Chapter 2

The doors flew open.

Crown Prince Adrian strode in, undoing the clasp of his outer coat as he spoke.

"The council ran late today. I know it's our wedding night, but I truly couldn't get away—"

The sentence died in his throat.

He stopped.

The room reeked of blood.

Nora knelt beside the bed with both hands stained red. Three soaked layers of cloth were pressed around my wrist.

I was half-conscious against the pillows, my face nearly colorless.

"What happened?"

Adrian crossed the room in three strides and grabbed my wrist.

"Why is there so much blood?"

"Your Highness, call the royal physician!" Nora cried. "Her bleeding won't stop!"

"Adrian!"

Lillian's tearful voice came from behind him.

She stumbled forward clutching her chest.

"I'm so frightened..."

Adrian turned, frowning.

"Lillian? Why are you here?"

She dropped to his feet and clutched the hem of his coat.

"I only came to greet Her Highness. I wanted to explain that you were busy tonight and didn't mean to abandon her..."

Her whole body trembled.

"But when she saw me, she suddenly picked up the scissors. She said if she died, everyone would think I had driven her to it... She wanted everyone to blame me."

Nora shot upright.

"That's a lie! Miss Lillian came in here threatening to hurt herself first. My Lady only—"

"Be quiet!"

Bess snapped at her.

"You're a servant. Who gave you the right to interrupt? Miss Lillian's panic disorder is already acting up. If she faints because of you, can you answer for it?"

Nora stared at her in disbelief.

"My Lady is bleeding! Do none of you have a conscience?"

"She did it to herself."

Bess sneered.

"Do you really think His Highness will fall for such a cheap attention-seeking trick?"

Adrian looked from my still-bleeding wrist to Lillian's tear-streaked face.

For a moment, he seemed torn.

Then Lillian looked up at him with tears caught on her lashes.

"Adrian, everyone has always said Her Highness copies people. She's been doing it for years, hasn't she? And she's still alive."

She sniffed.

"But my panic disorder is real. Last month a stray cat startled me in the street and I fainted on the spot. I couldn't get out of bed for three days."

Her voice dropped to a whisper.

"Her Highness copies things for fun. My condition could actually kill me."

Adrian's brows drew tighter.

He looked down at me, but there was no concern in his eyes now.

Only judgment.

"I've heard about this copycat habit of yours. You've been causing trouble with it since you were a child, and somehow you've survived every time."

He released my wrist and stood.

"Lillian's panic disorder is documented by the royal physicians. When it attacks, she truly loses consciousness."

His voice turned cold.

"And you cut yourself with scissors on your first night here. Was this supposed to be a warning to me?"

Nora shook her head desperately.

"Your Highness, no! Her blood really won't stop—"

"Enough."

He didn't look at me again.

"Since today is your first day in the Crown Palace, I'll overlook this once."

Then he bent and helped Lillian to her feet, gently wiping the tears from her cheek.

"Come. I'll take you back. You've been frightened enough."

Lillian leaned obediently into his arms as he led her away.

Nora remained beside the bed, pressing both hands over my wrist and crying so hard she could barely breathe.

"My Lady, why did you copy her? Your mother begged you not to... What am I supposed to tell your parents if something happens to you?"

I wanted to comfort her.

My lips moved.

No sound came out.

Then everything went black.