The fountain bubbled between us, the only sound in the sudden, heavy silence. Ishu tilted her head, watching me with a look that was almost appreciative.
"Why?" I asked, my voice as cold as the stone statues surrounding us. "Why go through all this effort? The ballroom, the kidnapping, the 'innocent' act? What could you possibly want from me?"
Ishu stepped closer, the sunlight catching a glint of something jagged in her eyes. "You have everything, Iris. You are the daughter of the Lion. You have the 'God Child' blood. You have a Duke who watches you like a wolf and a Prince who wants you like a trophy. You possess the world without even trying."
"If you want it, have it," I said, my voice dripping with disinterested contempt. "I want none of it."
She let out a short, dry laugh. "Liar! You think I'll believe that? There is no girl in the world who doesn't want what you have. Stop acting so humble. I wanted your shadow, Iris. Because to destroy a Regulus, one must first become a part of their life."
"And your father?" I narrowed my eyes. "You let him go to the dungeon for this?"
"A small price to pay for the next stage of the plan," she whispered. She reached out as if to touch my hair, but I caught her wrist in a grip that made her wince. She didn't look afraid; she looked triumphant. "This house is too small for me now, Iris. But don't worry. I'm leaving."
"The Palace has heard of my 'tragic' situation," she smirked. "A poor Baroness, orphaned by a traitorous father, showing such 'saintly mercy' during a kidnapping... The Queen herself has invited me to be a lady-in-waiting. I'm moving to the capital tonight."
She leaned in, her breath hot against my ear. "I'll see you at the hunting tournament, Iris. Let's see who the world calls a Saint when I'm standing next to the Crown." She pulled away, smoothed her black skirts, and walked toward the gate where a carriage with the Royal Seal was waiting. She didn't look back.
One Month Later
The morning mist clung to the training grounds of the Regulus estate. My neck was fully healed, leaving nothing but a faint, silver line that I covered with high-collared silks. In the past month, the house had grown quiet.
Ishu was a rising star in the Palace, reportedly "serving" the Crown Prince. Wayne had become a ghost, spending every waking hour training the knights, determined to make them—and himself—stronger.
I sat near the window, watching Wayne's blade flash in the sunlight. What Ishu had confessed stayed between me and Mia; I couldn't involve my father or Wayne without proof, and as a lady who flouted society's rules, my word against a "Saint" was a dangerous gamble.
"My Lady," Mia called out, walking across the room. Her arm was out of the sling, though she still moved with a slight stiffness. "An invitation from the Palace. The hunting tournament begins in three days."
I took the envelope, feeling the thick parchment. "The Queen's hunting tournament," I murmured. "Where the 'Saint' is waiting."
"Will you go, My Lady?" Mia asked, her eyes full of flinty determination.
"Of course. It's time to show the Capital that the Witch of Regulus doesn't stay in her cage for long."
Mia spoke again, holding a second, smaller note. "My Lady, this is from the House of Crisis."
House Crisis? That Mad Dog? I took it and snapped it open. There were just two lines, written in a bold, aggressive hand:
I will be looking forward to meeting you at the hunting tournament. My Witch.
"Argh!" I ripped the letter in half and tossed it into the trash. "He dares to challenge me?"
I looked back out the window at the horizon. "Mia, inform Father I am attending. You will be coming with me."
"Yes, My Lady," she replied softly.
But... how could I have known? That would be the last time I would ever see Mia like that.