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I bolted from the palace at first light to avoid both my brother and Anderic, my heart racing as I hiked up my skirts and ran like a thief.

The cool morning air nipped at my face; autumn was just around the corner.

As I rounded a corner, I skidded to a halt, nearly colliding with my father and Darius engaged in a heated argument.

Just my rotten luck.

“Ilyana D’Arcane!” Father’s voice boomed, his face reddening at the sight of me. “Stop right there, young lady!”

“Sorry, Father!” I called over my shoulder, already in motion again. There would be hell to pay if I stopped. “I’ll catch up with you later!”

As I reached my apartment, the familiar scent of fresh bread and herbs greeted me as I burst through the door. Laurel stood at the stove, her eyes widening at my dramatic entrance.

“My lady! Are you alright?” she exclaimed, rushing to my side.

I threw my arms around her, relishing the comfort of her presence. “I’m fine, Laurel. I just… missed you.”

She pulled back, her brow furrowed with concern. “It’s only been a day, my lady.”

“The longest day of my life,” I muttered, collapsing into a chair.

Laurel busied herself pouring me a cup of tea. “How did it go? Was the plan successful?”

I nodded, taking a sip of the steaming liquid. “Oh, it was successful alright. So successful that I’m now roped into helping with security for the Founding Day celebrations and the ball.”

“A ball? She’s going to wear the dress to the ball?” Laurel’s eyes lit up. “That sounds exciting!”

I snorted. “Exciting isn’t quite the word I’d use; more like a disaster waiting to happen. And guess who’s going to be right in the middle of it? Me! I! Myself! That psycho. Ugh!”

“You’re being dramatic again. It’s not a big deal. You can always come up with something.” Laurel sat across from me, her face serious. “What will you do about it then?”

I sighed, running a hand through my tangled hair. “I don’t know yet. I could refuse, but that might raise suspicions. Or I could play along and try to turn this to my advantage somehow. Let’s eat first. I’m starving.”

As if on cue, my stomach made a loud grumbling noise.

Laurel’s fresh bread melted in my mouth as we sat at our small kitchen table. The apartment might have been modest, but it was ours - no royal judgments or scheming nobles lurking around corners. Just me, my loyal maid, and blessed peace.

“The renovations on Rosewood Street are proceeding well,” Laurel reported between bites. “Three more shop owners agreed to sell yesterday.”

I smirked. “Amazing what a few strategic ghost sightings can do for property values.”

“And that rumor about the murders…” Laurel’s eyes sparkled with mischief.

I had totally corrupted my little maid’s morals.

“Pure genius on your part.” I winked. “Any word from our little spy?”

Laurel’s face lit up as she pulled a folded paper from her pocket. “Tommy brought this this morning. His writing is improving - I barely had to correct anything.”

I unfolded the note, scanning Tommy’s careful script. My eyebrows shot up at the contents.

“Ilyana?” Laurel tilted her head. “Is everything alright?”

“Tell me, Laurel,” I said slowly, still staring at the letter. “How much do you know about geese?”

* * *

I stood by the tranquil waters of Lake Calista, tossing breadcrumbs to what I hoped were geese. The cool autumn breeze ruffled my skirts as I waited for Lady Minerva to make her appearance. Tommy had found that Lady Minerva came here often to feed the geese.

At this rate, these ravenous birds will devour my entire bag before she even shows up. Maybe I should have brought two loaves…

Just as I was considering giving up and heading home, I spotted a familiar figure approaching. Lady Minerva, resplendent in a deep purple gown, strolled along the shoreline. I plastered on my most convincing “surprised” expression as she drew near.

“Lady Minerva! What a delightful coincidence to see you here,” I gushed, inwardly cringing at my own false enthusiasm. “It must be destiny bringing us together again.”

Minerva’s lips curved into a knowing smile. “Destiny indeed, Lady Ilyana. How… serendipitous.”

She produced a small velvet pouch from her sleeve, scattering its contents to the eager birds. I eyed the offering curiously. Definitely not bread.

“I see you’re also here to feed these lovely creatures,” I said, gesturing to the flock swarming around us. “Aren’t they just adorable?”

As if on cue, one of the larger birds latched onto the hem of my dress with its beak. I yelped, stumbling backward. Charming. Truly.

Minerva chuckled softly. “I must say, I haven’t seen you here before, Lady Ilyana. Are you new to this particular… hobby?”

I froze. Damn it. I hadn’t thought this far ahead. Improvising wildly, I stammered, “Oh, well, you see… I used to feed geese at my grandmother’s estate in the countryside when I was a girl. It brings back such fond memories.”

“How delightful,” Minerva replied, her tone impossible to read. She glanced pointedly at the remnants of bread in my hand. “Although, my dear, you really shouldn’t feed them bread. It’s not good for their digestion. Here, try some of these grains instead.”

She offered me a handful from her pouch. I accepted awkwardly, silently cursing Laurel for her misinformation. Note to self: find a new source for waterfowl dietary habits.

But the worst was yet to come, as if that wasn’t embarrassing enough. Minerva’s eyes twinkled with barely suppressed mirth as she added, “Oh, and by the way, Lady Ilyana… those aren’t geese. They’re ducks.”

O Mother Earth, please open up and swallow me.

I felt the heat rising in my cheeks. Of course, they are. Because why wouldn’t they be? Forcing a smile that probably looked more like a grimace, I managed to choke out, “Oh, of course! I don’t discriminate, you know. All waterfowl are welcome to my… grains.”

I tossed a handful to the eagerly waiting ducks.

My pretense was already crumbling. Say something intelligent. Literally anything.

Minerva’s lips twitched, clearly amused by my discomfort. “Indeed. Well, now that we’ve cleared up that little… misunderstanding, how are you faring, Lady Ilyana? I hear your business ventures are progressing nicely.”

What business? You didn’t approve the damn permit!

I bit back the snarky retort, instead offering her a saccharine smile.

“Oh yes, things are going splendidly. My partnership with Annalise at Magnolia is flourishing, and I’ve made some promising investments.

Though sadly, my permit for further expansion hasn’t been approved yet.

” I let a note of practiced disappointment creep into my voice.

Minerva’s eyebrow arched. “Ah, but if I recall correctly, you already possess a permit, do you not?”

I blinked, genuinely confused. “I’m afraid I don’t understand what you mean, Lady Minerva.”

“Come on now,” she said, her tone bordering on being playful.

“Surely you remember the tea shop on Baster’s Street?

I distinctly recall Lord Elyas applying for a permit on your behalf over a year ago.

While it may not be the exact type you’re seeking now, it could serve as an excellent starting point. ”

As soon as she mentioned my father’s name, the memory crashed over me like a bucket of ice water.

The wedding gift. How could I have forgotten?

My mind raced through the ledgers I’d reviewed.

I’d been receiving a monthly income from it all this time, carelessly assuming it was an allowance from Father.

A whole business, sitting right under my nose, and I’d been too preoccupied to notice.

Rookie mistake, Ilyana. You’re slipping.

“Oh, yes… of course,” I managed, plastering on a smile sweeter than the sweet bread I’d just fed to the ducks. “How silly of me to forget. You know how it is, running so many ventures at once.”

Minerva’s lips curved into a knowing smirk. “Indeed. Well, my dear, it seems you have more to work with than you realized.”

Before I could formulate a response that didn’t make me sound like a complete imbecile, Minerva pulled out an ornate pocket watch.

“Oh my, is that the time? I’m afraid I must be going. It was lovely chatting with you, Lady Ilyana. I’m sure we’ll meet again soon.”

And with that, she glided away, leaving me standing there with a handful of grain and my dignity in tatters.

I tossed the remaining grains to the eager waterfowl, wiping my hands on my skirts. The cool breeze off Lake Calista did little to soothe my wounded pride.

“Ilyana!” Laurel’s familiar voice cut through my self-recrimination. She hurried towards me, her cheeks flushed from exertion. “Finally found you. Did Lady Minerva leave? How did it go?”

I sighed, brushing a stray feather from my sleeve. “Oh, just peachy, Laurel. I’ve had a delightful morning feeding ducks and making an absolute fool of myself in front of Lady Minerva.” No thanks to you.

Her brow furrowed in confusion. “Ducks? Not geese?”

“Never mind,” I waved dismissively. “Let’s head back, shall we?”

As we walked along the shoreline, the pebbles crunching beneath our feet, I cleared my throat. “Laurel, did you know about a shop my father gifted me?”

Laurel nodded absent-mindedly. “Of course. The tea shop on Baster’s Street.”

I stopped in my tracks. “And you didn’t think to mention this… why?”

She blinked at me, bewildered. “But I did, my lady. Several times. Don’t you remember?”

Damn it. “I must have… forgotten,” I muttered, pinching the bridge of my nose, feeling a headache coming on. I cleared my throat. “Well, no matter. The important thing is we have a permit. It’s limited use, but it’s a start.” I glanced at her. “What exactly do we sell there? Just tea?”

“Yes, imported exotic teas. The profit margin is decent, but the location…” Laurel wrinkled her nose. “Being in a modest neighborhood limits how much we can charge. The importing costs eat most of our profit.”