The unraveling

Chapter 9: The Unraveling

The full moon seemed to hang in the middle of the sky above the palace gardens like a pale ornament. Evelina sat at her window, her finger tracing round the cold beveled frame, while her mind retreated far off, back into the recesses of their tussle-the flash that went deeper into his deep crimson eyes. What was it about him that so enthralled her? Why couldn't she let go of the urge to understand him-to be with him despite everything?

She had expected fear, maybe even regret, after he'd distanced himself. Instead, she just felt… different. She felt something indescribable.

A soft knock on her door broke her from her reverie, and she turned to face it. "Come in," she called, her voice steady, though her heart still raced from the intensity of her thoughts.

The door opened to reveal one of her maids, a soft smile on her face. "Princess Evelina, the king is expecting you at dinner," she announced gently, bowing slightly.

She nodded, still a little absent, and said, "I shall be down directly," in a voice distant, turning her face back toward the window. Yet, she knew she could not avoid her father's call for very long. Sighing, she rose from her seat and smoothed her dress, trying to clear her mind.

Dinner was a big affair, as it always was within the palace, nobles and dignitaries alike gracing the table-a banquet of opulence and tradition. Tonight, however, Evelina hardly took in the brilliance of the feast spread before her. Her thoughts could not help but wander back to Kaelen-to the demon whose presence stirred something deep within her. How was she just supposed to forget him, simply because her father wished it? How was she to live in a world where he no longer played a part?

As she entered the dining hall, her father, King Alistair, found her eyes and hardened his expression. She knew what he was thinking: Don't get distracted. You have a future to secure. It was the burden of that future that had weighed upon her for as long as she could remember-a weight that grew heavier with each passing day, especially since her betrothal to King Leon of the Silver Empire was looming.

He stared at her continuously as she sat at the table, though she knew the weight of the tension lay upon him. He'd been watching her more closely than normal lately, the pressure building on her.

Dinner passed in a blur of polite conversation and delicate bites, but Evelina's mind was elsewhere. Her gaze kept straying to the shadows of the room, peering for any sign of Kaelen. She couldn't explain it-she didn't even know what she would say to him if she saw him-but the longing inside her was undeniable. It burned hotter than any passion she'd ever known.

After the meal, the guests began to filter out, leaving the royal family alone in the dining hall. King Alistair, as always, wasted no time in addressing his daughter.

"You've been distracted lately," he said, his voice cold and stern. "Your focus should be on your future, Evelina. The alliance with King Leon is more important than any… distractions. Understand?"

The words cut a little deeper than Evelina cared to admit, and she swallowed hard. "Yes, Father," she replied quietly, refusing to look at him.

King Alistair just looked at her for a long minute, his gaze searching, as if he tried to discern what was really on her mind. Finally, he spoke again, his voice softer but no less commanding.

"You are to meet with King Leon tomorrow," he said, his voice absolute. "We have much to discuss about the terms of this union. I need you on the best of your behavior. This is no ordinary marriage but rather an alliance: one that will secure the future for our kingdom.

The thought made Evelina's heart shrink. She had known this day would come, the day she would face her betrothed, but now that it had finally dawned on her, its weight stifled her.

"Yes, Father," she said again, almost inaudibly.

As her father turned and left the room, Evelina sat amidst the silence, his words weighing upon her chest. She had always known her duty-to marry King Leon, to secure her family's legacy. But lately, the thought of it felt more like a prison than an honor.

Her thoughts circled back to Kaelen-to the demon she had once feared but now couldn't seem to forget. What if there was more to him than what she had been told? What if there was a world beyond the expectations of her father, beyond the crown she was bound to wear?

What if there was a different future for me?

A knock at the door broke into her reverie, and she hastened to wipe away a tear that she did not know had fallen.

"Come in," she called as steadily as possible.

It was not one of her attendants that came in but a figure that she had least expected to see again so soon. Kaelen stood in the doorway, his red eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that ran a shiver down her spine.

"I told you to stay away," he said, his voice low and edged with a sharpness that sent a chill through her.

Evelina's breath caught in her throat. She had been prepared for many things, but not this. Not for him to seek her out, after everything he had said to her before.

"I can't," she whispered, her heart racing in her chest. "I can't stay away, Kaelen.

For a long moment, neither of them said a word. Kaelen's gaze softened ever so slightly, his walls still firmly in place. He crossed the room, stopping just a few steps from her, the distance between them impossibly far.

"You don't know what you're doing," he said low and quiet, a thread of regret woven into his voice. "I'm dangerous, Evelina. You don't belong with someone like me.

Evelina swallowed the lump in her throat, her eyes meeting his. "I don't care," she said, her voice strong despite the storm of emotions inside her. "I'm not afraid of you."

Kaelen's eyes flickered, and for a brief moment, she saw the faintest glimmer of something—something that wasn't anger, wasn't coldness. It was vulnerability. But just as quickly, it was gone.

"You should be," he growled, his voice dark, but something was there now-an edge of hesitation.

Evelina could feel it. She could feel the pull between them, the connection neither could deny. And in that moment, she knew no matter how much he tried to distance himself, no matter how hard he fought against it, he couldn't push her away forever.

"I'll stay," she said quietly, her heart bucking against her ribs. "And I'll keep coming back. Whether you want me to or not."

Kaelen didn't say anything. But the way his eyes flashed dark, the way his breath caught, spoke volumes.

This wasn't anywhere close to over.

And Evelina would not back down.