“We are yet to share a room for any real amount of time.” Glais pointed out. “Even now I am banned from your chambers, Evangeline.” He looked down at his feet, and Evangeline could see that it was correct. Glais had not crossed the threshold into her room.
“I want to apologise, because I know that is what you want from me Glais, but I cannot.” Evangeline made to close the door, but Glais spoke and stopped her.
“Allow me to take you some place,” Glais said. Panic gripped her instantly, and Glais realised his mistake just a little too late to do anything about it. “Just to the stables if that is all you will allow. Here in the bedroom if that is your current limitations, but please allow me to show you the man I am, not the creature you fear me to be.”
Evangeline opened her mouth to speak, and yet there was no sound on her first attempt. It was a real effort for Evangeline to finally find her voice. “Glais, I cannot trust you.”
Glais nodded. “I know this.” He watched as Evangeline withdrew from the sound of his voice and Glais tried to soften his words, but it was hard. “But we are here together, and there is nothing to remove this marriage from our paths. In time, questions will come.” Glais paused, reconsidering his strategies but knowing there was no point in hiding from Evangeline. “Evangeline, allow me to treat you to supper. Only the two of us, in any room or part of Braykith you wish. Let me try.”
Evangeline looked past him however there was no one to save her. Wick had shown impeccable timing in the past, but it seemed that this time, Evangeline was truly on her own. She could not stay here forever, but Evangeline had no greater plan. She knew that what Glais was saying was true. Braykith needed an heir for reasons no other Kingdom could fathom, but Glais did not understand how that was such a daunting task for Evangeline. Any son she bore would be cursed, just like his father and his father before him. She nodded, wiping her eyes softly before the tears could fall.
“You may join me for supper here in our chambers. And we will try.” Glais nodded and reached for her hand. When Evangeline pulled back, he pressed his lips together to keep from saying something hurtful. “I’m sorry,” Evangeline said, and Glais shook his head.
“No, I should have known better.” Glais knew he was allowing her freedoms that he would never reclaim after setting them, and yet Glais was at a loss on how best to proceed. “I will come with supper.” He promised and made a hasty retreat, leaving the room and heading out of the castle. Being near her was maddening, but being rejected so consistently made him hurt in a way Glais had never experienced.
CHAPTER THREE
Evangeline did not need to watch Glais leave to know he was fleeing the castle. They had been married for only some months, but she was quickly learning things about him that could not be taught. She was also aware that she should be trying harder, but it was close to impossible for her to forget the danger that Glais possessed. Although the family curse was from no fault of his own, Evangeline could blame him for how he chose to control himself.
She knew there was no way to forget the role Glais played in Teagan and Viviana’s deaths. Evangeline rubbed her arms at the chill that struck her whenever she thought of the circumstances that had led to that terrible moment. Glais was the one who had attacked her, pinned her beneath his body and forced her to see nothing but demise. Even no she was repulsed by the memory. Evangeline would never understand how girls volunteered to keep him fed.
Evangeline bit her bottom lip, staring at nothing as she shut out those memories and focused on her current predicament. Could she share a meal with him? Evangeline never imagined that this would be a difficult question to answer. Before she arrived at Braykith, when she was younger and naïve, she had blushed at the idea of the experiences they would share during married life. Now, Evangeline looked for every excuse to avoid him. Was it possible for them to be able to form a friendship? Evangeline could not be confident, but it hardly mattered. They both had roles to play, and she needed to give him a child.
Her eyes drifted to the bed.
No longer pleased with her surroundings, she grabbed the coat from where it had sat all morning untouched. Like most of her clothing, this item was made from a fabric she could not name, but those facts no longer bothered her. Of all the mysteries that stalked her waking thoughts, where her clothes came from was not as important as the man who drunk blood to survive. Evangeline had made peace with her wardrobe because the beautiful arrangements were all perfectly catered for her and with very little effort Evangeline looked sophisticated. As she pulled the dark coat on, a belt fell to the ground. Only imagining that Wick had put it there, Evangeline added it to the outfit before she deemed herself appropriate for being seen. She trusted the clothes to fit, but Evangeline would always take others advice on how best to accessorise.
Collecting her nerve, Evangeline emerged from her living chambers and had not been expecting to see Thomas standing opposite her bedroom door. His skin was newly tanned, and Evangeline wondered what tasks had been forcing him to work outside. She noticed his hair, still styled close to his head, was looking brighter than usual. It was a detail she was certain no one else would notice. “Thomas.” She was struck breathless by the sight of him. Thomas had been her only friend here in Braykith, and yet Evangeline had been quick to dismiss him out of fear of the castle gossip. Glais had encouraged the affair, but Evangeline struggled to act on her desires.
“You should not be sneaking around my chambers.” Evangeline tried to remain stern, but it did not last long. She leaned into him slightly and loudly whispered. “What if Glais saw you?” She asked.
Thomas smiled. “Eva.” He motioned her closer with one of his fingers and smiled when she leaned in closer still. “Glais knows I am here.” He chuckled as the reveal made her stand back. “I am performing my duties to the crown in watching your shared chambers.” He was sure to put emphasis on the fact this was the rooms of Glais and Evangeline and not just her bedroom. Thomas was not pleased with the job he had been given, but he was no position to reject direct orders. He remained uncertain if it was a punishment set by Glais or just coincidence but he would not ask. Thomas would simply guard Evangeline.
“I was not aware that I needed guarding. Surely the castle is safe.” Evangeline looked down the hall, missing the look that Thomas gave her as she took in her surroundings. Evangeline had been expecting to see visible signs but spied nothing that could bring her harm.
Thomas noticed that she looked tense, but that wasn’t any new for Evangeline. Living in Braykith had that effect on even the strongest of people. “It would be best if you grow accustomed to being accompanied everywhere you go.” Thomas stood a little straighter, and Evangeline recognised this as his guarding face. In an attempt to appear more professional, he would occasionally try to look dangerous. It never worked on Evangeline.
Shoulders squared, and his eyes alert, she felt herself wanting to kiss him as a test to see how long he could stay in this pose without movement. She wanted to believe it would be mere seconds before Thomas was kissing her back. She did not do it. It was an instinct she could not allow herself to indulge. Evangeline cleared her throat gently. “I was just going to take a walk.” Thomas nodded and fell into step a little behind her as she moved. They barely cleared the hallway before she stopped. “Could you walk beside me?” Evangeline asked.
Thomas hesitated. “It is not standard practice.” He told her, but when she said nothing in return, he knew it was better to simply do as she said. Evangeline’s skill with using silence as a weapon was known throughout Braykith. Considering the true manipulative weapons that were being employed by Quintus and Glais, it was quite remarkable that Evangeline was mentioned at all.
Satisfied, Evangeline started walking again with no destination in mind. “Why do you guard me?” Evangeline asked.
Thomas frowned. “I am not sure what you asking. I am guarding you because it is my job.”
Evangeline shook her head. “No, I mean to ask, why do you gu
ard me when it seems your position calls for more varied roles within the Kingdom? I have seen you hosting all posts as a custodian.”
“I have guarded you before.” Thomas pointed out. Evangeline just walked and did not acknowledge his answer. “Does it hurt you to see me?” Thomas asked. “Do you regret our, friendship?” He stumbled over the word for a moment, but Evangeline heard it. She was far too aware of Thomas and all of his mannerisms to miss the smallest of stumbles in his speech.
While she studied Glais in an attempt to understand something deadly, she studied Thomas in an effort to learn all there is to know about the man. “I have told you before Thomas that I regret nothing.” She smiled and turned down the stairs. “I simply wonder what is your station here at the castle. You seem to be a man of many faces.”
“In truth, I think they are testing me to participate in the King’s guard.” Thomas offered the explanation he had come to on his own but was not easy with speaking about just yet. “I also suspect that Glais enjoys to torment me.” This he added quieter, his voice so low he did not believe that Evangeline heard until he saw the look on her face.
“It torments you?” She asked.
Thomas sighed. “Eva, please. Do not ask me questions you are not ready to answer yourself.” Evangeline did not know what to make of that, and so she walked in silence beside him, following the well-known paths from the castle out to the grounds. Instinctively she headed towards the stables, but she took a sharp left and started walking out into the field.
The silence stretched between them, and Thomas looked down at his feet as they crossed the grounds casually. He risked a glance in her direction, and wish he didn’t because there was only one question he wanted to ask.
Evangeline caught his gaze. She smiled when he blushed and looked away. “Thomas, what is it?” She asked.
“Have you been with Glais yet?” Thomas asked quickly before he lost his nerve. Evangeline stumbled, and Thomas caught her by the elbow, and that act alone kept her standing. He released her quickly before they could be spotted.
She pulled free of him at the same time and adjusted her garments although they did not need fussing over. “He is my husband, Thomas.” Evangeline avoided answering the question directly and continued to evade his glance as she walked away.
Thomas nodded but wasn’t willing to let the subject just evaporate. “That is not the question I asked Eva.” He stopped walking, so Evangeline was forced to stop and look at him. “Have you been with him?”
Evangeline shook her head, brushing her hair out of her face as the wind stroked past her. “We have not even shared a bed for sleeping. He has taken to sleeping in the chairs.” Evangeline looked down at her hands, playing with the gold band of the ring Glais had given her.
In truth, there was no answer she could give him that would make Thomas happy. Had she admitting to it, Thomas would still feel that slow sinking sensation in his gut that threatened to cripple him. “You need to give him a son,” Thomas said, and the shock was evident on her face. Never did she think that she would have this talk coming from Thomas. “I have heard whispers.” He offered in an attempt to save his reputation with Evangeline. He could only begin to guess at what she was thinking.
“Whispers?” she asked.
“They all start as whispers, but slowly they build and this whisper has all the markings of growing out of control.” Thomas had looked both ways before he dragged Evangeline out of the sight of the castle and into the nearby trees.
The strange straight trees of Braykith still made her skin crawl, but there had been a not so subtle change in them since Evangeline had learned to accept this Kingdom was her home. The Dryad Alisma had told her that the trees would relax with time and Evangeline believed her since the proof was evident all around her. It was only the beginning, but the branches were resting away from their strained reach to the sky.
Once in the safety of the trees, Thomas spoke. “Quintus has been scouting for a replacement.” He tried to soften his voice as he delivered the news, but there was no way to conceal the concern he felt for her.
“Replacement? For me?” She asked.
Thomas nodded. “That is the whispers. He fears you are barren like your mother was.”
“She has two children. My mother is not barren.” Evangeline insisted, but Thomas did not care for the details. He simply knew what was being spoken about. “Wait, why does this bother you?” Evangeline smiled as she went on. “Should I fail to give him an heir, then Glais will remarry, and I shall be done with this whole business.” She reached out tentatively for his hand.
Thomas shook his head but took both of her hands in his own and giving them a familiar squeeze. He did not speak until he had her full attention. “If you should fail in this task Eva, Quintus will kill you and blame the rebellion. There will be no trial and not vengeance before Glais will remarry.”
Evangeline started to shake immediately, and Thomas drew her for a hug. “Does Glais know?” Evangeline asked him, her face buried in the soft fabrics of his royal uniform.
“It is only a whisper, Evangeline.” Thomas pressed his lips to the top of her head, feeling free to show his affections in the safety of the trees. There was no one to see them here. “I doubt anyone can be sure of its truth even if they did know it. People like to talk.” He reminded her.
“But you think it is true.” Evangeline looked up, and Thomas looked down on her face.
She was pale from not seeing sunlight and her skin looked tired. Thomas could tell she was not eating properly, and the stress of her reality was bothering her. Instantly he felt terrible for sharing this news with her, but he could not stop thinking about that now. “I fear it will become real,” Thomas admitted but felt she did not know the difference. This threat was real for Evangeline now. “I would never let him hurt you, but he is my King.” There was a limitation to what Thomas could do and that weight felt more conspicuous than ever before.
“Glais and I are having dinner tonight.” Evangeline wiped at her nose and stood back, so Thomas wasn’t holding her anymore. Braykith was a lonely place, and Evangeline had quickly grown independent among the horrors. “I told him I would try and put our past behind me.” Evangeline could not look at Thomas as she said it. She could not label the friendship she had with Thomas, but she did not want to see if the idea hurt him.
Thomas nodded, although his face remained neutral. “You should try Eva. Your life might depend on it.” Giving Evangeline this push towards Glais went against all of his natural instincts, and Thomas remained torn between duty and his affections.
Evangeline did not know what to say in response and simply looked down at her hands. Not too long ago, she had been desperate for some act to break her marriage from Glais. Now, she feared for her life and perhaps correcting this marriage to Glais was the only thing that could save her. “It is only a rumour.” She spoke to herself, but Thomas responded with a nod. She let out a slow breath before nodding to herself.
“We should return to the paths before we are missed,” Thomas spoke, and Evangeline felt herself deflate further.
“Thomas?” she asked and met his eyes. Evangeline saw the hurt in them, the words he would not say were eating away at him. Evangeline did not know how to fix it, and so she didn’t try to. There was nothing to be said that could put his mind to rest. Instead, she reached out and cupped his jaw, running the pad of her thumb over his lips and remembered the soft pressure of them.
“Please…” Thomas caught her wrist to stop her actions before Evangeline could go further. “He is my Lord, and you are his wife.”
“I know.” She should be afraid of his hand wrapped around her wrist and how easily he seemed to hold her firm, but unlike Glais, she never feared Thomas. Evangeline never could imagine him hurting her, even as he held her now. “I’m sorry.”
Thomas considered her for a moment before he released her wrist and took a deliberate step away from her. “Eva, I am your humble servant. I do only a
s you ask,” Evangeline opened her mouth to interrupt, but Thomas’ quick shake of his head kept her quiet. “You aren’t even sure what you want.”
Evangeline blinked at his honesty, unsure on how she should react to his proclamation, and yet that was not the part that had made her struggle. “I know what I want. I struggle with it every day.”
She relaxed, the edges of Thomas’ mouth lifting in the briefest of smiles before his face dropped again. “You send me mad.”
“Good.” Evangeline laughed. “Then we shall go mad together.”
CHAPTER FOUR
Christof had made one simple promise to the remaining rebels after killing Ronald. He would lead them to a position of power. The men had cheered, the women had raised their swords to the night, and the children had been caught up in the excitement as they darted through camp making noise. Christof had every intention of making good on that promise, but it would take time. That was harder for the rebels to comprehend. He understood why they were feeling restless, but it was that need to satisfy their hunger that had driven Ronald into making mistakes. Christof could not be so easily lost in the rubble.
He stopped just outside the natural divider that kept Braykith out of the rest of the world. Even when he was a child, there was never any danger of Christof wandering onto Braykith land. The line was impossible to miss. The trees remained strange to look upon, although Christof had noticed that they no longer stood as straight as they once did. While others had brought .3him their theories, he did not ponder the reason for this change. Nature had turned against them much like their allies in Crimah. Some days the rebellion group felt like intruders on their own lands, a nagging feeling that they no longer belonged. It was that feeling that kept Christof motivated.
Not that Christof was made of stone and darkness. He felt the same sensations as most men, and Christof would often have doubts. He would never admit that some days he had the darkest thoughts, a warrior could have. Of course, Christof had at times questioned the legitimacy of their cause. The world refused to acknowledge they existed. There would be no grand songs being written about them, and no one would find honour in naming their children after the survivalists. Some days were a struggle, but he could not give up. Those dark moods would always pass, and Christof didn’t know how to stop the vengeance in his heart, and so he followed it.
Delusions of Loyalty (The Braykith Series Book 2) Page 3
