The Globe Amaranth

"A dog of Mardus dares demand an audience—with whom?"

At the familiar, heavy voice, her whole body went rigid.

"Evelynn, what's wrong?"

Sensing something amiss in his wife, Ilya spoke from behind her. Evelynn laid her hand over the firm one circling her waist. Against that rough, callused warmth, the heart that had been pounding with unease grew still.

"I think he has business with me."

"You don't need to see him."

He swung down from the horse first, then lifted Evelynn and set her on the ground. The knights who had been wrangling at the entrance caught sight of the archducal couple and bent as one.

"What's all this noise?"

A man a full head taller than the ordinary knights dropped to one knee. For all his enormous bulk, the movement was strangely graceful.

"I greet Your Grace the Archduke. This humble one is Igor, knight in service to Lord Odin Mardus."

The man who had offered Ilya his greeting rose. The uninvited guest's eyes raked Evelynn from the crown of her head to the hem of her skirt. Ilya's brow knotted, and he stepped in front of her.

"Do you have something to say to my wife?"

"My lord asked me to convey his regret over the unfortunate incident that befell his nephew. He also said he is relieved that both of you came through it unharmed."

To be this well informed of their private affairs, here in the heart of enemy ground... Ilya fixed him with a suspicious glare. The giant pressed on despite the open hostility.

"He wishes to see his sister himself and offer her comfort. If her husband, the Archduke, will not protect his wife and child... then blood is all they have left to rely on, is it not?"

A dreadful silence settled over the grounds. The giant seemed to savor the malice aimed at him, and went on in an easy voice.

"After the young master, it will be the young lady's turn. What do you intend to do?"

Evelynn, who had been listening without a word, stepped forward.

"I want to see my brother."

"Absolutely not."

Ilya said it flatly. Evelynn did not give ground. She looked her husband straight in the eye.

"It only needs to be a moment."

"Then meet him where I am."

"There are things I have to say to him alone."

Ilya narrowed his eyes and studied her face. His wife hated the house she had been born to. If a woman like that meant to see her brother, she had a reason. Once he had decided, he turned a cold stare on the giant.

"Go back to your master and tell him this. Tomorrow he is to come himself to his sister's quarters."

"Yes. I am grateful for Your Grace's kindness."

The man bowed with perfect courtesy, and his lips twitched.

The next afternoon, Evelynn sat in the reception room and waited for Odin.

Whenever she recalled the face of that servant, pouring a blade-keen hatred toward Liber, Evelynn felt the blood dry in her veins. This place was better than Mardus Castle, perhaps, but it was no safe ground for a child either. I have to take him and leave, as soon as I can. And to do that, I have to begin with the Marquis of Mardus...

She knew what she could do. No—what she had to. Odin Mardus, her foolish brother, would make a serviceable piece. When the marquis's eldest son died by his father's hand in Tatar, Odin had stumbled into the place of heir. Even now, drunk on the sweetness of power, he would be living in dread that his ruthless father might use him and throw him away.

Prod that fear. Open a small crack in him—the way I did the night I offered my husband a bargain. Cold sweat seemed to break across her palms, and she fidgeted needlessly with the hem of her dress.

"My beloved sister. Have you been well?"

A honeyed voice reached her. She turned and found a man with radiant blond hair and the same sprout-green eyes as her own. It was time to become the innocent little sister.

"Brother Odin."

Evelynn rose with a bright smile. In a moment he had crossed the reception room and come to her.

"To think you've become a mother."

"You didn't even come to the wedding... I was hurt, Brother."

Odin drew her into a glad embrace, and Evelynn wrapped her arms around his waist in return. Once the siblings had sat, Sophie brought in fragrant tea. Odin lifted his cup and smiled.

"Don't you mean to show your brother his nephew's face?"

"That child is Azantis blood as well. He may be my son, but... I can't do as I please."

Odin set the cup down hard. The affectionate look of a moment before was gone without a trace.

"You call shutting the one and only legitimate heir away in the Annex treating him as blood? I hear there was even an attempt to poison him not long ago."

Veins stood out in his neck as he raged. The smile left Evelynn's face.

"Word travels quickly. Too quickly."

"Every house has a servant or two who can't keep a secret."

Odin's sweet voice slipped in at her ear.

"Come back to Mardus Castle, Evelynn. Mother says... her wish, before she dies, is to see your face."

Ha. As if Mother would ever wish for that. Evelynn laughed inwardly.

"I'm in no position to take a single step from this place. And... I don't want to leave His Grace's side."

Odin burst into a convulsive laugh.

"You like him that much? The man who treats you like a whore?"

Bellina's hand and Arthurs's drifted to the scabbards at their waists.

"His Grace is... my only love. Then, and now."

Evelynn said it with the face of the most pitiable woman in the world. Odin clicked his tongue and tossed a small box onto the table.

"A gift from Mother."

Bellina, who had been standing behind her, stepped forward.

"My lady. I will open it."

What came out of the little box was a ruby necklace. Delicate petals wrought in gold encircled the ruby set at its heart.

"Globe amaranth."

A sneer caught on Odin's face.

"The meaning was unchanging love, wasn't it? The flower Mother had set in her chambers every day."

"Mother never changes. More to the point, Brother... what do you mean to do?"

Odin, savoring the tea on his tongue, opened his eyes wide.

"About what?"

Instead of answering, she picked up the necklace.

"I'd like to try it at my throat. Would you help me?"

"Of course, my lovely sister."

Having caught her intent, Odin rose with a rapturous smile. When the knights moved in, Evelynn lifted a hand and stopped them.

Odin took her hand and led her to the full-length mirror. He stood behind her with the necklace in one hand. When he swept the softly waving golden hair aside, her slender neck was bared. He bent his head to settle the necklace against her skin, and Evelynn whispered at his ear.

"I'm... afraid of Father. Even now, when I think of our eldest brother, I have nightmares."

At that serpent's whisper, the color drained from Odin's face.

"What crime did he commit? Betraying His Grace was only obeying Father's order, wasn't it? What if you, too, Brother..."

"Shut your mouth."

Odin snarled, glaring at her with a terrible look. Evelynn shrank under that look, then went on.

"I'm sorry. I only... I'm worried. Father is such a frightening man."

Whenever he thought of the brother who had died in Tatar, Odin felt a hand closing around his throat.

"If something were to happen to you as well..."

Watching him frozen like a statue, dragging in ragged breaths, Evelynn smiled inwardly. Odin looked around, seething. He had to spend this rage somewhere before it burst—and his eyes found Sophie, standing with the necklace box in her hands.

That's the girl who used to cling to Evelynn back at Mardus Castle. A worthless maid like that—even the archducal house won't make a fuss. The calculation finished in a flash. His palm flew at Sophie's cheek. The sharp crack of flesh on flesh split the air.

"Ah!"

At the sudden violence Sophie clutched her cheek and sank to the floor. Still unsatisfied, Odin lifted his foot.

"Don't touch Sophie!"

Bellina and Arthurs came running, but Evelynn was faster. She spun, snatched the necklace from Odin's hand, and struck that arrogant face with it. The hard gem raked savagely down his cheek, and blood poured.

Evelynn glared at him, eyes full of venom. She had gripped the necklace and swung so hard that blood dripped from her own hand as well.

But the air was one spark from catching, and no one noticed.

"Has this wench lost her mind?"

Odin wiped the blood from his cheek with a finger, and his eyes turned blood-red. His palm flew at Evelynn's face.

"My lady!"

Bellina, gone white, rushed in and caught her. Arthurs leveled a keen blade at Odin's face.

"I'll kill you."

He ground the words out through his teeth.

"And what is the likes of you going to do to me, heir of House Mardus? Will you show me the sword of the Black Forest?"

Odin jeered.

"Fine. A duel."

The youthful face of the knight holding the sword was graver than it had ever been. At the turn no one had foreseen, Evelynn screamed without a sound.

The moment a date was set for the duel, Odin took to his bed, pleading a terrible fever and a splitting headache. Ilya let out a hollow laugh, too dumbfounded for anything else.

"Tucking his tail because he's afraid of an apprentice knight? Ha."

Naz muttered it with a face on the verge of tears.

"Your Grace, Lord Odin says... he will name a champion."

"He means to have someone fight in his place? Who?"

"You've seen the giant who never leaves Lord Odin's side? He says that one will stand as his champion."

Those vile Mardus bastards. Ilya spat a rough curse and drummed his fingers on the table. The tapping grew faster and faster.