“What’re you guys doing?” I ask, taking in the disarray.
“You didn’t expect to clean all of this up by yourself, did you?” Mina asks, twirling a particularly long splinter of wood between her fingers.
“Honestly, I didn’t think it would be this bad.”
I look around at the shambles that was once such a grand room. The duvet is in ribbons on the floor, and the clothes and shoes are strewn about everywhere. Entire drawers from the bedside tables have been thrown against the walls.
Evander whistles from the doorway behind me. “This certainly sends a message.”
The girls nod their agreement as I pull Evander inside the room and shut the door behind him. I eye Mina, but Mathilda reads my mind.
“She agrees with us.” Mina looks up at Mathilda, then knowingly nods at me.
“I didn’t say anything to Odessa, but I get the idea that they still think I’m here to stop these things from happening,” I say to the group.
Evander slumps on the bed, his wings transforming into tattoos down his arms.
“Did she say anything about the incident with Julius?” He squeezes his hands into fists, and the action is more menacing than I’ve ever seen him.
I huff. “She said she was relieved that it healed, but that was it. She didn’t seem to care too much.”
Mathilda and Evander nod, but Mina speaks up, “I’m sorry I wasn’t there. But I heard it’s like he’s out to get you or something.”
“It’s beginning to feel that way. Maybe he doesn’t want me to take Odessa’s place?” I pick up a strip of fabric that was ripped from the curtains. “But she seems more than happy to relinquish the title, so I don’t know.” We’re all quiet for a beat, trying to think it through. “She said she wanted me to have a guard, but I was worried about someone tracking my movements and conversations, so I declined,” I tell them.
“That was probably for the best, but a guard wouldn’t be a horrible idea,” Evander trails off. His jaw ticks. The smooth skin visibly ripples with the movement. “I’ll ask Lachlan to divide shifts with me.”
The idea of Lachlan following me around or standing guard outside my room, especially after his comments in the temple, has me completely on edge.
“Absolutely not,” I say quickly.
Evander raises his hands in surrender, his eyes growing large.
Mathilda whispers, “You know she’s mad at him, you idiot.”
I roll my eyes. Evander pales, and his lips press together.
A knock on the door halts my response. “Your Highness,we’ve been sent to clean your room and bring up new furniture.” A male voice calls from the hallway outside my shut door. I shoot a glance at Evander, and he strides over to the door and swings it open. Two massive warriors in black leathers are standing there, baskets in hand.
I move to stand at Evander’s side. They stare at us, their expressions cautiously blank, but there’s somethingoffabout them.
“Thank you,” I say to them, flashing my best smile. “We’ll just step out so you two can get to work.”
The men don’t seem surprised to see our group, but they don’t appear happy about it either, as we file into the hallway. The guards continue staring at us and make no movement to enter my room. But when booted footsteps echo from down the hall, courtesy of Lachlan stalking our way, the men scurry inside.
His face is twisted with rage, and his large wings flare wide, taking up most of the hallway. He intercepts us and stops in our path, crossing his arms.
“How bad is it?”
Evander shakes his head. “It’s not terrible, but it’s definitely a message.”
Waves of anger roll off Lachlan, and there’s something so menacing about him that it sends shivers down my spine. I’m starting to get a better idea of the warrior he actually is.
Before, it was difficult to picture him as anything but my happy-go-lucky best friend, but now, with the way he looks like a wrathful god, I see how he climbed the ranks to become captain. But it’s when his eyes flick to mine, and softness enters his gaze, that warmth pools low in my belly.
“Are ye alright?” he murmurs.
Our friends find anywhere else to look than us, and I stare down at my feet before bringing my eyes to his concerned gaze.
