But these were the Valors, he was stunned to see them alive, and their daughter knew his most terrible secret.
Her beautiful eyes had been on him as she’d said, “What if you just made us a Great House instead? We could go by another name, like Vale.”
Apollo had waited for Wolfric to object. Great Houses were not quiet. But it seemed Wolfric did not truly want to live a quiet life, after all.
“I think that could work. What say you, my love?” he asked with a look to his wife, who agreed.
“Just as long as we keep our true identities a secret,” Honora said. “I don’t feel like repeating the past.”
Next to her, Aurora smiled as if it was all done. Then the rest of the Valors’ impressive children were nodding and smiling.
How could Apollo refuse?
He’d heard himself say, “Excellent. There are lands I can give you. A manor, a village, a forest—they need to be rebuilt, but once I make you a Great House, people will come together to help you. I just need a little time.”
“Don’t take too long,” Aurora chimed sweetly.
And when she winked again, Apollo knew he’d made a deal with a devil, not an angel.
Now Apollo’s heart pounded as he felt the note that Aurora had slipped him. He’d tucked it up his sleeve quickly, but just knowing it was there made him sick.
Aurora’s most recent request had been an introduction to Evangeline. “Don’t look so worried, Your Highness,” she’d said sweetly. “I just wish to be friends. I’ve been locked away for a long time, and all of mine are dead.”
Apollo hadn’t quite believed her about just wanting to be friends, but he knew he couldn’t object. Just as he knew he wouldn’t be able to object to whatever she asked for today. But perhaps he could ignore her message for a while.
He needed some time alone with his wife.
Apollo watched her carefully as they stepped into the tent. Embroidered gold and burgundy carpets had been laid across the ground, beeswax candles had been lit beside the cushions and furs they’d be using for the bed. Next to that was a low table piled with fruit and cheese and goblets of wine.
And yet Evangeline stood just past the threshold. She didn’t take any food from the table, she didn’t throw herself on the cushions, and she didn’t even attempt to remove her sodden cloak.
“Where will you be staying?” she asked.
“We’ll be sharing,” Apollo said softly as he moved behind her. “This way I can protect you.” He wrapped his arms around Evangeline’s waist.
She stiffened under his hands.
It was only for a second. Evangeline tensed, and then she seemed to melt in his arms.
He brushed her hair to the side and kissed her neck.
Once again, she tensed. This time she didn’t relax.
He needed to let her go. She was scared again. He’d sensed something similar at the inn where he’d found her, but he hadn’t been sure until now. His mouth lingered on her neck, close enough to feel her pulse, rushing under his lips. Then he heard her suck in a sharp breath.
Again, he knew he should release her, but he couldn’t let her go. The pounding of her pulse triggered something inside him, an urge to keep her in his grasp. To hold her until she no longer wanted to escape.
“I thought we were over this nonsense about your not acting like my wife.” His arms tightened around her and—
It hurt! The pain was sudden and intense and so strong he couldn’t hold on to her. He doubled over. His vision went black and spotty.
It felt as if a burning knife had been plunged into his ribs, then twisted. But just as quickly as he felt the sharp stab of pain, it was gone.
When he could see again, Evangeline was watching him with a new kind of horror.
“Apollo, are you all right? What happened?” she asked, clutching both hands to her chest.
It was then that he noticed the cuff on her wrist. It was made of glass. That must have been how he had overlooked it before. He might not even have noticed it were it not faintly glowing, lit up with words in a language he could not read, although he feared that he knew what the words meant. What the cuff really was.
He wanted to ask where she found it, how it had become hers, why she wore it, if she knew what it did. But he assumed Evangeline had no idea what it was, and he didn’t want to draw attention to it. He also hoped that he was wrong.
Because if Apollo was right—if this was Vengeance Slaughterwood’s missing cuff of protection—then that meant Apollo had been about to hurt her.
He had to get control of himself.
“I’m fine,” he said, slowly backing away. “I just remembered something important I need to take care of.”
“What is it?” asked Evangeline.
“Boring, princely business. Don’t worry, I’ll be back shortly.” He might have tried to give her a goodbye kiss, but he didn’t trust himself. And he did have business to take care of.
As soon as he left the tent, Apollo pulled the note from Aurora Valor out of his sleeve.
Instead of her name, she’d drawn a wolf wearing a flower crown.
He burned the note as he passed the closest fire.
Apollo arrived at the crossroads early. He wanted to get this business with Aurora done as quickly as possible.
He’d ridden here on horseback, surprised at how much Merrywood Forest had already changed. Moss covered the rocks. New leaves grew on trees. Apollo could even hear sounds of life—deer and birds and crickets.
The Merrywood Forest had been reborn since the Valors had returned. It no longer felt like the haunted place he’d feared as a boy—and yet Apollo had never seen his horse so agitated. After he tied it to a tree that bordered the Merrywood Forest and the wet road to the Cursed Forest, the animal stomped and whinnied. When Apollo tried to feed it an apple, the horse knocked it from his hand.
He wondered if the beast was upset by how close they were to the enchanted road to the Cursed Forest, or if it was perhaps because of the arrival of Aurora Valor.
Aurora, of course, still looked like an angel as she rode toward Apollo on a horse that appeared to glow silver underneath the moonlight.
“Don’t look so sullen. It’s unattractive,” she scolded before hopping off her horse. “And believe it or not, Prince, I’m here to help you.”
“Like that last time you helped me?”
“Evangeline is yours, isn’t she?”
“For now,” Apollo grumbled. “I’m starting to fear that some of her memories might be creeping back.”
Aurora finished tying her horse to a tree. Unlike Apollo’s, her animal seemed perfectly content. “Why do you say that?”
“She’s acting strange. Do you have any more of that memory elixir?” he asked. And he hated himself for asking.
Aurora scoffed as she strode closer, her long silver skirts sweeping the forest floor. “You think that was an easy potion to come by?”
“You’re a Valor.”
“Yes. But our magic is not limitless. Do you imagine I just carry around bottles of magic with me?”
“You did that day.”
Aurora briefly pursed her lips shut. “Do you want to keep asking silly questions, Prince? Or would you like to become the sort of man your wife will never dare to think about leaving?”
Chapter 33
Evangeline