He rolled his eyes at my hesitation. “You have to understand that there are some things that I can’t tell you because I don’t have answers to them myself, but I will tell you what I know and my reasoning behind it.”
“Then I guess I have no choice but to trust you?”
“Yes, but I’ll make sure I earn your trust. I promise everything I’m doing has a valid reason, Eva. I won’t do anything to hurt you.”
There was a moment where I didn’t want to believe what he was telling me, that everything was a tactic to let my guard down, but there was that damn honesty that was laced through his words, and it made my decision easy. I would trust him until he gave me a reason not to. Which I figured would be any moment now. I wouldn’t have to let my guard down for long.I hoped.
My hand intertwined with his, and our bodies hummed at the connection. “Fine. Let’s go for a walk.”
* * *
As I looked around,I couldn’t help but be surprised that Matthew’s home was slightly modest andnotan actual palace. It was definitely large but given the lavish way that my room was decorated, I expected something ostentatious almost.
I never felt like the word ‘home’ was appropriate for the palaces that my family and I lived in. A home should be a place that was comfortable and more intimate, a place for your family and closest friends. I was always jealous that Damien and his family had a home, besides living quarters at the palace, for convenience. But the palace was never a home, and that was all I wished for when I was growing up. This though… Matthew’s house? This felt like it could be home for some strange reason.
Matthew’s house was a small manor, and what the house lacked in size compared to a traditional palace, it made up for in its’ grand gardens. It was like I had stepped into another world. While Helia had a beautiful countryside, it was honestly nothing compared to this. These lawns were luscious and green with fountains ideally arranged to enhance the tranquility. Trees perfectly lined pathways for shade and comfort. Matthew had even pointed out some paths that led to secret gardens. I couldn’t help but smile wildly at the splendor surrounding me.
“See? Aren’t you glad you took me up on my offer?” Matthew smiled freely down at me. It was the first time that we had spoken since leaving my room, opting instead for a peaceful silence as if we had been friends all our lives. Although I thought I needed to feel resentment toward Matthew, I couldn’t bring myself to. My soul wouldn’t allow it.
“I’ll never tell,” I teased him back. Honestly, Iwasthankful to be outside of the four walls that I’d confined myself in. I stress that because it really was me keeping myself confined. No one else did that, and I realized that. Also, I would never have forgiven myself if I hadn’t experienced this estate at least once.
Matthew only laughed, tilting his head back slightly when he did so. It was different seeing him so carefree instead of the carefully haughty demeanor he seemed to have when we were in the presence of others. I liked this side much better. “You keep me on my toes, did you know that?”
“I’ve always been told that life in my company would never be boring. I’m not sure what all the fuss is about.” It was my mother who had told me that. She was one of the few that loved my stubbornness and my teasing nature. She said that she always prayed to the gods that I never lost it, that I never forgot that essential piece of my soul. It made me who I was. I hoped I served her well, but I think those around me would agree that I was as stubborn as the day was long.
He nodded his head along in agreement. “I’m sure you’re right about that.”
“Matthew?” I hesitated only for a moment before I lost my nerve. “Why am I here?”
His face seemed to change at my question. I knew he was keeping something from me, but I didn’t know what that was. Since he hadn’t told me a single thing, that wasn’t hard to do. He led me over to a small bench at the edge of the walkway and gestured for me to take a seat. I thought about fighting him on this, but if he would talk to me, then I’d consider it an even trade.
He took a deep breath. “What were you told about the attack on Angoria?” he asked. I thought back to what was a little less than two weeks ago. Had such little time passed? Maybe it was just because I was here with Matthew, or maybe it was because I wasn’t in council meetings discussing it, but it seemed like it happened ages ago. So much had changed since the attack had been launched, it was easy to understand why it felt like so long. Hell, I even felt like a completely different person from who I was then.
“Not much, really. We were told that three soldiers launched the attack as some sort of diversion while armies snuck up to ransack the city. That’s why we were in the forest that day, to locate them. I was also told that it was most likely a high-ranking officer with two soldiers accompanying him.” I shrugged. Honestly, that was it. Orion had little information. Which, now that I’d thought about it, was incredibly weird. Orion prided himself on what he knew, and the fact that he knew next to nothing seemed a bit suspicious.
Matthew studied me for a moment before he continued. “And what do you know about Lachlan and The Horde?” My body ran cold at the mention of their name.
“I know plenty.” I didn’t hide the disgust in my voice. I hated them. I hated them all. “They took my mother from us. I watched… I watched when he killed her. I didn’t make it in time, and I won’t ever make that mistake again. I should have been there; I was supposed to have been there.” Tears sprung in my eyes, but I quickly wiped them away.
“Is that what you dream about?” Matthew cocked his head as he studied me. I blinked up at him. I had never bared my soul so easily to someone. He seemed to understand my pain in a way that no one else had before. He didn’t make me feel strange about it either. When most people find out that your mother was murdered in front of you, they don’t know how to act. I understood it. I always did, but Matthew didn’t seem to miss a beat.
“How did you know…?”
He held a hand up to interrupt me. “Eva, you scream every night. It’s easy to imagine that something truly terrible must have happened to you.” He shook his head sadly. “It takes everything I have not to run in and…” He moved his hand into a fist at his side and it turned white from the amount of pressure that he was exerting on himself.
“I don’t need you or anyone to save me.” It’s often an assumption that because I’m a woman that I need rescuing, but I’m my own damn savior.
His hazel eyes studied me for a moment. “No, you most certainly do not. You’re wild and free and should stay that way.” A smile played across his lips. “I only meant that it goes against my nature, and I want to help you if I can. Also, I don’t want to be on the receiving end of one of your slaps again.” He rubbed his cheek. “That was brutal.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, at least you’ll think twice before messing with me.” That serves him right, and perhaps he really would rethink trying anything on me I didn’t ask for. But maybe, just maybe, I wanted him to try something. Maybe I wanted him to kiss me again…
He paused, and I could tell that he was unsure of what he wanted to say next. “I… took you to save you,” he said. The look drawn across his face was as serious as it could be, and any sign of our teasing from a moment ago was completely gone. Even the atmosphere seemed to change, the air growing thick and difficult to swallow.
“Save me from what?” Obviously, I was missing something. There was something that he wasn’t telling me. That was okay, as long as he was willing to fill in the blanks for me. I wasn’t a stupid woman; I’d always considered myself relatively intelligent, but this would be a hell of a lot easier if he just came clean.
“The attack on Angoria is just the beginning of what The Horde has planned, Eva. Helia is their prime target and always has been. Their elite members have infiltrated most council rooms across the kingdoms in some capacity and it’s only a matter of time before they’re able to convince other kingdoms to launch an attack on your kingdom, or they infiltrate your council table and bring you down from the inside.”
“So it’s his sons that are in charge, then? Lachlan himself is dead, though, right?” I thought back to our council meeting. The information that Orion had learned about Lachlan’s sons being alive and well. As for Lachlan… Well, Orion had killed him in battle at the end of The Great War. There was no way that he lingered. There was nowhere that he could have hidden after his downfall, but if The Horde was back now, then I suppose anything was possible. Even if the thought made me sick to my stomach.
