A puzzled frown tugged my mouth. “Legends?”
His dimple deepened. “Every remarkable woman deserves at least a few.”
My heart quickened. “How did you learn my name?”
He shrugged. “You’re the princess. It would be disloyal for me not to know it.”
Somehow, I sensed his knowledge extended beyond my pedigree, especially when the question stirred a strange sense ofdeja vu, as though I had asked it once before, in another time and place. Both times, I was certain my treacherous heart hadquickened in the same way at the sound of his honeyed voice cradling a name so rarely spoken now.
Perhaps this partnership had been a foolhardy mistake after all.
The thought grounded me, pulling my wandering thoughts back to the more pressing matter of escape at hand. Now that the door had been unlocked, I was one step closer to uncovering the mysteries shrouding the palace. I stared down at the door handle, but couldn’t make myself reach for it.
“Didn’t you want the door open?” Evander asked, laughter in his voice.
I bit my lip. “I just remembered that there are guards outside the door.”
He tilted his head. “That does complicate matters.”
I eased the door open a fraction. Sure enough, two armored figures stood at attention beyond it. I shut it at once.
“Still there?” Evander asked.
“Did you expect them to vanish?” I asked.
He shrugged. “One can hope. But considering they locked you in, it would be poor form to abandon their post.”
I glared at him. “Your brilliance continues to astonish me.”
His smile returned. “Shall I create a distraction?”
“How? By charming them while invisible and silent?” I asked dryly.
He offered another flirtatious wink. “Not to worry, you’re my only target for that particular demonstration.”
Heat crept steadily into my cheeks, the second blush he’d stolen from me this interaction. I crossed my arms, as though the futile gesture might shield my wildly pounding heart. “And how, exactly, do you propose to be helpful when you can’t be seen?”
He grinned, a hint of mischief slipping through. “Attention is easier to redirect than you might think...as you’ve alreadydiscovered.” He stepped a fraction closer, his voice lowering just enough to brush the edge of something dangerous. “Watch the master at work.”
His eyes held mine for a fraction before he eased the door open just wide enough to slip through. It swung soundlessly, as though anything he touched went as unnoticed as he did. Though the guards stood at rigid attention, they didn’t so much as glance his way as he slipped past them and disappeared down the corridor.
The silence stretched tensely as I waited. After a few long moments, I realized he was likely gone, enjoying his freedom while I remained trapped in my room. I’d thought he had a true interest in working together, but either he’d grown bored of the idea…or he’d already gained what he needed from me.
Rage bubbled to the surface at the idea, but it was oddly mixed with disappointment. I’d long since given up trusting people so it had been years since I’d felt disappointed in someone’s actions. But Evander’s abandonment cut far more deeply than it should have. I chastised myself for my weakness in allowing myself to think of him almost as a friend or teammate.
Thoughtfully, I examined the hallway as best I could through the slit in the doorway, wondering if I could create my own distraction that would work long enough to flee down the hall and around the corner. Before I could attempt to throw a candlestick at the fragile-looking vase in an alcove, a sudden crash shattered the stillness. The clamor of something heavy striking the ground echoed through the hall, followed by the sharp ring of metal colliding with stone.
The guards jerked upright. “What was that?”
“It came from down the corridor. Quick!”
Their footsteps thundered away. I stared after them a startled moment, and didn’t even attempt to mask my amazement when Evander reappeared at my side.
He dusted his hands together with an air of innocence. “Distraction successfully executed. I’ll accept my well earned accolades.”
“Those will have to wait until after your diversion proves sufficient.”
I wasted no time slipping from the room, moving on silent tiptoe down the corridor in the opposite direction the guards had run, keeping to the shadows between the torchlit sconces. My heart pounded hard enough that I feared the sound alone might betray me. At least I wasn’t exhibiting any symptoms of sleepiness, a timely miracle.
