Beneath the Royal Veil

Ch 5 The Fated Mate's Shadow

Evelina wandered through the palace gardens, needing to get some air before bed. The moonlight bathed the garden paths in a ghostly glow, but the beauty of her surroundings couldn’t calm the storm raging inside her. Her footsteps faltered as a wave of nausea gripped her again, a stark reminder of the gravity of her situation.

In the distance, she spotted Queen Valeria, standing with her royal guards and a figure draped in dark, flowing robes—her handmaiden, rumored to be a witch. The Queen's eyes gleamed with cold recognition as Evelina approached, and an icy smile curved her lips.

"Evelina," Queen Valeria greeted, her voice smooth as silk but sharp as a blade. "Out for an evening stroll alone, I see. You shouldn’t be alone. As of tomorrow, you will have a guard with you at all times."

Evelina’s heart skipped a beat. She hadn’t realized how close the Queen was or how intimidating her presence could be. The Queen’s entourage—their unnerving stillness and the palpable darkness radiating from the witch—set her nerves on edge. It was as if an invisible force clung to the Queen’s guards, their menacing aura making Evelina’s skin crawl.

"I... I needed some air tonight, Your Majesty," Evelina replied, her voice more timid than she intended. She felt small under the Queen's cold gaze, her fingers instinctively moving to the locket hanging around her neck—the one given to her by Queen Helena.

Valeria’s eyes narrowed as they fell on the locket. "Ah, what have we here?" she asked, her tone almost playful but with an underlying edge. "That locket... I don’t recall seeing it before. May I?"

Evelina hesitated but couldn’t deny the Queen’s request. With trembling fingers, she unclasped the necklace and handed it over. Valeria examined it closely, her eyes glittering with something Evelina couldn’t quite place. Beside her, the witch murmured something under her breath, and Evelina felt the air around her grow colder.

"This is quite the curious trinket," Valeria mused, tilting the locket to catch the moonlight. "A gift from your dear mother, I presume?"

Evelina nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty. Queen Helena gave it to me."

Valeria’s smile widened, but it didn’t reach her eyes. "How touching. Helena always had a fondness for sentimental gestures. But tell me, Evelina, are you aware of the significance of such a gift?"

Evelina swallowed, unsure of where the conversation was heading. "I... she said it would keep me safe."

The Queen’s laughter was soft but chilling. "Safe? How quaint. You are marrying into the royal family, dear. There is no such thing as ‘safe’ when you’re part of this world. Everything has a price. Even protection."

A shiver ran down Evelina’s spine as Valeria handed the locket back to her, the gesture feeling more like an insult than kindness. The Queen’s scrutiny was heavy, and the presence of the witch only intensified her unease.

"Tell me," Valeria continued, her voice dropping to a more intimate tone, "do you truly understand what marriage to my son entails? The sanctity of it?"

Evelina stiffened. The question felt like a trap. "I... I believe marriage is a union of trust and loyalty," she said, her words carefully chosen, though her voice wavered.

"Trust and loyalty," Valeria repeated, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "Such a naive view. Marriage in our world is about power, my dear. Control. The merging of legacies, not hearts." She leaned closer, her whisper sending a chill down Evelina’s spine. "Innocence will not serve you well here. My son may wear a crown, but you, dear girl, are merely a pawn in a far larger game. You may soon find that trust and loyalty are rarer in this world than you think. Even those closest to you may not be as loyal as you assume."

Evelina’s breath caught in her throat. The Queen’s words cut deep, and a pit of dread formed in her stomach. "I will love your son," she whispered, though the words tasted hollow.

Valeria's lips curled into a cruel smile. "Love? Love is a fleeting sentiment, Evelina. What matters is what you can offer him... and what you can withstand."

Evelina glanced at the witch, who stood silent but watchful, as if waiting for her cue. The guards around them remained motionless, their eyes trained on her like predators. A growing fear churned in her gut. The Queen had never been warm to her, but now she sensed something far more dangerous lurking beneath the surface.

"Your wedding day draws near," Valeria said, straightening. "And with it, the responsibilities of a wife. I trust you will uphold your duty and provide an heir in due time. It’s getting late. I expect you to return to your room and prepare for tomorrow’s wedding."

Evelina’s hand flew to her abdomen, her thoughts racing. If only the Queen knew...

"I understand," she replied, struggling to keep her voice steady. "I will do whatever is expected of me."

The Queen gave her a long, assessing look, then nodded. "Good. Remember, Evelina, this family protects its own. But it also... corrects any mistakes. I trust you will not make any that require... correction. You are dismissed."

Evelina’s heart raced, her palms growing clammy. She had never felt in danger before, but now, standing before Queen Valeria and her eerie retinue, she realized just how precarious her position truly was. These were not idle threats—they were warnings.

As the Queen turned to leave, her handmaiden lingering to cast Evelina a final glance, the witch’s eyes flicked to the locket once more. Evelina could have sworn she felt a pulse of dark energy from the woman. "Innocence," the witch murmured, her voice barely audible, "is a fragile thing."

And then they were gone, leaving Evelina alone in the garden, the night suddenly colder, her heart thudding in her chest. She clutched the locket tightly, its weight now a strange comfort against the encroaching darkness. She began to head back to the palace.

Her footsteps faltered again as another wave of nausea gripped her, reminding her of the gravity of her situation. She stopped near the white rose arches to take a breath.

In the distance, she spotted Caspian and Adriana huddled in a secluded corner of the garden, hidden by the shadows of the hedges. Evelina’s heart raced with a mix of betrayal and nausea. She recalled an overheard conversation from months ago when Caspian had visited the keep. The poignant exchange between Caspian and Adriana had revealed an intimacy she had been too blinded to see.

Tonight, as Evelina eavesdropped, Caspian’s voice was sharp with urgency. “You need to leave,” he said, his tone filled with fear. “If my mother discovers us, she’ll have you killed. She’s merciless with family secrets. She will never let me be happy with you. She will never let me be with a…”

He paused, catching his words.

Adriana’s voice trembled with sorrow and disbelief. “A servant? An Omega?”

“Yes. I should reject you, but I can’t. I can’t be without you. I need you by my side, even if it’s behind closed doors. You are mine.”

The sudden kissing and moaning that followed made Evelina’s revulsion nearly unbearable. Overcome with grief and anger, she fled back to her chambers.

The gravity of Caspian’s warning crashed over Evelina. Queen Valeria’s ruthless protectiveness was legendary; she would stop at nothing to shield her family’s honor, even if it meant resorting to violence. Evelina had witnessed the Queen’s cold resolve—a dangerous glint in her eyes when it came to family secrets.

Heartbroken, Evelina stumbled back to her chambers. Her nausea intensified, mirroring her emotional upheaval. If Caspian had never severed his bond with his fated mate, what did that make their marriage? And if Queen Valeria could sense deception and betrayal so easily, would she uncover the truth about Evelina’s pregnancy?

As she collapsed onto her bed, tears streamed down her face. The room, with its silken drapes and plush furnishings, felt suddenly suffocating. Evelina closed her eyes, trying to suppress her fear and sorrow. Her thoughts raced with the weight of her discoveries, the threat looming over her future, and the pain of Caspian’s betrayal.

The future was dark and uncertain. Her thoughts returned to the mysterious, protective locket. If it truly held any magic or protection, she hoped it would offer solace amidst the storm swirling around her.

Evelina clutched the locket tightly, her heart aching with the weight of her situation. As she drifted off to sleep, she whispered a silent prayer for strength, hoping that, somehow, she could navigate the treacherous path that lay ahead.