Page 49 of Tarnished Crown
“Rowan, I want to see you, but I don’t want you to put yourself in dan--”
“I won’t. I’ll be fine,” I assured him.
He reluctantly nodded as Evander came back, effectively throwing a bucket of cold water over whatever moment we had found ourselves in.
Aalio.
We all stayed by the fire after dinner, and tensions began to lessen between the clans. Though they still sat on opposite sides of the fire, several of the Elk and Bear guards were talking and laughing and telling stories.
Some of Evander’s guards chimed in to ask questions, mostly Kirill, and a few of Theo’s guards seemed to have gotten chummy with Davin. Even Arès joined in to say a few things about Mila, and for a minute, I could almost forget we were all here to decide whether or not I would still be a prisoner tomorrow.
Though he said little, Evander’s presence next to me was almost as loud as the rest of the camp.
Though there was a deceptively casual expression in place of the one he had let slip earlier, he was crackling with the force of his ire. I was in no mood for his raised tension, though, not with everything I had at stake here.
“Will you be stopping on your way back to the estate to attend toyourfeminine needs, or is this mood a coincidence?” I mumbled out of the side of my mouth.
Apparently, it was louder than I thought, because Kirill choked on a laugh, but Evander just shook his head mutely, an incredulous expression breaking through his aloof facade.
After that, I did my best to ignore him. One by one, the men trickled to bed, including Theo, who came over to press a kiss to my forehead, much to the delight of Evander.
Eventually, only four of us remained.
“Princess Rowan, where might you be staying tonight?” Davin asked like it had just occurred to him, but something in his expression made me think he had been waiting to address it.
I took a bolstering breath. “In the tent with Evander, if I had to surmise a guess.”
I looked at the man in question for confirmation, and Evander gave a single curt nod.
“Hmm. Is that so?” Davin’s false congenial expression met Evander’s ever composed one. “I believe I’ll sleep there as well, then, as two guards are certainly better than one, when your safety is in peril. Wouldn’t you agree, Lord Evander.”
Evander raised a sardonic eyebrow. “Indeed, Eunuch Guard Davin.”
There was a stilted pause. I still hadn’t explained the lie to Davin, or that Evander actually knew the truth about who he was. Though, judging by the look on my cousin’s face, he had figured it out.
I took a sip of my medovukha to hide my smirk.
“We generally just go by guard, but never let it be said that I’m not adaptable,” Davin spread his hands magnanimously. “If this is the custom in Bear, I suppose I should revise my address for you to Arseling Lord Evander.”
It had been a mistake taking a sip of my drink. I barely leaned forward in time to spew the entire mouthful out on the ground instead of in my cousin’s face, choking with the force of my laughter.
“Incidentally,” I said between gasping for breath, “thatiswhat he prefers to be called.”
Henrick hid his laugh under the guise of a cough, and even Evander seemed to struggle to stay so serious.
“Well, if it hadn’t been clear before...” he muttered, clearly referring to the fact that we were cousins. “Sleep where you will,GuardDavin.”
Victory.I grinned at Davin, relishing in this small moment where the weight of this situation didn’t feel quite so heavy with my best friend by my side.
CHAPTER34
Davin and I headed to the tent a short while later, and Evander actually seemed inclined to give us twelve whole minutes to ourselves before following.
“Dare I ask why you’re telling people I’m a eunuch?” Davin looked more amused than anything.
“It was better than saying you were my cousin?” I shrugged.
“Was it, though?” He tilted his head thoughtfully.