Chapter 23

I walk down the same, empty, hallway that I find myself wandering down most days. This hall, the one that leads to the throne room, is completely devoid of life. There are no portraits, no stray, wandering, courtiers, no sign that anyone has ever been down here. Even the servants stay clean of this hall.

Jezebel Larcaste walks next to me, as calm as ever, but where my calm is a frozen tundra that takes everyone down with me, Jezebel has this flirty, carefree, calm. It's light, like her.

Jezebel's husband, Rhoe, walks a few strides behind us, their children behind Rhoe. It is strange to think of Jezebel as anything other than the little girl she was, but she is no longer a little girl that needs to be shielded from the reality of life.

Rounding the corner is like going from the grayscale to a world of color. There are lingering court members hoping to catch a glance of the Larcaste royals and portraits of late Aculiacs lining the wall.

My portrait is here too, somewhere in the sea of vibrancy and memory.

We take a few more turns, each corridor more full than the last. Coming up on great ash wood doors at the end of our seven right turns and four left turns, I push them open. This room is empty save for the white ash wood table to the center of the room.

It's light in here, but devoid of natural light. No windows to be seen. Instead the ceiling is covered in what looks to be blue melted stars pooled together.

The table is covered in charts, maps and various parchments with marks scattering them. My mother would have died before she brought a potential ally in here, saying that the information in here is too valuable for any other eyes to look upon.

But Jezebel Larcaste isn't just some potential ally.

Jezebel rounds the table, scanning a few of the things littered around, Rhoe comes in next, the two sets of twins following closely behind. With barely a thought the doors swing closed, the wards activating under my touch.

No one leaves and no one enters without my permission.

Jezebel heaves a sigh as she leans over the table, Rhoe immediately coming to her side, "It has been a long time, Evelyn." Her voice is uncharacteristically soft, but I suppose our relationship is out of the realm of a set characteristic too.

I nod, overwhelmed, but I press, press, press it all down.I can cry later, but now i have to smile like, for all the world, nothing is wrong, "It has. Last I recall we met Vheima last."

She smiles softly, "yes, something about trade agreements." Her face perks up again, that softness gone just as quickly and suddenly as it had come, "why am I here?"

It's my turn to heave a breath as I look at Jezebel as she looks at a piece of parchment, "As you know, or have guessed, war is upon us and my list of potential alliances isn't exactly long."

She glances at Rhoe for a moment and they look at each other, stories in their eyes. No doubt a conversation being shared between them. Jezebel looks back at me, a weary expression planted firmly on her tired face, "I am reluctant to consider. Famine has started to take root in the south. Last crop was destroyed and I fear this one won't be much better."

Rhoe looks stoic and anxious. Like he can't believe Jezebel just told me that. Like he doesn't know that Jezebel and I aren't exactly strangers. She perks back up, how strange, a glint coming into her dazzling emerald eyes, "why did you make your escape now?"

I laugh a little, my shoulders lifting, "I didn't escape, per say-"

"Come on. It will make my day."

I raise my brows, "I made a deal. Nothing exciting."

She pouts, like, really pouts. What are we, three. I haven't an interest in gossip, but apparently she does. Flame, I missed this. "But I want the details."

My fingers glide over the table, my eyes passing over the report about the missing women, "The council was desperate. I was their last resort. We of all people know what desperation looks like. I had room to bargain."

And just like that the room plummets and shifts. We just fell of a cliff and landed with broken limbs. Rhoe's hand tightens on the rim of the table. Their children stay silent, heads remaining down.

So Rhoe knows more than he lets on, good.

I try to pick up the mood. Why do I always have to be such a drag on everyone and everything. Here Jezebel is, trying to have a light conversation, and I have to go and bring to the surface every awful memory of Aries Aculiac we have. "Anyway, I haven't met your children."

Up and down, up and down. Her mood goes up. Her eyes sparkle as she trunks to her children, motioning for them to come forward, "Evelyn, this is Scarlett and Irene." My heart stops dead in my chest. My eyes widen slightly as I choke on my breath. I must be dreaming. Things are getting fuzzy and the world spins, my chest aches and I have to tighten every cell of my body to stop it from falling to the ground in a heap.

I choke out a few words, "Irene?"

She smiles brightly, still not getting it even though this is so very obvious. Irene Larcaste looks like a mirror image of me, a mirror image of Irene Aculiac. A very dead Irene Aculiac.

I push it down, I shut a wall through my emotions, closing them off as I stick my hand out somewhat robotically, "My name is Evelyn." They both shake it.

Jezebel, not noticing the clear shift in the room continues to smile as if filled with sunlight, "and this is Rowan and Caspian."

I shake their hands too, but everything is so distant. It's like I'm here, but not here. I'm watching things play out, but I have absolutely no control. And that hurts. Is it supposed to hurt?

She pats her stomach, "and the ones on the way aren't decided for names, but we were thinking maybe Marley or Azurial. Family names."

I blink. Blink twice. Blink three times. Four times. Five times. Why can't I breathe. "That's great. I'm so happy for you."

Rhoe looks like he wants to be anywhere but here as he sees my face go on autopilot. I wish, I wish, more than anything. Why couldn't Aaliyah come with me, or Leander. No, they are meeting with General Richards. Why do I want them here? I don't want them here.

I smile, smile like my life depends on, my sanity does, I look at Rhoe, I speak, "May I have a moment alone with Jezebel."

He looks to her, uneasy. She nods, he nods. He walks out without a word, Irene, Scarlett, Caspian and Rowan in tow.

Jezebel lights up the moment they are gone, coming up to crush me in a tight hug. I hug back, casting a hard air bubble around the room. No noise will leave. No listening ears will pry.

"My sister, my sweet, sweet sister. I have missed you."

I swallow hard, "I missed you too." I wrap my arms around her tighter. So, so, long.

Sister. Such a foreign word. We aren';t by blood sisters. I'm Marulia's bastard and Jezebel is Arie's bastard. Sisters, but not sisters. I faintly remember a light touch on my back, a faint whisper, Violetta Night.

"I have secure trade agreements with half of the Northern worlds. I'll give you whatever you need."

She nods, "I trust you, sister, I will speak with Rhoe. Send shipments fast, though. My people are dying."

"My chemists should be able to work out a way to keep your crop healthy, but in the meantime, this is the best I can do."

"Great. I am so glad to have you back."

I absentmindedly rub her back, my mind far off, "Yeah, yeah. It's great to have you back."

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