Page 66 of The Iron Hex

“We heard word in Lindow that they had a truth-sense witch in Archport. They were questioning each and every person that got onto ships going to Corisia. We would have been found out.”

“Oh.” Eira nodded before remembering something she’d been thinking about as they rode through the wilderness the day before. “I’ve been wondering... why did the truth-sense witches give the others up? I... I’ve never understood why they turned on their own kind.”

Evangeline looked at Eira, sadness in her eyes. “The Iron Empire promised them immunity, that their magic wouldn’t be outlawed. Then, when they weren’t useful anymore, they killed them too.”

Eira should have known. The witches had only wished to live, and she couldn’t blame them for that. Eira knew she might have done the same if she’d been in their position. But she wondered how many truth-sense witches had quietly rebelled and kept other witches alive. She wondered if she’d be able to find them—and how many were hiding their powers, like she had been.

“You know, Lindow is actually where you had the idea for the memory spell,” Evangeline continued. “We were originally going to use it to go over to Corisia and pass through the truth-sense witches at the port, but then someone recognized me because I was foolish and hadn’t turned into a rabbit when I should have, and we had to run the opposite direction.”

“That sounds awful.” Eira shook her head, sensing something that felt like the Flow she’d used earlier rise within her as if it wanted to be used. She pushed it down, confused.

“All of it has been awful, Eira,” Evangeline said, her hand playing with the locket she never took off. “You don’t remember, but Astra’s people have changed since the Iron Empire rose. They’re afraid, there’s less magic to help people, it’s darker and more dangerous... I feel like I’ve failed them.”

Eira hadn’t considered how Evangeline must have felt, raised from birth to be the next queen of Astra, only to have it snatched from her by a bloodthirsty regime whose first act was to kill untold numbers of her people.

“I’m sorry,” Eira said, putting her hand on Evangeline’s, hereyes brimming with tears. “Is that the actual reason you don’t want to leave Astra? Because you feel like you’ve failed your people?”

“Eira, of course I don’t really want to go to Osnia,” she whispered, fingers of her free hand tapping on the table gently. “I’m just scared of losing what little I have left.”

“Whatdoyou want?” Eira asked.

“I want revenge,” Evangeline answered, anger laced in every razor-sharp syllable. “I want to destroy the Iron Empire and take back Astra. I want the throne that is rightfully mine.”

“I think that’s what Hugo wants too,” Eira said, looking up to the hallway where their rooms were and wondering if this conversation would have happened with Hugo here.

“I know, and I hate that I agree with him,” Evangeline said as she shook her head.

“So how do we take back Astra?” Eira asked.

“We’ve been dancing around it, but I think we all agree—it’s Corisia. We need to try and broker an alliance with Corisia,” Evangeline postulated.

She had a point. Hugo had talked a lot about the tension building between Corisia and the Iron Empire. It could prove the perfect avenue to get Evangeline back on the throne—provided they were willing to give it back to her once the empire had fallen.

“What if—” Eira started, leaning forward and pointing at Evangeline.

“What if they don’t want to give Astra back to me?” Evangeline asked.

“Yeah.” Eira smiled tightly.

“My father was close with their king, and our countries haven’t warred in centuries, aside from now. If I had to guess, I think they have a problem with the Iron Empire, not my family. I don’t think they want to rule Astra... at least they didn’twant to before. I hope they haven’t changed their minds. If that fails, I have old alliances and promises I can try to barter with.”

“So we just need to figure out how to get in front of them without getting caught by the Iron Empire,” Eira said.

“Seems easy enough, right?” Evangeline snorted.

Eira took a bite of her food—mediocre, and yet warming as the cold seeped in through the tavern’s walls. Evangeline placed her hand on Eira’s forearm.

“I missed you,” Evangeline said, her eyes looking straight into Eira’s. “I don’t think I’ve said it enough but... I lost everything, and then I lost the only thing I had left—you.”

Eira put her fork down and placed her hand on Evangeline’s where it rested on her arm. “I’m grateful you stuck with me, and I’m sure once my memory is back, I’ll be able to tell you I missed you too.”

Evangeline smiled, wistful and sad. Whether Eira liked it or not, there was still a part of her that was lost to Evangeline, and Eira had no idea what that person was like, or how they would have responded to emotional vulnerability like this from the princess.

“I don’t think I can do this without you,” Evangeline said.

“I’m right here,” Eira answered.

“No, the version of you with the political and social knowledge... you’re not just my friend, Eira, you’re my strategic counselor. I don’t know if I can navigate Corisia without your memory.”