Chapter 73
Sorry
The guards on duty woke up from their magic-induced sleep. The remainder of the Royal Guard descended on the palace, followed by the Royal Army.
Leo disappeared, leaving King Tristan to explain the night’s events to General Savatier and Commander Magalie. The two captors that Rory had wrangled were taken to the army base for questioning. Once Damien returned to the palace, King Tristan left to see Hannah in the hospital.
The guards from Carrowmore couldn’t hide their alarm at Prince Rowan’s sudden, nearly naked, bloody appearance in the wrong kingdom. They found him a room and borrowed some of King Tristan’s clothing, which was baggy on Rowan but better than nothing.
Evelyn retreated to her old bedroom, where Odette helped her clean off the blood and ashes she was covered in. Evelyn’s mind spun violently between dissociation and panic. The lady’s maid would pause her ministrations to let Evelyn cry, then pick up again when she ran out of tears.
Rowan arrived at Evelyn’s room just as the first hint of dawn shone through the windows. Evelyn fell into his arms, and Odette quietly left.
“Evvy…” Rowan breathed.
“I’m sorry!” Evelyn cried.
“I don’t understand what happened. Who the hell was that?”
The chaos of the past few weeks poured out of her. Evelyn explained Leo and Haydn and the lies and the deals. Rowan strained to keep his face neutral, not wanting to upset his sister.
“Shit, Evvy. I didn’t know things were so bad here. Father didn’t give me all the details of what was happening, just enough to make sure Carrowmore’s army was ready. Then he said you were getting married, which was confusing, but I thought that meant you were okay.”
“I didn’t know any of this was going to happen. I swear!”
“I know you didn’t. Sounds like Ritter was a monster long before you showed up. I’m glad you torched that asshole because I sure as fuck wanted to.”
“I’m sorry about Emily.”
Rowan’s eyes darkened. “I was going to propose.”
“What? I didn’t think you were that serious with her.”
“We weren’t at first, but she’s been staying at the castle. It just feels right with her… felt… it felt right with her.” Rowan crumpled into a chair, covering his face with his hands.
Evelyn took a seat beside him, not sure what to do. “I’m sorry, Rowan.”
He didn’t respond right away, and Evelyn’s guilt festered.
Rowan didn’t just lose his girlfriend. He also lost the future he’d been imagining, like Hannah lost her dreams when I married Leo. I stole that from both of them.
After a few minutes, Rowan sat up and forced out a long breath. “So. What else did I miss?”
Evelyn braced herself. “I found out who my real mother is.”
Rowan froze. “Father told you?”
“No, actually, Haydn did. He was there when she and Father met in Lochmatten. Turns out, I look exactly like her.”
“I couldn’t tell you, Evvy. Father made me promise—”
“I know. He said as much.”
Rowan sighed. “I was so angry at him. Father had been gone for months, and then it was like the world crashed down around us. I was with Mother when she died. Did I ever tell you that? She was in labor for three days and I stayed at her side the whole time. The Healers tried everything. Hannah and I had to say goodbye, and then the Healers cut the baby out. It was a boy. He was alive when he was born, but he had been in distress for too long. I held him, but the Healers knew he wouldn’t make it, so I didn’t let Hannah back in the room. His lungs gave out in a couple hours.”
Rowan and Evelyn were both crying quiet tears.
“I was preparing to tell Hannah she’d lost a brother,” Rowan continued.
“That’s when Father came home, holding the tiniest baby I’d ever seen.
I thought I was hallucinating. He handed you to me, said your name was Evelyn, and asked me to show you to Hannah.
I was too exhausted to argue. I walked into her room with you bundled in a blanket.
She was so excited to have a sister. I didn’t say anything but your name. ”
“She had no idea?”
“No. Mother had been sick her whole pregnancy, so Hannah assumed you were so small because of that. The Healers looked you over and said you would be okay. I don’t know how Father convinced them to keep quiet, but they did.
He told me the truth later that night. I screamed at him until I lost my voice.
It took a long time before I was willing to forgive him. ”
“I’m surprised you forgave him at all.”
Rowan’s gaze unfocused. “But you were so little and beautiful and packed with attitude. Your tiny fingers couldn’t even wrap around my thumb, but you loved to pull Hannah’s hair.
I was the only one who could get you to settle down when you cried.
Once you started walking, you were my shadow.
Which got annoying sometimes. I was a teenager, and you had a bad habit of accidentally setting my stuff on fire. ”
“I remember that!”
“You have always been my sister, Evvy. I was angry with Father but never with you.”
A short knock sounded on the door and Damien entered the room. His uniform was blood-stained from the fight earlier. Evelyn and Rowan stood and approached him. Damien’s expression softened at the sight of Evelyn’s tear-stained face.
“Prince Rowan.” Damien bowed. “My name is Damien Fontaine. I’m a captain in the Royal Army. Aside from the circumstances, it’s good to meet you. Your sister speaks highly of you.”
“She just finished catching me up on the madness around here.” Rowan reached out to shake Damien’s hand. “Thank you for protecting her.”
“I think Evelyn proved tonight that she needs little protection. And I apologize for interrupting, but I do need to speak with her.”
Rowan checked with Evelyn, who nodded.
“I’ll hunt down some tea,” he said.
Once Rowan left, Damien stepped close to Evelyn.
Her eyes pleaded for mercy. “I didn’t know.”
“None of us did, Evelyn. Ritter was a prick, but no one expected this.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“You aren’t in trouble,” Damien soothed.
“Camille and Simon died because of me!”
“They died because Ritter killed them. You saved everyone else in that room. Hannah is alive because of your magic, whatever that was. You saved your family and Leo.”
“Leo is going to hate me.”
Damien hesitated. “Have you talked to him yet?”
“No. Have you?”
“No. I’m not entirely sure where he is.”
“I just wanted to be with him. I ruined everything.”
“Ritter manipulated you. He used you. That’s what I need to talk to you about. The deals you made are over now, right?”
“Yes. My last tattoo disappeared when he died. When I…” Evelyn trailed off.
“That’s my first question. How did you kill Ritter? I thought your Fire magic couldn’t touch him.”
“Do you remember when Haydn had lunch with us before he left the first time? We were talking about magic and how elements could affect him. Leo was grumpy and asked if he could drown. Haydn said yes, if someone could get water in his lungs.”
Damien’s eyebrows shot up. “You drowned him with Fire.”
Evelyn winced. “I wasn’t sure it would work, but I didn’t know what else to try.”
“That’s…”
“Horrifying.”
“Brilliant, Evelyn. You are brilliant!”
“Haydn was here for me. I got us into this mess!”
“He killed several royals before he even met you. You stopped him.”
“I burned a man from the inside out. Don’t try to convince me I’m the hero.”
Damien waved a hand dismissively. “We’ll come back to that. Tell me about his Traveling magic.”
“I didn’t know he was using it like that. I didn’t know he had anything to do with King Gerard or—”
“It’s okay. Tell me what you do know.”
Evelyn described the night on the beach, seeing the dragons, and making the Bargain that prevented her from talking about it.
“I knew you were lying to me that day,” Damien teased. “I feel better knowing it wasn’t your choice. What else?”
Evelyn told him about the last Bargain she had made with Haydn and how much impact his first wish had.
“So even if you figured out what Ritter was up to, you wouldn’t have been able to warn us.”
“I didn’t realize it was that dark, but yes.”
“Did he say anything else about the Traveling magic? Like if it’s common in Lochmatten?”
“He said it was an ability his family had. Heinrich and Tasia would’ve used it to leave the palace if they could, right? Haydn probably brought them here. Did you find them?”
Damien shook his head. “No. It’s like they vanished. But I think you’re right. It would’ve been easier for them to disappear from the ballroom instead of running away. I don’t think they can Travel like Ritter does.”
This is a disaster.
“I’m sorry, Evelyn.” Damien frowned. “I should’ve seen that there was more going on before it got this far.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong! You were always trying to help me. I fucked up.”
Damien took her hands and held her gaze. The gesture felt oddly familiar.
This is what the Invenion showed us in Lochmatten. This moment was the third scene it revealed.
“I need you to listen to me,” he said. “You are not responsible for what Ritter did. That bastard is not your fault. You made sure your brother, sister, father, husband, guard, and me were all able to walk away.”
“Simon was my guard, too. Then Camille… You heard Leo screaming.”
“This will become a war against Heinrich and Tasia. More people are going to die before it’s over.”
Evelyn balked. “You aren’t very good at making me feel better.”
“I’m not trying to make you feel better.
I’m telling you this wasn’t your fault because it’s the truth.
I’m telling you that the fighting isn’t over because it’s the truth.
You trust me because I’m honest with you.
I will always protect you, but I won’t hide you away when things are scary.
You are so much more powerful than I am. You can handle it.”
“You waited until I distracted Haydn before you attacked the men holding the swords,” Evelyn realized.
Damien grinned. “I knew you’d come up with something. I just didn’t expect the plan to involve kissing Ritter to death.”
Evelyn blushed. “Shut up! It worked, didn’t it?”
“It did. You’re really fucking impressive, Evelyn. Gods help anyone who underestimates you. But I need you to make me another promise.”
“Which is?”
“No more secrets. I’ve told you before that I can’t help you if I don’t know what’s going on.”
“No more secrets,” Evelyn agreed.
Damien pushed her hair back and kissed her cheek. When he straightened again, Evelyn couldn’t read the look in his green eyes.
“Something wrong?” she asked.
When Damien spoke, his voice was low and quiet. “I’m glad Ritter’s dead. But I don’t blame him for how badly he wanted you.”
Evelyn took in a sharp breath before there was a tentative knock at the door. Damien opened it, letting Rowan inside with the tea he’d brought.
“Perfect timing,” Damien said brightly. “Your sister gets snippy without tea.”
Rowan laughed. “Good to know she’s made herself at home here. How many important things has she set on fire?”
“Nope,” Evelyn said. “The two of you don’t need to be friends. No, thank you.”
“I believe I said the same thing when you started conspiring with my sister,” Damien reminded her.
“That was different.”
“How?”
“We were teasing you, not me.”
Damien faked a glare at her, not quite hiding his smile. “If you weren’t the queen, I would ship you back to Carrowmore!”
“Liar.”
“I’m not taking her back,” Rowan said. “Not now that I’ve finally experienced some peace and quiet in that castle.”
“I missed you, too, brother,” Evelyn replied sweetly.
Damien went to the door. “When you get hungry, tell one of the guards in the hallway and they’ll have breakfast sent up here.”
“Where are you going?” Evelyn asked.
“I have work to do. You need to rest.”
He left, and Evelyn turned to her brother.
“I like him,” Rowan said.
“Not surprising. I thought you two would get along.”
“What about your husband?”
“What about him?” Evelyn asked.
“Would I like him? Will I get to meet him soon? What is he like when he doesn’t have a sword pressed to his throat?”
“He’s… Leo is kind. I just don’t know if he’ll forgive me after what happened.”
“He married you, so he loves you. It might take some time, but you’ll be okay.”
I really hope you’re right. Because we aren’t just married… we’re king and queen.