’t realize the two of you had been discussing and planning this together long enough to come to a joint decision on what the rest of her life would look like.”
Damien says it like my crown is a cage.
Is it? Is this just another way of locking me here? I was mad at Leo because he was making decisions for me. What he did last night gave me so much power, but he didn’t ask what I wanted. He didn’t even mention it before he—
Leo dragged her away from the group. “Breathe, Evelyn. I’m sorry I let my frustration get the better of me earlier. I shouldn’t have left you this morning.”
She shook her head. “Is the general mad? He and Magalie didn’t seem happy.”
“They were surprised. No one has a problem with it.”
“You know that’s not true.”
“No one is allowed to have a problem with it. This was my decision.”
“Yes, it was.” Evelyn scuffed the marble floor with her shoe. “All I got to do was sign my name at the bottom.”
Leo dropped his hand. “Evelyn, you have more power than any queen in history. Are you really upset about that?”
When you put it that way, I shouldn’t complain.
“No,” she said. “It’s just starting to hit me what that means.”
“It’s okay to be scared. I’m right here with you.”
You weren’t with me yesterday. Damien was.
Leo kissed her cheek. “We’re set to leave soon.”
“Who is going with us?”
“We’ll have a team of guards. Savatier and Magalie will keep things running around here. Our parents offered to help with that as well.”
“What about Damien?” Evelyn asked.
Leo frowned. “Damien is assigned to the palace.”
“Since when has that mattered? He was with us when we planned this trip.”
“He did the preparations for us to go. We have all the sketches of the symbols to give Wendell and Moeller.”
“Damien has been here for everything else. Why wouldn’t he go now?”
“He isn’t needed,” Leo said through gritted teeth.
“Yes, he is!” Evelyn hissed.
“Why?”
“Because I will feel safer with him there.”
Leo bit down to physically stop himself from arguing. “Fine.”
He took her hand and they walked back to Damien. “You have thirty minutes to pack a bag,” Leo told him impatiently.
Damien’s bright green eyes flashed briefly to Evelyn before he refocused on Leo. “Yes, sir.”
How much did that win cost me?