Evelyn spent the entire night thinking about Adrian.
It was an uncomfortable experience.
In the novel, Adrian had always been easy to understand.
He was the ideal prince.
Kind.
Intelligent.
Brave.
He protected the weak.
He opposed corruption.
He defeated Lucien.
He became emperor.
The readers loved him.
Evelyn had loved him too.
At least, she had once.
Now she wasn’t sure.
The message had been clear.
The man beside him is.
But which man?
Adrian himself?
A minister?
An adviser?
Someone standing behind the emperor?
She needed information.
Unfortunately, information was becoming increasingly difficult to obtain.
Every time she asked a question, someone seemed to know.
Every time she found a document, someone had already altered it.
Every time she changed an event, another appeared.
It was exhausting.
She sat in the library surrounded by papers.
Lucien entered.
“You haven’t slept.”
“Neither have you.”
“I asked first.”
“So did I.”
He placed a cup of tea beside her.
She looked at it.
“You’re becoming predictable.”
“I’ll try to improve.”
“Please don’t.”
He sat opposite her.
“Adrian requested another meeting.”
Evelyn looked up.
“When?”
“Tomorrow.”
“Will you allow it?”
“No.”
“Lucien.”
“I don’t trust him.”
“You said that before.”
“I still don’t.”
She sighed.
“Then I’ll meet him.”
“I know.”
She frowned.
“You aren’t going to stop me?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because you won’t listen.”
She smiled.
“That’s true.”
He looked at her for a moment.
Then said:
“Be careful.”
“I will.”
The next day, Evelyn met Adrian in a private room inside the palace.
He dismissed the servants.
They were alone.
“Your husband doesn’t trust me.”
“No.”
“Do you?”
She considered the question.
“No.”
Adrian nodded.
“Good.”
Evelyn frowned.
“Why?”
“Because trust is dangerous.”
“You keep saying things like that.”
“Because people keep trusting the wrong people.”
She sat.
“Tell me the truth.”
“I always do.”
“No.”
Adrian smiled.
“That’s optimistic.”
“You know about the book.”
“Yes.”
“You know about my previous life.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
He was silent.
Then he said:
“Because I’ve lived this before too.”
Evelyn’s heart stopped.
“What?”
Adrian looked toward the window.
“This is not my first life.”
She stared at him.
“How many?”
“Three.”
“Three?”
“Four, if you count this one.”
Evelyn couldn’t speak.
Adrian continued.
“The first time, I followed the story exactly.”
“Everything happened?”
“Almost.”
“Lucien became the villain?”
“Yes.”
“You defeated him?”
“Yes.”
“You became emperor?”
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
Adrian looked at her.
“I died.”
Evelyn swallowed.
“The second time?”
“I changed things.”
“And?”
“I died.”
“The third?”
“Same.”
Evelyn stared at him.
“Then why are you still trying?”
“Because the fourth time, you appeared.”
She froze.
“What?”
“You weren’t there before.”
“What do you mean?”
“In the first three lives, Evelyn Valemont died before the war.”
Evelyn’s heart raced.
“How?”
“Exactly as the book says.”
“And now?”
“You survived.”
“Because I changed things.”
“No.”
Adrian’s voice became quiet.
“Because someone changed you.”
Evelyn felt cold.
“Who?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then why do you think I matter?”
“Because every time you change something, the future changes with you.”
He stood.
“You are the variable.”
Evelyn looked at him.
“And Lucien?”
“The constant.”
She frowned.
“That’s not true.”
“It is.”
“You said he became the villain every time.”
“Yes.”
“Then why did the book say he isn’t the villain?”
Adrian’s expression became serious.
“Because the book isn’t predicting the future.”
“What is it doing?”
“Recording it.”
Evelyn’s blood ran cold.
“Who writes it?”
Adrian shook his head.
“I don’t know.”
“Then who gave it to me?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then you know nothing.”
“I know enough.”
He stepped closer.
“The person controlling the book has one goal.”
“What?”
“To force the same ending.”
Evelyn stared at him.
“Why?”
“Because they need Lucien to become the villain.”
“And if he doesn’t?”
“Then the empire falls.”
She frowned.
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“It will.”
Adrian reached into his coat.
He gave her a small photograph.
Evelyn looked at it.
It showed a man standing beside a woman.
She recognized the man.
Lucien’s father.
The woman was unfamiliar.
“Who is she?”
“Marian Voss.”
Evelyn’s eyes widened.
“But she died.”
“No.”
Adrian pointed to the photograph.
“She disappeared.”
Evelyn stared.
“And the grave?”
“Someone else.”
The room suddenly felt colder.
Adrian took back the photograph.
“Your husband has been searching for the wrong person.”
“Why?”
“Because his father was searching for the right one.”
Evelyn stood.
“Where is she?”
Adrian looked at her.
“Alive.”
“Where?”
“Under the capital.”
Evelyn’s heart raced.
“The underground tunnels?”
“No.”
Adrian’s voice became quieter.
“The imperial prison.”
Evelyn stared.
“Why would the empire imprison a secretary?”
“Because she knows who murdered your father.”
Evelyn froze.
“Lucien’s father.”
Adrian nodded.
“And she knows who started the war.”
The door opened.
Lucien stood there.
His face was cold.
“What are you doing here?”
Adrian looked at him.
“Helping your wife.”
Lucien’s eyes narrowed.
“Get away from her.”
Adrian smiled faintly.
“Ask her what she learned.”
Lucien looked at Evelyn.
She hesitated.
Then said:
“Your father’s secretary is alive.”
Lucien went completely still.
For the first time, Evelyn saw genuine shock on his face.
Adrian walked past him.
At the door, he stopped.
“One more thing.”
He looked at Evelyn.
“Your death isn’t the only thing that changed.”
“What else?”
Adrian smiled.
“Now, Lucien falls in love with you.”
He left.
Silence.
Evelyn looked at Lucien.
Lucien looked at her.
Neither spoke.
Then he said:
“I don’t know what he’s talking about.”
Evelyn’s face became warm.
“Neither do I.”
But neither of them sounded convincing.