Page 81 of Tarnished Crown
Evander shook his head, looking skyward. “Der’mo, Lemmikki. Is there anything I could say that you wouldn’t argue with?”
I pretended to consider that. “It doesn’t seem likely.”
He sighed and returned to the sitting room to work. Meanwhile, I could hardly sit still with anticipation.
I never imagined I would be so excited to go on a journey with Evander and his soldiers, but I would give anything to get out of this estate where Ava stalked the halls like the villain from a children’s tale.
Taisiya came in later that evening bearing a tall stack of folded fabrics.
“New dresses. I had been keeping them in your room for you, but since you need them now...” Her voice held a hint of disapproval which I steadfastly ignored.
Evander, however, looked up sharply from his desk and cleared his throat pointedly. Only when Taisiya’s features were drawn in apology did he excuse himself to the sitting room so I could try the dresses on.
The top set was a replacement for the one that had been ruined during the flogging, a deep forest green overlayer and a cream underpiece. It was beautiful, just like the last one had been, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to be reminded of that day ever again.
I asked her to put it in the pile that stayed here.
Next, I tried on a silvery piece under ice blue skirts of crushed velvet that fell in graceful folds down to the floor. I added it to the pile to take with me, along with a similar one in deep amethyst.
But it was the last one that caught my eye.
The inner layer was pure white, with long, gathered sleeves and carved silver buttons. The deep black bodice had a strapless corset that laced in the front, cinching at the waist before spilling into full, divided skirts.
Black and white.
I would match the soldiers.
“I’ll wear that one tomorrow,” I told her.
The thought bolstered me in an unexpected way.
The next morning, we woke early.
Well, Evander woke early, and then he forcibly tore me from the bed as well.
I braided my mass of hair back into something that would at least be functional, if not elegant, tying it off with a black velvet ribbon to match the outfit I had chosen.
“All right, ready to go,” I announced, returning to the main room.
Evander’s eyes widened for a fraction of a second before he shook his head. “Not quite.”
He crossed the room to his armoire, pulling out a dagger. A very unique, very familiar dagger.
My dagger.
He held it out to me. “Just...try to refrain from stabbing me.”
“No promises,” I breathed, taking the blade.
It was silly, really, how I felt immediately calmer, more complete. I hadn’t left home without this dagger since the day my mother gave it to me, the day Laird Camdyn’s sons had teased me about the...changes in my shape over the summer.
A small smile played at my lips. “Well, I’m not going to thank you for giving me back what you stole.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it. It is an interesting design choice,” Evander coughed.
“It’s a family heirloom!” I said with a trace of defensiveness.
“Interesting family, then,” he said drily.