Page 86 of The King's Sword
He nodded.
She slid onto the front bench. A thin fog hovered above the water. As the boat floated through the fog, it parted, like a curtain being pulled aside for them. The trees began to thin on either side of the canal. Every once in a while, a tendril of fog reached onto the land, between the trees, like an extended arm, pointing to something.
Sabine remained quiet. Something about the fog unsettled her. Evander didn’t bother with conversation either. As the day wore on, the fog lightened until it eventually disappeared all together. They hadn’t passed a single boat all day.
Her stomach made a growling noise.
“Was that you?” Evander whispered.
“Yes. I’m hungry. And why are we whispering?”
“You should have told me you’re hungry. I have food.” He reached into one of the bags and withdrew some bread, handing it to her. “It feels wrong to speak loudly when the weather is like this.”
She took the bread. “I agree.” Even though the fog was gone, thick clouds covered the sky, promising rain. After eating the bread, she shivered. It felt as if it were getting colder as the day wore on.
“We’re almost there,” Evander said.
The thought of seeing her brother again excited her.
“Just so you know, this meeting is going to be an official one.”
“What does that mean?” She’d assumed they’d meet somewhere discreet like before.
“It means we will each be as we are supposed to be.”
“What does that even mean?” It felt as if the closer she got to her brother, the farther Evander was getting from her. She hated the space growing between them.
“You will act as the queen of Lynk should, your brother the prince that he is, and the same will go with me. Titles will be used, and guards will be present.”
Then this meant everything was about to change.
“There is something for you in the bag,” Evander said. “Something my sister assured me would be appropriate for someone of your station.”
She opened the bag and found a dress folded neatly at the bottom. “Am I supposed to change in front of you?” she said in a teasing tone.
“Oh Sabine, trust me, the thought of watching you undress has crossed my mind more than once.” He twisted on the bench seat, facing away from her.
Sabine quickly changed into the blue dress. It reminded her of something she’d wear in Bakley rather than Lynk. “It’s safe for you to look.”
Evander twisted around. “I was hoping for something more along the lines of what you wore in Lynk.”
She raised her eyebrows. “It’s a little cold to be half naked.”
“There are ways to keep you warm.” He smirked. “Okay, my turn.” He motioned for her to face the other way.
She gracefully put her legs on the other side of the bench, her back now to him. She heard Evander remove his clothing. Unable to help herself, she glanced at the water, hoping to catch his reflection. There wasn’t one.
“When we arrive, please don’t think I’m being indifferent to you,” Evander said. “I want to make it clear nothing is going on between us. We each have our roles to play.”
Pretending they weren’t friends would be difficult, but she knew it was for the best.
“I’m decent,” he said.
“I’m going to remain facing this way,” she said over her shoulder. It was time for her to start preparing herself for what was to come. Not even her brother could question her relationship with Evander. She started chewing on her bottom lip, trying to decide how she wanted to act and treat Evander. He was an acquaintance. Someone who’d kept her safe from an assassin. That made them friends. She needed that to come across. But any sort of attraction had to be concealed. Taking a deep breath, she let it out slowly. She was the queen of Lynk. It was time to start acting the part.
They came around a bend in the canal. Straight ahead, roughly a dozen boats blocked the waterway.
“There’s nothing to worry about,” Evander said. “They’re here for us.”
