Page 47 of War Hour

Her tone is sharp as she smacks away my hand, then pulls herself to her feet.

Blinking a few times, I swear her eyes flash a purple hue. Realizing the girl is staring at me and expecting a response, I shake my head. “No! Well, yes, I truly didn’t mean to!”

The girl straightens the skirts of her dress before rolling her eyes at me. “Mean to bowl me over? I would certainly hope so.” The girl blinks rapidly, eyes transitioning between purple and brown. “Ugh, can you try to keep your guilt to yourself?”

Breath catching in my throat, I look at her in bewilderment.

Guilt? Would she rather I not apologize?

“Everything all right over here? I saw the collision. No casualties, I hope,” a male voice calls over my shoulder.

Relief floods my body, and I’m grateful to be saved from the irritated girl ready to bite my head off.

Turning to look at him, I move to answer but am cut off by a sickeningly sweet tone.

“Oh, you’re too funny, Evander. I am fine, just a little rumpled.”

My heart stops when I see Evander, realizing I’ve already encountered this stranger before.

Sitting at Lord Gennady’s side. His Heir.

With the same tan skin and blue eyes as his father, there’s no mistaking him for anyone else. His hair is a warm brown that resembles honey where the light hits it.

Evander is handsome in every way that would make a young girl swoon. Except I’m not a young girl, nor do I swoon.

Evander gives her a wide smile, flashing two rows of perfectly straight white teeth. “I’m glad, Visha. And, Lysta, right?” He looks at me.

I nod, muttering, “I’m good—”

“Evander, I don’t suppose you have time for a walk. We have not talked nearly enough since we all arrived at the capital this session.”

Evander tsks before answering in a charming voice, “Alas, I’m afraid I must be off with Miss Lysta here. My father has requested I show her around the capital. Duty calls, but I promise we will get together soon. At training, at the least.” Evander takes my arm in his, already headed in the other direction, before Visha can respond.

Wide eyed, I look at him, surprised by his casual breach of my personal space. I yank myself free when we turn the corner but quickly offer a whispered “Thank you” to smooth over the abrasiveness of my instinctual move.

“For saving you from Visha, who looked ready to maul you right there, or for not reporting you ditched your escort?” He looks down at me, obviously teasing but still needing an answer.

Face warming, eyes wide, I shake my head. “I honestly didn’t mean to slip you. Sar brought me clothes this morning and brought me over to the Self tower because Torryn wanted to check in with me, and—”

“And I completely understand. Going forward, the Crowns would like me to, uh”—he struggles to find the words—“escort you during your stay at the capital.”

His kind words don’t conceal what he’s trying so valiantly not to say.

“You’re in charge of supervising me. They don’t trust me to roam the capital alone?”

Evander winces at my harsh words but nods. “Just for the time being. This is all an unprecedented situation, and they are being cautious.”

Groaning in irritation, I shake my head. “I really wish people would stop saying that word.”

“And what word is that?”

“Unprecedented. It’s infuriating and just an excuse for not having a plan in place for these types of situations!”

Evander lets out a deep chuckle, shaking his head. “I will endeavor to stop using it, then. But know it is the truth regardless, Lysta.”

The way he says my name makes me look up at him. My eyes meet his blue ones, and he gives me a warm smile.

“Just no more disappearing acts, yeah?”

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