Queens & Liars-Sequel to Three Broken Kingdoms (Completed)

Chapter Forty-Four: Forgeries

He sent a message to Lysandra's rooms the following evening, asking Evelyn to meet with him and, if she wished to, discuss what she'd managed to read.

"Don't get any ideas about summoning me," Evelyn groused when she arrived. There was a fierce and indomitable will behind her eyes. There was something in her strict tone and determined gaze that said 'don't you mess with me or I will flay the skin from your bones'. She was crackling with a sort of wild energy that set her apart from everyone else.

All the other girls in the palace, courties and servants both—with the exception of his sister—were docile and quiet and submissive. She'd been like that when he first saw her. But he remembered the moment she'd looked up at him yesterday with storm and fury and recklessness burning in those extraordinary blue eyes.

"I promise not to get ideas," he said solemnly.

"Hmpf. You better not." She glared at him.

"How far have you gotten in the books?" He asked.

"I've read half of them," she smiled proudly. He goggled at her.

"Already?" He spluttered. "Don't you have work to do?"

Evelyn tensed at that, as though she'd slipped up.

"I had the day off," she muttered. "And I stayed up late."

"What did you think of them?"

"I disagreed with one of the authors," she replied, still sounding grumpy about it. "In the history book, I mean."

"Oh, really?" Aaron said, raising an eyebrow. "What about?"

"He clearly hadn't done the proper research." Evelyn said, disgusted.

"Edmond Satara?" He asked, incredulous.

"Yes, him," she said, voice dripping with disdain.

"I quite agree with you," he lied. "Do you wish to rant about him over some gingernut biscuits?"

"Maybe," Evelyn said. There was a tone of guilt to her voice—and worry.

He tried to ignore it.

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Maia

Days passed. She came to talk to Aaron every evening at five. Lysandra always pulled her back downstairs within an hour, claiming she had work to do—and then spent the next hour yelling at her. Maia promised she'd stop. Every time, she believed she would. But somehow every evening she'd ended up at his door. Eventually she stopped trying to fight whatever pulled her there.

Lysandra fumed silently when that happened but as Maia pointed out, she'd only be hurting Aaron's feelings and creating suspicion if she stopped
coming now. The princess reluctantly surrendered after that.

Maia was happy. Even though she was in her Medea's palace and trapped within her capital... she was happy. She had someone who understood her.
A chance to study as she'd longed to for years. A routine.

The one thing missing was Layla. She longed for her sister dearly. Lysandra had somehow managed to tell her where Maia was and that she was (somewhat) safe but her twin would still worry. A part of her wished she could meet Aaron and understand why she come to befriend the son of her greatest enemy.

Maia was humming as she rushed through the corridors—her leg was almost entirely healed—and reached Aaron's room. He was waiting for her with
a tray of biscuits. She bit into one and sat down.