Evangeline just had to survive the carriage ride.
It was only one carriage ride. The last carriage ride.
Once she arrived at Wolf Hall, she would escape using the secret passages that Apollo had told her about before they’d married. With her memories returned, she remembered the passages now. She just had to wait until dark, when the castle was asleep. Then Evangeline would leave to try to find Jacks.
No, she corrected herself, not try. She would find Jacks. It didn’t matter that she had no idea where he’d gone, why he’d left her, or why he’d put the glass cuff on her wrist.
Evangeline wanted to study the cuff once more. Jacks had taken pains to put it on her, so it must have been important. Likely magical. But thus far, the cuff hadn’t done anything spectacular—or indeed, anything at all.
She kept the cuff concealed under her cloak as the carriage rumbled toward Wolf Hall. Except now it seemed to be going in the wrong direction. Evangeline didn’t know much about Northern geography. But she did know that Wolf Hall was to the south, and she could tell from the direction of the sun shining over all the greenery of the North that their carriage was
now rolling toward the west, toward somewhere she didn’t know.
All she saw was fields of green and trees budding with new leaves.
She found herself gripping the red velvet cushions beneath her as she waited for the road to curve back toward the south, but the path remained straight as a stalk of wheat.
Until then, Evangeline had been trying to look out the window instead of at Apollo. She didn’t know if she could look at him for long without giving her true feelings away. She also didn’t want to see him. It was painful enough just sitting so close to the man who’d ripped away her memories and rewritten her history. She didn’t want to look at his face. But finally she turned.
He was sitting directly across from her. His hands were steepled, resting under his chin as he stared at her with the same intensity that she’d employed in avoiding him.
A chill tripped down her spine as she wondered if he’d been watching her like this the entire time. As if he knew she had a secret.
“Is everything all right, darling? You look a little nervous.”
“I was merely wondering where we’re going. I thought Wolf Hall was to the south?”
“It is. We’ll be staying elsewhere for a while.”
A while could have been an eternity from the way hearing it made her feel. Evangeline knew how to escape from Wolf Hall, but it could be much more difficult to flee from somewhere else.
“Where is this elsewhere?” she asked.
“Right here.” Apollo waved a regal hand toward the window as the carriage rolled by an overly friendly sign, wrapped in a jolly green ribbon, which read:
Welcome to Merrywood Village!
Where Everyone Is Welcome
As soon as she saw it, Evangeline’s memories collided with her reality. She remembered riding through this town and its neighboring forest with Jacks. It had been the definition of desolate, hopeless and lifeless and colorless. But now it was teeming with life.
Evangeline could see the main square from the carriage. It was full of glassblowers and metalsmiths, men with axes, and women with hammers all working under colorful strings of bunting and lanterns and streamers that hung from the shops in the midst of repair.
Even with the carriage door closed, she could hear a melody of chirping birds, laughing children, and people hard at work.
“Now that the Hunt is over,” said Apollo, “the Vales are having their festival to encourage people to help them rebuild Merrywood Manor and the neighboring village. This was the event they were talking about the other night at dinner. They’ve promised land and homes and jobs to anyone who helps. It’s an old tradition that the other Great Houses support by putting up booths and sponsoring dinners and dances every night.”
As Apollo spoke, the carriage veered away from the square, and they quickly came upon a circle of royal tents the color of deep red wine. The atmosphere here was not quite so cheerful as the village. There was a lot less bunting and a lot more soldiers.
Evangeline tensed at the sight of them all. There were too many to count; it was like ants crawling all over a picnic. As she’d feared, it would be much harder to sneak out unnoticed. But she would find a way to manage it.
Guards parted, allowing the carriage to ride toward the center of the royal tents, where soldiers sparred and meat was being cooked over pits of fire.
“It looks as if your guards are preparing for battle rather than a festival,” said Evangeline.
“That’s what soldiers do,” replied Apollo coolly.
The carriage halted, stopping before the tent equivalent of a castle. It was lined in gold with two tented towers on the side, both of which bore flags with Apollo’s royal crest.
The guards all bowed as Apollo stepped out, followed by Evangeline. Immediately, the prince laced his fingers through hers, but she swore his grip was tighter than usual.
She took a shallow breath and reminded herself she just needed to play her part, pretend nothing had changed. As long as Apollo wasn’t suspicious that her memories had returned, she would be able to escape.
“Princess Evangeline!” exclaimed a musical voice, and seconds later, Aurora Vale appeared, stepping elegantly through the line of guards. She
wore a flower crown on her violet hair. It was made of rosebuds and ranunculus and white starmires that dripped flower petals behind her as she walked.
Evangeline swore that more birds appeared then, just so they could chirp a melody for her.
“I’m so glad you’re safe! I’ve been so worried for the past two days,” Aurora said sweetly. “But I knew your prince would bring you back, and I even made you this for when the occasion occurred.”
She presented Evangeline with a flower crown that matched the one in her hair.
“Thank you,” Evangeline said, although she still didn’t trust Aurora.
She quickly searched her newly regained memories, to see if maybe she knew Aurora from the past. But all she found was another memory from the Hollow. Her first morning there, right next to the meal clock, carved into the wood, she’d found two names:
AURORA + JACKS
Was that why Evangeline didn’t like Aurora Vale, because she shared the name of a long-dead girl who’d once had feelings for Jacks?
“All the festivities begin tomorrow,” Aurora continued to chatter cheerfully. “And it will be such fun to have you here for them. There will be all sorts of booths and treats and pretty things. You’re planning on going to the festival, aren’t you? My siblings all want to work, but I’m rubbish at building.”
“I actually think it would be quite fun to build,” said Evangeline. Apollo laughed.
The sound of it made Evangeline’s skin prickle. She told herself not to pick a fight with him, not to do anything that would make him suspicious of her. But she couldn’t resist turning toward him to say, “Do you not think I could help build?”
“I merely think there are better uses for you, my sweet.”
“Like what?” Aurora chimed in. “I think building sounds ghastly, but isn’t that what we’re all here to do? Do you fear your wife is so fragile she might hurt herself if she swings a hammer?”
Apollo clenched his jaw. “I did not say my wife was fragile.”
“Then perhaps you shouldn’t treat her that way or laugh at her wishes,” said Aurora.
Something dark flashed in Apollo’s eyes.
Around them, all the guards went very still. Even the birds stopped chirping.
Evangeline opened her mouth to say something—anything. Aurora had no idea how vicious Apollo could be, and after the way she’d just stood up for Evangeline, she wanted to protect her. But then to her surprise, Apollo vanquished the look from his eyes and bowed his head. “You are correct, Miss Vale. I should not have laughed at my wife.”
“No, you shouldn’t have,” Aurora scolded.
And it was the strangest thing. Seconds ago, Evangeline had been frightened for her, but now she sensed the power balance had changed.
Apollo looked as if he feared Aurora.
Evangeline might have thought it was only in her mind. But when Aurora finally left, after declaring she’d build with Evangeline tomorrow, Evangeline swore that she saw the girl slide Apollo a note.
It happened when Apollo had kissed Aurora’s hand in farewell. Evangeline glimpsed the rolled-up page for only a second. Then she imagined that Apollo must have slid it up his sleeve, for when she looked again, the tiny scroll had vanished.
