Delusions of Loyalty (The Braykith Series Book 2)

by Jennifer R. Kenny

  She did her best to put him far from her mind and instead focused on the wares that began to line the streets. Evangeline had not come to the markets often, but since her wedding walk had been so public, she knew there was no hiding her royal status from the locals. Unlike Crimah, Quintus had a strange relationship with those who lived within his lands.

  Her father would keep the locals at arm’s length for the most part. He shared his joy and his loss with them, but there was never a deliberate play from Barret to the people to ensure a reaction within the community. Quintus had a team of men and women whose sole purpose was to share only the best of news with the locals. He was sure to present the image that all was well, even during times where it clearly was not. The dramas of the Kingdom were kept from his people as best he could, and there was a general feeling of respect and good tidings to the Braykith Royal house. Those feelings seemed to extend to her as well, but she had the responsibility to maintain them.

  Evangeline had met with the team and had been briefed on how to act with the locals when she did interact with them. Mostly it was simple. Smile and be polite. Limit physical closeness, and be sure to never haggle on a price. Evangeline had been offended when it had been said, and she still felt the same rise sprout from her now in defense to words said months ago. She was not the simple little girl that some thought she was. Her father might not have been a King, but it was Barret who had stopped an approaching menace. Evangeline had many tutors that had taught her manners, lady-like behaviours, as well as reading, writing, and other time passing activities that were fit for her station.

  She did not go far, but she wandered with no real direction in mind. With the practiced steps from when she was a young girl, Evangeline seemed to be walking casually, kicking at the fronts of her dress before she took a step. The kicking steps were designed to ensure the fabric would not trip her. However, Evangeline doubted that she would ever do such a thing since there were no finer seamstresses in the world than those of Braykith. Evangeline smiled, but nothing seemed to catch her attention for more than a fleeting second.

  Sighing, she prepared to leave when she spotted a friendly face. “Sable,” Evangeline called out, quickening her pace to catch the girl before she could disappear. Sable had been a random blessing within the foreign lands of Braykith. Months earlier, Evangeline had been trapped in a sudden downpour. Sable had allowed Evangeline to hide and protect her garments from the weather and offered her hot tea. Since then Evangeline had happened upon her several times, and as always Sable was a well-received distraction from her otherwise quite emotionally intense life.

  Sable was opposite to Evangeline in many ways. Her golden hair framed her wide, yet oddly beautiful face. Her lips were consistently stained red with a natural smear of colour, but the shade did not seem artificial or enhanced in any way Evangeline knew. Her pale skin made her stand out in the naturally tanned masses of the Braykith markets. Clearly, she did not spend much time out in the sun. Evangeline did not judge her as others seemed to for her lifestyle choices, or opportunities. Standing just shorter than Evangeline herself, Sable was a sweet local who had taken pity on the foreign princess. It was too early for Evangeline to call her a confidant, her heart still unwilling to mend after the loss of her best friends Viviana and Teagan so quickly. But she did think of Sable as a friend.

  “Lady Evangeline.” The girl fell into a curtsey, holding her skirts to the side. She was dressed simply, as she always was, this time in a cobalt dress cinched at her waist by a wide band of worn leather. Evangeline was impressed that she never found Sable’s dress with stains or tears. Sable seemed to work hard to keep herself presentable. Evangeline had often wondered on her past, but Sable was always quick to change the subject, and it seemed rude to pry.

  “Rise, my friend, please.” Evangeline smiled, helping her out of the position. “I was about to return to the castle when I spied you. I hope I am not keeping you from errands.” Evangeline apologised, although she knew that it was bad manners for a Royal to say such things. She would claim to only look to be accommodating and welcoming should she ever be questioned.

  Sable looked left and then right, biting her lower lip. She struggled for a moment, looking at those who were close by and seemed to decide that it was a suitable conversation for the small crowd which had come out to see Evangeline and try and entice her into a sale. Even though her trips to the markets had been few, many knew that she would pay whatever price they asked for, even if it was not fair. Some meant to take advantage of her generosity.

  “Perhaps we should go for a walk?” Evangeline offered and finally Sable nodded. Easily the women fell into silence, Evangeline watching Sable and waiting for her to speak the thoughts she had once they cleared the busiest section of the marketplace.

  “I have come to some trouble my lady.” Sable finally said, brushing her hair back from her neck. Instantly Evangeline looked for the tell-tale marks of her husband and Father in law, and yet Sable’s neck remained clear. Evangeline had to admit that the unexpected gesture of moving hair from her face had been one of frustration and not as a victim of the Braykith curse.

  “What trouble may I ask?” Evangeline immediately wanted to help, but it seemed unwise to open the castle to someone she had only met on short occasions. Instead, she would be a patient ear for her friend and offer what support she could.

  “There has been talking about town concerning my legitimacy in living in Braykith,” Sable explained. She paused, seeing that the road was clear and took a seat on a low built fence however Evangeline could not mimic the posture. Instead, she clasped her hands in front of her, still holding the empty basket easily in her fingers. “Some feel that a woman of my age and station should be looking for a husband.”

  “And you do not agree?” Evangeline asked. It seemed perfectly reasonable to her, however from Sable’s reaction it was clear that she was not looking for those things in her life.

  “I prefer to make my own decisions rather than have someone make them for me.” Sable hung her head. “I apologise Lady Evangeline. I did not mean to cast offense on your marriage to Prince Glais.”

  Evangeline waved off her concerns. “We are not the same women Sable. I was never going to marry for love. I am lucky that Braykith has been such a welcoming family for me.” It was not a complete lie for Evangeline to say. Glais had been challenging, and Baxter continued to throw himself at her regardless of her marriage, but Quintus and Kyleigh had been welcoming from her arrival and continued to be so. Adeline reminded Evangeline still of herself at that age, and so a sweet friendship had formed.

  “With my parents dead, the church seems to be gaining interest in my particular situation.” Sable looked off with her eyes losing focus, and Evangeline felt a weight between them. Much like the distance between herself and Thomas, she felt that same divide now. Sable had thoughts she would never dare speak, and Evangeline was unsure on how best to discover them without making demands.

  “Are they becoming too boisterous?” Evangeline asked, and Sable sighed, refocusing on Evangeline with a small smile.

  “Nothing I cannot handle.” Sable tried to reassure Evangeline even if she did not actually believe it herself. “Thank you for listening. I feel so alone sometimes, and it is easy to forget who you are when I ignore all the jewels.”

  Evangeline laughed, tenderly touching the stones that decorated her belt. “Well, I will take that as a compliment.” She assured Sable, relieved by her laughter. “But if you ever find that you are struggling Sable, you know where to find me. Come to the gates and ask for me. I will always come to see you.”

  Sable nodded. Evangeline doubted she would ever act on the offer, but it seemed natural to give her such an option. “Shall I call on you, even if things are not dire?” Sable asked, and Evangeline laughed, nodding.

  “Of course.” Evangeline had been expecting to feel a kind of rush of warning, some innate feeling that this was a bad idea. However, there was nothing to warn her awa
y from Sable. From her chance meeting of her, Evangeline had found a kinship she had lacked here in Braykith.

  The women stayed like that in a comfortable silence before Sable rose from her seat. “I am sorry, but I do have a place to be.”

  Evangeline nodded. “Of course.” She waved as Sable moved off. Evangeline stayed for a moment longer before turning and starting back towards the castle. She knew that Glais would be returning from the errands he ran on his father’s behalf, and Evangeline hoped to catch lunch before their paths could cross.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Glais knew that soon someone other than Wick would come to tend to Evangeline eventually. His former childhood friend was an ally in this secret, but the evidence was undeniable. There has been no blood on the sheets after their wedding night. There was no sign of sex, or even a wrinkle in the bed clothes if one was to inspect them. After their wedding night, Evangeline had not emerged from the room for three days which had caused a stir within the castle. Glais could overhear the banter no man dared to say to his face. Perverse rumours and commentary on the young Prince’s sexual prowess stalked him as Glais tended to his errands. False and misleading but he did nothing to prevent them. He suspected that some of the better ones were told by Baxter himself.

  The castle had run with the wild rumours for the first month. Evangeline had eventually emerged, but within a week people began to question her demeanour. Glais had a long reputation of being sullen and barely speaking, so his broken heart was easier to hide. Evangeline did not have the same lesson learned, and she wore her emotions for all within the castle to witness and devour. The lies evolved as lies often do. Glais was a powerful husband and then a cruel man. As the months passed, the news drifted to a more personal matter. Would their future Queen produce an heir?

  Glais could not protect Evangeline from these mean spirited words. The truth was a harsher punishment for her to bear. Glais and Evangeline were closing the seventh month of their marriage and were yet to share the bed. Each night Evangeline would retire to the bedroom, and Glais would sleep on the furnishings of the sitting room. He would wake with aches he did not have months before, and each morning Wick would arrive to tend to Evangeline with no comment on their situation. Glais wished for nothing more than to give Evangeline time to come to know him but they were not blessed with such simple things. The Castle was awaiting the news that secured their future.

  If they knew the true dangers that would consume them, perhaps the people of Braykith would be more vocal. For now, the curse was still a secret, but it continued to eat at Glais during his quiet moments. His father would always be impressive, and Glais felt that there was still more for Quintus to teach him. Their time would not last forever, and already Glais was noticing the subtle differences in his father’s demeanour. Glais had no one to talk to about it, but he knew the curse was infiltrating his father’s life more and more. It always did with time. Should the King survive alone for too many years, the curse grew anxious. It demands life, and a single one was never more than an appetizer.

  Glais was as patient with Evangeline as he could manage, but even he was growing tired of her games. She avoided him, never emerging from the bedroom while he was there. If he did happen to surprise her, Evangeline quickly retreated. He had barely seen her since their wedding day, even though he did share a living space with her. It was time for her to realise the seriousness of her actions and hopefully, they could start on a friendship. Glais was focused on small victories.

  It was impossible for the prince to ever appear slovenly. Even by the standards of Braykith, his clothes were closer to pieces of wearable art than just items covering his body. The brocade jacket was finely made, expertly stitched and layers of black on black. Heavy gold stitching accented the lapels and down the front of the jacket lines. The length hit him at the knee, hiding the sword that stayed attached to Glais’ hip. His hair was loose around his shoulders and falling back into a tangled mess because it seemed useless to care for his own looks when his marriage was a tattered mess.

  It seemed to Glais as if the world stood still. Change could never occur, as long as Evangeline continued to act in this manner. He was tempted to speak to his mother. Perhaps Kyleigh could offer some female insight, a trick perhaps that Glais could use to his advantage, but he was embarrassed to admit to his mother that he could not satisfy his wife. It was not simply an embarrassment in the bedroom, but Evangeline was not shy in letting Glais know he was failing her in every aspect of their lives.

  It picked at his heart, hour after hour, as he obsessed over Evangeline and her moods. Knowing she was not thinking of him was enough to drive any man mad, and yet Glais did not have those privileges. He was not simply a man, but a Prince. He was due to inherit Braykith, and he could not show weakness, even if that weakness were only momentary. Pacing outside her room, Glais ran his hand back over his hair to keep his hands from shaking.

  “Evangeline?” he asked her name, knowing she sat within the room protected by a door which he could remove if he so felt the need. Removing it would do nothing but confirm to Evangeline that he was indeed the monster she believed him to be. Since Glais was doing his best not to scare Evangeline further than he had already he knocked. Silence greeted him which only added to his dismay. Glais knew that she had heard the polite hitting of his knuckles on wood. “Evangeline, I know you are there. Please, let me in.”

  Evangeline sat in a high-backed chair and dressed as easily as her wardrobe would allow. She had no plans to leave her rooms for the rest of the day, and if she did, there was a decorated coat that would give the powder blue dress more life. She jumped at the initial knock at the door but stayed where she was looking out the window seeing the storm clouds as they approached the Kingdom from the direction of the sea. The conciliatory tones of his voice coming through the door had shocked her, but not enough to motivate her movement.

  In truth, Evangeline was stunned that Glais had been so hesitant on approaching her. This confrontation he initiated now, Evangeline had been expecting for days. She would have bet all that she possessed that Glais would demand to see her the morning after their wedding and yet he had been distant. She was not certain what he hoped to achieve from this, but it confused Evangeline enough that now he was talking to her, she was tempted to respond.

  Glais rested his forehead momentarily against the door before he took a deep breath and knocked again. Evangeline turned abruptly to the door, her hand going over her mouth to keep the sound from escaping. It was foolish to think he would leave her be. Now he had the courage, Glais would be relentless. In some aspects, his reputation had proceeded him. “Evangeline I need to see you.” He said and through the dense wood, she could not be sure if the inflection of his voice was pure or her mind playing tricks.

  She rose from the chair and approached the door, but did not open it straight away. She felt safe in this room. Wick would bring her food and drink with no questions. Every day, Wick would come and bathe Evangeline and dressed her with no need to pressure her. Her personal servant still said no words or gave even a brief indication of her intentions. The stoic nature of Wick, which had hurt Evangeline so much in the beginning, was the only sign she now had that this was indeed her reality. Evangeline was married to a monster, and there was nothing that she could do about that. The man on the other side of the door was no man, but a cursed being who would drink blood to survive. Evangeline closed her eyes and bowed her head.

  Just how long could she continue this kind of living? Evangeline suspected already that her time was limited. Surely, her absence from court would be noticed until eventually Quintus himself would come to her chambers and demand she leave the sanctuary. Until such a thing happened, could Evangeline would continue to tempt fate as she had been doing? Sighing, Evangeline opened her eyes, and she glanced at the ring on her finger.

  The onyx and gold still sat on her hand as it always had done since Glais had given it to her. In her mind, it was his promise that he would
always choose her. Evangeline was aware that it was a romantic notation not based on any fact. She had never asked Glais about the motivation for the ring because she did not want to know the truth. She liked thinking it was a choice for Glais to give it to her. Much like the lace he had presented to her when they were children, this ring was perhaps the first thing he laid eyes on. But that did not diminish the sentiment.

  Perhaps an imagined sentiment as far as Evangeline knew. She opened the door gently, Glais standing back, his surprise quickly hiding behind his stony features. She still thought him handsome. A strong jaw and dark eyes set on pale skin and murky hair. There was something otherworldly about Glais that called to her, and she wondered if it was because she wasn’t quite as human as she pretended to be. The Dryads had claimed her soul before Evangeline had been born and blessed it. She had secrets of her own, but she did not think they were one and the same.

  “I never figured you would volunteer to open the door,” Glais confessed, and Evangeline nodded.

  “In truth, I still am not sure I should have.” Glais took a step towards her, and Evangeline flinched, stopping him before he could attempt to come closer. “Sorry.” She apologised, but she could not take the involuntary movement back. “I am sure your father misses you.” She tried to urge Glais to leave but with the door open to him for the first time in days, he could not waste this opportunity.

  Glais shook his head. “As a newly married man, my father encourages us to be close.” Evangeline could not meet his eyes, but he resisted in forcing her. He had made a mistake pushing her once, and he was continuing to pay for it. He knew that his self-control was going unnoticed, but Glais was trying to be patient. “He says once I am King, we will not have time like this at our leisure.”

  Evangeline nodded. She wished it was now, although that would mean Quintus would need to die, and she would never wish such a thing on a man who had been so welcoming to her. “I suppose he does not know we are yet to share a bed.”