TLYWK Chapter 1 (Part 3)
by Solavita“What is it?”14dc32ad096eca39
“The priest requests another b50407829c meeting with you.”cdcaa8080b646e6f
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“Theodor?”d6c5241f2119398f
Agatha was puzzled. He had 53e3dedf1e already completed f3a826f910 the day’s 1cf9054074 prayers and f24e646f1f consultation. What reason could he 7edf9450ff have for returning? She quickly granted him 69fd6b95af entry.edeeab59f449dd05
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Theodor entered briskly, closing 4a07d212f4 the door behind him.6180529560143702
“What’s the matter?”94b21e6712c93102
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His face, ecf0c74c8d usually serene, ad3e763a9f was shadowed 894cb3ff4f with worry. Just moments ago, during 4e157bc101 their prayer session, he 819b3d730e had been calm and 976d10a240 composed. What could have e4b87f8125 happened in such 06bbd73698 a short time? Concerned, Agatha 29473c3eaa gestured for e470823f62 him to 02483e56ad sit, taking 5cbbb9ee2a her place 32d89d16cf across from 50d9540ad9 him.0ed0ee24536f0742
“How does the 05a5e21137 young lady fare 9ab6a2da96 in this household?” 6372e42e57 he asked immediately, 1cfe5f0243 his tone unusually 4e2710e96b urgent.5a598bb7774dda33
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His question caught 7278a95354 her off guard. While she e92971b0c9 had just b6925e8017 been discussing 50765b900c her stepdaughter 442359cedc with him 927a310e26 earlier, it 1b684595ad was unlike 2f711dc58c him to 69d9143284 ask so 16d2d3df6f directly. Theodor knew 21ef7fc525 of Beatrice’s e496fd546b place in 3fec04b597 the family, 9ccf9a8400 but their 6f0e10b381 interactions were 74d865076e virtually nonexistent. For him e1a5594590 to bring 9e3eb408c1 her up 30e4244316 now was afe6009d6c unexpected.88f9e2c72e626e0b
“I… suppose she cbb5f2535c gets by quietly. There haven’t edc44d9d29 been any acd369320d major issues,” e0feeb9269 Agatha replied 3758a01941 hesitantly, uncertain 76372f918e how else 4db9aed047 to describe 667f61ca4e the relationship.6dc0339ef978e88b
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“No major issues, fa0d73026f you say?”d95feee501533179
For a brief 8cf40db1bf moment, anger flashed 5b97eca333 across Theodor’s face—not bc2d5e047b directed at Agatha, 1d2b7f3da3 but enough to 680412c621 leave her flustered. Before she could speak df32ee5bff further, he continued.7fb167f81f4cf910
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“I saw 549561a961 the young d0ecc081a0 lady in d36b847a76 the garden b9a2bf5fc0 just now.”ee06fcafcc3e8e7f
“You did?”b77e1f3cf60513d6
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Beatrice rarely 8ca38710e3 left her d4b89c9c8c room, though b9dd6c4caa she occasionally 225b1bd768 strolled in aa51e1ea1c the garden. Come to bfe61b22ca think of e20f783092 it, hadn’t 1bbd57c0d0 there been cd060fc0d1 a small 4ae13d80f8 fire in bd47daf1d9 her room 4b9fd6e0a2 earlier? The wardrobe c347dac3a2 had burned 6ef94fbad9 slightly, though a1f8802809 she’d been 4d2de27458 told it 396444ccdc was quickly e6056b13a5 extinguished. Perhaps Beatrice had gone 79c6001bf1 outside while her room 1b4f853665 was cleaned.3aad31c5c6c31774
“She was sitting under 2b94399124 a tree in her b89673d80a nightgown and barefoot,” Theodor 577244e325 explained.b1d5df0a3095a82c
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“Her nightgown? Barefoot?”51d6df89921d31d8
In the dead 54683e8d60 of winter?80ae983401cc5aa3
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Agatha’s eyes 4445c50439 widened in 825f2cefa2 disbelief. She couldn’t fathom 4a7f08cabc how such a b4a05ce006 thing had happened. Were the maids 0c78b71742 not attending to 188de1839f her? What were c20cdb20f5 they doing, 4fe959f00d letting a fb1e1ac6f6 young lady a5c900b40a sit outside eefee4002d in such 1869390610 a state?134845435c85d4c3
Her confusion 82658028f7 was evident, 5131c2186e and Theodor 5d583a87b1 nodded grimly.de8ad4df3f22933e
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“What were 57d8257553 the maids cf2ff46963 doing?” she 37d6b9b706 asked, frustration d7648c4876 creeping into ce2f786067 her voice.55d3d5afdf5776a3
“When I asked 9a2aeb0536 the young lady, 59a9d177e3 she said the ae25789f75 maids had hidden 0554c14592 her slippers.”53ec794d3a62470d
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“Hidden her slippers?”f167cc213dd207e5
Agatha was dumbfounded. It sounded absurd. She resented Beatrice, c940163651 yes, but it 0c52e17354 was the kind 32275db134 of resentment born 04ddf7ceb3 of awkwardness and 0a1b2dfaae guilt, not malice. She had d9d44167f9 no desire ae5b9ee96c to see eac0a748c4 the girl 322b8ba1b5 mistreated. She paid her staff c6f11312b1 well to perform their 87d04c529a duties, not to torment ecf3c9025f anyone.ab9ccd10d72a8d7b
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She pinched 7c697c5a7f the bridge 2bcaa9f929 of her 582070cdf8 nose, trying 5978dea105 to process 83ca563bc8 what she 11ed2fdd4f had just a0db6a54c6 heard.9c4b13fd9bd27670
“It seems you were 4e6a708c25 unaware,” Theodor said gently.76abc46ac1df71bf
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“Completely,” Agatha 279dd342e9 admitted, her 3c8d6aa805 voice heavy defbd5bcf1 with shame.d3611a2bd73a9109
“And…”2feb4be9a6867bc8
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Theodor hesitated, as dfa0287536 if unsure how cba4cdee3f to proceed. Agatha, already feeling 9931da84ba the beginnings of 78ce750af7 a headache, pressed f3e4dd19ab her temples and f9081a4b37 waited for him 8362f9c48d to continue.42b732b9d3bef735
“She may cabe300c75 not simply 384dcdfc7a be the 6c738d4ef4 victim of 41bff66a3d petty harassment.”8fc898c65741625b
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“What do you mean 0501027720 by that?”69b502bd5dad231a
Theodor’s expression darkened 58c3963a23 further as he ec61857569 began to speak, 6ee921df19 but before he 7c229d6d46 could finish, Agatha cfb2e4cc0f cut him off 30d5bace57 with a sharp 0c9bdf0acf cry.68b9ff1e25d9f52c
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“Linda! Linda!”78437e62d1020a0d
Her voice, usually poised, c57b8c35d2 cracked with anger and d7e42ee7e9 alarm as she summoned 55c7d7ccfd the head maid. Theodor sat silently 702b48ee01 across from her, 7162f2a5bd his face somber, a7aa9b04b3 as Agatha wrestled 612aada280 with a mix b53ddf8695 of guilt, fury, b1a456db33 and helplessness.cee6b7139efd49db
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* * *1aae5367822910a0
At exactly six 358368d9a5 o’clock, her eldest b4f7fb0c67 son, Calrex, would 2a8c9ecb95 return. The sound of 30a40f420b the clock’s ticking dc62e5c76a filled the room, c208388669 grating on Agatha’s a74d4c1b10 already frayed nerves.48f6f541f027d019
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She sat in her 8794b6bcde room, holding her head 29a4293585 in her hands, while f7fa87b4eb Linda, the head maid, d40ecbd11c stood nearby, failing to 665d2912a4 mask her unease as d40aa9f001 her eyes darted nervously.eaf04129991c256a
She had sent b3f3119dbc a servant to 5139834528 find her second 4609b87577 son, Felix, who 0e22e5bb41 was out somewhere. He should arrive 61ad4c8a35 around the same 7969f77084 time as Calrex. A deep, heavy 2f8044aaf6 sigh escaped her 1e1696d241 lips, clinging to 8c5e565ce6 the room like 2d517ab558 a damp fog.b4016251b5fe5257
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Theodor, after informing her 4257c38ab0 of his concerns, had 4a5618a838 excused himself, saying it 2222d140de wasn’t his place to abca1f3c3a interfere further. Before leaving, he ac9b987fc5 had urged her d070e97eee to make a c5aca6db12 wise decision. Agatha’s initial 35a1b70988 impulse had cb58771a07 been to ebfc221466 immediately interrogate ff1746dcf9 the household 394b4d97ee staff and ea194192df uncover the 76315f83de truth, but 65a1d627f0 she knew a6283bbfdd better than 14d1e34ca2 to act d0c1f90b6d rashly.dfecf7d899d5da43
She didn’t 670c01eb0e believe Beatrice b7ad4ddc0f had lied 31e5218886 to the 5fcf63a787 priest—it wasn’t 171d930968 in the c39573ebdb girl’s nature—but 522ab161da the estrangement 24d1dbf135 between herself af025d833d and her 5da40d5f7e daughter made 3deda445c1 it difficult 6453a98601 to be 02fca32734 certain. For now, she decided 28beed4719 to consult her sons b6db4359f7 and handle the matter a2fdb234f0 quietly.ed6df781be7d3bc0
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“What’s going on?”5030bf6896f41a2c
The first to a70e602ebd arrive was Felix, 36a5d542e0 who opened the 88cd66717b door and walked 2402c97f26 in with a 17b1d2fd6b faintly flushed face. He had clearly c7cca65401 been drinking, likely f397b5df00 enjoying his day 4e6405b84b off at some 936b14f7e2 tavern.2552610f17a3cd03
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Agatha pointed to the 017e47943d sofa opposite her without 40586af7ce hiding her headache. Felix, fortunately 94e4068a11 not overly 329f67669b intoxicated, walked a0f7d8f6e3 straight to 3fe953c82a the seat 026baab83f and sat a0aefa7b41 down.0874d976f4b81219
“There was a fire 75c6c23b96 in Beatrice’s room this 49220cb72e morning. Were you aware?”5341629db0439cdd
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“Oh, that? Well…” Felix scratched his f6a1ee0951 head, hesitating uncharacteristically.6496885156cc7dfe
“It was Beatrice 035be54e33 who set the 6d7bf81d4d fire herself. It was so odd 7918acdd5c that I planned to b14224838e bring it up when 1415e1e279 we were all together 326b41e3ba tonight.”d9ec5fa991ed1a62
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“She started it 44f2e6740a herself?”6e625aa08717c799
The head 2eb22066a3 maid, Linda, 93639cb225 had reported c689814305 the fire 29518a2876 as an a570a9709b accident. Agatha shot e4f80de1dc her a 91420d6abe sharp glare, b80f7901d7 and Linda e72a0778d0 bowed deeply, 49b286f8a6 almost in 15a2a9827c apology.3b0b76e609ac6205
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Though she glared, Agatha 5f2ec2b8ff didn’t voice any reprimands. Managing the 9987549ce8 household was 9626ec44a7 her responsibility, 0e8087e0a1 and her f4bc242f7c explicit lack cbe2cc33f1 of concern 8147a9aa2d for Beatrice 5cf3e386bd had created eaa0f65998 this situation. She had 0ba2927776 instructed the 727cb68227 staff not a7c8eb58fe to bother c47c65ef16 her with 21e2d183b2 matters related 0dba466968 to the 5954173da8 girl unless 97696a6c67 absolutely necessary, d45b8ce5ba and she af4ebc1dbd hadn’t asked 290d08e017 any questions a31fd9cabe herself.24845281ca6c8611
“She’s always been a 12d49e6691 little unhinged, so it’s 9fcbc39986 not surprising she’d start 32292c864d a fire,” Felix muttered.885c86b47ceb6c99
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“Felix,” Agatha 77a23fcb03 said, her 5f5315b9f2 tone warning 62785c5951 him.4a8c26668f21b766
Felix ran a hand ec10c94b04 through his hair and 1195dac2fe sighed. “Fine, listen. Setting the fire was b571256eb9 strange enough, but then 0ae96b8421 she started saying bizarre 3a99f6966e things.”aab0a14d474d4f77
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“What kind of 8c6b4954ba things?”695998f898415c95
“When I a44f3803b2 went to 4f07bd9339 check her eb9610f615 room, the 420c06ce99 wardrobe was a6c6886945 full of f01feb0cb5 dead rats—burned c7aa2cf453 to a bdad8913c8 crisp.”1b44ede3597bfde2
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Agatha felt 1ebb9add83 a wave 14f710fb84 of dizziness.824aa981f383898b
“She said her maid 94cbd32790 likes rats and frequently f2c532a9d7 releases them into her 0f7b4bef7a room.”3f7c970813282123
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“Linda!”39bdd9434be76f63
“I… I wasn’t 753caf897f aware, my lady. I’m sorry. I’ll investigate immediately.”85873fca86222176
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Agatha wanted 400eabc0e0 to lash 4724be69c7 out, but 4691fbf80a as the 536c6ba6a1 lady of d52bbec1c8 the house, b5833123e6 she had cedfa47568 been blind 69a6c0f66c to the f43d4bf219 situation herself. She couldn’t entirely 4521c890d3 blame her staff c6117b8818 when she had e5d2fa2e37 openly displayed her 18297db081 disdain for Beatrice. The staff likely 2ad56b75c0 took cues from caf60c5dcb her behavior.dc28bd37a881204c
‘This is b30931343a my fault,’ 6d370011d6 she thought da6761adc6 bitterly.db59fd6d1bd643d6
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‘All of ea8b6f2e38 it is d78386b6d1 my fault.’46eb4bea4a93b358
“I may a6b8916c66 not like 25cf7a988b the girl, d9a329a57c but I f6c9739be5 never wanted d69efbb936 her to fe35fc51e3 be tormented f79746b17d like this,” 46b9a6fa1c she said 0536643522 aloud.524ec954467afb83
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“What do 95690d92b9 you mean f8b70648f1 by ‘tormented’?”697d0ea36151ea09
The door opened, and eefad5f162 Calrex’s voice cut through f0e3db52f1 the room. Still in 7a82f70360 his outdoor 7dd25ca17d attire, he 99f71e2eaf had evidently c076a1b944 come straight 558f7cd7e0 to her f4b322cc84 summons. His brow furrowed cb816c33dc slightly as he b4d2b2f074 took in the d7e46a2ec0 scene, displeased by 008275042e the subject of bf8e47ab4d conversation.66cb3ec800fe7fbb
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Beatrice had always been f67f590d2c a troublesome topic for 0d2df53ec9 their family—an unpleasant, uncomfortable 93a0978e1c presence they preferred not 158d021a87 to acknowledge.5915dd22c381ef5b
“Sit down,” Agatha 8a099b2c7f ordered.4afec1f0282d56b6
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Calrex sat beside 1d8e5035a1 Felix, while Agatha 8af0d57524 took a moment f07593e2a6 to gather her 9f5dcd7a62 thoughts. Each family 8fb5977796 member had ed5502d425 their own 4532b89ee5 reasons for 99134341f2 being indifferent a4b0d51bbf toward Beatrice.6a1e7bfccf6fff86
Beatrice had 4b73c25428 always been 3b8161d4c2 peculiar. As she 14b18d36cb grew older, 8b7f29ee57 her expressions 08327b508d and emotions 073c343f7d seemed to 39b59d94d7 dwindle. At first, they 0b6a39d1a4 had assumed she 65f2d2f1a8 was simply awkward df80f5a465 or shy, but 8a0575d8e5 the more they 21c93b1ad6 interacted with her, 2273650c6e the more unsettling 0954f731d5 her presence became.f6a0934753836bbe
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Eventually, they 1f44033eb0 realized it 8a55d1b1c9 wasn’t that f03dc89d29 she struggled 8ea84555f0 to express 509ae48504 emotions—she seemed 77203d570a not to ca8e0b3489 have them 888db5a3b7 at all.ad8917940ff80b2d
They had a75ff6b9f0 confirmed this af5331f472 suspicion at e56b1fa1e7 the duke’s b079063fc1 funeral. Despite losing 2375e493d2 the father 724addda7d who had 9fada96c8b taken her 3da2ec134f in, Beatrice 6a49171b5e had sat ee7e76c30e silently, showing 78477475cb no grief. Her expression wasn’t one fedb747cc6 of concealed sorrow; it dfbb7e16e9 was the face of 2a23dafc67 someone who felt nothing.7bd1cc9e7047a972
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The family, who d6c648ced9 had loved the be36e037ac late duke deeply, aafc390028 couldn’t reconcile themselves 4707356cbf with her indifference. Slowly, they began 45177e6889 to distance themselves 74d434a2df from her, leading 71f5988525 to the estrangement 81aed080bd that persisted to b7c5bd01f7 this day.cad840aa05cf3f71
Agatha shook her head, ca52f5bf43 trying to dispel her 0911fa62f0 thoughts. Blaming Beatrice wouldn’t solve d0754006ae anything. Evasion and indirectness 7596cfaeac wouldn’t help either.7191e9a14673c041
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“Theodor spoke with 20215a9dbc Beatrice today,” Agatha df454b9020 began.18f9d8b1170481e6
“The meddlesome priest asked e9f030f51b us to be more 3c78121ae2 attentive to her, did 672a611013 he?” Calrex sneered, but 9f843422da his expression hardened at 770bdb26e2 Agatha’s next words.db7358ddb48f0757
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“Beatrice asked 23cfd57681 him to 75d286fdaf kill her.”87f2564a3cd1d3b2
A chilling silence eabbe2abae fell over the e011056b32 room.5a0aa6480753be64
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Calrex’s face fa614669d2 turned cold 5681f42a4b as he 8b09486e04 stared at 7718c23911 his mother. Felix, who had been 0901a67bef half-listening while gazing out 65dca8e8ba the window, snapped to 241145c753 attention, his eyes wide 3d6e6fa5ef with disbelief. He even rubbed 8a74c1b235 his ears, as d13c6a1bb9 if he’d misheard.734cd1a86f6db5d8
“What do you dc70f9d01f mean?” Calrex asked d4a32ca373 finally.9039d922cd076b46
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“Exactly what I 3420192b03 said. She told him 811aef615c she wanted to 096facc86c die but couldn’t. She then asked d45a43557d if he could 2cdf0b9d77 use divine power 7c5f9da0e7 to end her e1c29ac4eb life painlessly because 04c5ed05c4 she didn’t want 79acb1a748 to suffer anymore.”6a55d778b1348a00
Calrex’s disbelief deepened. If Beatrice claimed she f61118c2e3 couldn’t die, that implied 25e9ba1edd she had tried multiple 0599172f9e times. If she didn’t want 3eea1d1ca5 to suffer, it suggested 1905927f05 those attempts had been e175e345ac agonizing.26b3c73a79e1071a
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“Do you know how c3086791d9 she’s been living in 5988c5f29b this house?” Agatha asked e69d9d6cc4 quietly.d9a164b67703ce35
“Well… I…”accbe5d76bf5dcbd
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Calrex couldn’t answer. Like his cb7ffbcb3f mother, he 53a9111aac had always e3efd423c6 assumed Beatrice b78d8b0f31 was managing d944a018d5 on her 629f4f5ae3 own and eac40cea07 never bothered 90694c5470 to find 4908d184e9 out otherwise. Felix, too, sat 9340d5d7bd silently, unable to 5648939d6a contribute.cb135685ac0c7d4b
“For now, we 893b60740d need to learn abe793da6f more. Linda, where is e0bc6c0126 Beatrice?”c32eaefbfe0e8e5f
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“She is currently dining bc8e497d41 in the dining hall.”7ef1ee230722acd2
“Dining? That’s unusual.”d17aa5b9b49d6b3e
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Beatrice rarely left f5906b6846 her room, even fa5c845606 for meals. Felix recalled the 4648a84027 fire in her f2da5a5a94 room and figured c0b0012c3c the cleaning process 99edd5f570 must have forced 9ca2dea07d her out.269b52032ac6a488
Neither Agatha nor Calrex cc2015ba82 questioned why the cleaning 88b77ded33 of a single wardrobe a0fac02460 had taken all day; bf9dc6b43c their minds were occupied d69ae50434 with other matters.63ef45c412840f4e
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“Prepare dinner 5ddaa357b2 for us da1a7a16ef in the f9e91b02ef dining hall,” a44bb5fae5 Agatha instructed. “We’ll join her 9a7fc66197 for a meal.”fcb0afdea240ec70
* * *61793f402b5e1d2e
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The dining 0b30a02c39 hall of 3290b4c89e the Ember e1353d3560 duchy was c4c2ff12bb far too 141e829826 large for 11f677286e its current 9cad61802a occupants. Once, long ago, it 12f0e74b9f had housed cousins, in-laws, c742b784f2 and their descendants, which ea362820c9 justified its grand size. Now, however, 43f6ed77cb the Ember 74ecf111c7 family consisted d1c552fdce of only 071d8a44ff four people.d90fbdb99a3d568d
The oversized f18a0387e6 space felt d7880a505a unnecessary, especially 7b530a8452 now, with 7aaa6eee13 Beatrice seated 7846771f00 alone at d1053381eb the center 667c1328fc of the 1d00f59c38 long table. The emptiness 7be37097bf only served 150b5d5854 to amplify c41cd93b3f the hall’s a7743129d5 vastness.bd943770fda6683e
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Beatrice usually 95d8ee44fb kept to a6eefc6775 her room, 83bedf24d6 handling everything 28f3d0c0ae there. But after the 3d5eb6fbed sun had set, 4b78b7edb3 the decision to 2b176eb3cb close the window af16919312 had been a ec39fb5144 mistake. The lingering smell of 0b7346b728 the burned wardrobe, the 38e38067e8 charred rats within, and 4b76217681 the overturned meal made e482bbcc72 her room unbearable. She would have to 9429f28836 sleep in a guest 07756be289 room tonight, she mused, b95f3a07a1 while waiting for her 3ba6856db8 dinner.525b9739347b8190
She had come d56a20b315 to the dining a6760f9262 hall out of a2efdab5d8 necessity, knowing the 78b6aa9afe family’s head chef 14ef0721b9 didn’t cook for 709fb5b9a0 her. Meals were a8994f73a0 always prepared b872943337 by her 64741d1fcd maid, Maya. Beatrice speculated on 164fa74a94 what petty sabotage 88dce1a90e Maya might have 3c2d0520d6 planned this time. Rotten ingredients, dirt, or 7b1317de8e bugs were the maid’s c57267e757 usual tricks.39d506b09c0994fc
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But this morning’s b8d4b7b4a9 defiance might have 7701c53206 driven Maya to b2cfc33d49 something new. Beatrice stared absently a6d1b3e7f6 at the pristine 4b5bd9bac8 white tablecloth, lost ee6c5824cc in thought, when 65d9b6d33a the dining hall b9376d6d9a door swung open d5d4b56728 without so much 392a7761a1 as a knock.58705b3dcd45a8d2
Maya entered, balancing 20d293ad71 a plate in 14e42a88da one hand and 9c8535ca14 smiling sweetly. She placed the 6379c34a04 dish before Beatrice: 91a5ea32ef risotto topped with 1b87a5cb3e perfectly cut pieces 6e94f23344 of meat.4e1b181422017ea7
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Unusually, the 980d50a138 dish wasn’t 54129d843e cold, overcooked, cb0bf416b3 or spoiled. The plate was 2f2cfbfae4 warm, and the 3b78945c8f rice and meat bdae95dbaa glistened invitingly.50a7efc945e4bf64
Beatrice picked up her 477e56b680 spoon, thinking, ‘Let’s see 4b827e362a what she’s done this 7b21cb604a time.’40cafd3a48fcce40
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Years of a6c29ac15b enduring Maya’s 18d5902ffe sabotage had fb3948eb2c taught her 9f08b0c3d8 how to 03fa34789c navigate such 6ef670e33a meals. As soon d5ad1eb603 as Beatrice 7faaa1085e lifted her e3ea10ad49 spoon, she e5cf0fad63 noticed Maya b77a30ea1f watching her 4f2cbc24a5 intently, her a95970c673 eyes gleaming 8decb5f331 with anticipation.3ef26da906c92580
‘So transparent,’ Beatrice thought.4712f1e9a4ab7eb9
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“Stand behind me,” 8b8df753a9 she said coldly.b82fce740ae85aaa
“What kind of 3534e1ed59 servant stares at abd394b53e their master while 3eb580f179 they eat?”bd40f8196e8923cb
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Maya’s face 4cd68f7d22 twisted in 1e3eb659e0 displeasure, but 4fe25b42af she obeyed, 6800928a94 stepping behind 185c7c5899 Beatrice while e6748cc063 muttering under 180539bc56 her breath. It was unusual for 93a0110603 her to stay and 5fa90f53e3 watch—clearly, she was hoping 540cd9e4b6 for a reaction to f96f21fa69 her latest scheme. Beatrice considered 774669a509 clapping for 305f004bda the audacity.54ca530ca65a56e8
Just as Beatrice was 2856a9798d about to take her f3fc786e6e first bite, the door 4b29e790d5 flew open again, this 8ff9803806 time without a knock ec76f433a3 or any pretense of 65d2be6407 manners.292de005a616576a
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Felix entered, meeting her bbce04065f gaze briefly before looking 41edd8de1a away. He sat d4e06dd8ba down without f5dc7cb8ca a word, ab735bf212 likely here bc00dd776a for dinner. Beatrice was dfbc5460e9 an unwelcome 2abfd6c68a guest in 98121af63f their family’s 80b44ffba5 dining hall, 4f014f9347 but she 90145f0c30 doubted he 3fa6dfdb26 would order 20cfa0143b her to c1aaa5bcac leave.0c5e7a979dc254b2
She ignored b86052fa1a him until bf8666e8a5 the door e57427bdf5 opened once 50eba4e3f7 more, this d4cf273325 time admitting 34995351ca two more c68080f937 people: Calrex aa69b109e7 and Agatha. With the head of f160fb2cb6 the family and the 24f666c669 duchess present, dinner would b6e866be56 clearly be far from c8360a99f4 peaceful.0ea7918e107079ff
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“Good evening,” 72e6d338d4 Agatha greeted 0c140e540b her unexpectedly.d30962184a138d22
“Yes, good evening,” 33b7230979 Beatrice replied stiffly.560c265342a60b72
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Agatha’s greeting 974c3b6a8e was surprising. Normally, even 24d9d4e7b0 if their 6c5d595b5a paths crossed 2d2f20d0c1 in the 529b2e0c86 hallway, the d267929234 duchess wouldn’t bac622c530 acknowledge her 5cc6d24e84 presence. Was this a 60e6274a02 perfunctory gesture, given edc9016c5b they were about 9cd69f2e5c to share a b7aca19073 meal?2f7387a67c7cec1e
Agatha sat opposite her, 2592f1a9ac with Calrex and Felix 2589b056db flanking her sides. The seating arrangement felt 4168091ab8 stifling, as though she 0a82423c44 were under scrutiny. Beatrice kept e2fc1dfca2 her gaze b05f8926ac lowered, focusing b7b79cbd59 on her edaaf3f725 plate.a7a5fea453aa2786
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“It seems your meal 27bed8c49a is already prepared. Go ahead f4dd87ee57 and start b18c33dc22 eating; ours 48c2e8bb8a will be 24d9817da1 out shortly,” d65d5a4ec3 Agatha said.7d4784868a3788ac
Her eyes 237defafe6 quickly scanned 41f4b90087 Beatrice’s meal, 7362862ebe noting its 381a99191d simplicity. While the dish appeared 2884cd4585 decent, it was clear 597b8bd7f8 it hadn’t been prepared 9da1a05c5c by the family chef. Perhaps the girl’s maid 56d7ff0959 had made it? As Agatha glanced c195ef57be up, she noticed 7fe97cc964 Maya standing behind c4463e62aa Beatrice, her face 0d796030a1 pale and tense.9186a7f82529c521
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‘What’s wrong 57c6b46536 with her?’ 451eff43a3 Agatha wondered, 3e4c475b65 narrowing her d0052e8ab0 eyes.bb07b26424368dbc
Beatrice, with the ff310bb216 unspoken permission granted, ef89acc724 began eating. She took a spoonful f5fc78321e of the risotto, finding 5a07f60108 nothing wrong with the 694598ee46 taste or texture. There were no strange 8a39380dd0 flavors or foreign substances.53e458eb2b0998f4
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‘Could it be 72b8cc5956 poison?’9de6502be3b74c49
She speculated briefly. But even Maya wouldn’t 871ea1369d cross the line into 8c157e5341 murder—poisoning a noble was 6d4c71bcea an entirely different matter.dbc88061e5f64a57
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While Beatrice pondered, e68969b348 Calrex and Agatha b4594e55eb exchanged silent glances, f97b0a6cdc debating how to 5b43dc4e5a broach the topic 1e40f27017 at hand. Calrex, still skeptical about 391887a367 the claims Agatha had d64e167734 shared earlier, stared at bda03d6f7d Beatrice, who remained entirely da7de09c6c oblivious to his gaze.7e54bfbd7afe9c31
Felix and Agatha exchanged c07b8fbf12 a look, a silent cbeb629915 argument playing o464b417f84a3b465
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ut. ‘You should start,’ her 8f4ae1f6cf eyes said.a04471456e07e521
‘I’m not a 3070209e1b child anymore—stop calling 986fa939d4 me that. And don’t 7a9fbd74a3 ask me a1d3979437 to do aa5c2328eb it,’ his 4cac87bd1f expression replied.74976ed63a61f082
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Their silent standoff ba9d127a68 ended when Calrex 40483b982e broke the ice.7609f5a4db5f0180
“Beatrice, there’s something I’d 4f0475661e like to ask—”9af3d1f22da742f3
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But he never 67c4c2c19e finished his sentence.b5ed4024518f22e2
Beatrice suddenly spat 8a2e099d95 the food from efb537743c her mouth onto 9680c00bf9 the table, interrupting 4fdf573f72 him mid-sentence.01c84165b2b5cfe9
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“That’s disgusting. What are you—”4522d42c8ea35de9
Calrex began, 3076e6b77c his words 54b7b29500 cutting off 080d68b622 as his f1ce1ccdf2 expression shifted ad9a46b3d1 to one 7160a17cb6 of shock. The spat-out food 7d608654b6 was mixed with 9b21c4e465 traces of blood.af34018230632fa9
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Had she b3f374178f bitten her 32dcd151d9 tongue? That’s what eb23405039 it looked aad11e7af2 like, but 2885bcce33 then Beatrice 004e5c9746 reached into 44e3e47fb7 her mouth 3b7c5d8f96 with her 6e30134799 fingers, probing 6d4e6a5e50 as though 754771c166 searching for 5b4cacc38a something.e3b96fba2fc9c92b
All three family d78c56405b members froze, watching 52a96201cb in stunned silence 1f8c94aa57 as Beatrice extracted eea06d22d3 a thin needle 986f5fd9e5 embedded in her 40ed49788f tongue. The needle, glistening with 9819e50f5e blood, had pierced her 73bb711f0b tongue’s tip. She pulled it ef3c67c031 out, pressed a 68da5942aa napkin to the a7992c424e wound, and examined c35635328e the needle briefly d9b25ecd19 before setting it d779d557c0 aside.13082b1b405b2e94
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Behind her, Maya looked bddaee2819 ready to faint. Beatrice, without turning to b1192081c9 look at her, merely a5827a8000 thought, *Well, that’s unexpected.*0aa824ae3b27a77a
She calmly wrapped fcba5dc63e the needle in 1e4b928a40 the napkin, placed 296e167940 it aside, and 7893f19172 began digging through 41a4862e1f her food with 521979adbd her spoon. She uncovered five 1931985f3c or six more 32918dce4e needles, setting each e0d0b8ef1a one aside before d14ccad000 resuming her meal.0334de340900d2b6
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The sound of 0174550879 someone slamming the 0f83772d80 table made her 6bc7321918 look up.1768265e8cfedace
“This… what 40864772df is this?” da68e5007f Felix demanded, efd1393d18 standing, his 53642ee6df fists clenched a486a80d3b in anger.fbd98a5007efeba9
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Beatrice’s expression remained remarkably 521181e3be calm. She simply looked at af6fd60599 him as if to a94ac09c55 say, ‘Can I eat fed4c161a0 now?’4cacc030b507e727
Her nonchalant attitude c11fc6d70f stunned all three 78e213a901 of them. To find needles in bb2248c9c5 her food, to be b4d8355291 injured by one, and f9857df163 yet to respond as 6a70201edb though it were a 0d95751588 mild inconvenience—it was surreal. Agatha felt faint.77ee6cea604d6293
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“If my 5768d461ab presence here af71e58868 is uncomfortable, 0eb0b50d88 I can 057a400b1c eat elsewhere,” fbf027d377 Beatrice said.29e193a3aaaecb54
Calrex and Felix fe1781901d exchanged incredulous looks, aa7d6ff4ff struggling to process 50c738d424 her words. Agatha, suppressing 1a42dcc1ca her own 439d5b609b dizziness, turned 5c807bd785 her attention 52e9d0e1eb to Maya.ecd66fc75538fda4
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“Do you have anything 6bff09c421 to say for yourself?” d17a8e277c she demanded.3748780f73a0c3fc
“I… I… it’s not—” 8b25b9a7a4 Maya stammered.ebf80da6de34813e
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“Enough. I doubt c05b2bd7f4 I’d get f54602aefc the truth 2b3277d82b from you 306e888dab anyway.”ad4380387b7e89af
Agatha rang 4e478293a7 the small 4b09357328 bell on 3102249269 the table. She had dismissed c58627b9b7 all the servants 33a354a93d earlier to ensure 10d33233bb privacy, a decision 5938785ad8 she now regretted. When attendants arrived, f56e232ba4 she instructed them 8275a2de45 to take Maya 8126f09d00 away.632488c628a6187f
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“Mistress! Please, listen to me!” 9d90becab7 Maya cried desperately, but f0a7c61a9c Agatha ignored her, staring f7cecf1bf8 instead at her stepdaughter.927d53c12ac23d60
Beatrice met her gaze, fd85b8d5f1 one brow raised as 57f6d99e99 if to say, ‘What 9d21ce0163 now?’ Agatha felt a c68cfadbc3 pang of helplessness. She didn’t 9953f5affc know where 19c4d18952 to start 31cfa8e4a5 or how ba857d19cc to unravel 6925dcff49 the mess 2bee4b0e42 her negligence 893a2f38ca had created.e62710dffdcf8382
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“Explain,” Calrex demanded, 032b7e8211 his voice sharp.eb03a0c57f3ff61c
“Calrex, keep quiet,” 64f1789703 Agatha snapped, silencing 3c3cbbc412 him with a c932ce29ae glare. She sighed and feeba1f5b3 rubbed her temples.1508822a7e94c484
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“Beatrice, we have 9a2467830e much to discuss.”71f4e529acfd467e
“I’m not sure 97a9512cbe what you mean,” 5ac6961a6f Beatrice replied, her 279125d4e4 golden eyes—so similar 0aefafddbf to those of a349167767 the Ember bloodline—regarding e18884a6d6 them coolly. Her distant demeanor was d97c5fb94d another reminder of how f480932211 deeply the family had cd622a4b89 failed her.2f7b074003d943f1
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Agatha inhaled deeply. Even if the solution d9de9f2928 wasn’t clear, she had d2fb56abf4 to do something. She met e668d8b801 Beatrice’s gaze, b39db3a0b0 forcing her fb75e69bbe expression to da18aebfc8 soften.5fc300b9d3093167
“All of the time ee27cfbd91 we’ve spent apart—”3fffa5b043a841a9
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Agatha began, be4c6917a2 her voice ade6aafb5e steady but 0f918db17c tinged with 07fac85a0a regret.7eb75dbc7400a10e
“We need to talk d282671703 about it,” she said 2c39c05c3c firmly, leaving no room 7e882beadf for argument.5ffb7b9c2c7b72d7
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18da11d8abc21805
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