Page 9

For the last two days, I had been stalking Lady Minerva and planning how to get the permit, but I had been miserably failing. Today, I finally decided to go to the palace and visit the Queen, as I heard from Seb that the security restrictions had been lifted.

I stepped into the palace, my heart beating with each step. The grand surroundings felt both familiar and foreign after my time away, like I was an imposter in my old life. But I had a mission, and failure wasn’t an option.

Lady Amelia stood waiting, her usually stern face softened into a smile. I nearly tripped over my own feet in shock. What alternate universe had I stumbled into?

“Lady Ilyana, how wonderful to see you,” she said warmly. “Her Majesty has been eagerly awaiting your arrival.”

I blinked hard, composing myself. “Thank you, Lady Amelia. I hope I haven’t kept her waiting long.”

“Not at all,” Lady Amelia smiled.

As we walked, I marveled at how much had changed. In my past life, as Queen Felicia’s most trusted maid, Lady Amelia’s eyes held nothing but daggers for me. Now she chatted amiably about palace gossip. Progress, indeed.

When we reached the Queen’s chambers, I took a deep breath before entering.

Queen Felicia’s solar was a vision of elegance, all cream and gold. The Queen herself sat by the window, bathed in afternoon light that made her look almost ethereal. She set down her teacup as we entered, her eyes sparkling as she welcomed me.

“Ah, Lady Ilyana. How delightful to see you again. Please, join me.”

I perched on the edge of an ornate chair, my back ramrod straight. “Your Majesty, thank you for seeing me on such short notice.”

The Queen poured tea with practiced grace, the delicate porcelain clinking softly. I watched the amber liquid swirl, gathering my thoughts.

“I must thank you again for your help with the divorce, Your Majesty. Your intervention made the process… considerably smoother. That day after the poisoning when we had that conversation, it helped me a lot to make the decisions I had been avoiding.”

Queen Felicia’s lips curved into a knowing smile.

“I love my nephew dearly, but Noah isn’t the right husband for you.

And neither are you the perfect wife for him, my dear.

I knew you were wise and would make the right decisions.

You just needed a little nudge in the right direction.

” She paused, studying me over her teacup.

“Though I must say, you’ve flourished since then.

I could see the ambition in your eyes. Your partnership with that dressmaker - Annalise, was it? ”

Of course, she knows everything. Her son and her friend, all of them are scarily similar to her.

“Yes, Magnolia Boutique has exceeded expectations.” I kept my voice measured, though pride warmed my chest. “Annalise’s talent deserved recognition.”

“Indeed. Much like certain other hidden talents that have recently come to light.” Her gaze sparked with meaning. “It’s remarkable how a simple sweet shop can transform an entire street’s fortunes.”

I nearly choked on my tea. So she knew about that too.

“Your Majesty is too kind to notice such humble ventures.”

“Humble?” She laughed, the sound like silver bells. “Okay, if that’s what you would like to call it. Though I must say your methods were… creative.”

As I said, mother, son, and friend. The holy trinity.

Heat crept up my neck. “The ghost stories may have been a touch dramatic.”

“But effective.” She set down her cup with a decisive clink. “You know, when I first met you, I thought you were just another scheming noble’s daughter.”

I was . “Wasn’t I?”

“Perhaps. But you’ve become something far more interesting - a woman who builds rather than destroys.” Her eyes softened. “That’s a rare quality in our world.”

The words hit me like a physical force. Coming from her, they meant more than any noble’s praise. Damn it, I wanted her to like me, but it seemed I had started to like her too, way more than I would have liked. Having attachments to the Queen wasn’t part of my plan.

“I had an excellent teacher in survival,” I said quietly, without thinking. “Loss has a way of shifting one’s priorities.”

“Loss?”

“Loss of my childish fantasies,” I tried to laugh it off. She didn’t look convinced but thankfully didn’t question further.

“So it does.” She reached across and squeezed my hand. “Though I suspect you always had this strength in you. It simply needed… proper motivation.”

A knock at the door interrupted us. Lady Amelia entered, holding a letter.

“Your Majesty, I apologize for the interruption, but Lady Minerva sent you a letter. Should I put it on your desk?”

I froze, my teacup halfway to my lips. The Queen’s eyes met mine, twinkling with mischief. Ah, she knows about that too. Why do I keep underestimating this woman?

For a moment, I thought of begging Her Majesty for help with the permit but stopped myself. It wouldn’t work with these two.

“I must thank you, Your Majesty,” I said instead, “for all your encouragement and support. It means more than I can express. In fact, I’ve brought a small token of my gratitude.”

Felicia’s eyes twinkled. “You’ve shown remarkable resilience, my dear. Now, what is this token of gratitude I hear?”

I called to the Magnolia employee, who presented the dress with a flourish. The baby blue silk shimmered in the sunlight.

“Your Majesty, I chose this dress with you in mind,” I explained. “Simple, yet elegant – much like yourself. I hope it meets your approval.”

Queen Felicia examined the gown, her expression unreadable. Finally, she looked up, a smile playing on her lips.

“I must admit, I never thought I’d be drawn to something so… understated,” she mused. “And yet, it’s gorgeous. You have excellent taste, Lady Ilyana.”

I beamed, relief flooding through me even though I knew she would like it. “Thank you, Your Majesty. I’m thrilled you like it.”

“In fact,” the Queen continued, “I insist you stay for dinner tonight. We have so much to discuss. Also, I’ve missed your intellect terribly, my dear. You should definitely stay tonight.”

Part of me wanted to decline, to retreat to the safety of my new life. But the wheels in my mind were already turning. I needed more time to figure out how to get her to wear the dress publicly. This stay could be the perfect opportunity to plant the seed.

“I would be honored, Your Majesty,” I replied, hoping my eagerness wasn’t too obvious.

As Lady Amelia led me to a guest chamber, my thoughts whirled. The room was luxurious, of course – all heavy brocade and polished wood. But my focus was elsewhere. How could I ensure the Queen wore this dress where it would be noticed?

A garden party? No, too casual. A formal ball? Too predictable. What event would make the biggest splash, cement her as a trendsetter, and, by extension, elevate Magnolia’s status?

My eyes fell on the painting in the corner. Of course! Why hadn’t I thought of it before? Founding Day was coming up soon—a grand event with the entire court in attendance. If I could convince the Queen to wear the dress for the celebration…

I barely entered the room and sank onto the plush bed when I heard a knock at the door.

Amelia was still showing me the room. So, she went to check the door.

“Lady Ilyana?” Amelia called. “His Highness, Prince Anderic, requests a moment of your time.”

My fingers traced the intricate embroidery on the duvet. Anderic? Here? Now?

I didn’t even think of the devil. Why did he show up?

I jumped up from the bed, my feet carrying me toward the door before my mind caught up. Halfway there, I froze. Why am I running to see him like some lovesick idiot?

Taking a deep breath, I smoothed my skirts and continued at a dignified pace. By the time I reached the doorway, my face was a mask of cool indifference. My racing heart, however, refused to cooperate with the charade.

Anderic stood in the hallway, resplendent in royal blue that made his golden curls gleam in the afternoon light. Lady Amelia hovered nearby, pretending to examine a vase while clearly hanging on our every word.

“Lady Ilyana.” He bowed, a slight smile playing on his lips. “You look well.”

“Your Highness.” I curtsied, keeping my voice neutral. “To what do I owe this… unexpected pleasure?”

“I was hoping you might join me for a walk in the gardens. There are matters we need to discuss.”

Heat crept up my neck as memories of our encounters in the garden flooded back. Where was he when I waited for him to speak to me after that night? Nowhere to be found, that’s where.

This hurts my ego too much since I even admitted to myself that I had some kind of feelings for Anderic.

Not to mention, he would sooner or later fall for Rosalind anyway. I had no chance.

“I must respectfully decline, Your Highness.” I smiled with poisonous sweetness. “Perhaps another time.”

“Oooor,” he drawled, eyes dancing with mischief, “we could talk right here.” The emphasis he placed on ‘here’ made my stomach flip.

I glanced at Lady Amelia, who wasn’t even pretending not to watch anymore. When our eyes met, she flashed me an angelic smile that wouldn’t have fooled a blind man.

Wonderful. By dinner, the Queen will hear all about this little scene. I could already imagine the knowing looks and the subtle questions about my relationship with her son. No, better to control the narrative.

“On second thought,” I said, matching his saccharine tone, “a walk sounds lovely.”

Satisfaction gleamed in those impossibly blue eyes as he extended his hand. “Shall we?”

I stared at his offered palm, remembering how those elegant fingers had traced my jaw that night.

Ugh, stop it.

As soon as we were out of sight and reached the garden, I dropped his hand like it was burning coal and quickly crossed my arms. There. Let’s see you try to hold my hand now, you insufferable royal prick.