Chapter Eighteen

E vienne spent the next day drifting through the motions of her life, the seconds flitting by while her mind was a tempest of worry and questions.

Aldith had suspected an ulterior motive for the Beitarans’ visit, but she was certain she never could have guessed this would be it. Surely there was some other reason the magic had disappeared; the connection to Ichorna must be purely coincidence, right?

But Aldith’s suspicion of the Beitaran’s motives left an uneasy feeling in Evienne’s stomach. If Ichorna had nothing to hide, why be so suspicious of a people who had been their peaceful neighbors for a thousand years?She had thought it odd that Aldith was so harsh about the possibility of the Beitarans seeking aid.

Evienne’s intuition rarely led her astray, and for some reason it was now urging her to hold her tongue to the queens about Orion’s confession. Surely nothing would come of it, and she could report it to them in a few days when his suspicions proved to be unfounded.More than that, the thought of betraying Orion’s confidence made her feel physically ill.

Orion and Solon were tied up for the afternoon at some sort of diplomatic luncheon, so Evienne took the opportunity to head out into the city for a walk. She rarely had time to just stroll these days, so it was a welcome reprieve.

She left the palace through the side entrance, an unassuming door for deliveries that was located on the lower level near the kitchens. Evienne crossed a small courtyard and nodded to the guards stationed at the gate as she moved into the city.

It opened to a tiny, winding alley, less crowded than the main thoroughfare that led to the front gate. Evienne preferred to slip out this way when she could; it was quieter. She enjoyed the forgotten corners of the city—they gave her time and space to think.

She meandered through the maze of streets, taking moments here and there to admire the vignettes the city offered her. The afternoon sun sent a pinprick of light bouncing off a deep violet window; a tangle of crisp dried leaves, loose and caught swirling in the breeze, scraping against the pavement; the sweet smell of fresh, warm bread on the air.

Soon, her winding path brought her to a busier street, and she looked up into the open blue sky as the buildings parted to make space above her. Her gaze landed on the massive glass dome of the Centrale Lumine. It truly was a marvel—both the architecture and the energy produced within.

Ichorna was now known across Domhan na Rùin for their technological advances, but what made their energy source so incredible was that it only required a few mages at a time to channel their magic into the system. The lights that kept Ichorna bright and the Rail system that kept them connected were both extremely efficient in their use of magical energy.

The Centrale Lumine was so large because of all the energy storage it housed. There was often a surplus. The facility was created primarily to store any overflow to be used in the case of emergency.

Evienne sighed and turned away from the Centrale Lumine, heading instead for her favorite tea shop in the city. After walking a few blocks, she pushed open the large wooden door of the shop and the tangy, herbal scent that greeted her made her close her eyes in pleasure. She stepped in and began to make her way toward a table, but a familiar voice called her name.

“Evienne, hello!” Lou called from a small table tucked behind the door, right by the window.

“Oh, Lou, what a lovely surprise! What are you doing here?”

“Had the day off, so I thought I’d stop by to get the best cup of tea in town,” Lou answered with a smile. They gestured for Evienne to take the seat opposite them.

Evienne returned their smile and took a seat. “So how are things, Lou? Did everything go alright after I left Cambrie?”

“Oh of course, we had everything under control! You worry too much, you know?” Lou said with a laugh.

Evienne did know; she wished she could stop worrying, actually. She laughed along as she waved over the waiter and ordered a pot of tea.

“Other than that, things have been… alright, I suppose. Something odd happened the other day,” Lou said, concern creasing their brow. They continued, “I had a few of my mages pulled from my cohort this week, but no one will tell me why or where they’ve been reallocated.”

Evienne felt herself frowning. “Who told you, though? Who gave the order?”

Lou rolled their eyes. “Dominique did; she came to tell me herself and then refused to answer any of my questions. Typical.”

Lou knew the history between Evienne and Dominique, and they were the type of loyal friend that could hold a grudge on your behalf forever if needed. Evienne really liked them.

A flash of anger surged through Evienne at Lou’s words. “What gives her the right? She’s not in charge of assignments.”

“Oh I know it—I planned to come talk to you tomorrow when I’m back on duty. I thought you handled all Sangviere assignments.”

“I do! I do handle them,” Evienne said, her indignation flaring. “I’ll figure it out, Lou; thank you for telling me.”

“Thanks, I appreciate it. I just can’t imagine what Dominique is slinking around doing that she needs more mages,” Lou said with a sigh.

“No idea, but I certainly intend to find out.”