2. The Woman Everyone Hates

“The whole court already knows what you said about Seraphina.”

Nora had barely stepped out of the carriage when the young woman waiting at the palace doors greeted her with those words.

Nora stopped, one hand lifting her gown off the ground.

The woman was wearing an elegant emerald dress, and her brown hair was neatly pinned up with a pearl comb. She looked familiar, but Nora couldn’t remember who she was.

“Sorry?” Nora asked.

The woman’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t tell me you forgot. You looked pretty proud of yourself yesterday.”

Yesterday.

Nora searched her mind for Elena’s memories, hoping something would come back to her, but there was nothing. No memories came flooding back. No helpful flashback. All she had was the book, and the book had never cared enough to mention what Elena said on a normal afternoon.

“I’m having a bad morning,” she said slowly.

“I can tell.” The woman looked at Nora’s plain dress. “And now you’re dressed like a widow.”

Nora looked down at the dark fabric. “What’s wrong with it?”

“Everything. You picked the red dress for tonight, remember? Half the house heard you say Seraphina would be sorry she ever stood in the same room as you. By dinner, the whole court had heard about it.”

Nora had really hoped Elena wasn’t as bad as people said.

But it looked like Elena had worked really hard to earn her reputation.

“And you are?” Nora asked.

The woman stared at her with her mouth wide open.

For one second, Nora thought she had just ruined everything.

“Tessa,” the woman said slowly. “Tessa Vale. We’ve known each other for years, Elena.”

Then it clicked. Tessa Vale. One of Elena’s old friends. A side character who never really mattered in the story.

But she mattered a lot now.

“Right. Tessa.”

Tessa looked at her like she had suddenly grown a second head. “Are you sick?”

“Is something wrong?”

“You’re acting like a stranger.”

Because I woke up inside a book wearing your friend’s face, and last time I checked, she was going to be executed.

Instead, Nora forced a smile. “Maybe I’m just tired of making a fool of myself.”

Tessa stared at her.

Then she burst out laughing.

Not because Nora had said anything funny, but because the idea itself was too silly to believe.

“You? Tired of attention? Elena, please. You sent back three gowns before you finally picked the red one. You told everyone the king would notice you before he even noticed her.”

Nora closed her eyes for a second.

She hadn’t even made it to the gathering yet, and Elena’s reputation had already gotten there first, standing at the door, ready to make trouble.

“Can we talk about this inside?”

Tessa gave her a suspicious look. “Why? What are you up to?”

“Nothing.”

“Then why did you change your dress?”

“Because I don’t want everyone staring at me.”

“You’ve never had a problem with that before.”

Ouch. That one hurt more than it should have.

Nora looked toward the palace doors. Servants rushed in and out, heading toward the bright halls inside, and every noble walked by as if they had somewhere important to be. Some of them still looked at her, then quickly looked away. A few leaned over to whisper to the people next to them. She heard her own name more than once.

She had pictured herself sneaking in quietly in a dark dress, with nobody paying attention.

It just never crossed her mind that a face like Elena’s would make people stare, and a name like Elena’s would make people think the worst.

“Whatever you’re planning,” Tessa said quietly, “be careful. Seraphina’s already here, and half the hall is waiting to see what you’ll do to her.”

“Why would anyone think I’d do anything to her?”

Tessa just gave her a look that said, Seriously?

“Because you always do something.”

There it was, and Nora had no answer to that.

It wasn’t suspicion or a simple misunderstanding that a few nice words could fix.

They expected the worst from Elena.

She had behaved badly so many times that nobody needed proof anymore. Nora had gotten every single mess Elena left behind, along with her body.

“I don’t plan on causing her any trouble tonight,” she said.

The smile left Tessa’s face, and she suddenly looked a little scared.

“You’re serious.”

“Yes.”

“But everything’s already planned.”

Nora’s heart sank. “Planned how?”

“The seats. The music. The speech.” Tessa leaned in closer and lowered her voice. “I told the head servant to put her at the table by the doors, where everyone would have to walk past her. I also talked to the musicians myself. They’re going to play that stupid song the second she walks in, and then you were supposed to stand up and say your little speech in front of all the king’s guests.”

Nora just stared at her.

Elena had not just picked out a red dress. She had planned a whole show, from the people involved to the music and the stage.

And the woman standing in front of her had helped.

“Then un-plan it,” Nora said.

Tessa blinked. “What?”

“The seats. The music. Cancel all of it.”

“Have you lost your mind?”

“Maybe.”

“Do you know what that will cost me? I gave those orders in your name. If I take them back now, everyone will say I got scared.”

“Then tell them I changed my mind. Blame it on me.”

“Oh, they will.” Tessa lowered her voice. “And what about the speech? Everyone’s waiting for it. If you just stand there and say nothing, they’ll think you’re planning something even worse.”

Nora opened her mouth.

Then closed it again.

She had spent the whole day worried about what Elena would do. She never stopped to think that doing nothing could look just as bad.

“Then let them think whatever they want,” she finally said. “I’m still not going to make a fool of her in front of everyone.”

Tessa grabbed her arm. “Listen to me. Whatever game you’re playing, stop. The king is here tonight, and if you embarrass yourself again, your father won’t be able to save you.”

Nora felt a chill run down her spine.

Her father. One more person whose future she knew only from the pages of a book.

She couldn’t afford another scandal, especially not one she started on purpose.

“I’m not playing a game,” she said. “I just don’t want to hurt someone who hasn’t done anything to me tonight.”

Tessa slowly let go of her arm.

“Since when do you care what happens to Seraphina?”

Nora couldn’t think of an answer that wouldn’t make her sound crazy.

“Since I figured out I have more to lose than I thought,” she said instead.

Tessa still didn’t look convinced. Finally, she let out a sharp breath.

“I’ll talk to the head servant, even though it might already be too late.” She turned toward the doors. “But if this goes wrong, don’t expect me to stand by your side.”

Nora watched her disappear into the palace.

Nora couldn’t blame her. If Elena had spent years being mean, one good night wasn’t going to make people forget. A simple apology wouldn’t be enough.

Neither would a different dress.

Nora would have to show them through her actions, one step at a time, to people who had already made up their minds about who she was.

She walked inside alone.

The hall was huge and bright, with crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and tall golden pillars all around the room. The floors were so shiny Nora could almost see herself in them.

Nobles stood around in little groups, whispering to each other behind their fans and wine glasses.

A few musicians played soft music from somewhere in the back.

The whole room seemed to pause when she walked in.

A woman whispered something behind her hand. A man turned to watch her walk across the floor. Someone laughed softly, and Nora couldn’t tell if it was meant for her.

Keep walking. Don’t look at anyone. Don’t give them a reason.

She had barely taken a dozen steps when she spotted the raised platform at the far end of the hall.

Adrian sat in the seat of honor, dressed in black and gold. His golden eyes scanned the whole room, calm and cold at the same time, like a man who never had to ask twice to be obeyed.

Nora quickly looked away.

She wasn’t ready to deal with him. Not tonight.

Then she saw her.

Seraphina was standing by the tall windows in a pale blue dress, her hands folded in front of her. She looked younger than Nora had pictured her. She had a sweet, gentle face, but her shoulders were tense, like she was waiting for something bad to happen.

Then Seraphina’s eyes moved across the hall and landed on Nora.

All the softness in her face disappeared.

She gripped her dress tightly as she looked at the musicians, then at the guests who had gone quiet to watch.

And Nora understood.

Seraphina wasn’t looking at her as if she were just another woman competing for the king’s attention. She was preparing herself for something she had been through before. Another mean comment. Another time being embarrassed in front of everyone. Another night where Elena Ashford would remind the whole court that Seraphina didn’t belong there.

Nora turned toward the closest pillar.

Away from her. Away from everyone.

But Seraphina was already walking toward her.

She crossed the hall slowly with her chin held high, and the nobles stepped aside to make room for her, like they had all been waiting for this exact moment.

She stopped right in front of her.

“Lady Elena.” Her voice was quiet, but she didn’t look away. “What have you planned for me this time?”