To Kill A Kingdom | ACOTAR ✔️

Chapter 15 - "Desperation is the sister of weakness."

Evette was in the city of Velaris, sat on the edge of the riverbed, as she watched the water flow by her peacefully under the dark night sky. "There you are." Feyre spoke as she and Mor joined Evette. "We've been looking for you." Both of the women sat on either side of Evette. Feyre placed her head on her shoulder, as Mor nudged her gently...comfortingly.

She knew why they were here.

Yet, she found she felt grateful instead of annoyed.

"I never did tell you why I was in Prythian and not Angevin...did I?" Evette asked Feyre gently, her eyes staying on the flowing river. Feyre shook her head as she lifted her head from her shoulder. "I was running. I was winnowed here by accident. I was supposed to go to my father's, but I landed in the Spring Court instead."

"Running from what?" Feyre asked gently.

"A coup." Evette replied. "I was the only heir...so my safety was most essential. I was sent away so no one could kill me. With me dead...Angevin will fall into ruin and chaos. Because the next heir would be a man." She paused. "They failed. But most of them got away - we've been searching for them since. My uncle went home because they received information about their whereabouts. It's all hands on deck with this."

"And...it just...feels wrong that I'm here, when I should be there supporting my family in the search for them." Evette continued. "No one wants an heir who hides away from the threat to her kingdom - an heir that appears weak. Not to mention, that any of my people...of my family could fall in the search and fight to get to them. And my being there could easily prevent that. It worries me, a lot. Especially with how Roan is likely still recovering from the last attack where he was poisoned by one of the only things that kills us."

"Surely...they'd understand that you're safer here...with them still on the loose." Mor told her.

"They'd rather have a dead heir than a coward heir." Evette replied. "And I'd rather be dead, than be a coward. Than to be seen as weak...pathetic...useless."

Evette spent the next half an hour wallowing and venting to the two women when Azriel arrived, claiming he wished to talk to Evette alone. The two women left her alone with the man, who took a seat beside her. She wasn't sure what he wanted, and she certainly wasn't going to ask. She simply waited for him to breach the topic as to why exactly he was here.

"What do you think of the human Queens?" Azriel asked her.

"Why?"

"You usually have quite a bit to say...yet you've been quiet on your views on the Queens." He told her matter of factly. "Surely, you have opinions. If not as them as people, but on them as royals...being a royal yourself."

"I have opinions." Evette told him. "None I wish to share with you, of course. My opinions are my own. Not to be shared freely."

"You are confident in there being a war?" He asked her, and she figured this was just a polite interrogation. She kept her expression blank as she kept her gaze ahead on the water. "You said as much to your sister, at least."

She wondered if he'd ever outgrow his need to eavesdrop on her conversations.

"I do." Evette replied. "Because compared to Hybern...you're weak. And you're very easily displaying so."

"How?"

"Your first mistake is to assume that Hybern isn't watching and listening at all times. You've come to underestimate him, I think." Evette told him. "Not his power. But how far he'll go to achieve what he wants. He's been sidelined by his own kind...that can make one grow resentful. So, you really ought to expect that he is watching us right now...he has all manner of magic at his disposal through his ancient archaic spells. Which means...he sees how pathetically desperate you - meaning the Night Court - were for help from the humans to try and stop him."