The Hidden Orphan (The Chronicles of Mistar - Book 2)

Twenty-Two · · · Evangelene

TatinWren, Ablatin 

SIEND HELD HER HAND TIGHTLY. Maybe just a little too tightly, though.

Evangelene wanted to pull away, but she just didn't have the strength. The day was already taxing enough as it was. TatinWren was a large town, built to hold thousands. People stood in their doorways handing out candies and treats for the royals to try. Evangelene felt sick afterward.

What she really wanted to do was lean against Siend, using his wait to help her stand, but that would be giving in. She couldn't give in that easily, not when she already planned to go to his room tonight to confess her real feelings. And who knows, maybe kiss him again.

The fields were nice too, though. Elckon roamed them and were a symbol of Ablatin's warmth, kindness, and their strength. To disgrace the elckon was an act of treason.

The big furry beasts snorted, munching on long, thick strands of lime green grass. To Eva, it looked dead. Somehow, it rained every night but the grass still seemed dried out, though it was just by the looks of it. Eva bet that it was nutritious, full of water and the nutrients elckon need to survive.

Eva jumped when an elckon not too far away grunted. She thought it was loud enough to be her own yell. Jumping back, Eva fell in Siend, their hands slipping apart in order for him to catch her. When Eva was up straight, she looked back at the rest of the royals, the group from Gazar included. No one had noticed, listening silently to the lurk of the giant elckon beasts. A ranch hand was on the other side of the wire fence, stroking one female beasts, untangling the large knots in its light brown hair.

"You alright?" Siend asked, worry in his voice like always. With her back turned, Eva sneered. His concern was annoying, but for some reason, she loved him for it. If Siend didn't worry, he would no longer be Siend.

Eva nodded lightly, careful to not overdo it. "Yeah, yeah. I'm alright. I'll be alright."

Siend didn't seem convinced. "Are you sure? You're kinda repeating yourself and it's indicating—"

"It's not indicating anything," Eva snapped. "Stop making assumptions. It's really annoying me. Oh, and the worrying thing too. That's annoying also."

Siend looked taken aback, but then he laughed it off like usual. Eva considered that annoying too. "That's what makes me me," he said with a cheeky grin.

Eva rolled her eyes. She considered pushing him over the fence.

"Oh, shut up," she wanted to say but didn't. Instead, she stood still watching in the elckon. She glanced at Monta and Tapalla. To her, they looked happy and she wanted that but when Tapalla turned Eva's way, she saw the real story in the Lotnan's beautiful brown milky way eyes. Eva saw uncertainty and the struggle to run away from the Gazaran protector. Eva knew Tapalla would never get away from him. He looked born to be her protector.

"Fine," Siend sighed. He shifted his glasses, drawing them away from the tip of his nose. Eva missed the look. She thought his glasses looked better the way he had them before, covering the one small freckle that dotted his nose. It was adorable.

Siend's answer made Eva angry. She wanted something more. She wanted the heat. She wanted to Siend to snap at her, but she knew he would never do that. He was too gentle, especially in front of a crowd, to ever go ballistic and scream at somebody. Eva didn't know why but she wanted him too.

When he said nothing else, Eva turned and made her way toward her shared zumo flyer with Siend. Automatically, he followed, sitting right across from Eva like he had the whole trip. Out her window, Eva spotted Eve and her fiancé giggling as others started to get back in their zumo flyers until they were the last ones left along with their guards. It disgusted Eva but she also remembered the night before.