“Shhhh. You need to rest.”
Sighing and sinking farther into his pillows, her father reached out his hand for hers. He seemed so grateful to see her, so she squeezed his hand back and added, “I’m sorry, Papa. I would’ve tried to get home, whatever it took, if I knew you were feeling ill.”
“My sweet girl. It wasn’t your fault.” Her father tensed for just a moment, as though he wanted to say more, but then he relaxed again. “I think you’re right. I need to sleep. I’m glad you’re home, Evangelina.”
Evie lifted his head gently to give him his medicine, then laid him back onto the pillow, brushing sticky sweat from his forehead with a damp rag. She watched him fade into sleep, the steady rise and fall of his chest a small comfort to her guilty conscience.
Creeping to the door, Evie inched back to her own bedroom, lying flat on her bed.
The nearly set sun glimmered one last ray through the pane of her window, catching on something gold sitting on her desk. Rising against the ache of her muscles, she walked over to the table and picked up the envelope with foiled lettering on the outside that read:
Evangelina
I thought this would be of interest
X You know who I am.
Evie nearly dropped the note as her head whipped around the room, expecting whatever intruder had placed it there to be standing in a darkened corner or lurking under her bed.
“Lyssa!”
“What?” Her sister peeked her head in the room, looking irritated.
“Did you put this on my desk?” Evie held up the envelope, freezing when she saw that the lock to her window was unlatched and there was a slight gap between the frame and the glass.
“No. That wasn’t there when I checked your room this morning. What is it? Can I see?” Lyssa bounced through the doorway, and Evie felt a shaking of her nerves that wouldn’t calm.
“Not right now, Lyssa. This is for work; you can look later,” Evie said kindly. Her sister rolled her eyes and shut the door.
The envelope was torn before she heard the click. Her fingers ripped out the parchment, bold letters etched to the front.
To Evangelina Sage
Looking for a cure?
Briar’s Peak
Tonight
Dress for a formal celebration hosted by the core healer
This invitation permits one person and one person only
Evie placed the invitation down on her desk and ran a hand through her hair, tugging at the strands. Someone had broken into her room to give her something that would help her. Help her family? It must have been the spy—why else would they be so secretive? And for that matter…so creepy.
And the core healer? Was this a myth come to life? Or a trap?
With your luck, it’s probably both.
Her mind was racing, her stomach reeling and nauseous from the thought of a dangerous stranger in the same home as her family, standing so close to where she lay her head at night. Across the hall, her father groaned in pain.
Damn it.
Running to her bed, Evie bent and pulled a large box out from underneath it, throwing it on the bed and ripping off the lid. She gripped the fabric in angry fists, pulling it up and out with none of the satisfaction she’d had when she bought the dress.
Evie had seen it in the window at the seamstress a town over and had allowed herself this one indulgence. She’d been making more than enough to support her family at that point, so there was no reason not to allow herself some luxury. At the time, she had no idea where she’d wear it, but now was as good a time as any.
The fabric appeared white, but when the light hit it, it shone every color, like a walking rainbow. It shimmered, the bodice hugging, and the thin sleeves draped off her shoulders in an enticing fashion. She maneuvered around, somehow managing the clasps without falling over or breaking a wrist. After pinning her hair back with her mother’s butterfly pins, she stared at herself in the mirror.
She did one twirl and laughed before collecting herself into a serious expression. It wasn’t every day she wore such a pretty dress.
She sighed at the small pot of rouge sitting off to the corner of her desk. It had been her mother’s favorite lip shade. She’d given it to Evie on her last birthday before she left, but Evie hadn’t been able to bring herself to touch it since then.
Sucking in a deep breath, she gripped the small pot in her hands, dipped a finger into the red, and gently applied it to her lips. They stood out bright and vibrant, and Evie had the strange sense that this person in the mirror was who she was always meant to be.
She smiled.
But then her smile faltered, her brows knitting together as she realized this dress might be what she was buried in if she wasn’t careful tonight.
She sighed. At least it was sparkly.
Chapter 40
Evie
Evie had no idea how or why the spy had targeted her, but if there was any hope of saving her father, surely she had to take it.
After leaving Lyssa tucked into her bed under the care of their family friend, Evie tied her white cloak about her shoulders, trying not to fiddle with the butterfly pins pulling back different sections of her hair. Briar’s Peak was on the other end of town, the end good people from the village tried to avoid. Despite its lovely view over Rennedawn, it was far too close to Hickory Forest.
But since Evie had nothing to fear from The Villain, she walked along the outskirts of town nearest the forest without worry, striding toward Briar’s Peak. Passing a tree and standing underneath a lantern in the corner of the square, Evie rubbed her temples, careful not to smudge the makeup she’d put around her eyes.
“Reckless. You are reckless, Evie Sage.” She sighed as she slumped against the bark, her heart racing as her gaze tried to make out any shapes in the dark. Not for the first time since setting off on this adventure tonight, she wondered if she should have contacted The Villain.
Truth be told, she half expected her boss to appear anyway, the way he’d done a few days ago when she was feeling deflated and a little defeated. Besides, even if she wanted to get a hold of him, it’s not like she could send a messenger pigeon at this hour—their offices closed before sundown.
She looked down to the gold band around her smallest finger. “What good is an employment bargain if you can’t talk to the person who has employed you?” She stared hard at her finger, willing the mark to obey.
“Evie?”
The familiar voice made Evie smile. She turned to face Blade Gushiken, the lantern illuminating his tan skin and the light-blue satin vest for once sitting against the fabric of a shirt—a white one.
She walked over to him and punched his arm lightly. “Why are you lurking in the dark tonight?” Evie noted the emptiness of the space around him. “You didn’t bring Fluffy, did you?”
Blade chuckled and straightened his vest. “No, I did not bring Fluffy. Gods help the poor creature. Although the name seems to suit him, in a ridiculous, ‘you’ve been hit in the head’ sort of way.”
Her favorite way.
“You got one of these, too, huh?” There was a crinkling sound as he pulled out a gold-foiled envelope, the paper the telltale craftsmanship of merfolk-made parchment.
Relief filled her that she hadn’t been the only one singled out by the spy. It was never good to wish someone the same pain or discomfort you were feeling, but it was always very nice to not be alone with it.
Evie adjusted one of the pins in her hair when the wind knocked a curl loose, holding out her arm. “Shall we?”
He smiled wide before linking their arms, and they continued down the path together. “Do you think anybody else received an invitation?”