A few months had passed since that strange day at the gym.
Evelyn was sitting up in bed, the dim light of the lamp drawing soft shadows on her face. She was wearing only a white nightgown, her hair still a little messy, and her curious gaze fixed on me.
"What's this book about?" she asked, her voice low and almost hesitant.
I closed the book carefully and put it on the table, feeling its weight not only in my hand, but in my mind.
"It's a book about botany" I replied, "it explains the method of growing Ghost Orchids"
Three months ago, those mysterious pages were an enigma. I could barely understand the words in Gothen, and each sentence required an exhausting effort to decipher. Now, it was no longer strange to me. I managed to learn the language, master the writing and even the correct pronunciation. The path was arduous - many questions, doubts, mistakes - but the knowledge began to fall into place.
The book wasn't just an ordinary manual. It was a complex work, full of technical terms and detailed descriptions. To really understand the vocabulary, I had to go beyond basic translations, look up references and put each paragraph into context. It was almost a lesson in botany, chemistry and magic mixed together.
"I've never heard of that plant" said Evelyn with a slight smile, admiring how hard I had worked.
She knew how much it mattered to me. Even without asking too many questions, her gaze made it clear that she understood that this was more than just a book.
Being at the Full Moon Academy put me in a different position. I wasn't like the other nobles who wasted time on frivolities. My priority was always to become stronger, smarter and more capable. The rumors were already circulating: I had won recognition from the vice-principal, mastered two languages, and was venturing into the third. That was unusual.
While most of the young nobles devoted themselves to fencing, riding or archery, I found myself in unpopular and little-attended classes: advanced mathematics, botany - where only pharmacists and doctors were interested. When I wasn't hunting or training, I found myself at my desk, immersed in my books.
Evelyn seemed proud of it. I could feel it in her eyes - a mixture of admiration and security. She was no longer the innocent, vulnerable girl I had known. There was fear, yes, fear that I would tire of her, like so many before. But she was trying to hold on to something real, to a chance.
I felt that too.
He wanted to be more than just an eccentric heir. I wanted to prove that I could carry on a legacy, not just with strength, but with wisdom.
And with her by my side, maybe I'd have a chance.
I already carried that weight with me - the feeling that her time was short, that her fragile health might leave sooner than expected. Even so, in the three months since I'd arrived, I hadn't changed the way I treated her. Quiet, reserved, but never a bad man to her.
When she asked me about the plant, I just shook my head, trying to explain without her fear or curiosity turning into panic.
"Have you ever seen a plant that feeds on blood and flesh?" I began, lowering my tone. "The orchid is not grown in soil, but in corpses. The seed needs to be planted in the heart. And as the days go by, it absorbs all the fluids from the body. When the corpse rots to perfection, the plant emerges... in the navel"
I saw her face turn pale, and I couldn't blame her. It was too heavy an image for anyone.
"And what's that for?" she asked, still unable to understand why anyone would choose to cultivate something so dark.
"The plant produces a sap once a year," I explained, noticing the slight tremor in her voice. "For most people, this sap is a lethal poison, atrophying the brain. But for a small proportion... it can break through the limiter. Unlock what's trapped inside"
I put the book back on the shelf and crossed my arms.
"You're not going to wear that, are you?" she asked, doubt mixed with fear.
"Maybe" I replied, turning to look her in the eye. "I'm just interested in planting"
I could smell her when I took her in my arms, like a balm in a world full of uncertainties. I hugged her, feeling her small body fit into mine.
"Did your mother like the castle?" I asked quietly, almost as if I didn't want to break the calm atmosphere around us.
"She said Benta is difficult" she replied with a half-smile, almost complicit.
"She is" I agreed, letting out a little laugh. There was something comforting in that unpretentious sincerity.
"And your brother?" I asked, sliding my fingers carefully through the strands of his hair, combing them slowly.
"The blacksmith keeps shouting at him" he said, half laughing, "but I don't blame him. My brother is very difficult to teach. I hear he's made a lot of mistakes"
"He'll learn" I muttered, still with a slight smile on my lips, trying to hide the apprehension that was growing inside me.
I continued to stroke her hair gently, but my mind was far away. The doctors had been clear. Evelyn's health was unstable. Fragile as thin glass in trembling hands. They said she wouldn't live long, and those words still echoed in my head like a curse.
The centipede bite had been the beginning of everything. If she had been treated right from the start, there would have been no sequelae. But the poison remained in her for years. A silent enemy. Now the damage was permanent. Irreversible.
I looked at her. Her skin was pale, her eyes sparkled slightly, her breathing was calm for the moment. On the outside, she seemed at peace. But inside... I knew. Every second with her was precious. Every gesture, a future memory.
And yet she smiled.
I squeezed his hand more firmly.
I would do anything to keep her smiling.
"Besides, a letter arrived" she said with a slight tremor in her voice. "The court has been decided"
I could see the nervousness on her face, even if she tried to disguise it. Evelyn wasn't the type to be easily intimidated, so this was a sign that the situation was more delicate than it seemed.
Since I began to isolate myself in study and training, it was she who took on the role of my spokesperson. Over time, she gained the trust of the servants and even the warriors of the house. She had no ambition or desire for power, and everyone could see that. She was simply loyal.
My father - paranoid after dealing with Aline, Joana and Victoria - tested Evelyn in every possible way. And she passed every one of them without flinching. That in itself said a lot about her.
"So... which nobles will be involved?" I asked, keeping my voice steady.
"The baron is better" he replied with a brief, almost restrained smile. "He's started exercising again. Benta told me that he's sleeping with his two wives again... and she also said that his fencing has improved"
I nodded slowly, processing the information.
"What about my father?" I asked, my voice lower than I had intended.
"The baron is better. He's started exercising again" he said with a brief smile. "Benta says he's sleeping with his two wives again. She also said that his fencing has improved"
I raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Better? After losing your arm?"
It wasn't sarcasm. It was real curiosity. If it had been anyone else, I would have doubted it. But my father... he always found a way. Even broken, he was dangerous.