"So tell , Lady Evelina... what changed?"
Evelina’s heart raced, but she tried to stay calm on the outside. Luther was very observant and clever. He spoke with intention, choosing his words carefully to challenge the mask she had built around herself.
He knew.
Maybe not everything. Maybe not the truth in its entirety.
But he suspected sothing.
She exhaled slowly, forcing her shoulders to relax. "People adapt, Lord Luther. That’s the nature of survival."
Luther humd, tilting his head as if studying her. "Is that what this is? Adaptation?"
Evelina t his golden gaze with unwavering steel. "It is."
For a mont, neither of them spoke. The silence stretched between them.
Then, Luther smiled.
It wasn’t warm. It wasn’t friendly. It was the smile of a man who enjoyed unravelling puzzles, one piece at a ti.
"You truly are fascinating," he murmured, almost to himself.
Evelina lifted her chin. "If this is all, I have work to do."
Luther studied her for another breath before stepping back. "Of course. Far be it from to keep you from saving the day once more."
His voice was calm, but it had a deeper aning underneath.
Evelina turned, walking toward the door. But just as she reached for the handle, Luther’s voice stopped her.
"One last thing," he said.
She hesitated before looking back. "What?"
Luther’s gaze glead with sothing unreadable. "You might want to watch your back."
Evelina narrowed her eyes. "Is that a threat?"
Luther chuckled. "A friendly warning." He tilted his head slightly. "I told you before—I see patterns. And right now, the pieces are shifting in ways you may not expect."
Evelina held his gaze a mont longer before turning on her heel and walking out without another word.
But as she left, she couldn’t shake the feeling that Luther wasn’t just speculating.
He was certain.
And that was far more dangerous.
*********
Evelina walked briskly down the corridor, her thoughts racing. She needed to focus on the poisoned horses and find an antidote. But Luther’s words stayed with her like a shadow.
You might want to watch your back.
She exhaled sharply, shaking her head. "Damn him."
He was playing a ga—one she hadn’t even realized she was a part of.
"You shouldn’t have entertained that conversation for so long," a voice in her mind drawled.
Evelina rolled her eyes. "Not now, Relia."
"Oh, now you want to be quiet? I was quiet while that snake Luther was picking you apart like a puzzle. I deserve to comnt."
Evelina sighed. "Fine. Comnt."
"He knows sothing," Relia said imdiately. "And he’s enjoying dragging it out of you."
Evelina scowled. "I know that."
"Do you? Because you stood there and let him do it instead of shutting him down sooner."
Evelina pressed her lips together, hating that Relia was right.
"And what’s worse," Relia continued, "he’s not just guessing. He’s watching. He’s waiting. That golden-eyed viper is patient. He’s going to keep digging, and you just gave him more reason to do it."
Evelina ran a hand through her hair, frustration bubbling beneath her skin. "What was I supposed to do? He already suspected sothing. Denying it outright would have only made him more certain."
"Maybe," Relia admitted. "But now he knows you’re hiding sothing."
Evelina sighed, her steps slowing as she turned a corner. "What do I do then?"
"Simple," Relia said. "You stop reacting. You stop letting him get under your skin. He’s a predator, Eve. You show weakness; he’ll sink his teeth in."
Evelina exhaled. "Easier said than done."
Relia huffed. "Of course it is. But you’re not stupid. You’ve survived worse."
Evelina smirked slightly. "That almost sounded like a complint."
"Don’t get used to it," Relia shot back. "Now, go find the antidote before the kingdom falls apart and soone decides you make for a convenient scapegoat again."
Evelina sighed, rolling her shoulders. Right. "Back to work."
She pushed Luther’s words deep into the back of her mind.
For now.
She turned another corner and nearly ran into Damian.
His silver eyes imdiately sharpened, scanning her face. "What did he say?"
Evelina exhaled. "Nothing I couldn’t handle."
Damian frowned. "That’s not an answer."
Evelina crossed her arms. "He’s suspicious. More than before."
Damian’s jaw clenched. "Of what, exactly?"
She hesitated before answering. "."
His expression darkened. "What did he say?"
Evelina shook her head. "That’s not what matters right now. The horses—"
Damian grabbed her wrist, stopping her. "Eve." His voice was lower now, more serious. "Tell ."
She looked at him, searching his face. He was worried. She could see it in the tight set of his jaw, in the way his grip on her wrist was firm but not forceful.
After a pause, she sighed. "He brought up an incident from a year ago. A poisoning."
Damian stilled.
Evelina continued, voice quieter now. "He rembers how I was then. How I reacted. He compared it to now."
Damian’s fingers twitched against her skin. "And?"
Evelina t his gaze. "He said I’ve changed."
Damian exhaled, his grip tightening ever so slightly. "If he keeps pressing—"
"I’ll handle it," Evelina cut in.
Damian’s silver eyes flickered with sothing unreadable. Then, after a long pause, he released her wrist.
Evelina exhaled softly. "We don’t have ti for this. The poisoning—"
"I know," Damian said. "Jasper’s already looking into who had access to the stables. We’ll figure this out."
Evelina nodded, though her mind was still tangled with too many thoughts.
For now, she needed to push them aside.
But sothing told her this wasn’t the last ti she’d have to face Lord Luther’s questions.
************
The stables were a ss of movent and tension. Stable hands rushed between the stalls, trying their best to care for the poisoned horses. The palace healers were already at work, but the air was thick with worry.
Evelina and Damian strode in, their eyes scanning the scene.
But sothing felt off.
Evelina frowned, glancing around. "Where’s Jasper?"
Damian’s silver eyes narrowed. He turned to a nearby stable hand. "Where is Jasper?"
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