Chapter 72
Dragon
Evelyn dreamed about walking through the city.
Snowflakes fell in front of an ice cream shop, delighting the local children who had never seen real snow in Gryon.
A woman selling flowers sang so seductively that Evelyn drifted toward her without meaning to.
She was about to take a sip of wine that supposedly tasted like chocolate-covered strawberries, when the dream shifted.
Evelyn stood on the dais in the Rosebud Chapel. She wore a white dress, with long sleeves, covered in delicate lace. It didn’t shimmer or sparkle or shine, but it was pretty. She had an emerald and gold ring on her left hand.
“You look heavenly, my love.”
Evelyn spun toward the voice, and Haydn beamed at her. He was practically glowing in the sunshine streaming through the glass walls. She reached out to touch his cheek.
“EVELYN!”
The scream sounded like it was coming from all around her. Evelyn startled, but Haydn’s loving expression didn’t change.
I must have imagined it.
He took her hand. “You are going to marry me.”
Evelyn bounced on the balls of her feet before throwing her arms around Haydn’s neck. “Yes! Yes, of course I am!”
“EVELYN!”
The scream was louder this time.
Evelyn jumped back, her heart racing. “Who is that?”
“Nobody, love.” Haydn smiled. “It’s only us here.”
“But… the voice sounds so familiar…”
Annoyance flickered across Haydn’s face. “You don’t want to leave me, do you?”
“No!” Evelyn said. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
Haydn opened his arms and she melted into him.
“Kiss me,” Evelyn whispered.
Haydn leaned down and—
Evelyn woke up.
“Do you still want a kiss?”
Haydn was lying beside her where Leo should have been sleeping.
Evelyn jumped out of bed. “What the fuck are you doing here? Where is Leo?”
Haydn smirked. “I thought we were having a nice time.”
“Were you in my head? What the hell was that?” Evelyn’s heart thundered in her chest. “Was Leo screaming for me? Is that what I heard in my dream?”
“I’ve always loved how clever you are.”
“Did you hurt him? I swear, Haydn—”
“He’s fine. I’ll explain everything as soon as we get to the ballroom.”
Evelyn ran, not caring that she was only in a short nightgown and no shoes. She practically flew down the stairs. There weren’t any guards in the hallways, but she didn’t have time to worry about that.
Something is wrong. I need to find Leo.
Evelyn came to a dead stop when she reached the ballroom.
Damien, Leo, Simon, Rory, Camille, King Tristan, and Hannah were kneeling on the hard floor, spaced just out of arm’s reach from one another.
Behind each of them stood a man holding a sword against their necks.
The captors snickered at Evelyn’s shocked expression.
No. No, no, no. This isn’t real. What has Haydn done?
“Run, Evelyn!” Leo shouted.
Before she could move, Haydn grabbed her wrist. He positioned them so Evelyn faced her captive loved ones, with her back to the patio doors.
“What are you doing?” Evelyn had meant to yell, but the Bargain magic forced her to be pleasant while other people were watching.
Haydn squeezed her wrist tighter. “I need some assurances from you, my love. I need to know you won’t run away.”
The appropriate answer was “Fuck you!” but Evelyn wasn’t allowed to say that. “You need to let them go, Haydn.”
He clicked his tongue. “You overestimate how much power you have tonight. Or did you not notice that everyone you care about is seconds away from bleeding out? Those men take orders from me, not you.”
Evelyn went pale. Her friends and family had been dragged out of bed in the middle of the night.
Hannah and her father were terrified. Camille was furious.
Rory and Simon were clearly trying to find a way out of this.
Leo was panicking, and Evelyn worried he would cut his own neck by accident if he didn’t calm down.
Damien was in uniform—Does he sleep in it?
Where was he before this?—but his weapons had been removed.
His face was stoic until their eyes met.
Damien gave Evelyn a small, reassuring smile.
“I won’t run. I’m not leaving them.”
Haydn released her. “Excellent.”
“Let her go!” Leo demanded. “I’ll stay. Let everyone else go.”
“What would be the fun in that?” Haydn laughed. “We just got here.”
Evelyn dared to ask another question. “Why are we all here?”
“Oh, I don’t want to talk about that yet.” Haydn drew his thumb across Evelyn’s lip. “Let’s play a game, shall we?”
She would have bit him if the deal hadn’t been holding her still. “What kind of game?”
“A question game! It will help us get to know each other better. For my final wish, all you have to do is answer five questions honestly.”
“Final wish?” Damien echoed.
Dread rose in Evelyn’s gut as Haydn’s magic tightened in her throat, ready to control her voice.
“You wouldn’t rather play hide and seek?” she suggested.
“Oh no, this will be so much more entertaining.”
Whatever his game is, I’m going to lose.
“Just tell us what you want!” Leo yelled.
“I want to hear Evelyn’s opinion on a few things,” Haydn said, unbothered by the outburst.
“Like what, Haydn?” Evelyn asked.
He smiled at her again. A cunning, twisted smile. “Would you have married me if Alexander hadn’t proposed?”
Fuck.
Evelyn refused to look at Leo. She tried to say no, but the magic wouldn’t let her tongue form the wrong word. “Yes.”
Satisfaction flashed across Haydn’s eyes. “How did I convince you?”
She tried to whisper, but the magic forced her to be heard. “You came back when I asked you to, and you didn’t hide that you wanted to be with me.”
Damn his Bargains.
Haydn presented his third question. “Do you regret marrying Alexander?”
Evelyn’s eyes widened, pleading with him, but he only waited for her to speak. “Sometimes.”
“Evelyn!” Leo cried out like he’d been stabbed. “Stop this!”
A tear rolled down her cheek.
I don’t have a choice.
“Who do you trust most in this room?” Haydn asked next.
“Damien.” The name spilled out before Evelyn had consciously thought of an answer.
“Interesting! Not your husband, or your father, or your sister… but the guard dog.” Haydn strode over to Damien, appraising him. “And how did you earn such respect, Fontaine?”
“Release me and I’ll show you,” Damien growled.
Haydn chuckled. “I know better than to let a dog off his leash!” He returned to Evelyn. “I have more questions about that, but I don’t want to waste my opportunity here.”
“Please, Haydn,” Evelyn begged. “Let’s play something else.”
“You can’t quit now. Well, you can’t quit at all. But there’s only one more question left.”
I’m sure he saved the best for last.
“Who here did you most enjoy fucking?”
Evelyn wanted to set herself on fire. Every second she delayed answering, the Bargain magic tightened around her like a noose. When she spoke, she choked on the word.
“You!” she told Haydn.
Evelyn fell to her knees and coughed as the magic released her. She couldn’t help but look at Leo now, whose face was set with rage. The captors behind her friends and family didn’t hide their laughter at Evelyn’s humiliation.
A brief pain burned on the back of her leg from the tattoo disappearing.
The deal is over. I’m not his fucking genie anymore. That means I don’t have to be nice.
“You asshole!” Evelyn yelled at Haydn. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
“I think we proved that you enjoy me the way I am.”
Haydn hauled Evelyn up again. Flames burst from her fingertips, then simply rolled over his body and disappeared. Evelyn clawed at him, but Haydn caught her wrists.
“Should we show everyone what you like me to do to you?” he purred. “Maybe Fontaine will take up my offer to join us this time. Would you like that?”
Evelyn thrashed. “Let go of me!”
“Oh, you probably don’t want your father to see. That’s okay. I can pluck his eyes out like I did with the other king.”
Evelyn’s blood turned to ice. “You… You killed King Gerard?”
“You murdered my father?” Leo roared.
Haydn was pleased by their reactions. “I did! It’s such a relief to get that off my chest. Secrets are quite cumbersome after a while.”
“Did you kill all of those guards?” Evelyn asked.
“Of course! I couldn’t risk getting caught. Impaling a body is a lot of work.”
“Where is the last guard?” Simon demanded. “There’s one still missing.”
“Thank you for reminding me!” Haydn snapped his fingers.
The final missing guard appeared on the floor, as carved up as the others had been.
The stench of him filled the room. Evelyn covered her nose and mouth as best she could with her one free hand.
Everyone else with a sword to their neck could only gag.
Even the captors’ eyes watered from the smell, and they struggled to hold the weapons steady.
Simon stared at the dead guard with obvious recognition and grief.
They were friends.
Without caring that it broke tradition in this kingdom, Evelyn used Fire magic to engulf the rotting body. The flames were so hot that it took only moments for the guard to burn to ashes.
Haydn’s wild smile returned. “I cannot wait to have that magic of yours.”
Evelyn slapped him. He reeled back and raised a hand to his reddened skin. His expression twisted into something sinister Evelyn had seen only once before.
“You shouldn’t have done that. I only promised not to hurt you.”
Haydn conjured a ball of Energy light and whipped it through the air. The magic hit Hannah’s chest and she collapsed onto the floor.
“Hannah!” Evelyn screamed.
Her sister didn’t move or make a sound. The captor who had been with Hannah jumped back in surprise. King Tristan yelled curses and threats.
Evelyn tried to run for her sister, but Haydn caught her around the waist.
My hands are free.
Evelyn formed Energy of her own, remembering how Moeller taught her to revive plants. She pushed the ball of light into her sister’s back. Hannah’s body shuddered, then her chest began to rise and fall in shallow, almost undetectable breaths.