Page 90 of Crimson Kingdom

Evander furrowed his brow in confusion. “Why not?”

“The weather here is predictable,” I explained. “And that’s all I can really do.”

“Are you sure?” he asked after a beat.

I let out a short laugh. “I think I would have noticed something else by now.”

His features took on the analytical expression that meant the gears were turning in his mind.

“I assumed you influenced it, to some extent. At the memorial...there was no humidity in the air, and those clouds were hardly ominous.” He met my eyes. “Then you were grieving, and the rain came down.”

It was true that I hadn’t sensed the rain until right before it fell. The prickling awareness had overtaken me at the very last minute, but I had assumed that was because I was distracted.

“That must have been a coincidence,” I reasoned. “I’ve never been able to do anything like that.”

He made a thoughtful noise in the back of his throat, but didn’t press the issue, probably because his eyelids were fluttering shut.

“Come on.” I tugged on his hand. “Gal was right. You need to rest before dinner.”

He nodded, pushing himself to his feet, and I led him to his bed. Once he laid down, I curled up against his uninjured side, pressing a soft kiss against his chest.

The knowledge that he could have died today edged out the last bits of concern I had that someone might find us in here.

Besides, tomorrow, he would be my husband.

CHAPTERFORTY-SEVEN

That night, dinner was another family affair so that Evander and I could exchange our customary ring and gift.

Normally, he would have proposed with the ring, and I would have answered with my gift, but of course, there was nothing normal about any of this.

So, I sat next to Evander at the table while my family watched us and tried to pretend it wasn’t awkward, tried to pretend that giving each other gifts was something we did all the time.

That our relationship had been built on courting and mutual affection rather than politics and mutual stubbornness.

Evander eyed the long, rectangular package I put in front of him with curiosity.

Did he receive gifts often? Did he and his cousins exchange them at festivals or at random?

It struck me that I had no real idea what Evander’s life was like, or what mine would be like…for however long I was in Socair. I didn’t have long to dwell on that thought, though, before Evander reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small box made of engraved silver.

He handed it out to me with the slightest bit of trepidation behind his usual haughty smirk.

Even though I knew what it was, or maybebecauseI knew what it was, my stomach fluttered nervously as I took the box. Upon closer inspection, the engraving was the same outline of a bear that was on the shoulder of Evander’s uniforms, but behind it was the rowan tree from my signet ring.

A smile tugged at my lips. I gently undid the clasp, feeling the weight of my family’s eyes on me. Of Evander’s eyes.

When I opened the lid, I couldn’t help a small gasp.

I had never seen a ring like this one. The center stone was onyx and shaped like an upside-down kite. Brilliant sparkling diamonds were clustered along the lower sides, contrasting sharply with the deep black of the larger gem.

It was striking. Gorgeous. But edged with something just a little bit…ruthless.

Like Evander.

I lifted my eyes up to find him studying me carefully for my reaction.

“It’s perfect,” I said, turning the box back toward him.