Evergreen: A Fantasy Romance (The Evergreen Series Book 1) by Autumn Woods

Author:Autumn Woods [Woods, Autumn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-11-27T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 27

Crusty Old Man (Renna)

I wake up disoriented, my mind addled by the medicines I'd taken for my withdrawals.

The fragments of my dream float in front of me, just out of reach. I try to grasp them, but they dissipate into the cool morning air. I'm dizzy. I've woken up with a sense of unease in my stomach. Why is that?

Oh yes.

I'm a fucking sorceress, and people are finding out.

Stellan is in prison.

And we're all about to get stabbed by an angry army.

Nice.

I sit up sleepily, my eyes adjusting to the dim darkness. Rexxan sits beside my bed, still working on the battle plans that we discussed last night. I wonder if he slept at all. Probably not. His molten lava eyes meet mine. "Rennalya."

"Don't call me that."

"It's a beautiful name."

If he adds for a beautiful girl onto the end of that statement I'll lose hope in men forever. “Why are you here, Rexxan?"

"To watch you sleep."

"You realise that's creepy?"

"I realise it's sensible, given the amount of pain relief you've taken for your withdrawals."

I don’t even ask how he knows that. Someone breathes on the other side of Yterras and Rexxan knows. "And you couldn't have sent any one of your three hundred and fifty staff?"

"No."

I'm angry with him. I'm angry he put Stellan in prison. I'm angry he mentioned Stell's wife. I'm fucking furious that he let me stand there and open up to him and said nothing back. I'm angry that he doesn't love me enough to tell me. "Well, I'm awake and I haven't choked on my own sick, so now you can get out of here and choke on yours."

"Renna," he sighs wearily. "I want to talk to you."

"Well, I'm not in the mood now. And don't you have better things to be doing? For example, leading this entire nation through a war?"

Annoyance flashes in his eyes, and I know that was a careless comment. If there’s one thing he isn’t, it’s a bad king. He works twenty one hours some days. "What do you think I've been doing all night, Rennalya?"

"Take. Stellan. Out. Of. Prison," I say, enunciating each word slowly as if he were a child. He and I aren’t going to make any headway in our relationship whilst my best friend is in a cell.

"He got off lightly."

"Take him the fuck out of there, Rexxan. I swear to the gods."

“Oh, the gods won't help against me.” He stands, clearly giving up. "See you in the same meeting room at eight. Don't be late."

He stalks out of the room, the sheer weight behind his footsteps rattling the table beside my bed. I spend ten minutes just staring into the mirror, my eyes as bright as the lanterns on the wall beside me. I look different, and I’m terrified by that. From this day onwards, there’s a target on my back, a heavy price on my head. I turn away from the mirror, uncomfortable with my reflection for the first time in my life.

I hum as I look over my very limited wardrobe.

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