Evadere (12 page)

“Hungry?” Emry asked.

“Yes.” I smiled again at him.
 

“You okay?” he whispered.

I smoothed my hands over the front of my dress. “Fine, thanks.”

He jabbed me teasingly with his elbow. “I know, it’s a little overwhelming. You have to admit, it’s a little exciting at the same time.”

Emry looked so happy. He looked like he fit in here with all these handsome people. I had to admit, I was thrilled to be by his side.
 

“Emry, where’s Jo?” I asked, but then the queen started talking, and everyone turned their attention toward her.
 

Queen Atavia stood. I heard chairs go as a few people scrambled to their feet.

“No, please, sit, relax,” she told them. “Raise your glasses with me. Join me in a toast.”

Everyone grabbed their glasses. I couldn’t believe how heavy it was as I raised it in the air with the rest of them.

“I am such a happy woman. The pieces are fitting together, my friends. My son, my sweet, sweet, Emry is home once again.” She smiled adoringly at him. He returned the smile. “He soon, will be king. So join me, my friends, my family. Let us drink to King Emry. His father would be so very proud of the man he’s become.”

“To King Emry! To King Emry!” they chanted out after her.

I pressed my lips together and forced a smile. Why didn’t I feel right? Shouldn’t I be happy that I was here with him in Evadere? I should be happy just to be alive, but something felt off. Perhaps it was just the ill feelings I felt toward Atavia. Maybe it was just because I didn’t feel as charming and beautiful as all of these strangers around me. I had no idea what they thought about me, but I could guess. After all, I was merely a human.

Emry stood. Everyone looked to me.
 

“Stand,” he said to me.

“Emry, no …” I protested.

He pulled me to my feet. I pressed my lips together and tried to avoid the looks that everyone was giving to me.

“Please welcome my love, Anna James. She’s had rough travels to the castle. I’m so grateful she’s here.” He turned to me and smiled. “She saved my life on Earth.”

“To Anna,” someone shouted out.

“To Anna,” others followed.

“Thank you,” I muttered before sitting back down even more uncomfortable now that I had been so formally introduced.

The food was served. It was some sort of tender meat, potatoes and vegetables. It was delicious, and I relished every bite, swearing never to take food for granted again after being without it for days in the wilderness of Evadere. What I assumed was some sort of wine in my cup was very sweet as well. It went down smoothly after each bite, and soon I felt a little intoxicated, a little more relaxed and less worried about the situation I had gotten myself into. My thoughts drifted to the fact that Emry Logan was soon to be a king of an entire planet. It was as if the idea of it hadn’t truly processed before as it was now. It was amazing, and I was grateful to be a part of his experience. He was going from Lainey Tritt and prison on Earth, to the luxuries of a glorious castle that had everything anyone could ever want. King Emry. I repeated it within my mind. Emry turned and looked at me. I grinned. I wondered if he could tell I was now a bit tipsy. It didn’t matter really. I didn’t know why I was letting these people make me feel insignificant. Sure, I was human, but who knows, I could be their queen someday, and they’d have to listen to what I had to say, to all of my opinions. Emry loved
me
. Yes, I was sure I’d be queen of Evadere right by his side.

“So, Anna …”

My head shot up as someone was actually trying to make conversation with me. It was an older gentleman who was seated across the table from me. He was balding with a thick black mustache curled slightly on the ends.
 

“Prince Emry said you had rough travels. You didn’t come with him I presume?” the man asked.

“No,” I replied.

“How did you get here then? Do tell.” He stabbed a fork full of meat and stuffed it into his mouth.

I realized everyone else was staring at me. I was the center of attention, a position that I always tried to avoid. “Well, I was found by a Scave girl.”

“A Scavenger?” a woman asked in alarm.

“Yes,” I answered slowly.
 

“Uh, unhealthy creatures,” someone else stated. “I can only image all the diseases you were exposed to.”

I lowered my eyebrows at their comments. “She was … fine, actually really nice.”

“How did you get food?” the man across the table asked. “Don’t Scaves steal their food?”

I wasn’t sure how to answer. I felt trapped by the question. “Um …”

“Why don’t you get to the good parts?” someone else encouraged. “Were you ever in danger?”

“I was chased by a group of contributors. I got stoned in the back,” I said flatly.

Emry glared at me. “What? You didn’t mention that to me.”

“So much happened,” I stuttered.

Atavia looked thoroughly amused that I had been in pain. She would’ve been even more amused if I had died. That I was sure of.

“They mistook you for a Scave,” a younger man said. “Us contributors only stone Scaves.”

“Well, she’s human,” a woman stated.

“True,” he agreed. “Basically the same thing.”

I narrowed my eyes at them. Did Atavia bring these people here to belittle me, or was it everyone’s nature here on Evadere to stereotype people?

The man across the table dabbed his mouth with a napkin. “Ms. James, you didn’t happen to meet the infamous Scave Karn, did you?”

“Surely not,” someone said.

I nervously took another sip of my drink and set it back down. “Yes, I did.”

“What?” a woman hissed out in shock. “What did he look like? Is he as gruesome as they say?”

I nodded at her. “He’s horrific, like a beast.”

“He didn’t slay you?”

“Obviously not, she’s sitting over there, isn’t she?”

Someone snickered.

“He tried,” I whispered. “A Scave boy spared my life, but he was killed by contributors, too.”

“He probably tried to steal,” someone suggested.

“Only to try to get caught, so we would get captured by royalty,” I told them.

“Sounds like a foolish plan to me.”

“Me, too.”

I looked up at Atavia who was savoring every moment of my discomfort. She had her elbows propped up on the table as she crossed her heavily jeweled fingers. My temper flared.

“How dare you judge the Scaves.” I felt my voice grow louder, the alcohol making me bolder with every sip. “They were cast away. They have nothing. How else could they live other than to steal? They have no other means of survival.”

“They weren’t meant to live,” a woman commented.

I glared at her. “Who are you to decide?” I yelled out. “What makes them so different than you?”

“Well, of course, my dear, they have no powers,” the man across the table stated with a smirk.

“Neither do I,” I said.

“Well …” he hesitated. I could tell he was about to say something against me, but he changed his mind after glancing Emry’s way.

“I feel sorry for the Scaves,” I continued. “They’re a horrific people because of the way they’ve been forced to live. How can you blame them for having ill feelings toward contributors?”

“My dear, Anna.” Atavia spoke for the first time in this conversation. “You don’t know what you’re saying. You only know one side of the story.”

“I lived that side of the story for a few days. It was terrible.”
 

“The Scaves are out to kill us,” she said calmly. “They want Emry dead. Is that what you want?”

“Of course not,” I snapped. I had suddenly lost my appetite. This dinner had been a trap. I glanced at Emry. Why wasn’t he saying anything? Shouldn’t he be defending me? “This world needs peace.”

“Peace,” Atavia said. “That’s something we all desire. That’s what we’ve always strived to create.”

“By labeling powerless babies as Scaves and casting them away for dead?”

“Anna,” Emry said in a scolding tone.

I narrowed my eyes at him then. I had offended his guests, his mother.
 

“Yes, we are trying to eat,” Atavia added. “Ms. James is obviously still sleep deprived.”

“No …” I started to say, but Emry put his hand on my knee, stopping me. I sat back in my chair, discouraged. No one would listen to me. No one cared about my opinions. Not even him. I was outnumbered. My sudden burst of boldness vanished.
 

“Your majesty.” A servant girl came in through another door. She approached Atavia and whispered something in her ear.

Atavia clasped her hands in delight. “She made it. I’m so thrilled. Please make sure she gets food served immediately, and send her right in.”

I watched the servant girl leave and seconds later burst back through the door with a tall, thin woman at her side. She brought her over to Atavia who then stood and placed her hand approvingly on the woman’s back.

“Friends,” Atavia announced. “Please welcome a daughter of a dear friend of mine, Raleigh.” She turned to her. “Raleigh, you can sit … over there.” She pointed. “There’s an empty chair right next to my son, Prince Emry.” Atavia looked at me and smirked.

Raleigh strode over to us in a dark wispy dress that flowed behind her as she moved. She had long, shiny blonde hair that reached the middle of her back, curled at the ends. Her face was pale, and her lips had been painted a deep red color. Her cheeks were rosy, and her eyes painted back with long, curly lashes. Emry stood and pulled out a chair for her right next to him. I hated her immediately.
 

“Prince Emry, it’s so very nice to finally meet you,” Raleigh said batting her long lashes at him.

“Likewise,” he replied, kindly.

The servants rushed in with food for Raleigh and piled it on her plate.

“Oh, my,” she said, smiling. “I couldn’t possibly eat this much.” She giggled and looked at Emry once again.

The man across the table who had badgered me, spoke up. “Ms. Raleigh, what a delight for you to join us. What group are you from?”

The woman hadn’t touched her food yet. She unfolded a napkin and spread it out on her lap. “Clothes.”

“Really?” he said.

She nodded, her flawless hair falling in blonde tendrils around her face.
 

“She’s adding fashion to her clothes. She more like a designer,” Atavia told him. “Don’t be shy, Raleigh. Tell them your ideas.”

She smiled, loving every minute of the attention. “Well, I just think we need to add a little more fashion to our clothes, have more choices. We’ve had the same designs for such a long time. Although the gowns and pant suits are beautiful, it wouldn’t hurt to have them updated a little.”

“What a wonderful idea,” a woman said.

“I would love for that to happen,” another agreed.

“It’s in the works,” Atavia told them.

Raleigh took a sip of her drink and daintily set it back down. “After all, even the humans live in world of fashion.”

Everyone’s eyes flashed to me instantly.
 

“Is that true, Ms. James?” the man asked.

I glared at him but didn’t answer. I was ready to go. They obviously already had all of their minds made up about me.
 

“Would you excuse me,” I said standing. “I’m not feeling well suddenly. I think I’m going to go back to my room.”

“Are you okay?” Emry asked.

I nodded. “Will you come with me?”

“Actually,” Atavia interrupted. “Emry, I was hoping you could show Raleigh around the castle. She’s never had a tour before, and she’d love to see the place, wouldn’t you, Raleigh?”

“Oh, yes, very much,” Raleigh replied.

Emry stood. “It wouldn’t be polite to ignore a guest.” He turned to me. “I promise I’ll come check on you in a little while, okay?” he whispered in my ear.

I looked at Raleigh, then Atavia, then him. “Do whatever you have to do.”

He kissed me on the forehead and sat back down in his chair.
 

I stared for a few seconds, shocked that he was staying and I was going. I hurried out of the room and headed straight for the staircase. I sat down on one of the steps and buried my face in my arms resting on my knees.
 

Things had changed in the blink of an eye. Emry had finally found his place. Of course he was a prince, why wouldn’t he be? Nobody wanted him to be with a
human
, but I wasn’t about to give up. I had tried letting go of Emry Logan before and vowed never to do it again. We both needed time to adjust to this new lifestyle. He needed a little bit of space, and no matter how angry that made me, I was just going to have to accept it.
 

I sat up and crossed my arms. Raleigh. The thought of her made me burn with more fury. It was as though Atavia had purposely brought her here to compete with me, and Raleigh was beautiful and elegant, all the things I felt far from being. The jealousy feeling was reminiscent of what I had felt when knowing Emry had been married to Candy on Earth. I hated the helpless feeling that went along with it this time. Emry and Raleigh would be alone together tonight as he showed her around the castle. I could just picture her now, laughing and flipping her silky blonde hair behind her back.