Page 111 of Captive

“Everly.”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Her words come out soft, sad.

Without hesitation, I move closer to her and curl my fingers around hers, giving her that silence she needs right now.

The rest of the way to the palace, we walk like that. Our hands entwined. Our steps nearly mirroring one another.

Once we’re safely inside the palace, Cenric walks away, leaving us to walk to our bedchambers.

When Everly reaches her door, she leans against it and sighs. “Thank you, Sol.”

“I should be the one saying thank you. Thanks to you, I now have more clothes than I know what to do with.”

A smile splits Everly’s lips. “You deserve them.” She plays with the leather bracelet on her wrist. “Cenric gave me an ultimatum. Tell everyone the truth or stay away from him.”

My chest squeezes at the ache in her voice, the pain she cannot disguise. “What did you say?”

She shakes her head. “I couldn’t speak, Sol. I couldn’t. Every time I thought of begging Cenric to stay, I saw Kassandra. I heard her desperation.”

My heart breaks as I think about what Kassandra’s death is doing to Everly. How it’s affecting her ability to be truly happy. “Losing a sister isn’t easy.”

“No. It isn’t.” Everly sniffs. “But I love him, Sol, and I haven’t acted like a wife in love.”

“Have you told him that?”

She sniffs again. “Not yet.”

“You should speak with him when you’re prepared.” How I wish I took my own advice sometimes.

Everly shifts as the door opens, and Lila steps into the corridor.

The torchlight immerses the maid’s bruised face and shimmers off her tattered surcoat. “I just finished cleaning your chamber. Would you like to have a look?”

Everly nods and turns to inspect her orderly room. “It looks fantastic. Thank you.”

The young maid beams. “It’s my pleasure. Is there something else you need?”

“No. Thank you.”

Just as Lila is about to leave, I pipe in as a sudden idea strikes me. “Wait!”

She stops, twists around, and gazes at me.

“Would you want to accompany me to town tomorrow? We could purchase fabric for you to make a new surcoat.”

Everly’s eyes light up with eagerness. “I could sew the surcoat.”

“Truly?” Lila gasps as she looks between us.

“Yes,” I say.

“Oh, my lady.” Lila places a shaky hand over her heart. “Nobody has ever made me a new surcoat. I have been wearing my sister’s old clothes for summers. This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me.”

“Well, then it’s time to have something made just for you.” Surely, Hector will not mind if I don’t give him back the rest of his coin. Lilaneedsthis.

“Thank you, my lady. Thank you.”

I nod at Lila and Everly, then angle toward my bedchamber to tell Hector about everything that happened today.

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