Chapter 24 #2
The next portion of her plan involved Hilla, the only person she could trust aside from Dieve and Phyona at the moment, but both of them were out of the question.
Phyona was far too crucial a person to risk and Dieve was far too old.
Though the old bat was powerful and talented, Nymiria was not reckless enough to involve her in something so dangerous.
Nymiria hadn't the time to ensure that Aziel would come back in time to help her, so she'd made the tough decision of leaving Hilla with a message for the young god, hoping that everything would be relayed in a timely manner.
Tonight, she would seduce Everand again. And this time, she would be taking the children and her father with her. She hoped that the further from that palace they were, the less powerful Everand's charms would be.
Hilla had given Nymiria the herbs to aid her in making her own sleeping tincture, having made her repeat the steps over and over again until she remembered them by heart.
She emptied the tin that Raina had given her of the tea and filled it with those herbs, glamouring them to look like lavender and chamomile.
She’d been careful. Now she had to be cunning.
Charming. Which was no problem at all, considering her talents.
Nymiria dressed herself in something she believed would please Everand and his bitch of a mother, even going so far as to decorate herself in gold and jewels that the prince seemed to like so much.
The gown she’d chosen was that of a deep red—not a color that was usually worn in Eadyn, but one that was necessary at the moment.
Her skin looked sickly in red. When she’d been in Yaar, she wore a glamour that made her skin sunkissed and brilliant enough to compliment the shade, but Nymiria decided against it.
Even if appearance mattered to Everand, she wanted him to see how out of place she looked in his colors.
She wanted him to see that she didn’t and would never belong.
She followed the sounds of chatter to the veranda, her whole body seizing when she saw Auritsa seductively running her finger along Thorn’s arm. He looked enamoured, that glossy sheen to his eyes that everyone in the palace seemed to carry.
Everand rose quickly from his chair the moment he noticed her, rushing to her side and taking her hand into his. “There you are,” he chuckled. “I was beginning to worry about you. I thought, perhaps, I’d been too rough with you and left you in a terrible state.”
Nymiria’s cheeks reddened, her eyes moving around the courtyard.
The children were playing. And when she spotted Raven standing amongst them, his eyes hard and his hands balled into fists, she felt her heart give a hard thump.
“No,” she said quietly. “You weren’t too rough with me. I just—it’s been quite a while since…”
Everand patted her hand, smiling fondly as he reached up and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. “I understand. Women are so delicate.” The pad of his thumb skimmed over the ruby dangling from her ear. “Not many can handle me, petal. This just further proves how good of a match we are.”
She was doing everything possible to maintain this facade, but every moment spent in his presence was a test to her limits.
She’d prided herself in her ability to survive, but Nymiria was tired of merely surviving.
She was tired of pretending, tired of acting and playing a part.
Every muscle in her body wanted to react accordingly, but her mind and her own inborn need to protect herself, would not let her.
Everand escorted her to the table that’d been set for them. By the spread that was prepared, she calculated that it was roughly midday. And though she was not particularly hungry for anything, she forced herself to eat. To pretend.
“You look rather exhausted, Nymiria.” Thorn said from across the table.
Auritsa was still clinging to his arm, her fingers curling around a strand of his beard.
“I assume you two have been enjoying yourselves?” He and Auritsa burst into a fit of laughter.
Even Everand gave a few chuckles, shaking his head.
“Things are going well. I believe we are becoming familiar with one another.” She stated.
It was not entirely a lie, which she decided was the best way to navigate conversation.
Everand was the God of Deception. And while his lust had blinded him from seeing through her lies the night before, she was not sure if she would be very believable now. Half truths and omissions were safe.
“I believe that we will be ready for the wedding within a few days.” Everand said loudly. “I believe it would be best for us to go ahead and get preparations in order.”
Auritsa nodded. “Yes, I do agree. The sooner, the better.”
Thorn smiled. “The sooner, the better.”
Nymiria dug her nails in her palm, the pain being a dull reminder to keep her wits about her until the time came. “Yes. The sooner, the better.” She gave a nod. “Who will we invite?”
Everand placed a hand on her shoulder, stroking the small path of silver-speckled skin there as if it were a threat. “I have already prepared a list.”
They continued the day mulling over plans for the engagement announcement and when Everand and Thorn disappeared to discuss more in terms of their alliance, Auritsa welcomed Nymiria on a walk through the courtyard, which was now void of children.
They were all inside relaxing before dinner, the palace grounds now silent and filled with the sounds of chirping crickets and the trilling of evening bird songs.
“I didn’t want to marry Everand’s father.
” Auritsa said, finally. Nymiria’s steps slowed, her brow crumpling as she looked at the woman.
“I can understand the anger you had in the beginning, and I am overly joyed that you’ve decided to be a willing participant in this plan of ours.
As much as I love my son, he can be a bit rough at times.
” She chuckled nervously, running her hands along the pleated skirts of her dress.
“His father was not above doing whatever it took in order to have what he wanted. Even when it came to me bearing him children, he did as he pleased. After time, I found that it was better for me to relax. To think of anything and anyone else. Eventually, I began to like it.” She offered a weak smile.
“I love my son. I love my son, Nymiria, but he is so much like his father sometimes that it terrifies even me. I don’t know how this darkness corrupted our souls, but it has.
And I am doing all that I can to right these wrongs. ”
Nymiria’s mouth parted, preparing to begin questioning the woman, but Auritsa lifted her hand.
“Nymiria, your mother worked with dark gods in order to achieve the things she wanted in life. She was a whore to the God of Blight, she brought her destruction into Alvaros, and she corrupted my son when he was just a wee babe—” Her voice broke off into a quiet sob, her trembling hand covering her ruined mouth.
“I saw an Oracle once who believed that the only way to end the blight upon my son was to obtain you. The Goddess of Life.”
“Auritsa.” Nymiria whispered. “I know that you don’t want to hear this, but what if Everand isn’t this way because of a blight? What if he is like this because of who sired him?”
The strike to her cheek was unexpected, but Nymiria took the blow.
Apologies spilled from her lips immediately, her hand coming up to caress the red mark that was now blooming across her face.
Auritsa left her there. Alone. And while Nymiria had every opportunity to run for that gate, she chose not to—knowing that she would need Everand completely unconscious before she continued her plan.
Hilla would be arriving in a few short hours. All Nymiria had to do was pretend to be enjoying the evening breeze, relishing in the fresh air. No one came out to retrieve her dinner and she took her meal on the veranda, thanking Raina as she went.
She ate. She plotted. She sat and waited until Everand appeared at the door, his eyes filled with concern that was too theatrical to be real.
“Petal, why didn’t you come to dinner?” He asked.
Nymiria looked out at the courtyard, at the glowing strip of orange that was slowly waning on the horizon.
“This is my home, Everand. I was just thinking about how sad I will be to leave this place and I’ve already just returned.
” She turned away from him, pretending to wipe away a tear. “My whole childhood is here.”
“So delicate.” He crooned, his hand closing over the back of her neck.
She squeezed her eyes together as he massaged the flesh.
She could presume that he was trying to be tender, but his hands were still too rough.
“You will be permitted yearly visits. For your birthday. It was an agreement I made with your father.”
“That is so kind of you.” She said softly, slowly turning to face him. “You have very talented fingers. Do you think that you could continue this upstairs?”
Everand’s eyes glowed and Nymiria believed that hers were, as well.
It was almost too easy. The thought had her riddled with fear as she led him up to their rooms, glancing over her shoulder as if he’d pull a knife on her at any moment.
The moment never came. Even as she prepared the herbs from Hilla and poured it into two tea cups, he continued to watch her with that wildness in his eyes.
“Are you going to spit this in my mouth, too?” He asked as she handed him the cup.
Nymiria rolled her eyes and shook her head. “I was feeling very brave last night, I do admit. I have never done that before in my life.”
Everand clicked his tongue and smirked at her, rubbing at his thigh to beckon her forward. “Shame,” he said. “Why don’t you come sit with me?”