The Tower Without a Door by H. L. Macfarlane

Author:H. L. Macfarlane [Macfarlane, H. L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-06-28T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

Genevieve

Genevieve had never embraced so much attention before – not since she was a child, at least, and even then her father had largely kept her within the palace, so her experience with people was limited. The attention of tavern-goers was certainly different to the aristocrats who used to politely amuse her when they came to visit her mother and father, though the inn Julian had chosen was markedly more high-class than the ones they’d stayed in before.

And though Evie had chosen to forgo the formal gown she’d procured for returning to the palace in place of the less expensive one she’d bought solely for herself, she stood out. It’s because of my hair, she thought, though Evie wasn’t unhappy about this. Imbued with magic or not it was a part of her, and there was no sense in Evie wondering whether the rest of her would ever look as good as the woven, golden crown Julian had braided around her head.

Evie hadn’t realised he’d done such a thing until she looked in the mirror to admire his handiwork. The rest of her hair fell to her ankles in a multitude of interlaced braids of varying thicknesses, and it was beautiful, but the woven crown was something else entirely. It was heartbreakingly intricate; Evie couldn’t imagine the amount of thought the wizard must have put into styling it in such a way. And Julian had deliberately kept a few wispy strands of Evie’s hair loose around her face, softening the look just enough that it seemed as if she had been born with her hair sitting this way instead of it being the work of genius magic.

For the first time in twelve years, in her well-fitting blue gown, matching slippers and with her sun-coloured crown around her head, Evie genuinely felt like a princess.

It was more bittersweet that she could ever have imagined.

Well, that’s nothing that some wine cannot fix, Evie decided as she began drinking her second cup of the stuff. It was light and sweet – much unlike the wine she’d accidentally drank on the first night of her journey to Willow – but heady enough that Evie could feel it burning inside of her already. She thought back to how she’d so quickly fallen asleep that first time, never truly getting to experience the effects of alcohol.

Tonight was different. Tomorrow Evie would make her way to the palace, to her mother and father and brother, and her life would change completely. One way or another she’d never have the opportunity to drink in a tavern under the guise of anonymity again, even though the attention her hair was getting was a far cry from what Julian would consider to be ‘anonymous’.

He would be so angry with this much attention, she thought, laughing a little in the process. He’d walk away from everyone to sit in the corner in a huff, and ignore any questions and greetings thrown his way.

It was only in thinking this that Evie remembered she hadn’t actually seen Julian since she’d pushed him away that afternoon.

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