LOGINEvelynI walk from the bathroom to my dresser in my usual state of undress. This time, I have my recent shower to blame.Emma worked me hard when we trained this morning. She kept teasing me that I’m getting soft spending so much time in her brother’s bed instead of on the mat.I pointed out that it
EvelynI couldn’t say how many days it’s been. All I know is that my wound is healed, and I got the sign off from Dr. Zorinski to be more active.Alexander and I have certainly been taking advantage of that.I wake up like I have been every morning: Alexander and I snuggling, one of us hard, the oth
EvelynI wake up in the hospital wing attached to an IV. My stab wound is bandaged back up. My stomach sinks at the sight of both as I put it all together.Alexander was fine. I’m clearly not. It was some sort of false alarm.I’m still dying.“Hey, sweetie.” I turn toward the sound of Alexander’s vo
EvelynI wake up to a sliver of light cracking through the curtains like I’ve slept all night and into the next day. Part of me is sad to have slept away so much of my last remaining hours, but I also know there’s nothing to be done about it now.I stretch out my arms, sitting up and rolling my shou
Alexander grips my shoulders tightly, less with affection and more with the fear of losing me. I grip his jacket just as steadfastly.I really need to get back to bed. I hate that my days outside are over—because I know now that they are. I’d like to squeeze every second out of this last ever outing
EvelynAlexander looks out over the water as the river carries us back the way he rowed, slowly drifting past the dock where we started off. He looks out at the people walking by on shore. He gazes down at our intertwined hands, kissing mine over the gloves.He doesn’t look me in the eye.“Do you no
I force another smile. “I know, but I forgot to tell Emma, and she already made the alterations. I promised I would at least show it to you.”I reach for my fork. Dinner, then sleep.“Are your hands shaking?” Alexander asks with concern.Dinner, then sleep. I just need to get through dinner, then th
I backhand him playfully on the shoulder as he passes, and he feigns being in pain.I think I’ll enjoy working with him.The archives is down a staircase similar to the dungeons but on the clear other side of the palace. It’s a lot like the Royal Library but five times as big and ten times as dusty.
EvelynWe caught up to Alexander and Marcel just as we arrived at the palace. They arrived at the stables just before us, so we turned around and raced right over the bridge on horseback. It’s not good form to ask the stable keepers to come all the way to the front doors of the palace to collect the
EvelynI head down the hallway after Dr. Zorinski’s exam. It hasn’t been too hard to lie to Alexander about feeling ill while I’m mourning. Grief is its own kind of illness.Still, I was worried Dr. Zorinski would see right through it. I think I’ve convinced her that I might be sick, but nothing tha







