Cassia sat on the edge of the bed, lost in thought, her fingers tracing the edge of the paper she'd hidden under her pillow. The bright light of the morning sun touched the floor, but she had already been awake for hours, unable to fully calm herself.
She folded the small square of parchment one last time and tucked it firmly into her dress. "Today… I'll give him something to steal," she whispered to the empty room. She stood up and smoothed her dark gown, her movements sharp and deliberate. "No backing out now."
The first bell of the palace rang out across the city, and a moment later, Jess knocked three times before pushing through the door with a tray of tea. She stopped suddenly, rattling the glass dishes, as she noticed Cassia was already dressed and waiting for her.
