Extol of Agnatic Dreams (The Extol Series Book 1) (25 page)

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vangeline should have needed her friends but she still required time to digest this sudden development and she couldn’t do that with Teagan and Viviana around. Worse still, she needed to collect up the nerves so she would be able to speak with Glais. She sat and pulled the plate over and started tearing up the bread with her fingers, eating pieces but barely tasting it. Clearly this was not an isolated incident. If she were to check the necks of the girls who he paraded around her, Evangeline was certain that she would find scars and new cuts on their flesh. This would not change. There was no end in sight, and she should decide on her stance now before they shared a bed as married man and wife.

Would he demand her blood and her body? Did he routinely mix the two, or was that individually decided by the girl he was with? Clearly from what she had seen of him with Luella, there was passion between them. There had almost been passion between herself and Glais before he decided the horror would be better serving over physical love. She had so many questions and yet Evangeline was afraid to hear the answers. She did not dare risk making him mad, and yet who could she speak with about this?

The answer was obvious and Evangeline felt foolish for not realising sooner. Wick knew Glais from when he was a child. She would know more of this strange behaviour then almost anyone in the castle. For all their tensions, Evangeline believed she could coax the girl into speaking should she ask about this. It was just too important for Wick to remember to stay silent.

Going to her door, she opened it just enough to see the guard stationed outside her rooms. She was sure that her hair was covering her neck as Viviana suggested: “I wish to see Wick.”

The guard rose his eyebrow at her. “I answer to the King and his son. Not to a woman.”

The sneer was evident; however, Evangeline ignored it. It was the first thing she had become accustomed to here at Braykith. Being a woman gave her microscopic power and here even the lowest of men outranked her needs. “Then I shall leave it to you then to explain to the King why my hair is in such a design and against his explicit rules.” Suddenly she was inspired, Viviana’s hair design was the perfect excuse.

The guard seemed to consider what was the best way to move forward in this and ultimately he knew the King would indeed be upset if he knew that Evangeline was without the resources she needed. Finally, he sighed and shuffled off. He hated taking orders from a woman but he really did not see how else he could argue her point.

Evangeline shut the door, also aware that perhaps the guard was not getting Wick at all but rather was going to find Glais. She needed to try Wick first before she attempted to speak with Glais. Even if Wick didn't answer her, it would be good to have silence to help Evangeline work out how she felt about this. She was both angry, upset, and somehow concerned for Glais. Even after all of this, Evangeline found herself occasionally feeling that Glais was doing the best he could with the resources he was given. Just like she had been, Glais was struggling and alone. He had lied to her, Luella had been hellish whenever possible and yet Evangeline could not condemn him. Not until she had the answers to her questions.

What her questions were, she was not sure yet. Wick would help with that. A light tap on the door came and after checking that her hair fell forward over her neck, she opened it. Thomas stood on the other side of it. Confronted, Evangeline took a step back. “I am waiting for Wick.”

“Prince Glais was very vocal that your room is to be guarded at all times, and since Liam is looking for Wick than I have been reassigned.” Thomas was apologetic for his intrusion on her life once again.

Evangeline supposed that made sense, and even though it seemed to her that Thomas was assigned to her frequently, she had no proof that it was on purpose. She just nodded and tried to shut the door when he gently applied pressure to make her stop. “You cannot come in,” Evangeline told Thomas sternly.

“Glais hurt you?” He asked, his eyes searching her neck, focusing on the side she was attempting to conceal as Evangeline slid further behind the door.

His concern though for her neck made her suspicious on how much he knew. Thomas was clearly a favoured guard, one that had high rank and access even if he was just a foot soldier. “Do you know?” she whispered.

Thomas shushed her and he forced his way into the room, Evangeline backing up to let him in. He didn’t try and touch her or get close to her which she appreciated because suddenly she felt like an attack might come at any moment. She feverishly wondered if this desire for blood went beyond just the royal family. Standing with a decent space between them he looked around the room but it seemed empty. “Evangeline, you must take care of this knowledge,” He warned her

Evangeline rolled her eyes. “I am tied to Braykith until such a time comes to pass that Quintus decided to get rid of me.”

“I do not think that is going to happen.” Thomas didn’t elaborate on that and Evangeline did not ask. She assumed it was to protect their alliance with her father.

“I am not holding my breath Thomas.” She crossed her arms under her bust and watched him. “Do you know?”

Thomas nodded. “But this is more than a secret. The longevity of Braykith is tied to your fate obviously but this is bigger than that. This may seem selfish, but the warning I am giving you is to keep you safe.”

Evangeline closed the gap between them and stopped just before she was indecently close. “Did they do something to Wick?” She asked him.

“No,” Thomas was shocked by her question. So few even noticed Wick. Thomas often forgot she even existed. “Wick is fine. She is at the town to collect supplies for you. She came to you in the night and come first light she rode off into town to collect herbs that she swore would help keep you calm.” Thomas evidently did not believe in the power of these herbs but it didn’t matter. Evangeline was only relieved to know she was not hurt. “This punishment comes from powers beyond this world.”

Evangeline frowned. “Please Thomas, help me. I need to know what is going on and how can I hope to survive it. Surely I can. If Kyleigh can keep her mind…” she paused mid-thought. “Is this why Kyleigh is the way she is? Is she so unaware of the world due to the constant attacks from Quintus?” she asked in a panic.

“No, nothing like that. I cannot speak from experience regarding the Queen, but from what I know she had always been like that. Much like your friend Teagan she sees the world differently. Kyleigh is sweet, and nothing more dangerous than that.” Thomas reached for Evangeline’s hands and she let him take them. “Please tell me you have spoken to no one of this.”

Evangeline looked down at their hands, his seeming so much bigger than her own and hiding them completely without even really trying to do so. “Glais and Kyleigh. They came after me.” She explained and Thomas nodded, seeming to relax a little.

“That is fine. Speaking to people who know is fine.” He smiled and released her. Relieved he started to open the door again to reclaim his post as her guard.

“I spoke to Teagan and Viviana about it.” She muttered and Thomas froze.

“What did you say?” Thomas asked her slowly, trying not to look as afraid for them as he felt but he knew that he was failing the moment Evangeline’s face crumpled.

His panic made her panic and she felt her heartbeat rise. “Everything I knew, which isn’t much to be truthful.” Evangeline hoped that would keep them safe from whatever Thomas feared was possible.

“Curse. Did you use the word curse ever?” He tried to jog her memory.

Evangeline stopped and thought about the brief conversation in the bath and she nodded. “I did. At least once.”

Thomas kicked the wall and grabbed her firmly. Pulling her in close he seemed to be studying her face, her eyes, looking in her mouth although Evangeline wasn’t sure what signs he was looking for. “Are you tired? Are you feeling ok?”

“Well no, I am not feeling alright but considering what I have endured I am allowed to feel a little stressed.” She tried to put her face free of him but he kept his grip on her and she finally allowed him to examine her.

“You should be showing signs by now. Did Teagan and Viviana witness the feeding? Did either of them know before you told them?”

“No. Thomas, please explain this to me.” Evangeline’s hands went over his and it seemed to help focus him a little.

“I am not sure how it works, but it is the truth. You can only speak of the curse with those who know it already. If you do not, then you will die. You grow tired and never wake from sleep.”

Evangeline finally made the connection, dread making her moan and her grip on his hands became one of desperation rather than trying to calm Thomas’ down. “Teagan and Viviana were exhausted.”

“But they didn’t know about the curse. It only happens to the one sharing the story.” Thomas said again.

“I need to check on them.” It made no sense but since none of this did, Evangeline went with her instincts to protect her friends. She was halfway out the door before Thomas was with her. “They did not sleep well, knowing I had left the dinner early. Kyleigh told them I was unwell.” Evangeline still wanted to believe that was a valid reasoning behind their yawns.

Thomas nodded but said nothing. Never before had the curse worked this way, and the limitations were perfectly clear. It made no sense for her friends to be dead but as they approached the door, he felt an impression of dread press against him. Evangeline’s hand was on the door handle but he stopped her. “Please, allow me to check them first. Just in case.”

Evangeline looked from the door to him and finally nodded. Why should she be concerned? Thomas would find her friends asleep and perhaps earn a lecture from Viviana for intruding on the sleeping quarters of a lady. Evangeline was clinging to that but felt her eyes close when no one answered Thomas knock.

Thomas knocked on the door but there came no answer. He looked back over his shoulder but Evangeline said nothing. Not knowing either girl well enough to know their sleeping habits, Thomas took this as a sign that it was not a concern to be greeted this manner. He pushed the door open and left Evangeline standing in the hall. Sweeping his hand back through his hair Thomas scanned the room quickly, looking for any sign that perhaps he was right. Nothing in the sitting room seemed out of place and he moved on.

“Miss Teagan?” He called out although his voice was soft and barely above a whisper. He still felt his voice echo off the walls, and he cleared his throat gently into his fisted hand. “Miss Viviana?” This time, his voice sounded a little more like his own voice. “Lady Evangeline was concerned with your health and I have been sent to check on you.” He was sure to announce himself, should they be in a state of undress. Still there was no response.

He came upon Viviana first, her body turned away from him, above the blankets and still wearing her shoes. One foot dangled off the bed, the slipper barely hanging on but it did not move. Slowing his own breath, he kept his eyes locked on her shoulder. He was hoping to see as it rose and fell in the rhythm of her breath. However, after a good count to ten, there still seemed to be no movement. Involuntarily he groaned and approached the bed for a better inspection.

Coming into the room fully he could see Teagan strewn over the other bed. She was laying far less gracefully then Viviana was. It appeared the sleep overcame her before she could fully reach her bed and she fell onto the side. Half sitting up, her head hung forward and her hair covering her face, Thomas could see one arm was clutching the bed in hopes of pulling herself up. Her skirts had risen to her knees and he quickly bent over her to pull it down to preserve her modesty.

The girls were dead, and even though Thomas did not know them at all, he felt the sadness of their passing. They had been innocents in this case, and while he did not know why the curse decided to change its course of action in an attempt to keep its own secret Thomas was glad it had spared Evangeline. Perhaps she would wish death upon herself should she come to find her friends like this.

It was then that he heard the door opening. “I am here, but you should stay in the hallway.” Thomas returned to the sitting room to see Evangeline and Wick together. Evangeline was chewing on some leaves, Wick breaking them up in her hands and forcing more into her clenched fist as Evangeline seemed to just freeze for a moment.

“Thomas?” she asked, and all it took was a grim shake of his head and she dashed from Wick and into the bedroom. The howl of her grief as she saw them for herself broke Wick’s heart.

“I shall fetch a guard and inform the King. There will be letters to write to their families.” Wick ignored him. She knew that he was looking for an escape. The sound of Evangeline crying would be hard for any man to witness. Wick, however, was glad she had returned in time for this. Evangeline would need her support. She came into the sleeping quarters, sitting beside Evangeline as the girl held her hand to her mouth and just stared into the room. The tears fell, her breath was panicked and too fast but there was nothing Wick could do.

“You know the secret.”

Evangeline’s head snapped to the other girl’s voice. Broken from little use, Wick did not sound like she should. A woman of her age and experience should have wisdom. Instead, she sounded childlike and shy. “Glais, he…” So stunned by the events Evangeline couldn’t speak but pulled her hair back so that Wick could see the damage for herself. With all that was happening, Wick speaking was close to normal.