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“There was no bird, Madame.”

“What?” Dagmara blurted out. “It landed on the railing.”

“I…” Pierre gave Dagmara an apologetic glance. “If you say there was a bird then it must be so, Princess. My apologies.”

Dagmara knew what she saw. One of the other guards had to have seen it.

Annette didn’t hide her suspicion. “Let us give His Majesty space. I’ll show you to your room now so you can clean yourself up. There will be water for your wound as well.”

Then the weight of Annette’s comment settled on her. There will be water for your wound…Annette was expecting Dagmara to heal the cut in her palm with Life Guardian magic. She couldn’t do that.

She began to follow Annette. They turned to the mirror-filled entrance, and proceeded to exit the royal wing.

“Aren’t I going to stay in the royal wing?” Dagmara asked, walking briskly to keep up with Annette.

“In the royal wing?” Annette laughed. “You’re a guest, only Ilusaurian royals stay there.”

“But…I’m marrying him.”

“Eventually,” Annette replied, with as much conviction as someone saying cats can fly. “But unless you are queen, you won’t be anywhere near His Majesty’s quarters, let alone in them.” She fired her a sideways glance.

This was going to be more complicated than Dagmara thought. If she wasn’t even allowed near Claude’s chamber or study, how would she snoop around?

Maybe she had to go through with the marriage. What other way could she gain private access to the mad king’s room? It had to be her room too. When they reached the chamber Dagmara would be staying in, she was utterly lost. Everything looked the same, and all the reflections caused her to get turned around. They had passed probably a dozen additional chambers full of mirrors, which didn’t make any sense. The castle appeared perfectly symmetrical on the outside, but inside it was a maze.

Annette entered first before gesturing to a large bedroom. All of Dagmara’s luggage was already inside, and Urszula jumped up from a chaise as soon as she saw the door open.

“Welcome,” Annette said, unenthused.

“What happened?” Urszula gasped, seeing the wine stains on Dagmara’s dress.

“She met the king,” Annette replied before exiting the room and slamming the door closed.

“Are you alright?” Urszula asked. She took Dagmara’s hand and examined the wound, still leaking crimson liquid. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”

She began pulling Dagmara toward the bathing chamber, but Dagmara jerked her hand back and said, “You don’t have to take care of me the way you did with Magda. I’m not a princess.”

Urszula frowned. “You don’t have the authority to fire me. Besides, maybe being treated like a princess will help you act as one. Don’t argue with me.”

Begrudgingly, Dagmara followed Urszula to the bathing chamber. “Do you speak this way to Magda?”

“Absolutely,” Urszula replied.

Dagmara didn’t want assistance. Yet, after the water was boiled and Dagmara stepped into the soapy bath, she immediately felt better. She scrubbed the wine from her skin, feeling the sting of her hand against the soap. She would have to hide the new injury on her palm and wear gloves until it healed on its own. The scar on her collarbone was still fresh from the night she had killed Sabien, another mark she had to hide.

When the water turned cold and her feet were pruney, she finally exited the bath. She sat at the vanity in a plush robe, wrapping her hand in a bandage while Urszula brushed through her hair.

Then Dagmara remembered, “Did they find anything when they searched our things?”

A smile appeared on Urszula’s face. “Nope.” She exited the room briefly, returning with a case. She propped it up on the vanity and opened it, revealing a box of makeup and cosmetics.

However, it wasn’t all makeup. It was everything Dagmara needed to make her potions.

Dagmara ran her hand against the box, feeling safer with the weapons in her grasp.

A plan was forming in her mind. Tonight, she was going to use the potions to find the proof she needed. Otherwise…the only other option was marrying the king and gaining free access to his chambers. She prayed it wouldn’t come to that.

By the guardians…her thoughts rang. Magda, where are you?