30|| Hidden In The Shadows

Sarah glanced over her shoulder, making sure no one was around before going into the staff quarters. She moved fast, closing the door behind her and heading straight to the room she shared with Grace.

Her eyes scanned the place until they landed on Grace’s side of the room. Without even thinking twice, she started going into her things, pulling open her cupboard and even went through her jewelry box until she found what she was looking for.

It was a ring. Grace’s favorite ring.

Sarah smirked. “Perfect,” she whispered, putting it into her pocket. “You really should’ve worn this today.”

She laughed at herself before sneaking out again, her plan already forming in her head. She soon reached where Grace said the fight happened and she stopped when she saw Poppy on the floor.

She was laying unconscious at the bottom of the ditch, her head covered with blood.

Sarah bent down, her lips turning into a cruel smile. “So this is the girl Lady Dahlia was so proud of,” she laughed. “Weren’t you feeling special because that bitch liked you? Where’s your Lady Dahlia now?”

She laughed again, before pulling the ring from her pocket. She tossed it beside Poppy’s motionless body and turned to leave then she froze.

Something was holding her leg.

Sarah’s eyes widened and she looked down. Poppy’s hand was shakily wrapped around her leg not letting her go. “H-help… please…”

“Let me go!” Sarah snapped, trying to pull away her leg, but Poppy wouldn’t stop. She kept whispering for help, begging Sarah to take her to the hospital but it only made her more angry.

Sarah started panicking that if she stayed any longer someone was going to find her standing over Poppy’s body and her life would be ruined.

“Did you not hear me?!” Sarah glared at her. “Let me go!”

But Poppy wasn’t in her last mind, her hands tightened on Sarah’s leg and that made Sarah see red.

Sarah looked around until she saw a large rock nearby. She growled angrily as she picked it up with both hands. “You useless little pest!” she screamed, and slammed it down on her head not once or twice. She hit until Poppy’s hand fell limp on the floor.

Her chest rose and fell, her heart pounding in her chest as she dropped the rock, staring at what she’d done. But instead of shaking in fear and running around like a headless chicken just as Grace. Sarah simply took a deep breath. She made sure the ring was noticeable beside the body, turned around, and walked away without even checking if Poppy was still alive.

In fact, she hoped she wasn’t.

Her being dead meant there'd be even a more terrible downfall for Grace.

She returned to her room, removing all the blood-stained clothes and tossing them straight into a bucket. She washed her clothes, making sure that there wasn't any trace of blood on it. When she was done, she took a long shower and washed every part of her body.

It was after that she put on a clean uniform and left again, heading straight to Concubine Naomi’s quarters.

Naomi’s quarters was the biggest among the concubines with beautiful furniture, staff working in every corner and even guards. From the outside, it looked like she ruled the palace. She had the king’s attention, power, beauty, and more money than she could ever need.

But what no one knew, not even Naomi herself was that she wasn’t the one truly pulling the strings.

There was someone else. Someone hidden in the shadows. Someone far more dangerous that was waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Not to be a concubine but the queen.

Sarah was smart, a lot smarter than most gave her credit for. She knew exactly who to serve and when to switch sides. And if she wanted to rise higher, if she wanted the title of Head Maid, then it was time to abandon Smite.

She walked past Concubine Naomi’s quarters and stopped at the one right after it. It was a quieter, smaller house. But Sarah knew it was intentional.

After checking twice to make sure no one was watching, she walked inside and went straight to the concubine’s personal maid.

The maid frowned. “Are you sure no one saw you come here?”

Sarah shook her head quickly. “No. I made sure of it. Please, tell her highness it’s urgent.”

The maid studied her for a moment, then nodded and disappeared into the room. A few long minutes passed before she returned, signaling for Sarah to follow.

Sarah took a deep breath, and stepped in and she immediately fell to her knees and bowed low the moment she entered.

“Your Majesty,” she said, her voice was respectful, as she was careful to use the title she knew the concubine liked hearing. “Something big is about to happen… and I came to warn you.”

“Speak.”

Sarah told her everything.

She didn’t leave out a single detail about the silent war between Lady Dahlia and Concubine Naomi. About the fact that they haven’t even met but already hated each other so much. She also told her of Head Maid Smite’s involvement too, how she had gone to all the maids and guards, instructing them to bully Dahlia and Poppy.

Then she told her about how Naomi called Dahlia but was completely ignored, something that had clearly made Naomi so angry.

And finally, Sarah told her about how Grace had gotten into trouble with Poppy. How the girl was in a ditch barely alive right that moment. How Smite had ordered everyone to keep quiet and pretend nothing happened. How Naomi had no idea that something this serious had taken place right under her nose.

Sarah smiled as she finished talking feeling so happy. “Head Maid Smite is hiding this from her, Your Majesty. She doesn’t want anyone to know. So I think this would be a great way to teach them all a good lesson.”

The concubine didn’t speak at first. She just sat there, her face unreadable as she thought about the juicy information Sarah just revealed to her. If she used it to her benefit well, she’d be able to destroy Naomi once and for all. And nobody would be able to compete with her for the crown.

She looked down at Sarah and asked. “Are you sure you’re not keeping anything else from me?”

Sarah’s body went cold as she shook her head. “N…no of course not your majesty”

She definitely couldn’t reveal that not only did she plant Grace’s ring beside Poppy’s body, she might have killed Poppy herself.