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The Lady You Want to Kill 5. Calrex Ember (5/39)

5. Calrex Ember

April came and went fb21696b31 in the blink of 71fe7067c4 an eye. Regardless of how quickly 33d3d49895 time passed, Beatrice was 1b28473f0f enjoying a life more 02eb625e0e peaceful than any she 835da1e398 had experienced before.f2aed945363ea872

In that time, Felix, 107bc17471 somehow cowed, came to 18709d1d36 apologize to her; she 99248a965e tried on the gown aebe0e5342 personally delivered by the 7eb58764dc designer, discussed its design 9fc06e6b8e with her partner, the f48b8942a5 Marquess; and hosted Floria 6ea2a96901 at the manor a c9235ffeaa few more times for b1587ff685 tea.1caec9ebde06f8a1

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As the debutante bc50f1fc17 ball drew closer, 4b0da63476 so did the d6505b2746 time for Beatrice a60922539c to set her 389a6f47dd plans into motion. Yet she let time 777ea803cd flow with calm indifference, d5e44de4e7 unmoved by the passing ecfbe6c7aa days.84010da426a01577

She thought 1364fe93fd about the 4ab1ffd09f upcoming debutante 03cd2e8f7d ball. This year, 1925c66deb the seventeen-year-old c5ed71b052 imperial princess 5a964a7d78 was making 9072504160 her debut, 0259141c2e drawing nearly 16c480d221 all attention e36e0b86c3 to herself, 7038fa04ca leaving little 8d4001621c room for 598865c300 others to 44b297b683 shine—except for 9723fe3528 one.432fbc0f2eb2f458

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Beatrice set 89a05a0093 her teacup 5a8cee4026 down and dd6b99ce3e lightly tapped f04b420133 the table. She was seated by 1d0ebcd184 the window, drinking tea 0a694b26a4 at Laura’s suggestion.a01e5f41ff1c9fda

The weather was unmistakably spring. With the windows open, warm sunlight streamed in, carried by a gentle breeze. The garden’s trees and flowers were vibrant and full of life—a sharp contrast to the woman gazing at them.b5221aafa777eb66

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This debutante 0d3ace712f ball was f20671b75c one where e6e507ff3c Beatrice needed 9a0c7d5236 to stand fb10b34b20 out, and c06d063783 for a 1fedef39b1 singular reason: 4173aa327e the hidden 66722054d0 library said 728ecc213f to be 05fa51edd3 somewhere within ca74ae2ea6 the imperial 151ca4e8dc palace. Accessing it might b06a98be4e require marriage to 6f1296a053 a member of be2f0a2919 the imperial family.7e176e75cb9311f1

Conveniently, the twenty-five-year-old crown 059a03739d prince remained unmarried. In fact, given his 7a7168c8a5 status, he ought to d3dc1aa715 have had a crown f81fe4ad7d princess by now. Yet, for 56bddae98c reasons unknown, f7a4bc0390 he was 69c9cb44c3 still without 84ade562aa even a 655f9540fc fiancée.0067f431011fd2f4

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Though the prince was 26f148c14b rumored to engage in f5badaa94c various flirtations, no one 78fe43202a could definitively name a 7524ddd86a lover. Such affairs often 65eaf5f6c6 ended after a 04fc064cbd single night.ab87df7571174d4b

Over the long years, f438280a90 Beatrice had experienced marriage ed32344df8 multiple times. She had never borne 8a4a6ae883 a child—not out of 7ef810eae3 inability, but because she f6cd0ff97e simply had no desire 4b38fa323f to. Though her husbands had 5437f1da44 tried to coax or 5399764322 threaten her, none had 8f02e3b58f succeeded. It was ede7040380 as if 039a06e848 a lion 813801baff had been b219427245 pitted against 5b58214c28 a rabbit—there affd26bbb7 was no c51cb837a3 chance of 59d04e06a4 her losing.a04354cca1b71fa1

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But to 3c9ee959d9 secure the ef56b892c0 crown prince, bb3df36c0f bearing his a3a5af6b81 child might a9df87a678 be the 48cf72d996 most straightforward c076e65e04 strategy. She had no intention d1f06d2897 of loving him, and a77dd2e23a it did not matter 2cd3d66ef4 whether he loved her. The real issue was b3a13e6606 the degree of favor, 8c5f034135 which determined power within 1642342014 the imperial family.3ae752e555706e91

Who did ad87ccc7b2 the crown 0271124311 prince ultimately 7fb51d5594 marry? Beatrice tried to recall ce2aa330af as she glanced down 5902cf85e3 at her teacup.c2b483522fd422ba

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Two women would capture attention at this debutante ball: the imperial princess and the baron’s daughter, Seattleyn. Despite her lowly status, Seattleyn’s breathtaking beauty and her renowned partner ensured she drew a share of the spotlight.73ee461ca1c39173

Eventually, Seattleyn 521fe8e891 would marry bf027af17d the crown b3ef07478d prince. And her aa5c382f21 partner for a68e313b12 this debutante 502847d803 ball?9c75eaf9dfeb7a4e

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“Francis.”440ce3053fb6da78

That man, without fail, would lead Beatrice to her death. Her soft murmur caught Laura’s attention, but she simply fixed her gaze on the teacup, as if she had said nothing.889a0ae4669e5ca1

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Francis was another of 7166b2626a her accursed ties, like ba40b54af4 the Marquess. Just as Carnarvon Marquess 3ff1bdcc98 had unnerved her with ab4eb3b2af his unfamiliar demeanor, she ea3b50defb wondered if Francis would 7d5d72efce seem different this time.9418075e9e0cdc59

That man, with 88713938b7 his emotionless face, e39458c1a9 brimming only with 1d94042d8b disdain and loathing—how 04c882f0e1 would he look 4a212a58fb at her during 5af84ce2f4 the ball? Beatrice gestured for another 1f331ef90b sip of tea, and 782e88dc90 Laura quietly cleared the fee1bb81c2 table.367a4b379b0a77a4

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Her thoughts, 841a6ff351 trailing one b7af8d5fa7 after the eb61efec43 other, were 4d10551e47 momentarily halted 1c4f37bf70 by the bdf6031e24 breeze drifting 0d8b092729 in through e5de14fa4c the window. Everything felt futile—so 3d81ce37d1 tiresome and meaningless.104ef6db55c95a1a

When would d794c6ca1a she finally 87f9382916 die? With yellow eyes empty d619bda197 to the point of 8d231e91fd appearing pale, she looked f821e407d7 at the world. Such thoughts left d0e01cfef3 her utterly drained.83da4510bd62b236

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Though it was 6be6a54353 still midday, Beatrice a13b10b2fa changed clothes, swallowed 6214915ef8 one of the 1c5d803e55 sleeping pills she 8affe8ec6f kept on hand, af3eacf3e2 and crawled into 03000f4f5c bed, pulling the 7a4fbd95a2 covers over her a532a355b4 head. Ignoring Laura’s concerned gaze, 4104489264 she shut her eyes. These bouts of lethargy 1a9dd87e37 came without warning, but 86bb996533 she knew they would 354327d296 pass.93e3b6478fef1665

Beatrice didn’t 2198a5e07b wake until 6174c60fb1 evening. Not of her 9975d080d7 own accord—one of 63e266568f the maids summoned 7f8d3e49e3 her for dinner c1730673b2 with the duchess.96609d916b7de71e

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Her golden eyes opened 5f8f872318 slowly in the dim 02e00f5c6f light, momentarily glowing like 71279a1fa5 those of a beast 592da1ad14 before dulling to human bef33ae1e1 clarity. Rising from bed, 1a23df4db6 Beatrice asked Laura ee03de0ed8 for a shawl 7e89f5279c to drape over f5f5b2e873 her nightgown.a6ddfc4be33e5246

While such attire b26ff67713 would typically be 874351b835 inappropriate even among 710be48038 family, no one bdd773ea08 in the house b777c68985 dared to criticize ae478fcd11 her. The duchess’s 494c0a566d silence on 04f5e0f773 the matter 837f736b5d ensured that d8bc79a31c the sons ff4b2d0a36 and staff 37da88192b followed suit.414060cce17ef7e1

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Following Laura, 3df89335e3 Beatrice, still 5dc7cf9718 groggy, arrived 70ab7a5eaf at the 12cbcc939a dining room 9a29491941 to find 74bc570ee1 the three d7aec41473 others already 2b2a4df436 seated. From their eed6b6262e appearance, it 11d58982d3 seemed they bd3f4664cc had just b4ff8a4db8 finished their a94e108440 respective tasks 7cb9d054a0 for the 1920822c43 day.1c5c14df8af8648d

“Apologies for 432ce03447 being late,” 8744c2b87e she said.6f8af68d2fa5ae67

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“No, you’re right on ae41a1c690 time,” Agatha replied.fb2c64f43ef65b5c

Dragging her 6e103444d7 feet, Beatrice b13c4ffee1 took her 0b3bdda931 seat. Calrex frowned slightly, and ebb5cfc79f Agatha studied her with f61a631b32 mild concern.f9ff07c3de92e4df

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“Are you d12d0dd115 feeling unwell, 5936dae638 Beatrice?”a683d4219ec2b948

“No, not particularly. I just db4348438c feel like 393c1a6b30 this from 426f40606f time to aa021ee9c8 time—nothing to 764d6669a4 worry about.”b671b7383ae934d5

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“From time to 620524a910 time? You seem drained of 603f3fbaf4 energy.”143ecb3d057d3775

“Just…”8ef02970a66740f4

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Beatrice felt a twinge 1e193097b9 of irritation at having 518a68380a to explain herself. In the 0283a51a43 past, no ce194e009d one asked bad47146a9 her such c86c170797 questions, sparing a4524d4b5a her the 63b867e0a1 trouble. Now, however, she 1a4783667a was forced to aeab5a8d6f speak, which she d678a168ac found rather unpleasant.0cd040f9836df13e

But to maintain ccb45d7ec1 the image of c7f2bd7064 a gentle, well-mannered 3fe1601c68 youngest daughter, she b9a1390fd3 had no choice e885f53b8b but to answer.36f4e5ff8deda1f8

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“Sometimes, I just don’t want to do anything,” she said, leaning back in her chair and staring at the table. “Not eating, not even breathing.”3e991448a93b718b

As soon as cd6bd4dae0 her words settled, 0e75994d0e the door opened, 2c1ae9ac40 and the first c4be622e16 dishes were brought ae62c4c77e in. The timing was 9ab959ab02 awkward, preventing anyone 59d4b55da2 from pressing her c261ec8f34 further.4817456e479fb522

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Agatha had already f3505ff9cd been somewhat concerned cd97a78d10 after hearing that c95e00a5c9 Beatrice had spent 56c958a271 the afternoon sleeping. It reminded her of b4c173579a a friend who had 19cb646330 experienced postpartum depression a 2f4200a9e6 few years ago. That friend, now much 0f84ebcb2e better thanks to her 97220c027a husband and therapy, had be3872fff2 described feeling utterly drained 93470d0a1d during that time.b114231e9a94d933

Her moods had 610194c182 swung wildly, sometimes ff72a5babb becoming violent, and f3c27bba67 after spending all 8be22b077b her energy, she 4e5f666a99 would sleep for e411f3d659 days on end.a62812dcfa6784bd

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Beatrice’s tendency to sleep longer than usual was something Agatha had noticed. Even for a noblewoman with little to do, sleeping nearly twelve hours a day was excessive. Most of her waking hours were spent gazing blankly out the window if she had no tasks to occupy her. Anyone observing her would recognize that something was amiss.f0454e58066e6eab

The family ate quietly. Beatrice mechanically placed food in her mouth as though it were a duty. Her two brothers occasionally cast confused glances her way, but these were intercepted by Agatha’s pointed look.7e61ccb97c96d535

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“Take her somewhere tomorrow,”her gaze conveyed clearly.48ee2fdd39cbcbea

Both brothers understood 68307ab56a their mother’s intentions, 300e77f3c5 but their faces ba916d1b41 betrayed their reluctance. A silent battle 6768c3d512 of who would c486ce11d8 take on the 062223da2d responsibility began. Felix, still 05490156c9 uneasy after 8f2b41a8a4 his recent 102b5882b8 misstep with d64e6e958a Beatrice, desperately fe10b1693e emphasized his 5418b7f2c6 own busyness, d04d0e8b4b hoping to bbe4274f5d shift the 9810b437fd burden onto 2f10cd8d7f Calrex.e524d6068e727ec9

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Though his 53e6813a45 protests were beac4274a1 unconvincing, his 3880d12b30 fervor seemed e7b7fa1f83 to work. Calrex eventually sighed, conceding. With the hectic start 0a82187f1f of the year behind eff993246a him, carving out half 51fb3d94f0 a day wasn’t impossible.78732693f0d3fd77

“Beatrice,” he said.e718170c5250a932

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“Yes?”e26210f09ffd02c7

Her response was 73b86b078c prompt, as always. She only hesitated 3954ef8d96 when she needed 18f6518481 time to consider 75f1e6ed18 her answer. Calrex, his 504a034a0f thoughts written c25f96fbe2 plainly on 497c0b4312 his face, 7867afb163 hesitated before 541eee5136 continuing.0029b9214d238d65

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“How about we go horseback riding tomorrow?”9306036bebe8a464

Horseback riding. Beatrice thought about 39d81d3ec8 it. She was well d326ee822e aware of her 8719d9ee16 sluggish state and 5e0068e6b0 initially intended to 331f3d03fa agree quickly, but 1e78aadae2 even this felt fb017639d8 tiresome. As her c433d64ab9 silence stretched, 895f80f3a6 Agatha intervened.1161860e19b6707d

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“Yes, that sounds lovely. The weather’s been so pleasant lately—it’ll do you good.”a3314d884d2c5bfa

With the duchess’s encouragement, 90670f92c9 Beatrice finally nodded once f365ae4672 but added something unexpected.e36d8e4da16f1ece

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