Chapter 2

Early the next morning, a commotion came from the courtyard.

I opened the door to see several groundskeepers outside with shovels, digging up the camellia tree in front of my window.

Adelaide had planted it for me herself three years ago. She'd said I hated going outside in the winter because I was always cold, so she'd plant a tree where I could see the blossoms from my room.

"What are you doing?" I stepped outside.

The men stopped and exchanged uneasy looks.

Edward Reese, the head steward, came through the gate with a perfunctory smile. "Mr. Valentine, you're awake."

Even the way he addressed me had changed. Before, everyone here had called me Master Reed.

"General Knight gave the order. Mr. Ortega has always had refined tastes, and he loves camellia blossoms, but his courtyard is rather bare."

Edward spoke as if that explained everything.

I looked at the tree, half its roots already exposed. On the trunk was the crooked letter "A" I'd carved into it last winter.

"This is my tree," I stated calmly.

Edward smiled, impatience creeping into his voice. "Mr. Valentine, everything on General Knight's estate belongs to her. She can give it to whomever she chooses.

"You should go back inside and rest. We wouldn't want you catching a chill and having the general blame us for not taking proper care of you."

He waved for the groundskeepers to continue. The sharp crack of shovels severing roots cut through the morning air.

It wasn't long before Adelaide returned from duty. The moment she entered the courtyard, she saw the torn-up ground.

She hurried over, removing her cloak as she came and reached to drape it around my shoulders. "Why are you sitting out here in the cold?"

I leaned away.

Her hand paused.

"Are you still angry about last night?" She sighed and sat down beside me. "Fabian coughed all night. He said he dreamed about the camellia blossoms back home. His condition is serious, so I had them move this tree to his courtyard to cheer him up."

She turned to me, sincerity in her eyes. "Come on, Reed. When spring comes, I'll have them fill this whole courtyard with camellia trees for you, okay?"

She was always like this. She took away the things I treasured most, then promised me some distant future that never came.

I looked at her. "Don't bother."

"What?"

"I said you don't need to plant them." I stood and brushed the dust from my clothes.

Adelaide stared at me, apparently surprised that I was giving in so easily today. Usually, if someone touched something that belonged to me, my eyes would fill with tears, and I'd make a scene.

A flicker of approval crossed her face. She reached into her coat and pulled out a polished onyx circlet.

"You're growing up, Reed. You're finally learning to be reasonable. I passed a jewelry store today and saw this. The onyx looked nice, so I bought it to make up for the tree."

I stared at the circlet for a moment. I'd seen something similar on Fabian yesterday. Except the one he'd been wearing was an elaborate gold-and-onyx piece, exquisitely crafted and obviously expensive.

Mine was plain and unremarkable. Maybe the store had thrown it in when she'd bought Fabian's expensive one.

"I don't like plain onyx."

Adelaide finally seemed to run out of patience. She set the circlet down hard on the stone table beside us.

"What exactly are you upset about? I moved the tree, and I bought you something to make up for it. What more do you want?

"Fabian was poisoned. He nearly died. You've suffered a little inconvenience—can't you show him some understanding?"

She stood over me, looking down at me. "You never used to be like this."

Looking at the anger on her face, I suddenly found it almost funny.

What had I been like before?

A fool who came running whenever she called and disappeared whenever she wanted me gone.

A fool who would give up his own life for the smallest scrap of affection from her.

"You're right, General Knight." I lowered my eyes.

Something about me calling her "General Knight" seemed to sting. Her expression shifted.

But in the end, she said nothing. She turned and walked away.