Astrid. I slowly turned to the direction of that voice and immediately ran into her arms. "Elara, you don't know how happy I am to see you again!" I sobbed and she ran her fingers through my hair. "I'm hiding from my uncle and cousin..." I said in a low tone and my eyes searched the room for any sign of the duo. "I'd be dead meat, should they catch sight of me in this hall.." "You don't have to worry. We'll both stay out of sight, this place isn't fun without you anyway." Elara cheered and I blushed at how important she made my presence seem. "After seeing Livia and your uncle, I didn't think you'd come," she said as she pulled me away from the entrance and I picked up a glass of wine from one of the stewards. "I have so much to tell you.." "Likewise Elara.." I responded after taking a sip of the raw alcohol. The liquid left a burning sensation in my throat down to my chest. Exactly what I needed for a night like this. "I almost didn't come, but I couldn't let my uncle and his d
Astrid. The burning rays of the sun peeked in through the space between my drapes and I immediately flipped over to my left for a few more minutes of uninterrupted sleep. "Astrid!" My eyes shot open and all the drowsiness left in my eyes immediately disappeared. I jumped down from the bed, slid into my robe and darted out of the room. The manor bustled with activities as servants ran up and down in preparation for tonight's mating ball. I looked around for who called my name but the hallway only harbored the busy servants. "Come here you spawn of the devil!" The voice repeated, firmly this time and I looked up the stairs. I didn't say a word and just claimed the stairs, hanging my head low to avoid meeting her gaze. "What is going on tonight?" She asked and I lifted my brows because now I don't know if I'm supposed to give an answer to that. "You are to respond whenever I ask a bloody question" Livia snarled and I sighed. Anyone who saw us at this moment– or any moment at all,
RosaI wasn’t usually the type to obsess over clothes, but the dresses Madame Claire helped me choose today were truly stunning. The moment Jasmine and I stepped into my room, I couldn’t help myself—I laid them all out again on my chaise like rare treasures, smoothing down every hem and ribbon with pride.“This one’s my favorite,” I said, lifting the lavender gown with the delicate pearl stitching along the collar. “You like it?”Jasmine, sitting cross-legged on my bed and nibbling on a sugared biscuit, nodded with a smile. “It’s elegant. Makes you look like a princess without trying too hard.”I scoffed playfully. “I am a princess.”“Exactly,” she said with a wink, “and that one says, ‘I’m royal and I know it.’”We laughed, and for a moment, everything felt easy again.After admiring the dresses one last time, I gathered them carefully and handed them off to the maids, who promised to store them properly in the wardrobe chamber. When I returned to my room, Jasmine was still lounging
LucyThe morning sun stretched lazily through the windows, casting a soft glow on the hallway floors as I fastened the last of my hairpins. Rosa was already waiting by the door, arms folded, her hair pulled into a neat bun that reminded me so much of when she was younger. She looked poised, but the glint in her eyes showed something more—something lighter than the heaviness she'd carried in the past few weeks.“Ready?” I asked, reaching for my cloak.She gave me a small, eager nod. “I’ve been ready.”Today, we were visiting Madame Claire’s modiste shop to pick out a few new dresses for Rosa. She had grown more than just physically in the last few seasons. Something about her aura had shifted—matured. Maybe it was the weight of responsibility that came with the blood in her veins, or perhaps it was simply the result of the battles life had forced her to face so early. Either way, she had changed, and I wanted to nurture every flicker of brightness that began to return to her spirit.We
ShaunBy the third day, the tightness in my chest had vanished, and my joints no longer ached with every breath. Lucy insisted I take one more day to recover fully, but I couldn’t wait any longer. I’d already wasted too much time, and the longer I stayed in that house, the louder my thoughts became.So, at the break of dawn, I set out.The journey to Scott’s estate was a long one—four days of forest paths, wet valleys, and steep climbs, all softened by the steady rhythm of my horse’s hooves and the silence of my own thoughts. The wind felt sharper than usual, and the weight of the decision ahead of me made the miles drag longer than they should have.But I kept riding.I needed to speak to my brother. If there was one person left who could offer me clarity without judgment, it was Scott.By the time his manor came into view, dusk had already bled across the sky. The last slivers of sunlight painted the high stone walls in amber, and the torches by the front gate had been lit.A guard
LucyThe sun was barely peeking out from behind the clouds when I heard a knock at the front door. I had just finished brewing Shaun’s second round of herbs and was about to head upstairs when the knock came again—more urgently this time.I opened it to find a little girl, about the same age and height as Miriam, soaked from the rain that hadn’t yet dried off the rooftops. Her cloak clung to her shoulders, and her cheeks were pink from the morning chill, but her hands were steady as she held out a rolled parchment bound in deep green ribbon."A message," she said simply.I recognized the seal instantly—Seth and Elaine.My breath hitched for a second. "You came all this way just for this?"She gave a nod. "They wanted it in your hands, not anyone else’s. Seth insisted.""Where's Miriam?" I asked and glanced outside. "She couldn't make it in the rain. Lady Elaine insisted that she got some rest instead and head back when the soil is dried up" she replied sharply. I took the letter gen