TLYWK Chapter 1 (Part 3)
by Solavita“What is it?”d8980380659359bb
“The priest requests another 1623610ac7 meeting with you.”50eba7f078e364a3
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“Theodor?”e9c1a6cf302cfb18
Agatha was puzzled. He had already 08d2da98e2 completed the day’s 341cfbdf1f prayers and consultation. What reason could a303650821 he have for 4a06bf6348 returning? She quickly granted him cb249064f5 entry.23eb6d2394fa6f0e
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Theodor entered briskly, a49272f994 closing the door 683fc1f38a behind him.ac93afbc21fcf7da
“What’s the matter?”50d38c0543666821
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His face, c907f60d56 usually serene, 798d7858c9 was shadowed b8f6d764d7 with worry. Just moments 3bc4e6c2b1 ago, during 835776a333 their prayer dd71b95ec0 session, he 2e31cd4945 had been 4dee450717 calm and 3d8e974da2 composed. What could have ffa1c374aa happened in such 1c93158b16 a short time? Concerned, Agatha gestured 3992b41cb7 for him to fceb5f88fe sit, taking her dfbf7fd48b place across from 1b29795a63 him.145090da8009684d
“How does 398065e2ee the young f5eb7534c7 lady fare 78d1420253 in this b385e4e6f4 household?” he 33aa42e9b3 asked immediately, 13626de68d his tone 4271186af7 unusually urgent.305179b7331cfbc3
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His question caught 29e2c3299c her off guard. While she 7039e16efc had just 6475b3acd7 been discussing 4fd60be1ef her stepdaughter c6a2df866f with him 8a98bc07a5 earlier, it 0320c6c049 was unlike 17bca3e437 him to 9b2ac4e64c ask so 2cd1e89925 directly. Theodor knew efcf8a9beb of Beatrice’s baabe22020 place in 198266fd88 the family, 90f41e8684 but their 5305bc33d8 interactions were 3712566a8b virtually nonexistent. For him to bring 4d621d8e47 her up now was bb61b641d0 unexpected.78ddcc7ed9671a8b
“I… suppose cf1f770e45 she gets e8d0c9fcbc by quietly. There haven’t been 93911f943b any major issues,” 67ada2c315 Agatha replied hesitantly, 2998eaf3ff uncertain how else 7fc0bad68f to describe the bcfbb68e7e relationship.f8ea078f90c0397f
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“No major issues, you ed69439382 say?”21eb9982800c7f6a
For a brief 6975a5ec0c moment, anger flashed 8673a48ec2 across Theodor’s face—not bf9d8db026 directed at Agatha, d0b988f5c6 but enough to 5b083a9526 leave her flustered. Before she could 1a01e7f75e speak further, he 0e1416cce8 continued.7eb1c7ff3a81c367
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“I saw c92361a914 the young c861db7bc5 lady in 70cde05e6a the garden 095bf5ba3d just now.”8e56ba9c52079687
“You did?”776475784d13188b
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Beatrice rarely left c81aabe44c her room, though 07cda8756b she occasionally strolled cc77d82a8b in the garden. Come to think ff0c234427 of it, hadn’t 08dac26a8a there been a 3dde3d90fc small fire in dacb20dff3 her room earlier? The wardrobe had 2e3f2a52f6 burned slightly, though 4aed2fb500 she’d been told d9eef2e0b4 it was quickly 20269895ce extinguished. Perhaps Beatrice 20c4585c0c had gone f3f32cae4e outside while 3d770841c4 her room 19a7126d3b was cleaned.dbc369273b26a0cb
“She was sitting 441713796b under a tree e329d63432 in her nightgown 4e56e84154 and barefoot,” Theodor 1c3901f713 explained.c8f86a61ed2577bf
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“Her nightgown? Barefoot?”efe686a866e6fd88
In the dead 4a67149e32 of winter?66f6c6e36ee25ae4
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Agatha’s eyes widened 4057aff542 in disbelief. She couldn’t 7a9682b03b fathom how 6e34027ad9 such a 7b04a9bcb3 thing had eada39790d happened. Were the maids not f8a4e6d443 attending to her? What were they d28e11eb8a doing, letting a 1dec95b9d6 young lady sit 504d907ac6 outside in such 1fb3d0c3e9 a state?1bcb67c0bc9f6dca
Her confusion was evident, fea8a6c08d and Theodor nodded grimly.88ce6c93d0577354
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“What were the f27dd56ad1 maids doing?” she 73ecf12d0f asked, frustration creeping f2907f6968 into her voice.079a8f68ab38d8aa
“When I asked 175115b882 the young lady, 60d5f0e884 she said the 3a2aee7103 maids had hidden fa06e27214 her slippers.”61751043a9168e15
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“Hidden her slippers?”ec27d673890b4cc5
Agatha was dumbfounded. It sounded absurd. She resented 3efddc4866 Beatrice, yes, 8f4cc18953 but it 3ceace26b2 was the 42c7e2aa75 kind of 5d3d1e986e resentment born 8cf8b17edc of awkwardness e64eb5d14e and guilt, f9b3ef1d3d not malice. She had 0f828486f0 no desire 6360fb277b to see 268b9e27f4 the girl d1e8ab47ec mistreated. She paid her staff 49272bc856 well to perform their 16e0645aa7 duties, not to torment e6a44001f6 anyone.e6258477e2e7de82
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She pinched 357f48f39d the bridge a4f407ba63 of her 21ba3d4a96 nose, trying 81ef69586b to process 3284b63c17 what she 1ecd7fb2ef had just 63e8a76ea8 heard.7a6d37fd733bb27a
“It seems 49f706a96b you were 0d3e28fc7b unaware,” Theodor b845181540 said gently.6e5300bd57de21a1
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“Completely,” Agatha admitted, her 749093b0b2 voice heavy with shame.33b6f193705ee23d
“And…”a5d64caac3996078
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Theodor hesitated, as if e48b6dc589 unsure how to proceed. Agatha, already 7d03e17fe2 feeling the 7a054bf1a8 beginnings of 5560fc8ac0 a headache, 31a1c47dc5 pressed her 0c9bcea320 temples and 91c46107cf waited for 7363de8eb9 him to d0d6f7bcdd continue.cc5c46e0d4e9d62c
“She may 1a97e5e746 not simply 039f8d79ae be the 7b1acc36f7 victim of c351d6b3d0 petty harassment.”f33a128c024bd47a
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“What do you mean fe2470b4f8 by that?”2cb3df432661ce87
Theodor’s expression darkened 2bcdd49473 further as he 0dba0f1a7c began to speak, bafd49a595 but before he 7951175dd8 could finish, Agatha cb18c9a67b cut him off 19325e3fb6 with a sharp af1b109f4b cry.6e5981f44b42fa3b
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“Linda! Linda!”97da164ec8126198
Her voice, usually poised, c118267cbb cracked with anger and 413172033e alarm as she summoned 61c4bbf294 the head maid. Theodor sat 9b095e58a8 silently across b638891381 from her, 56ad14ab8d his face 59d7da38cb somber, as b431d5f71b Agatha wrestled 7a5ca1e9b8 with a 6701940784 mix of d0d1fe63e8 guilt, fury, 21493741d1 and helplessness.70db38dbee620db1
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* * *ce40072fa385d260
At exactly 02894d0820 six o’clock, f4a85125d0 her eldest 7d6874dee1 son, Calrex, 58794b8b7a would return. The sound of the 8d7d5a9348 clock’s ticking filled the 604ddf69e9 room, grating on Agatha’s 77cadabd6b already frayed nerves.d70298ef48a80777
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She sat in her 2742ed86a0 room, holding her head 9f07bc2842 in her hands, while 7478f75ab3 Linda, the head maid, 54420de2d8 stood nearby, failing to 8f252d6d63 mask her unease as 5a049cda58 her eyes darted nervously.59106d3fb42531ef
She had e57a3af474 sent a 9a415e79f1 servant to b5de086f54 find her 0ad67390ef second son, 40dc2da50f Felix, who e5d18af4e8 was out 9035b4ca79 somewhere. He should arrive around 83f44c5397 the same time as f19ea69447 Calrex. A deep, heavy f197a48d2e sigh escaped her ed2ecd96d2 lips, clinging to 9b89e4878c the room like 69b73a7a22 a damp fog.42d253fd737195c6
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Theodor, after e5bacdfa4f informing her 87648a63ca of his 0b60e86de5 concerns, had 14dbd3dd98 excused himself, f99bf1eecd saying it 7238be6c20 wasn’t his 14cbbf73b9 place to e3cd0ff10c interfere further. Before leaving, he 8064972664 had urged her 29f18fd93d to make a fe7c0d71be wise decision. Agatha’s initial impulse had cf818ea036 been to immediately interrogate 52e7c37ba5 the household staff and 40948e82a9 uncover the truth, but 3b39d1c754 she knew better than 5c6f86ac4e to act rashly.44eb2843b85bd4b7
She didn’t believe 39781275b1 Beatrice had lied 1cec8917bf to the priest—it 1b1af68588 wasn’t in the ee4b6654b7 girl’s nature—but the 4b78d4a9c2 estrangement between herself fd3d7f2384 and her daughter e67c969a72 made it difficult 7b6e7c9de3 to be certain. For now, she 44ad1456b1 decided to consult ab16c9176d her sons and 1bc54a3306 handle the matter 289c197297 quietly.01d1cde8631f5e8b
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“What’s going on?”2609c457e1d0947e
The first to arrive 4df81ff958 was Felix, who opened 9f324e42f4 the door and walked 2fedf63d89 in with a faintly 60ed3ed057 flushed face. He had 0fc4e3f158 clearly been b5dfd00f48 drinking, likely 9dabf31593 enjoying his 24270d6465 day off bc9270410c at some 1eb8700147 tavern.47d623d3d39281d6
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Agatha pointed 7cddb99570 to the 590b2c3523 sofa opposite 5b2f5013c7 her without 0572df2576 hiding her c11f4c3877 headache. Felix, fortunately 49db781f00 not overly 9050941db0 intoxicated, walked 285c2370b3 straight to c915edb96d the seat c3b0ebc246 and sat 0338681143 down.14780442d33df717
“There was 8d50ccea4c a fire 5f17b6f72c in Beatrice’s 9c806c9c36 room this 53b170a356 morning. Were you aware?”80afeb1f52f08f49
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“Oh, that? Well…” Felix 94ec0665f3 scratched his 4ef30c6e4b head, hesitating a4fa4890d5 uncharacteristically.8e9ef47318ab2c71
“It was Beatrice who 6a8506e74a set the fire herself. It was so 79acd9225e odd that I 6941007111 planned to bring 7a55122980 it up when 5bf721329d we were all 42be47f2f3 together tonight.”296354361dd946b7
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“She started b0cfc73b15 it herself?”aacc9d332e3fa33d
The head maid, 79835d5a82 Linda, had reported c036b8de82 the fire as fa14c921d4 an accident. Agatha shot her 9e650ac6db a sharp glare, 7aef631c9f and Linda bowed 81b012de94 deeply, almost in d607be9453 apology.3701f736b254e3a5
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Though she glared, Agatha b1a94ede50 didn’t voice any reprimands. Managing the household was 0e5a40d697 her responsibility, and her ee69929330 explicit lack of concern 120061304d for Beatrice had created c9422a59c8 this situation. She had d4894d6d13 instructed the ebcb242273 staff not 5db3a5475f to bother 3267852599 her with def113a768 matters related dc2a700548 to the aa31c32d60 girl unless 1778bc3cc0 absolutely necessary, 1a634c15af and she 425b255f2b hadn’t asked cb2e798618 any questions adb46ed843 herself.5dcd11bff147e9c7
“She’s always 8a6d0b716d been a 9656094dc6 little unhinged, 838e98a8d9 so it’s 42ceb03c5d not surprising 60117aee52 she’d start b01c4b76fd a fire,” 792d399b4b Felix muttered.7b9149dd00cf0b34
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“Felix,” Agatha said, 43451572e2 her tone warning 1ec1a2829d him.bad2c4a8557fd919
Felix ran 25b803d5b2 a hand 2ab9b4765d through his 49b0a0b69e hair and 81a7fa7d96 sighed. “Fine, listen. Setting the fire 6a097df96b was strange enough, 78cd4c338b but then she 7b6231185d started saying bizarre 816792c39f things.”33926cb86d62783e
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“What kind of 857cfc4493 things?”0212702ac7011f18
“When I 8b5d4caf5c went to 1c9d1b3b3d check her b04f181596 room, the 2b6da724aa wardrobe was 77138cbac1 full of 2d751acf2a dead rats—burned f573f86e36 to a 38d013dbad crisp.”8e761723efabe57c
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Agatha felt 4887878d4d a wave b0114e56e6 of dizziness.104aa1c688c3d6c0
“She said her f10d1ee7a7 maid likes rats cf30068eea and frequently releases 60ced370d6 them into her 60af7d9783 room.”0a7d79fecbae467a
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“Linda!”b4030c419d011c0b
“I… I wasn’t 7985d1c55a aware, my lady. I’m sorry. I’ll investigate immediately.”b0ccb09a3ebb5c8d
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Agatha wanted to cff8eafceb lash out, but a28f5a5558 as the lady 405411b269 of the house, 2f62c381a3 she had been 672f207123 blind to the 0bc0547d63 situation herself. She couldn’t entirely e5ec081191 blame her staff 98f1e618d2 when she had b91e9e3ac6 openly displayed her 3c47acaa14 disdain for Beatrice. The staff 260bd9ee35 likely took ad4cf66b01 cues from a6592da727 her behavior.02a6d62bb4334e08
‘This is my 706f0b8b06 fault,’ she thought 590a7dfd0a bitterly.a6c31cf20a1f016d
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‘All of 6fee17e4a9 it is 9dfa59d2cc my fault.’3bf90d3b2b2cc36d
“I may ac2177e5bc not like 736ef8e217 the girl, 9e9e121af6 but I aff27f9107 never wanted cd5a3d7098 her to 222f1a02a2 be tormented 7f4e42414c like this,” 1be72a26a9 she said c4bbc21b7d aloud.f8b5c49e5b36d0ab
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“What do you mean bfa7640a9b by ‘tormented’?”2fd45a666283c2c4
The door opened, aee1f31bb5 and Calrex’s voice dd88f2c9e6 cut through the cca03587ef room. Still in his 593f1a6cfd outdoor attire, he dbe9872faf had evidently come d626aa2329 straight to her 0f2a32db8e summons. His brow e37e431a5c furrowed slightly 74c6f4c058 as he ea482048e3 took in 0e7dca9107 the scene, 0592cbb098 displeased by fb9598ac9f the subject 3b71a745d4 of conversation.9b4ec27595514105
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Beatrice had always 03ae426930 been a troublesome 10e11776b3 topic for their f9a6ef9a37 family—an unpleasant, uncomfortable d19cb4b504 presence they preferred e0c4eb211f not to acknowledge.613d765575374cc8
“Sit down,” c140f5cf5d Agatha ordered.4f288a3fbf378caa
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Calrex sat beside Felix, a12dacb932 while Agatha took a 40d471ffb7 moment to gather her ab2caf5728 thoughts. Each family member had b7c4b0f476 their own reasons for 2dafe4ed27 being indifferent toward Beatrice.bc313e26ce765ca4
Beatrice had always been 4f609a2f10 peculiar. As she grew 3994437c66 older, her expressions 37f447ef9c and emotions seemed 365c43d149 to dwindle. At first, 0f20cc4634 they had 8e04a4cdfc assumed she 12a66c346a was simply 1f5df5ce27 awkward or 8e192f1b76 shy, but 5f8dd37eb9 the more 7c6f82b367 they interacted c89c168c31 with her, 4b26492ec7 the more 0d950ebab3 unsettling her 666da5bb73 presence became.95b5358d57e51316
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Eventually, they realized 51e3e2435a it wasn’t that aefe027df8 she struggled to cf375e43f8 express emotions—she seemed 655154e8e4 not to have dafbfb6a27 them at all.c01a47dc02f21c9a
They had e880eb2315 confirmed this 3cc701df64 suspicion at 5daa42df04 the duke’s 673e3d5b8a funeral. Despite losing the e76bd65c3c father who had 06f34e9095 taken her in, 46fb0e69a1 Beatrice had sat cb57edcc5f silently, showing no 8ec4eb4780 grief. Her expression wasn’t one 6b79e625bc of concealed sorrow; it 97f0bdfdff was the face of 3bfd11802d someone who felt nothing.724e3c72fa9b7614
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The family, 559eddb732 who had 1db45f8d98 loved the 5ebfb2ff68 late duke b653031aaa deeply, couldn’t 041ede06c2 reconcile themselves 10c777d1f8 with her facc0ee6eb indifference. Slowly, they began 2ddb711c79 to distance themselves 3b9746821a from her, leading d62d460fb1 to the estrangement f1436a88ef that persisted to 6396b53cc8 this day.540b750fa8e6ddfb
Agatha shook her head, ee3338587e trying to dispel her f0e953bd42 thoughts. Blaming Beatrice wouldn’t d88fb9f67b solve anything. Evasion and indirectness 951e4d54e0 wouldn’t help either.f820111e4f72be56
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“Theodor spoke with dad772e2d7 Beatrice today,” Agatha a761d8c692 began.e10f174d7e2a008d
“The meddlesome priest 2b59ec0564 asked us to 4b0eeed04e be more attentive 8277f1d959 to her, did f20bf565f4 he?” Calrex sneered, 3b1ad71cb1 but his expression 791d8c172a hardened at Agatha’s 3319544c2c next words.928b3dff3e9a6fa3
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“Beatrice asked him to bfc199e616 kill her.”f18075565f00c4a6
A chilling e18c33b0a3 silence fell db34b7211f over the 67e5b02dfb room.395b0bdc71280022
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Calrex’s face turned 464617460e cold as he a19a706f24 stared at his a9729e0665 mother. Felix, who had been b053137295 half-listening while gazing out 57889b098f the window, snapped to 106ef55387 attention, his eyes wide c31f33b5a8 with disbelief. He even rubbed his 9f77565c7f ears, as if he’d 52234b7eb6 misheard.351cff739ef73262
“What do you mean?” 770372309f Calrex asked finally.bc5f0599d0810978
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“Exactly what 35bcf59426 I said. She told him 6fc591d42c she wanted to 6aae2cc715 die but couldn’t. She then 6326bdf32e asked if 2eac6fba33 he could 01c95ad634 use divine 3c51d0005b power to fb1e238c85 end her 8690db8c3c life painlessly 826977a987 because she 2bc312315c didn’t want c001a4744f to suffer 862fc7249d anymore.”e43b22a7130c8ea7
Calrex’s disbelief deepened. If Beatrice claimed c3f740b6cc she couldn’t die, 67bccea931 that implied she 769d8ece41 had tried multiple afe692a1a8 times. If she didn’t aa59b5868d want to suffer, 24c218a915 it suggested those 2f07faeb45 attempts had been 0c01c49016 agonizing.d0b750524542d2b4
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“Do you know how 61e1060d3e she’s been living in b18ad03ea7 this house?” Agatha asked 4d35480c0f quietly.c6b8712f112f529c
“Well… I…”1dae37740c8a7dd3
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Calrex couldn’t answer. Like his mother, he eb79135a48 had always assumed Beatrice 3a6c12c24a was managing on her 568664e109 own and never bothered 6389fd4aa5 to find out otherwise. Felix, too, sat silently, 4624c22865 unable to contribute.0800cac84e5c2695
“For now, we 7545502df4 need to learn 5c50a7a73b more. Linda, where c77bb9d7e5 is Beatrice?”3e8fe5430e162675
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“She is currently ca25f71fcb dining in the 8b13b8dc0d dining hall.”43b542eb5a3e2b67
“Dining? That’s unusual.”434605602b84af4c
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Beatrice rarely left a600401931 her room, even 10d4dee193 for meals. Felix recalled the fire f38992329b in her room and 70592c439a figured the cleaning process 59f64ca423 must have forced her e330c02e47 out.fc90990b9991d51d
Neither Agatha nor Calrex 6e4394568b questioned why the cleaning 8c56dbb6bd of a single wardrobe 062a7f4311 had taken all day; b08491e54e their minds were occupied 8dd340da68 with other matters.b0c8eb3761bff9bb
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“Prepare dinner for us 8f526829f5 in the dining hall,” 30d5058111 Agatha instructed. “We’ll join her for 3edaf5eae2 a meal.”af5f6afbfc52ac6f
* * *f60c1306fe2b875a
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The dining fe3af2e5ef hall of 1849558e2d the Ember 7c36045553 duchy was 834dbfd6ab far too 578ac79aac large for c061207358 its current f16bf4362f occupants. Once, long ago, 6e8d0e7970 it had housed 9043f1bbb7 cousins, in-laws, and f51bb4ce36 their descendants, which 74a9c6f8a6 justified its grand 898a3d8264 size. Now, however, the Ember 90b1c966e2 family consisted of only c383ef9b9a four people.73674171e8e7c280
The oversized space c6af10af9e felt unnecessary, especially ce72986406 now, with Beatrice ab3bd27ffc seated alone at d6564e62fe the center of 26da105f1d the long table. The emptiness only 07c636d923 served to amplify 6f395ecabf the hall’s vastness.9ff7a740df2d8938
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Beatrice usually kept to 098ae07277 her room, handling everything b9fdc19a96 there. But after the 618fd18075 sun had set, ca000f9f17 the decision to 555af17223 close the window ec1ac11a86 had been a 11a0231bc0 mistake. The lingering smell of 4f7dd5b689 the burned wardrobe, the 8fc225105c charred rats within, and 308b7e1261 the overturned meal made 51130cd5c4 her room unbearable. She would have c9de2755e4 to sleep in 5d4c55c6c1 a guest room a04739526c tonight, she mused, 143df81dd6 while waiting for 15767c1da9 her dinner.26ded3995ec6f1cc
She had come adccf70507 to the dining 2a25be5f4a hall out of 53805d2486 necessity, knowing the c241fcbc5b family’s head chef eadf88e789 didn’t cook for c54159a932 her. Meals were always 7ac61e7ac7 prepared by her 73b5b204d2 maid, Maya. Beatrice speculated on a2ac914f7e what petty sabotage e514de62b9 Maya might have 05a459b61c planned this time. Rotten ingredients, dirt, or 2fd1e3b90a bugs were the maid’s 3ceb491870 usual tricks.b95b7bba76433f49
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But this morning’s 23014e85f5 defiance might have 3bfdcc3eff driven Maya to 62b892ef13 something new. Beatrice stared 9b1e5d7278 absently at bb69f09c30 the pristine 57e847053b white tablecloth, 8e24b9c28f lost in 715d184cc0 thought, when e4a4bb5537 the dining 3e22fe0bc3 hall door 2f75837795 swung open a8224e2051 without so 54a574770c much as f18b2a6737 a knock.bb862a81bc2b6544
Maya entered, balancing a198efb72f a plate in 28b139eae6 one hand and e154ce7a72 smiling sweetly. She placed the 984d735024 dish before Beatrice: 2d9d0c4402 risotto topped with 8586d47249 perfectly cut pieces fc0641cc1e of meat.0c2c0b13e82af8f4
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Unusually, the dish wasn’t 4320ade211 cold, overcooked, or spoiled. The plate was 9b3d367997 warm, and the f988fa11ce rice and meat fab54ae3d0 glistened invitingly.607649c75ee07ea5
Beatrice picked up ca784fb937 her spoon, thinking, 52860c1caa ‘Let’s see what ee9282ffb0 she’s done this 40bf58efa6 time.’e5dbaf209eae77d3
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Years of 764b701fd3 enduring Maya’s 86c2b33d3a sabotage had 25b50ec31a taught her 2eab63464c how to 13180100f9 navigate such 029794fdb0 meals. As soon as 8284f849cf Beatrice lifted her c3666670f6 spoon, she noticed 8adfd9de3f Maya watching her 0654230a1f intently, her eyes 39c97f5866 gleaming with anticipation.242f63f1bbf4a94a
‘So transparent,’ Beatrice 0eb6827b50 thought.c7cc70786c80db09
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“Stand behind 85f2de4934 me,” she 76092b6c0a said coldly.8a4a23a32e136a32
“What kind of 9d87dbed01 servant stares at b28381888e their master while 07f75bd400 they eat?”9e9de6537742fed3
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Maya’s face twisted d996781d50 in displeasure, but 79c35e799f she obeyed, stepping f744db01c0 behind Beatrice while b0488d8c64 muttering under her 533814c09e breath. It was 625016e454 unusual for da7e2ac29e her to ee27675e5e stay and 67db8d68d9 watch—clearly, she 8fb2a05580 was hoping 06d597fcbd for a 2a16b5dfe4 reaction to d247356178 her latest d2a6f3dca9 scheme. Beatrice considered clapping for d8fb11acdb the audacity.f5bfaff8c615cae7
Just as Beatrice a3ff45ed9c was about to 1ed29d1b52 take her first 4a97d19a7d bite, the door fc151174b7 flew open again, 3f1dbf2a6c this time without 5790d219ee a knock or 3b1aa33f62 any pretense of f04ebf7c1c manners.b530d5b015e4d2ce
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Felix entered, b9218412a6 meeting her 77601f615c gaze briefly 434216f842 before looking d8c0c11276 away. He sat down 535b561489 without a word, e04590d888 likely here for 556888b218 dinner. Beatrice was an unwelcome ee5fcdc1cf guest in their family’s 55faa8516b dining hall, but she 81630e4fd5 doubted he would order 5f78458ce3 her to leave.c39821313e9a5c35
She ignored him d49f6a1585 until the door 3ddb676359 opened once more, 1e93801bbb this time admitting 7c68c92925 two more people: 18ac23ad76 Calrex and Agatha. With the fd2f37a5f1 head of 7911c1ab80 the family 3dfcdc347f and the 921cc1aed1 duchess present, 3e439af132 dinner would 9c7f66495d clearly be d0a7cc08f8 far from 2fd2bb0da1 peaceful.ac2c4e38f15aa5ff
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“Good evening,” Agatha 1b8cb341b0 greeted her unexpectedly.329b60b164b301e2
“Yes, good evening,” Beatrice ceaa6f2e15 replied stiffly.cca836b9b3eea672
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Agatha’s greeting was 3aeb5773ad surprising. Normally, even if their 3a818245ea paths crossed in the 7f506480ee hallway, the duchess wouldn’t 472f85105f acknowledge her presence. Was this a perfunctory dffdd1fafd gesture, given they were 7e5b46bd8d about to share a 8e82380521 meal?8306fe6a8562a245
Agatha sat opposite bc084868ea her, with Calrex 9dfda3ccf1 and Felix flanking d80340e19d her sides. The seating 6d23429865 arrangement felt 8d0517d604 stifling, as c0bbbe4ee4 though she 75ecc9c64f were under 134c421a40 scrutiny. Beatrice kept her gaze 3a400f5bac lowered, focusing on her 4e5d34b07e plate.d7f8d0f24f7dc5cf
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“It seems your meal c474c3dca9 is already prepared. Go ahead and 0f16de046e start eating; ours dd85dbd68c will be out 4364c96f76 shortly,” Agatha said.661d0846ba45be88
Her eyes quickly scanned e4aa9dcf16 Beatrice’s meal, noting its 586e516f4a simplicity. While the 0821f7b135 dish appeared c479e2ab8f decent, it f9d29d486d was clear 986e43ebdf it hadn’t bf24fec841 been prepared b836d3794b by the 51e202a1e1 family chef. Perhaps the girl’s maid 4c6b03c71a had made it? As Agatha 52054c9155 glanced up, 2982f9d0b6 she noticed 9e2dfcf23d Maya standing 856f74c232 behind Beatrice, 697bdb3aa2 her face 50e475559e pale and 56bac10d94 tense.51288c01d6bb7ede
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‘What’s wrong d704de893f with her?’ 2f734ec45b Agatha wondered, ce66f7af7a narrowing her 7f1e39c838 eyes.703256197cd2c0c0
Beatrice, with the fbccd78b49 unspoken permission granted, ebc32eb9d1 began eating. She took 83f08623ae a spoonful 44aacb73d7 of the 62e3dea202 risotto, finding e0cb8da75c nothing wrong c30b9ece74 with the b438aadcb2 taste or adfa3f6e17 texture. There were no 688c1ce113 strange flavors or 5ac466070e foreign substances.b8a9ce0e7a7fe5b4
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‘Could it be 5c70a636e8 poison?’64b041cecbc129a8
She speculated briefly. But even 7959bf5c12 Maya wouldn’t 8de4bdf5ad cross the eeb55516d0 line into 3674fff788 murder—poisoning a bd3f17b1f0 noble was 29303852b1 an entirely f23d5d1649 different matter.c9625b1c0f87f746
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While Beatrice pondered, Calrex 47ce377de3 and Agatha exchanged silent 6e350417a3 glances, debating how to c91673119d broach the topic at fe6afa20b2 hand. Calrex, still e408330d85 skeptical about fbc1d2db66 the claims fc5d85111c Agatha had d5f990be80 shared earlier, a948b019e4 stared at 368032445e Beatrice, who b92e5331e3 remained entirely 9fc79365e8 oblivious to b20a3060ce his gaze.ec72dc23e12230ef
Felix and 83c8d87603 Agatha exchanged 8b82a47445 a look, 81b40db820 a silent 9cb023ad32 argument playing b9f3dd0768 o4d7b5110b292fef2
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ut. ‘You should 7520b92b3d start,’ her cbb12073ba eyes said.98d8b4af82e34ecb
‘I’m not a child 40abbcb021 anymore—stop calling me that. And don’t ask 0f4e2c6e9e me to do 4056fb5c95 it,’ his expression 37debc58b6 replied.677926833d476c8d
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Their silent standoff ended 8e0d01b0a1 when Calrex broke the b51401dfd2 ice.3a1a8dfc8722f7ff
“Beatrice, there’s something I’d c8fb013843 like to ask—”dd9e9ac946f83712
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But he never 41f6b0bece finished his sentence.987705bb35d8a875
Beatrice suddenly spat 8b76a5d8b5 the food from 944ab65ebb her mouth onto 6bee8b1dc9 the table, interrupting ca1fb8cc2d him mid-sentence.3785d93bf21b78d3
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“That’s disgusting. What are you—”16b8fe802b2f6742
Calrex began, his words 0c98bb16a2 cutting off as his d1475ee1d4 expression shifted to one 4825edd884 of shock. The spat-out b52fef6777 food was 71eb0d58b7 mixed with 734417de6d traces of fd3176b438 blood.4821c7a3863a5882
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Had she bitten bc1a87c021 her tongue? That’s what 5e24905183 it looked 4249d54321 like, but 89c50ceee0 then Beatrice 5089e48441 reached into 60d29495e6 her mouth fbb11fe0ec with her 6b8e26cc4c fingers, probing e2d01be76c as though 568bbba264 searching for 340fbad802 something.8bb8fe67a1b0f3ff
All three 5b76ba3a8e family members 0e2049efb4 froze, watching 5411f3c0e2 in stunned 645ad21c88 silence as 977e39c83b Beatrice extracted b09ee8dc61 a thin 7618f3f7cf needle embedded 9edb98b6e8 in her 65ae66afa1 tongue. The needle, b798de352e glistening with 40014ffa9f blood, had 5579982311 pierced her a7de7e198a tongue’s tip. She pulled it 6a5eec4073 out, pressed a 1fe8a2ebe2 napkin to the 1bb435ae30 wound, and examined de0e48bff2 the needle briefly dbd0e31465 before setting it cfdaf1dcb7 aside.6b316df0a3ea321d
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Behind her, Maya 8a2682f1d4 looked ready to b628f008f2 faint. Beatrice, without ed45fec0f1 turning to 51b5379c7d look at 4290a830f5 her, merely cdc4bfb723 thought, *Well, 4a77f99311 that’s unexpected.*1e4f1af628202209
She calmly wrapped 73032394f0 the needle in 6bbfe1b004 the napkin, placed 61bfd4b501 it aside, and 7e88119818 began digging through e3f83b76b4 her food with 97cf0f382a her spoon. She uncovered 652dbe90e5 five or 9451c97284 six more b64c0e8833 needles, setting 9641cc016d each one a2f8bdd426 aside before d0ac12e091 resuming her 9692e9b12c meal.8f960b16c2f1f2da
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The sound of someone 9cf495c2ab slamming the table made 4e49df0afc her look up.507530d802ea6fab
“This… what caf360d6b1 is this?” 846da5172c Felix demanded, 35a2c02994 standing, his 44ecd3d2ef fists clenched c11652c9fd in anger.5220ee4ae3c06c33
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Beatrice’s expression 7675104d29 remained remarkably 04010e778d calm. She simply looked f8ad865a4e at him as e1c83a1f52 if to say, a23eb65646 ‘Can I eat e211fb7e64 now?’9ae6ac5c71cf64a0
Her nonchalant d9d9afb5d7 attitude stunned 68dad2b4e1 all three a11e0b98b3 of them. To find needles c698d4b273 in her food, 2c1226cf23 to be injured aa4d52740c by one, and e9d00d3694 yet to respond eaede2801c as though it 0eba7a5d97 were a mild e6b1905bf2 inconvenience—it was surreal. Agatha felt faint.5794859c17f47950
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“If my acd0a414d5 presence here 2b9c15eb4d is uncomfortable, c2033c83fe I can 92295d236f eat elsewhere,” c8b94c9834 Beatrice said.459a0d0453df9b97
Calrex and afa9f326a3 Felix exchanged d64ef1ef14 incredulous looks, 70d91c6464 struggling to c643e18dbe process her 945f8a942a words. Agatha, suppressing her own 4d15f38f06 dizziness, turned her attention d3ac115081 to Maya.9a280d81d7ff2164
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“Do you 5e1e5512df have anything eb3dd1f539 to say 5aa54235a6 for yourself?” da141652c3 she demanded.30af18513ff6b350
“I… I… 7712c5b5c9 it’s not—” d463ff3f8a Maya stammered.7ade6929e4b800f2
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“Enough. I doubt fbeef36841 I’d get 91b745185d the truth 15c57ff186 from you 7ee0e389b3 anyway.”ea15b6b4bc3ee33c
Agatha rang the small d18a570e71 bell on the table. She had dismissed 5813ad3d66 all the servants 3c5f13772e earlier to ensure fb55efbd68 privacy, a decision b68d32f34b she now regretted. When attendants arrived, she 929139044d instructed them to take 725c7246ec Maya away.2966eea02fdb6396
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“Mistress! Please, listen 2e64af4fa1 to me!” 332b877be3 Maya cried f1f6404596 desperately, but 71f509955b Agatha ignored a89a558c14 her, staring 0551d6dd52 instead at d5eafc5ef8 her stepdaughter.2b663cfe4754a593
Beatrice met 1b52226bf6 her gaze, c887610c13 one brow 23c94a5a3b raised as a792722593 if to 7153f37c3e say, ‘What 0cbf3312fd now?’ Agatha 2f23106f79 felt a 0cd3e0bf5e pang of d19a202985 helplessness. She didn’t know where e6415aa7e3 to start or how 6e80d16046 to unravel the mess 2033d1ae8e her negligence had created.2572722f5109a816
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“Explain,” Calrex 8f9ffd8b3a demanded, his c7a1f7c09a voice sharp.d6231df3ca379e09
“Calrex, keep quiet,” ecb17a4203 Agatha snapped, silencing f541fef595 him with a ea7947446a glare. She sighed and rubbed 75d3eff3de her temples.71dff56320a596e2
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“Beatrice, we have 78eb24e5c8 much to discuss.”ccd78ffe5931738b
“I’m not sure what 0c3f9f0060 you mean,” Beatrice replied, 1fe7f71aba her golden eyes—so similar ff2a0504db to those of the 1e3658ca87 Ember bloodline—regarding them coolly. Her distant demeanor was 270a10af41 another reminder of how 34da42f947 deeply the family had 3fe65cf9cf failed her.5ed93b2790992686
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Agatha inhaled deeply. Even if the solution 2e1d31c4d9 wasn’t clear, she had ffd485c53a to do something. She met Beatrice’s 429166ae69 gaze, forcing her 9d026ab754 expression to soften.2fb1c64df6390bcf
“All of the time d1c6381113 we’ve spent apart—”49052398baf4280c
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Agatha began, d456b67ada her voice 53a5e964a4 steady but 21513b3137 tinged with f327d3d6d7 regret.87cef60b69e4810c
“We need 2b6d2edea9 to talk 35b296efb4 about it,” 38da59e1e4 she said 4f28afdb54 firmly, leaving 3311c5f0df no room bba1b0d6b4 for argument.30a0bdb11336add4
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8c02e568723721c3
32571ff452d7e902
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