Chapter Twenty-Two

T he doors to the Grand Hall of the palace stood open, bronzy light spilling out as the sounds of the small string orchestra reached Evienne’s ears. The moment rested against her skin, hovering, suspended; this tiny fraction of her life that would never come again.

Her lungs expanded with her next breath, time spiraling forward as she slowly became aware of the soft bristling feeling of the blood red velvet of her gown against her fingertips.

She strode forward, the long slit in her skirt revealing the ivory curves of her leg. This dress was her favorite; a slight train to her skirt, a wrapped bodice, and sleeves that gracefully sat off her shoulders. Her long dark hair, smoothed into graceful waves, fell down her back in a silky sheet.

She felt at her most powerful in this moment; she had decided to examine the new possibilities, to find answers to her questions, and—most importantly—to trust her intuition about her path forward. This morning, she had been off-balance and unsure, but she knew what her values were. Her purpose now was to bring her life, and possibly the Tuanadair’s magic, back into balance.

Evienne crossed the threshold into the grand hall, her head held high, and found Orion’s eyes already locked on her. She suppressed a smile as she held his gaze from across the hall. She winked at him before turning to seek out her first target for the evening. Just before she turned away, she saw his expression of awe—and a bit of shock—turn to one of heat and hunger.

Evienne found Solon leaning against the wall near one of the floor-to-ceiling stained glass windows. She took the space next to him, digging her ring into her palm ever-so-lightly, just enough for a tiny drop of blood to gather. She summoned the barest hint of a shield; just enough to block their voices from those around them but not enough to be visible, as blood-made shields usually were. The next moment, the sounds of the hall had fallen silent. Evienne kept her gaze out toward the crowd as she said, “No one will be able to hear us now.”

Solon nodded, but also kept his gaze out toward the hall. He instinctively picked up on the need for discretion. Good; she was about to make herself incredibly vulnerable to this man she hardly knew.

“I assume you know Orion told me of your true purpose here in Ichorna,” Evienne began. “He asked for my help in uncovering whatever truth there is to find, either in our library or out in our city.” Evienne saw Solon tense slightly out of the corner of her eye as he waited for her to continue.

“I want to help. But you have to understand that from this very moment on, if anyone here were to discover not only that I am helping you, but that I have withheld information from our queens, I would be considered a traitor to Ichorna. Our lives would be in grave danger. Aldith does not often have cause to be cruel, but she will not hesitate to remove us as a threat if she learns what we suspect.” Evienne kept her voice even. Solon needed to understand the risk his friend was taking.

“I understand,” Solon breathed, his deep voice barely a rumble. “I am grateful to have found you in possession of the integrity and courage you are known for. People know of your prowess as a Sangviere, certainly, but it is your true heart that sets you apart. We are lucky indeed to call you an ally.” His voice solemn.

“Yes, well, thank you for your kind words, Solon,” Evienne answered, a bit flustered at the high praise.

“Queen Aldith knew there must be some deeper reason for your visit. Other than Queen Léhiona, we’ve barely seen a Beitaran for the past decade,” Evienne continued, relaxing into honesty with the normally formal Beitaran lord.

“Yes, Léhiona is certainly an anomaly. I knew her as a girl, you know. She was friends with my daughter. She seems…happy enough, but I am sad to see her here, so isolated from her people,” Solon admitted, his voice tinged with regret.

“I am glad of your help, Evienne.” Solon’s gaze finally shifted to meet Evienne’s.

“Someone very wise taught me the importance of balance, and the path to balance is through truth. While I love my homeland, I hope I am not so shallow as to be blind to the possibility of wrongdoing. It is possible to hold love for a place alongside skepticism. Orion has given me enough questions that I cannot simply stand by without answers. We will find the truth together and decide how to move forward.” Evienne shifted from her place on the wall, dropping the sound shield with a flick of her wrist.

Solon smiled at Evienne before she strode away, slipping into the crowd.

Evienne could feel Orion’s attention on her before she spotted him. As she approached the doors that stood open to the cold night air of the veranda, he appeared with a wine glass in each hand. He met her as she walked toward him, extending a glass to her.

“Evienne.” Orion’s voice was a sensual purr that had an instant effect on her. Her name on his lips was a greeting, an understanding, and a promise, all at once.

“Hello, Orion. Walk with me?” Evienne flashed a look at him through her lashes as she took the wine glass he offered. She didn’t wait for him to agree before she headed out onto the veranda; she knew he would follow.

She pricked her palm again, settling the sound barrier into place around them as they walked slowly down the length of the veranda. The night was particularly cool, so they found themselves alone despite the crowded hall.

“I assume you’ve made a decision then?” Orion asked.

“I have, yes.” Evienne glanced at him to read his expression. He looked… worried. Did he really doubt her?She hadn’t said yes immediately, but it wasn’t because she didn’t want to help. She just needed space to decide to risk everything she had worked for.

“Orion, you cannot think that I would be so blindly loyal as to ignore the questions you’ve shared with me. I love Ichorna and its people, certainly, but I value the truth more. I only needed time to be sure I was ready to commit treason. I am, as it turns out, so of course I will help in whatever way I’m able.” Evienne stopped and turned to face him.

“I did not doubt your integrity, but it is a great thing to ask someone to willingly become a traitor to the nation they have loyally served. I am not ignorant to the weight this carries.” He reached out to grasp her hand then, drawing her closer to him.

“While I am eternally grateful that you’ve decided to help us find the truth of our magic, it is your thoughts on our other matter that I have worried over the most.” Orion’s thumb stroked over the top of Evienne’s hand as he spoke. She lifted her gaze to his, studying his features bathed in the moonlight.

“Orion, I don’t know what to make of what is between us, but I do not believe it is nothing. Who am I to dismiss something so rare and revered among your people? I don’t know what the truth is, but I am willing to seek it out alongside you.” She held his gaze as she spoke, and she saw relief and hope and something deeper shining through his eyes.

Orion set his glass on the wide railing and let his other hand drift up to her waist. The warmth of his hands seeped into the velvet of her gown. “Evienne, I…” Orion trailed off, raising his hand to cup her cheek lightly. “I am grateful for your openness and your trust; I will endeavor to be worthy of both. I must tell you, Evienne—in answer to your honesty—I have never felt anything like what I feel when I am near you. For the first time in my life, it’s as if I can feel my magic coursing through me, and the draw I feel to you grows stronger each time I’m near you. Last night…” he closed his eyes for a moment, and his fingers tensed on her waist. Evienne was aware of every place he touched her, but she waited to hear what he would say.

“Last night, I experienced something with you that I thought was little more than a fairytale. For me, there will be no other but you, Evienne Elodie D’Auclaire,” he said, barely more than a whisper on the cold autumn wind.

Evienne’s breath caught at his admission; no other but her? Did he mean forever? Before she could respond, he continued, “I do not expect the same surety from you, Evienne. I simply hope to have the chance to earn your love in time. I do not want you to feel as though you have no choice—I only wish you to know that mine is made.”

“Orion.” His name sounded breathless on her lips. She trailed her hand up his chest, her fingers grazing the warm skin of his neck before coming to rest on his jaw.

“I think I would like you to kiss me now,” she said, leaning into his warmth.

“Anything for you, love,” he whispered, lowering his lips to hers.