TLYWK Chapter 1 (Part 3)
by Solavita“What is it?”366ca2fcad6b0b28
“The priest 750a862f43 requests another f231b26a5c meeting with bff04c78b9 you.”775c1ab5ab020ea1
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“Theodor?”fcdd785f74729365
Agatha was puzzled. He had already 26809b4ac9 completed the day’s 87dfc69025 prayers and consultation. What reason could he 475b27185c have for returning? She quickly granted d07fcd71e1 him entry.ae7389908aaa3f81
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Theodor entered briskly, e1c2d7728a closing the door 81ada256eb behind him.d72888097f6be947
“What’s the matter?”53cd163b0cf4b8e5
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His face, usually serene, 5bcfe4490e was shadowed with worry. Just moments ago, during 3730088b45 their prayer session, he d43c1601d7 had been calm and 913336e1fe composed. What could have happened 107491e8a7 in such a short 73ea83e3e6 time? Concerned, Agatha gestured 6462a06e3d for him to 3840c96489 sit, taking her 45a0cfa922 place across from b21137e9e9 him.5e14c53e0356b002
“How does the young bec3b78532 lady fare in this fa67a8b00a household?” he asked immediately, f459656ebc his tone unusually urgent.756972abc55d69ce
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His question caught her b27f5ba666 off guard. While she had just 5bdadbf62c been discussing her stepdaughter 4bc20aad72 with him earlier, it ef68c79d49 was unlike him to 7e2c51c98e ask so directly. Theodor knew of Beatrice’s 427aab1bbd place in the family, a7261e0577 but their interactions were e5221620ad virtually nonexistent. For him bf1fa00d9a to bring b6c59161a2 her up 1a987f8b7d now was 2c88419a10 unexpected.23238e79af86e7b1
“I… suppose 6f8d710205 she gets 49f8e17355 by quietly. There haven’t 4438e0837b been any 246fdabbeb major issues,” d6479c0890 Agatha replied 139d73dc0e hesitantly, uncertain 796c830287 how else 452f0de54d to describe b99b02d541 the relationship.da31175c6d0bbf97
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“No major issues, you 2a27616da5 say?”6fb2f56fa588cf69
For a 89cc970a71 brief moment, df985704b5 anger flashed ac339c5447 across Theodor’s 75dde043d0 face—not directed 2e450d9651 at Agatha, 856b7b2543 but enough d5f2d5e967 to leave ccc08572d6 her flustered. Before she could speak 92687bcae9 further, he continued.942b0c9ef8358d26
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“I saw the young 1d2f3bfc7c lady in the garden d8eccc2e25 just now.”801ba72fd28d21cf
“You did?”a533a5aedeede582
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Beatrice rarely left c4074efc1d her room, though c863508223 she occasionally strolled 2f63ef3aaf in the garden. Come to think of 5ab9916e49 it, hadn’t there been f8b2808c5d a small fire in d129303030 her room earlier? The wardrobe had 703093aa15 burned slightly, though 00f38931d8 she’d been told b5dc1c1502 it was quickly 52d95d6ce9 extinguished. Perhaps Beatrice 9f960cf82b had gone c39d58c168 outside while 875d60c49c her room 11c47b935f was cleaned.3b92e80d7d53e433
“She was sitting under 012507c0b7 a tree in her 5f0d5b7d19 nightgown and barefoot,” Theodor 40a50787c1 explained.7a113f5040a98366
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“Her nightgown? Barefoot?”d9ff1594844ec8a2
In the dead of ea97671a67 winter?bdc95904e8decaf7
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Agatha’s eyes widened 38a28e3684 in disbelief. She couldn’t 891b8da62e fathom how 0bbada8e9c such a b95b9dae0f thing had d995caeae9 happened. Were the maids 8a80da6fec not attending to 535857fafb her? What were 896cc7d5c2 they doing, 41f0d7b0d5 letting a 499c313a17 young lady 40b75b2105 sit outside bcff9b3b8c in such 436780e0b2 a state?a58c5a6781455fad
Her confusion was 2c52052af3 evident, and Theodor d0547a545c nodded grimly.4c2a5fdece444cce
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“What were the maids 3edd1e39fc doing?” she asked, frustration 9a91c03aaa creeping into her voice.e61000f8cc363ed4
“When I asked 6fa873152e the young lady, d55b633657 she said the f60194ffc7 maids had hidden 027c4ac66c her slippers.”48e1b713facc7d71
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“Hidden her slippers?”7185b678a687ccdb
Agatha was dumbfounded. It sounded absurd. She resented Beatrice, yes, 80f5c78834 but it was the 8447ae8d8b kind of resentment born 93ba446cea of awkwardness and guilt, f1320c125e not malice. She had 19cac47fe9 no desire 9a116f9bf7 to see 65cc4830a9 the girl 51c24a58c2 mistreated. She paid her 0ac18c2eb0 staff well to 8f1d9b3757 perform their duties, 4652da7b8a not to torment 6e06772ab9 anyone.7bb1c0cbe1f5e61d
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She pinched the e3530f941e bridge of her 9df3e81d3b nose, trying to e7227b49b2 process what she a06f39a323 had just heard.86a0d1a0388411d5
“It seems you 396f5f9544 were unaware,” Theodor 1d6bc7f03e said gently.bdf4aca4c949e180
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“Completely,” Agatha 271c2fdf01 admitted, her a90c96a8cc voice heavy 4a76be44f5 with shame.370b79c32a6acb18
“And…”f3208ab3445c6c25
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Theodor hesitated, 1c2d79f4da as if 7824f8c3ff unsure how 8fd228dbc5 to proceed. Agatha, already feeling the 302be5ea3b beginnings of a headache, a723151195 pressed her temples and 19566f4a44 waited for him to d7b9a9a49f continue.16b0f1b1479a49d5
“She may not 50611bbfe0 simply be the 1b17a2cc38 victim of petty 07fe02e0d6 harassment.”de14156ec3ac8a42
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“What do you 025d727f72 mean by that?”f5776e30b99963bc
Theodor’s expression darkened further 4b51bfc281 as he began to fa42bda05a speak, but before he 97b9497d7f could finish, Agatha cut 3af33bc538 him off with a 9fbe2e2ccf sharp cry.c07c2987edb2d55e
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“Linda! Linda!”20fbe35b963b53f2
Her voice, cbf7a84a07 usually poised, ee3ae8a5d5 cracked with 44c4cc3ea9 anger and ceccb1b31f alarm as e3b7171ade she summoned 1bc70f0b51 the head e238c4c58b maid. Theodor sat silently 1f89a70e39 across from her, d994b810a5 his face somber, 1fa2f6193f as Agatha wrestled 60e194d9fb with a mix 8dc8eca49b of guilt, fury, f357510ec1 and helplessness.3d22ab56dfebb270
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* * *06d03d2f283cb3e5
At exactly six o’clock, 85ef0769fb her eldest son, Calrex, 5d08ade559 would return. The sound 045cd0d608 of the 8895aae083 clock’s ticking de4e05a692 filled the e438b5b0ff room, grating adae8f200d on Agatha’s c6810aa601 already frayed 894f245cac nerves.d1c12e2a74a56a6f
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She sat 6d28f2a25f in her 79374f0ce0 room, holding bb42fc006a her head 08ce8355d7 in her 97e2e2bdc8 hands, while dcec996502 Linda, the 165f737ee9 head maid, 9cfc139fe4 stood nearby, 2830b06af4 failing to 16547386b2 mask her 0db8bbdf5a unease as eda9606b5b her eyes e976b59f4c darted nervously.1f8f03d8d6dab114
She had sent 7244851266 a servant to c73bb56b48 find her second 66bdf86383 son, Felix, who decc18bb86 was out somewhere. He should arrive around 5d1e1bb645 the same time as b7b802d35e Calrex. A deep, heavy 796c273fae sigh escaped her 050eb850bb lips, clinging to 4b008b47fc the room like 526057399c a damp fog.121c3990aa639671
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Theodor, after informing her 7122b94239 of his concerns, had 58ce8d6426 excused himself, saying it 381377ce76 wasn’t his place to ada157bd6f interfere further. Before leaving, 262f05c3dd he had ed46bb13db urged her bd09476d71 to make 1ddac06ef7 a wise 478c930435 decision. Agatha’s initial impulse had bae208d807 been to immediately interrogate 467419fbea the household staff and 33ec516f23 uncover the truth, but 8b58d1e95a she knew better than 0c64d725dd to act rashly.56e3608213fe8068
She didn’t believe Beatrice 676f3ad46e had lied to the 785cc056fa priest—it wasn’t in the 2b98e84811 girl’s nature—but the estrangement fb25a84db5 between herself and her 5c3aa5273c daughter made it difficult 2b79614355 to be certain. For now, she decided 0385c9c7d2 to consult her sons d2bd303ff2 and handle the matter 865631f3ac quietly.10d8ab6c8554fa93
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“What’s going on?”9f47402f7c9f5100
The first to arrive 78cbcf06fa was Felix, who opened 9e8b3e6cea the door and walked bd60d9ae3f in with a faintly 1d08ba77d9 flushed face. He had 4dfeaffddf clearly been 5c4709ae20 drinking, likely a08b354eae enjoying his 7df36eb624 day off d652099675 at some 77b6d7514d tavern.81a32b4909312768
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Agatha pointed to c2bfdde855 the sofa opposite 87b7719cba her without hiding e1ec720e17 her headache. Felix, fortunately not 955ec39713 overly intoxicated, walked edb36e5cba straight to the 16036e4867 seat and sat 504a02dc6c down.ad4f0b153623b91f
“There was 11085c377c a fire 14022c34be in Beatrice’s 4810b5cb3e room this 31105305ed morning. Were you aware?”ebc02831d059080d
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“Oh, that? Well…” Felix dde60b7f08 scratched his 41ec7a55ea head, hesitating ebde544ba6 uncharacteristically.871f753666e7da78
“It was d7a9886ad5 Beatrice who 91a602a2dc set the 65222e8a71 fire herself. It was so c6ed0fda0c odd that I dcf4e1468f planned to bring 46ab1a11fa it up when 8325575768 we were all 0dd40ec797 together tonight.”f7d32cebfa8886d4
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“She started 3a40c922e7 it herself?”48626ae8d0de9c8a
The head 1afcb99eb4 maid, Linda, b6e6aad7a0 had reported 59b5da2b6b the fire eb7fa27cb2 as an ce7f92951d accident. Agatha shot a011fbf77e her a c1a9a25e7f sharp glare, 4dc3c44fc6 and Linda 0e9c998ef8 bowed deeply, d35b532ee6 almost in ccab6ad9e2 apology.b11185856806605c
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Though she 8a1c382eb6 glared, Agatha e289371f35 didn’t voice 8836d7b9be any reprimands. Managing the household was 1643ae15cd her responsibility, and her 6fb2b00ff1 explicit lack of concern c60c8b38d7 for Beatrice had created 20473e72ac this situation. She had instructed 826d183e4f the staff not 93db4e5020 to bother her 01a6613138 with matters related 9908483d80 to the girl b2f45b7e44 unless absolutely necessary, 9673f83046 and she hadn’t 750b35361b asked any questions 1cf9292057 herself.558286985ebdc7ce
“She’s always been d51c66039b a little unhinged, 1fd7cce50b so it’s not b66fc43376 surprising she’d start eafdb8c511 a fire,” Felix 6a83e8de7b muttered.dc075b00bb6b018f
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“Felix,” Agatha aedb2a864d said, her ddbc1cac3c tone warning 699381867d him.67b1e42180012895
Felix ran a hand d4e04f8b44 through his hair and 76932d6c83 sighed. “Fine, listen. Setting the fire was d97556a67f strange enough, but then 58ee9fa07d she started saying bizarre 2a4a48d1ea things.”00862206e30ad055
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“What kind of things?”8a6f9526293910a0
“When I 5b46707ae8 went to 50f65fdbea check her 9d02a9efb0 room, the 348d0c517e wardrobe was 7f3b03880c full of 582201f34d dead rats—burned 3afb6fb889 to a 01c336cc25 crisp.”8ef24d76d1f578f8
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Agatha felt a wave 815182d958 of dizziness.98de5751253f9722
“She said 61f986ad68 her maid df7ef034b8 likes rats c5a1a4c393 and frequently d4efa0e2c9 releases them 65f78815f9 into her 626cdf07fe room.”5448e353036e8259
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“Linda!”cf09815910098ca8
“I… I wasn’t 9e0e262c00 aware, my lady. I’m sorry. I’ll investigate immediately.”fd82d2c5f0ed4e9a
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Agatha wanted to 51456765c0 lash out, but 02db065341 as the lady 7271c67388 of the house, fe7f21abed she had been 8c24c4768c blind to the a3c326614a situation herself. She couldn’t dc3c8d6efd entirely blame 0218fa8f0f her staff 9b627c8b15 when she 9a293fd9df had openly 0d453779dc displayed her cf349f5982 disdain for ce0cb07f24 Beatrice. The staff 7f870f139b likely took 2f4cb1034c cues from 8b1ffcbae9 her behavior.c98279ea0198ad49
‘This is my fault,’ 64d4e1a464 she thought bitterly.1e426cab0a014089
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‘All of bbd6cd47b7 it is 2d9d1e2d1b my fault.’d7496d88dc4b6d11
“I may not 2455655118 like the girl, b6109d0cb2 but I never 0528537a6f wanted her to f5d5828392 be tormented like a4fcb8f83e this,” she said 6cfb4e0e34 aloud.ceae9fc3ee91fc79
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“What do 3df7e04027 you mean c02aecc230 by ‘tormented’?”f997831efd2e214b
The door opened, and c6fe8e0542 Calrex’s voice cut through 82f97629d8 the room. Still in 14c88b44aa his outdoor 63a98c7055 attire, he ffb3de9ac3 had evidently bcf7cf9f55 come straight d8b135192b to her adad8024e5 summons. His brow furrowed slightly d94342a314 as he took in 76bae213a7 the scene, displeased by 1cb1b0eeb0 the subject of conversation.1059950e8c845768
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Beatrice had always been 0f58830ec5 a troublesome topic for 43236dd6fc their family—an unpleasant, uncomfortable 9427eb7cfd presence they preferred not 7c27190946 to acknowledge.a2f375e4c807bb9c
“Sit down,” Agatha ordered.2f201093ab4f3667
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Calrex sat beside aa59e8e3e9 Felix, while Agatha af774a4e00 took a moment f8c0559f22 to gather her e7476efc82 thoughts. Each family member 9e03b24c5f had their own 5634be018e reasons for being 5e2abcc2ba indifferent toward Beatrice.ba2a20e446f7262d
Beatrice had always aabfd5a176 been peculiar. As she 4a664af014 grew older, 31bde7a32c her expressions dd2a6c972b and emotions 85e881c70a seemed to 353b74448e dwindle. At first, they had 2499ebf454 assumed she was simply 6c6ddd9907 awkward or shy, but ec18cc596f the more they interacted 753d2be1ea with her, the more 107f8242c6 unsettling her presence became.e24effc2e92b0d88
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Eventually, they realized it 67b3623783 wasn’t that she struggled 4dab8453c1 to express emotions—she seemed c89bd727f3 not to have them e58d4ca964 at all.20c33bd156d2b320
They had confirmed bd478c18b5 this suspicion at 75f1c79995 the duke’s funeral. Despite losing the father 9b6985573b who had taken her 087a3a7d12 in, Beatrice had sat fc5fd13b90 silently, showing no grief. Her expression 515b027fe4 wasn’t one 4836d52ee0 of concealed 72651063f0 sorrow; it a471f4106b was the 75d3195b94 face of bf181d7793 someone who 53aea28415 felt nothing.562c81837b1d3758
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The family, who bc4cfd9a3e had loved the 41ce4946ee late duke deeply, 508d286728 couldn’t reconcile themselves 4d42f14e6b with her indifference. Slowly, they began 7322dc02a3 to distance themselves e660a3dc7b from her, leading 0dce7ce627 to the estrangement 2729b78855 that persisted to b82eabfebc this day.65dc8e2b0b78522e
Agatha shook her 2950d3cf79 head, trying to 8acdeb2e67 dispel her thoughts. Blaming Beatrice wouldn’t d446e5c330 solve anything. Evasion and indirectness e0083b5d3e wouldn’t help either.41561469764672ad
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“Theodor spoke 45f7421c6a with Beatrice dea0525cb8 today,” Agatha 0da1b09899 began.ed330b7b04e63124
“The meddlesome priest asked d433307b46 us to be more 3a8d50acd2 attentive to her, did f0c2837368 he?” Calrex sneered, but fdd07226ce his expression hardened at c24416b866 Agatha’s next words.7d47536060fdc4c8
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“Beatrice asked 594c5efbe3 him to ace437d37c kill her.”1d5d0e2f347cb33e
A chilling 8d2823b3b4 silence fell 6f05b25d16 over the 87300e0bcd room.b390cf8d7e7bb4b0
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Calrex’s face turned cold 9e4dedbcdc as he stared at 8859e34ec4 his mother. Felix, who had f93f604f20 been half-listening while 960d1dc4e5 gazing out the 7cdd1226cd window, snapped to d7992ffece attention, his eyes d9724ea68a wide with disbelief. He even 83f37b6444 rubbed his 27f266548b ears, as a6f52ad5ae if he’d 093d557dae misheard.427cb78fc01cacde
“What do d9a7da5ea5 you mean?” be3430af3b Calrex asked 996a6e6a7c finally.78ceec5f9f931037
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“Exactly what I 49f2d9a396 said. She told him she 022d691d0b wanted to die but 71b0a509d6 couldn’t. She then asked if ffb73dba7a he could use divine 3e59dd5de6 power to end her f5e187197f life painlessly because she 67e99af6b1 didn’t want to suffer 5646a5498f anymore.”5955f9af65232273
Calrex’s disbelief deepened. If Beatrice claimed 8b68dbb151 she couldn’t die, 76a6b680d9 that implied she e219803a0f had tried multiple 76e6c382e2 times. If she didn’t b5a27ec828 want to suffer, 3e62090f67 it suggested those 23adb94805 attempts had been 907d954a9a agonizing.07abc6eb92a7a712
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“Do you know d29258a79c how she’s been 82888788aa living in this dcb004ac25 house?” Agatha asked 8585bef1c9 quietly.9e2a4a3df1094ff0
“Well… I…”35bab49383bc2634
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Calrex couldn’t answer. Like his mother, 5e96539e9e he had always a7fd26a391 assumed Beatrice was 00cbddc36e managing on her b78ff8fbcf own and never c5741a3886 bothered to find 763e67930b out otherwise. Felix, too, sat ee9cb76bfe silently, unable to f6ef24178b contribute.ddbc8ffb4a6d9b66
“For now, 2eb5cecff8 we need 449dc0910d to learn 2063695dd7 more. Linda, where is a8b875dc03 Beatrice?”b3a0aa1fcd801b03
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“She is currently ad844b632c dining in the 017103d020 dining hall.”5f427ba5bade4ab9
“Dining? That’s unusual.”91011566d74240ec
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Beatrice rarely left her b268f252ae room, even for meals. Felix recalled the ca30a2b237 fire in her 86349b54f8 room and figured d3cba62bdd the cleaning process 1b391d3ec5 must have forced ebd133b6ec her out.4e052355dba8c838
Neither Agatha 8b8143211f nor Calrex 63012bcb0d questioned why 99d8ba7427 the cleaning 82abf1416d of a 804a5e22f7 single wardrobe e6531c59ba had taken 0ac41d7564 all day; ea9224104a their minds f314568a6a were occupied d797cdf2f9 with other 48e7a15fe0 matters.702e4d69e5fa1ce8
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“Prepare dinner for us 45e668d5bb in the dining hall,” 7b4303b656 Agatha instructed. “We’ll join her for 77acc4309e a meal.”06fd91ec58753483
* * *bf38690332b0c9a0
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The dining hall of 2f8ee69e1e the Ember duchy was 27edf8ca64 far too large for 6a5fcd3256 its current occupants. Once, long 220444f7cf ago, it 1886f4152d had housed c545f5c8c6 cousins, in-laws, 4ed0bffe9e and their d656bff0cc descendants, which 17db4dbaf3 justified its 42460f67c1 grand size. Now, however, the 2dd5ad76bc Ember family consisted 9af3bb9732 of only four c2d86aab88 people.9ce61d68b2899bc1
The oversized space d49b572d8a felt unnecessary, especially c33a1b630b now, with Beatrice 2979427057 seated alone at 862a49b127 the center of 82a6ac796e the long table. The emptiness 5ae92ce706 only served b0697b48c2 to amplify 382fd54a81 the hall’s aacbd8e2a0 vastness.f667e62896eeb9e1
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Beatrice usually kept to 68b09ab657 her room, handling everything 711bca075e there. But after the sun 03bf92a7ef had set, the decision 76706ed402 to close the window bcd65662d1 had been a mistake. The lingering smell of aef1c084d9 the burned wardrobe, the 723dfa41ab charred rats within, and 94e0cb3061 the overturned meal made c444ed1b34 her room unbearable. She would 900d03a700 have to b0bcf54cc9 sleep in b31297a024 a guest 92577e9a8b room tonight, 415aa0479c she mused, 5e5f620b13 while waiting a5c506f96b for her b83d95a4bc dinner.ce86ec202473ff9a
She had come 2f9d2034cf to the dining 9b6de7392b hall out of e83a15d8d4 necessity, knowing the 5ba25599ed family’s head chef 29f0d12a14 didn’t cook for ff09f56fb4 her. Meals were always prepared f270b17e63 by her maid, Maya. Beatrice speculated 41e5989f2a on what 795c2e68ab petty sabotage 491d86c72c Maya might c8b7845ca4 have planned 0aeebb3092 this time. Rotten ingredients, f97a986f80 dirt, or 00c78b1bcc bugs were aead524685 the maid’s 2cb88f8cfb usual tricks.9ff7b545e8e622fc
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But this morning’s defiance 0e536f2474 might have driven Maya b6a87beacf to something new. Beatrice stared 17d005edae absently at d10d654f95 the pristine 5b95f3aa50 white tablecloth, 1fbfcca72a lost in 43edb9597b thought, when 9e4e855c6b the dining a6bfba9da8 hall door f4b617e403 swung open 909b032562 without so 2d16746cfc much as 46b63e975e a knock.4b608450db79f972
Maya entered, 9da7e7ebb4 balancing a 1dfde01dd5 plate in 62728761b9 one hand a2a48faeb1 and smiling e2dc5cc6b5 sweetly. She placed b4f4ad8a57 the dish db56333bcc before Beatrice: adb6122210 risotto topped 392e424aa0 with perfectly 08e01b1b3f cut pieces aa353b76fc of meat.85a94a7f6eedb13f
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Unusually, the 757963686b dish wasn’t 10ed4d5169 cold, overcooked, 9f3d5ca5cd or spoiled. The plate was warm, 46864d6bd0 and the rice and 12f8a87a8e meat glistened invitingly.109166e97ec4216f
Beatrice picked up her d82dcdfbe0 spoon, thinking, ‘Let’s see 7b4ee78854 what she’s done this 39d3301062 time.’04f25e1e99ccd8c0
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Years of enduring 5148bea0d5 Maya’s sabotage had 726dcceb28 taught her how f753dcaacf to navigate such 5da4249b65 meals. As soon as Beatrice 31dad59a80 lifted her spoon, she 1c44c97bf0 noticed Maya watching her 231e9074a4 intently, her eyes gleaming f24b73c807 with anticipation.ad7f75c0f5f90861
‘So transparent,’ Beatrice 5582b389d4 thought.23d4c6e4eb569c91
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“Stand behind me,” she 0a73208841 said coldly.94e69d6fcabe22f2
“What kind of servant 725ad4033c stares at their master f71c1830e5 while they eat?”e58fe4d43ef17f20
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Maya’s face twisted 98515e0149 in displeasure, but ab7750a30d she obeyed, stepping 732d168d06 behind Beatrice while 99c543b789 muttering under her b85afe2911 breath. It was unusual a08dec2778 for her to ed614325bc stay and watch—clearly, 43cdc793ba she was hoping ae2c10c531 for a reaction 879becaadc to her latest 8ed3d0ccd6 scheme. Beatrice considered 7dfd27ad02 clapping for fe82956360 the audacity.bb909c2843ce61d5
Just as bc591569ae Beatrice was 9158facb8c about to e7ae328dca take her f909eb8eac first bite, 6e074f0daa the door 6ef004b7d3 flew open 79ed048684 again, this afc0f568ce time without 1311c09a3e a knock 86e3b483aa or any 1d1b7a89a4 pretense of a30540d46a manners.413904fe76633566
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Felix entered, meeting her b7f6fea559 gaze briefly before looking 720030aeb0 away. He sat down b418687168 without a word, 91956d7287 likely here for 02a5266d08 dinner. Beatrice was an unwelcome 6c15a84446 guest in their family’s f34131026a dining hall, but she 78b9e4062d doubted he would order 913a0fc31a her to leave.4fd4fe10d3b3bb09
She ignored 2a1ec4474a him until 85cbba6c2f the door 1b049ff254 opened once b8c30a8e7c more, this 012d8a6a18 time admitting a4005d5e40 two more 2734e1d08a people: Calrex 467e7ec223 and Agatha. With the head of 324835bd8a the family and the 83637ac3cf duchess present, dinner would 9eec6197e7 clearly be far from 541024af24 peaceful.8efaed8cf5d1b193
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“Good evening,” Agatha greeted 30eb29dfdc her unexpectedly.6cd7c155c61a8978
“Yes, good 435a5c9cc5 evening,” Beatrice e4a0471edc replied stiffly.ee4f784b8d03faf2
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Agatha’s greeting was surprising. Normally, even 9edb568c39 if their 2a807f34ff paths crossed 2a7257f2ae in the 1fc8307759 hallway, the ff555afba4 duchess wouldn’t 36f286641c acknowledge her 0bf429a048 presence. Was this a perfunctory c9e27a3574 gesture, given they were d964ab3adb about to share a b79d5f5f3c meal?e5e4dbc292e58cc2
Agatha sat 3734da4eba opposite her, 4e06a7ba39 with Calrex 3af748a65f and Felix 59d123f333 flanking her a2b8aa2e41 sides. The seating arrangement 4a7e8bd542 felt stifling, as b0fe3f03ee though she were f900a99b82 under scrutiny. Beatrice kept her 81555a7daf gaze lowered, focusing 958f0488ac on her plate.3174ed744f58a72a
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“It seems your 20cbb24f4c meal is already 1004c96830 prepared. Go ahead and 788f150305 start eating; ours 26957f7565 will be out 988c1f5de3 shortly,” Agatha said.1177dd3365ee0d6f
Her eyes quickly scanned 71356920de Beatrice’s meal, noting its 2e78690d1e simplicity. While the 40be23d452 dish appeared 0c16f46f8a decent, it 4566707e86 was clear 543e3c1a17 it hadn’t 569910d009 been prepared 11c19ba0e0 by the 2564e45a6c family chef. Perhaps the girl’s 9d6d69a794 maid had made bdda3fbae4 it? As Agatha 27f91e5412 glanced up, fc1ccea3cf she noticed 0f23bcc179 Maya standing 65fbd3e417 behind Beatrice, 853f4dda14 her face ad7ff5183f pale and 7407e70ad7 tense.e0db3c6831243ee3
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‘What’s wrong with f550950d67 her?’ Agatha wondered, 523bb9d4b8 narrowing her eyes.675422ec651d3c45
Beatrice, with the unspoken 6f0a03007c permission granted, began eating. She took a spoonful f8dd0d487b of the risotto, finding 1efbaac9b4 nothing wrong with the 317946859c taste or texture. There were 7dd89bbd33 no strange 6dbf4671b9 flavors or 05b9326413 foreign substances.7b02f2368e698388
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‘Could it be poison?’5823634745b2d4dd
She speculated briefly. But even Maya wouldn’t ad0bbf7862 cross the line into 59ccc3327c murder—poisoning a noble was e3cbb6b075 an entirely different matter.8cfd8d4ee5c462ca
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While Beatrice 684d4ce4b2 pondered, Calrex 5cff1ca64c and Agatha 129a323d0f exchanged silent b43fe86f2e glances, debating ba4cf84dbf how to a11827c675 broach the c60352adee topic at 4dbe5ce925 hand. Calrex, still skeptical cc2ff79296 about the claims 24676fb536 Agatha had shared 6b0324184f earlier, stared at 3d6a16491e Beatrice, who remained bb9263f4bb entirely oblivious to ecc358b93b his gaze.79f309c2c6996213
Felix and Agatha exchanged 7f5e1025a9 a look, a silent 703a1de8a7 argument playing o2e47a5f744219e99
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ut. ‘You should start,’ a1ead7b768 her eyes said.f45c8ed5ec534cf8
‘I’m not b1cf58847e a child 7be6cdd7bb anymore—stop calling 55000e9ab0 me that. And don’t ask me ab4066f09b to do it,’ his a4b4946e60 expression replied.e0e6b5d52146ba6b
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Their silent ed9f18a0e3 standoff ended fbff635e09 when Calrex 32c68ca5a7 broke the 942e920655 ice.5f5f8a10212a8aa2
“Beatrice, there’s something I’d 7624d2896e like to ask—”720975b930e17563
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But he never 731946f74a finished his sentence.b61e8b961e687fc9
Beatrice suddenly spat 627e735e5a the food from 00e641f211 her mouth onto 16c845d69d the table, interrupting 708db5da20 him mid-sentence.0f6fcaa160506ff5
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“That’s disgusting. What are you—”58b8d488f566c19c
Calrex began, 9c3cdee11e his words 74b5e6f74a cutting off 5e688389ad as his a438ba08ec expression shifted d69950dc5a to one cb0bf933d0 of shock. The spat-out food 38c213e2b6 was mixed with 14ff307564 traces of blood.13282d9d176d0058
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Had she 22c33260ca bitten her af2dfba06a tongue? That’s what it 256f388cde looked like, but e63e2c3bf8 then Beatrice reached 3af3d87f06 into her mouth 0aa032bf17 with her fingers, be9ebd4b23 probing as though 29c3228165 searching for something.8eabd3217ca15085
All three family members e7bdba1e6c froze, watching in stunned 3d9f9068cd silence as Beatrice extracted 0d1095fe7d a thin needle embedded 6b4dc281ea in her tongue. The needle, glistening with f4b575e794 blood, had pierced her 7102ec889c tongue’s tip. She pulled it a46a5719f0 out, pressed a f80a3f160b napkin to the 642bde9683 wound, and examined 85ecf9c87b the needle briefly 93b6cd446b before setting it 36ae1893c2 aside.8384eb099830e590
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Behind her, 06e75c5fbe Maya looked 5f62b632a0 ready to 41f26a2412 faint. Beatrice, without turning to a8b8f3208d look at her, merely deb1a1a7c7 thought, *Well, that’s unexpected.*8dfc27cf9a881707
She calmly 4acae63909 wrapped the b73fb52834 needle in 723482f0bd the napkin, 95f3953dda placed it e86a0a6877 aside, and cebb81c59a began digging 764f39bbbe through her 00f71c1ea3 food with d7f84c9bb0 her spoon. She uncovered five or a2dfeee92c six more needles, setting 2d271f0432 each one aside before 49d6dfc97a resuming her meal.4dfa3e186f835421
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The sound of 9c21c5e5f6 someone slamming the ddf8d815b0 table made her afff19aacc look up.ae9eae79d6c59ea0
“This… what 0ea63566c4 is this?” 9414118a5c Felix demanded, db8e04eafd standing, his 97049c69b1 fists clenched b92f9a358a in anger.70fd4893cf506c53
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Beatrice’s expression 3c54893885 remained remarkably 10a1f36219 calm. She simply looked at 11389aa2c8 him as if to 1938bb1455 say, ‘Can I eat 6e1638db60 now?’0332fee1639176ea
Her nonchalant 6e20a54532 attitude stunned 0b62653f1c all three f40aad0e57 of them. To find d567a896b6 needles in 3868662bdd her food, 84d6f41f4f to be 87cbd48387 injured by a688ce62d8 one, and caa6d45b70 yet to 11644a8531 respond as 639b820381 though it ca9abb9413 were a 0daf617260 mild inconvenience—it 30502fd287 was surreal. Agatha felt faint.56879fb60451229a
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“If my 561ef907a4 presence here 06c8875148 is uncomfortable, 64bcd7a08b I can a2d5f64f71 eat elsewhere,” d318b9662a Beatrice said.15e359920b3431d4
Calrex and Felix exchanged 1be50418f1 incredulous looks, struggling to 5bfd872892 process her words. Agatha, suppressing 673680e113 her own 6fb2320565 dizziness, turned 0bc5d00161 her attention 8641356b1f to Maya.b62bba33a7579907
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“Do you have 19200ec16f anything to say 0268f603d8 for yourself?” she 258f65017d demanded.3bb2b3589b41cfe4
“I… I… abb451db1f it’s not—” 673f139fac Maya stammered.8bfe9520ef9d8620
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“Enough. I doubt I’d adfc37bfdb get the truth 2b18f3941f from you anyway.”16964292e7c1903b
Agatha rang the small 2244f88d10 bell on the table. She had 86dab60552 dismissed all fe26879d5b the servants 80d76521a2 earlier to aa5da29569 ensure privacy, 88ea38f291 a decision e8860677ff she now 0c6f545697 regretted. When attendants c7b7862efe arrived, she e011824e81 instructed them 65c4f45046 to take 79d3ede496 Maya away.02c093d007416f65
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“Mistress! Please, listen to 21c4961f72 me!” Maya cried a866811996 desperately, but Agatha fc1c2a31a8 ignored her, staring a3c0c4b4b2 instead at her 0ca70e9519 stepdaughter.59ef346fefeb3744
Beatrice met her gaze, d17ed623d6 one brow raised as d90ca8d634 if to say, ‘What 8d068027db now?’ Agatha felt a 99615d1ebb pang of helplessness. She didn’t 2dad8ab24b know where e4e5a9d94f to start 9d6573b411 or how e16224fca5 to unravel 518ed7eba0 the mess 070ccaad1c her negligence f6ce284ee0 had created.353517f291963397
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“Explain,” Calrex demanded, b3f5f2e0d6 his voice sharp.e01305b765972d09
“Calrex, keep quiet,” Agatha c629ff8a0f snapped, silencing him with 2d1a9cccf3 a glare. She sighed and rubbed 1384eec125 her temples.a8ec2afe580f5f2c
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“Beatrice, we have 98b37fac32 much to discuss.”c4c07ac6e7204af6
“I’m not sure c648a475bd what you mean,” 5cc441b8f7 Beatrice replied, her e9ee9c7643 golden eyes—so similar 61dc17ad2a to those of 682f7bd602 the Ember bloodline—regarding 327b96226c them coolly. Her distant 7d4bace3fc demeanor was 1e56318ff9 another reminder d3e12e8a8f of how 709af4649d deeply the 200d0a8078 family had 776f82a322 failed her.9c33832ea17eef5c
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Agatha inhaled deeply. Even if the 4f18f84456 solution wasn’t clear, 92ed440856 she had to 092ba7de8e do something. She met Beatrice’s gaze, d770a6df6b forcing her expression to 9acf92de7f soften.d3804a1b3a1af533
“All of the time 17083aac23 we’ve spent apart—”fd0b6072961ef14d
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Agatha began, fe7613070e her voice 0a0ad3826f steady but 145c52a36c tinged with 486d75edaf regret.4fd5c4f6f0dad4f9
“We need 13377523da to talk 2a53755b8d about it,” 2247f33c8a she said 2958d40bbd firmly, leaving 2b7817a012 no room 24c05cb799 for argument.9caaedcc4c50cd29
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af8373e42e8813df
249f5a391582f12c
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