A Court of Hearts and Stone

9. Treatment

It was a struggle to hide his reluctance when Celosia led him and Evren into the massive dining room. Eris took the seat Celosia pointed out. Evren sat on her other side.

"Will your father be joining us this evening?" Eris asked.

"No, he's away on business," Celosia replied. She waved a hand and servants began to carry in platters of food.

Eris glanced at Evren from the corner of his eye. She was massaging her forehead wearily. He couldn't blame her. She'd been forced to spend time with Celosia for the past few days. Every day, she asked him when her next assignment would be, but he hadn't decided on a target yet.

"And today we were discussing possible colors that would compliment Evren's eyes. I thought perhaps a red of some kind. Maroon or wine," Celosia was saying.

Evren poked at her food. She glanced up, meeting Eris' gaze. He gave her a prompting look. She bit her lip, then took a bite.

"And you really should do something different with your hair." Celosia leaned over, lifting a few of Evren's locks. "Style it differently and wash it more often. Let it dry loose." Evren's hand tightened around her fork. "Remember the makeup paste I told you about? It could hide a few of those old scars and bruises you have."

Evren dropped her fork. Her features were stony and vacant. Celosia watched her, then shrugged and began eating. "Evren told me about where she used to live in the Mortal Lands," Celosia said. "Near the town of Offing, in a hovel. Her room was divided from the main room by a curtain." Evren's cheeks flushed red.

"Thank you," Eris said before Celosia could continue. "But I just remembered that there was a message I needed Evren to deliver for me tonight. We should go." Relief flooded Evren's gaze but it vanished a moment later.

"Oh, all right. I'll see you tomorrow, Evren," Celosia said as they stood.

"We're busy tomorrow," Eris protested quickly.

"Oh? What will you be doing?"

"Showing Evren around the Autumn Court a little more."

"I'll come along. Father won't be back until tomorrow evening anyway."

Eris didn't reply. He took Evren by the shoulders and ushered her out the door. Celosia hollered a goodbye that neither of them returned. Eris winnowed them back to the Forest House. He waited for Evren to go inside, but she didn't.

Instead, she headed for the training ring. Eris followed her. With a snap of his fingers, her blades hung from her hips. She didn't acknowledge them. She leaped over the fence and approached a wooden dummy.

Eris crossed his arms and waited. Evren drew her blades and launched herself at the dummy. Each stroke of her daggers was nothing but a whisper. They sliced at the dummy, sending chips of wood flying through the air. Evren reversed one blade in her grasp and attacked again.

Her hair fell loose from her braid. Her breath came in short gasps. Still, Evren kept raining blows against the wooden figure. At last, she dropped her daggers and slumped to the ground.

"I can tell her not to come with us tomorrow," Eris said. He kept his distance, hovering near the fence.

Evren scrubbed at her face with a sigh. "She just...she doesn't understand."

"She doesn't understand what?"

"She doesn't understand what her words can do." Evren didn't look up. "She showed me her glamouring magic the other day. She made me look like a High Fae. I've never been one to care what I look like, but now...She just keeps pointing out my flaws and ways to improve me and I want her to stop."