Evelayn watched them for a few minutes, how they interacted with each other and stretched their long necks to duck their heads beneath the water, searching for breakfast. After her father had died, Evelayn had come to this spot every day with her mother, and for a moment she missed her mother so intensely that she felt actual pain—acute and sharp, a stab of loss, an ache of regret.
“I wish you were here for tonight,” Evelayn whispered to the air, to the swans, to the soft breeze that brushed at her cheeks. And maybe to her mother, if Evelayn’s secret wish was true: that Ilaria was still somewhere nearby—as it had seemed the day of the ceremony when she’d heard her voice. That was the biggest reason Evelayn wanted to visit the swans alone every morning after her run. She’d gotten in the habit of talking to her mother while she was there, and didn’t want anyone to hear her. “You would have loved Tanvir.”
As the sun rose higher in the sky, warming the earth and the air, Evelayn tilted her face up to let its rays—the power of which she could now harness at will—brush against her skin, and allowed her eyes to drift shut.
Which was why she was almost caught off guard when someone rushed straight at her through the trees, moving with extraordinary speed.
Evelayn jumped to her feet, spinning to defend herself against her attacker, only to find herself face-to-face with a grinning Tanvir.
“I nearly got you that time,” he said, his eyes sparking with mischief.
There was an affronted trumpeting from the pond, and Evelayn turned to see her swans stretching their wings and taking flight, hurrying away from the newcomer who was altogether too loud and moved too quickly to be trusted. She felt a pang as they flew away, but she didn’t want to mar the day by being morose, so she turned to Tanvir with her lips pursed in mock frustration.
“Now look what you’ve done.”
Tanvir glanced at the retreating swans and then back at Evelayn with a slightly repentant smile. “I apologize, my lady. But I couldn’t stand to sleep even one more minute knowing that tonight was the night—and that I’d find you here alone for at least a few moments.”
At his words, her sadness began to dissipate like the dew turning to mist from the warmth of the sun, and Evelayn took a step toward Tanvir. “And why would you wish to seek me out when I was alone, High Lord Tanvir?”
“You know very well why.” He reached out to run his hands down her bare arms. The sunlight melted over him, making his bark-brown hair glow as Evelayn tilted her chin up, leaning in to his touch. When he kissed her, she could taste nectar on his lips.
“You seemed sad when you first saw me … Were you thinking of your mother?” Tanvir asked a short while later as they finally broke apart, slightly breathless.
Evelayn nodded. “I was wishing she could have been here for tonight.”
“I wish she could, too. And your father.”
Evelayn reached out to take Tanvir’s hand in hers, lacing her fingers between his, just like the first time he’d come to find her on this log, three months earlier, before she’d defeated King Bain. “Your parents, too … and your sister.”
A dark shadow crossed Tanvir’s face, making Evelayn almost wish she hadn’t brought up Letha. It was Tanvir’s greatest regret—he still felt responsible for his sister’s death, even though they’d discussed what had happened many times, with Evelayn trying to persuade him to see that he should not blame himself. He just couldn’t forgive himself for losing sight of her during the bloody battle, for the fact that he hadn’t been there to fight by her side, to protect her, or to offer comfort as she died.
“Would that they were all here and had been able to rejoice in true peace alongside us.” Tanvir gazed out across the pond, as if he could somehow see past this world into the one beyond.
Evelayn squeezed his hand tightly, letting him know that she understood his pain—because she felt the same way.
With a slight shake of his head, Tanvir managed to smile down at her again. “But let’s not darken such a bright day with regret or wishes for things that cannot be. No victory ever comes without sacrifice and loss. We’ve endured the loss. Now let’s enjoy the victory.” He bent over to press a fierce, almost desperate kiss to Evelayn’s lips, which she eagerly returned.
This was why she’d fallen in love with Tanvir—because not only was he kind, but because he seemed to need her. Not her crown or her power. Just Evelayn; the comfort she could give him and the friendship and trust they’d developed over the last few months.
Evelayn gently pushed him away a couple of minutes later. “I hate to say this, but I must get back. There’s so much to be done before tonight. I’m sure half the court is probably already growing impatient, wondering what’s taking me so long.”
Tanvir kissed her swiftly once more, then stood, pulling her to her feet beside him. He lifted her hand to his mouth so he could press one last kiss to her fingers. “Until tonight then, my lady.”
“Until tonight,” Evelayn echoed, wishing she could stay with him all day. Soon, she thought. Soon they would have all the days they could ever dream of to be together.
And then before she lost her will to face a long day of preparations, she turned and ran back to the palace, moving as quickly as Tanvir had when he’d tried to sneak up on her. Though she regretted having to leave the pond and the peaceful morning of pretending to be nothing more than just plain old Evelayn behind her, she had no choice.
It was time for her to be the queen of éadrolan.
EVERYTHING IS PREPARED AND READY FOR THE GRAND Feast, my lady.” Ceren curtsied to her friend, who stood beside the throne, surveying the Great Hall. Her lavender-streaked hair had been intricately braided and arranged around the diadem her mother had worn for so long. The painstakingly wrought swirls of metal that encircled her head and met in a point on her forehead burned silver and white, the gems glittering in the light of the setting sun.
“You know I’d rather you weren’t so formal with me, Ceren.” Evelayn turned and smiled, her violet eyes bright with anticipation. Ceren was struck once again at the changes in Evelayn since she’d become queen of éadrolan. She had always been lovely, but now … now she was breathtakingly beautiful.
“Well, it feels inappropriate to call you by name when you look so … queen-like.”