Zarah and Iris were chatting with Alana and another Flower Maiden from the previous year, Nora, as they sat in the Imperial garden drinking tea.
The afternoon sun had already begun its slow descent toward the western horizon. The lazy autumn sunlight and gentle breeze that rustled the leaves made the garden feel peaceful.
"It's almost evening," Nora said, glancing at the slanting shadows. "Most probably four."
Alana raised an eyebrow.
"And how are you so sure without looking at a clock?" she asked.
Nora gave her a dry look.
"I said most probably. It's a guess, not a definite answer."
Alana sipped her tea before replying with a teasing smile.
"Then what if it's five and not four?"
Nora sighed.
"Must you, Alana?"
"I absolutely must, Nora," Alana replied.
Zarah and Iris watched the two as they sipped their own tea.
"It's no secret you two are the best of friends," Iris commented with a smile.
"Really? That easy to tell?" Alana replied with a small grin.
Nora rolled her eyes in exasperation.
"Well forget about us, and tell us why your best friend has gone to Silent Island and isn't uttering a word?" she teased.
Zarah looked up at that.
"I am right here, listening and talking," she said dryly.
"Then why can't we hear your words?" Alana teased.
"Are you communicating with us through your mind?"
Zarah pouted at that.
Iris chuckled beside her.
"Really, Zar, how come you didn't tell me you could communicate through thoughts alone?" she teased.
"Even you, Iree?" Zarah asked, her voice carrying every trace of betrayal.
At that, the entire table burst into laughter.
Zarah fought hard to keep her lips from twitching and breaking into a wide grin.
"May I join you?"
A voice called from behind them.
Zarah turned to see Melody standing there with a smile plastered across her lips.
Something about that smile seemed… off.
Zarah knew that after she had ruined Melody's plan yesterday, Melody was bound to retaliate somehow. The question was how.
Alana smiled warmly.
"Yes, of course. Come sit, Melody."
Melody returned the smile and took a seat between Alana and Nora.
Nora turned to her.
"How have you been?"
"I was fine until… a pest intruded on something I was doing," Melody replied, casting a subtle glance at Zarah.
"But what about you, Senior?"
Zarah felt the urge to scoff. The remark was clearly aimed at her.
But she would rather not respond to such subtle provocations. Melody would surely use that reaction against her.
So Zarah simply sipped her tea.
"Pests? In the palace? My, my, you must tell that to Linda," Alana said with concern.
"Yes, it's quite unheard of for such a thing to happen," Nora added, a slight crease forming between her brows.
Before Melody could reply, Iris gently set down her teacup.
"Perhaps the bug that wandered in was more useful to this place."
A small tick formed in Melody's jaw, though she maintained her smile.
"Are you not assuming too much, Iris?" she asked.
Zarah placed her own cup down now.
"It's not an assumption," she said calmly.
"She's merely wondering why the palace would allow a pest to survive if it wasn't useful."
Melody gripped her teacup tightly.
"Well, two against one is hardly an equal-footed conversation," she said, her smile beginning to strain.
"Unfair? I thought your wits outmatched both of ours combined," Iris replied with dry humor as she slowly stood up.
Zarah rose as well. She offered Melody a polite smile before turning to Alana and Nora.
"We will be taking our leave now, Seniors. Thank you for inviting us to tea."
Alana sighed but smiled at them.
"See you girls later."
Really, nothing had changed in a year.
Alana had once hoped that whatever arguments Zarah and Iris had with Melody would eventually resolve. Or at the very least, that Celine might try to behave decently with someone.
But it seemed nothing had changed.
Nora's thoughts mirrored Alana's.
Just as she finished bidding farewell to the two younger girls, a servant—Simon—came rushing toward them.
He stopped a few inches away and lowered his head respectfully.
"Greetings, Flower Maidens."
Alana, being the eldest among them, answered first.
"Is something the matter, Simon?"
"Nothing is wrong, Lady Alana, rest assured," Simon replied, straightening his back. "I simply came to convey a message from Her Majesty."
Zarah stared at Simon curiously.
A message from Ines?
That was rare.
In the webcomic, she only sent messages to the Flower Maidens if she wanted them to serve some distant member of the Imperial family or a visiting royal delegation.
The others were curious as well and waited for Simon to continue.
Simon turned toward Zarah and gave a polite smile.
"Her Majesty has requested Lady Zarah's presence in her bedchamber tonight."
"What?" Zarah blurted out in shock, her eyes widening.
Had her hearing malfunctioned? What was this man even saying?
Iris looked shocked at first, but slowly her expression shifted as she turned toward Zarah, a grin spreading across her face.
Alana simply stared as if Simon had suddenly grown two heads.
Nora took a sip of the now lukewarm tea, as if checking whether she was actually awake.
Melody's hands tightened around her teacup so hard that the warmth nearly burned her palms.
The Empress was summoning Zarah again?
This was not good.
But Melody took a slow breath, stood up from her seat, and left without a word.
Zarah took several deep breaths before she finally answered.
"I understand."
Simon nodded quickly before taking his leave.
The moment he disappeared, Iris wrapped an arm around Zarah's shoulders and flashed her a huge grin.
"Don't start," Zarah warned, narrowing her eyes at her.
Alana and Nora had already walked closer.
Nora gently placed a hand on Zarah's shoulder.
"You should start getting ready. It's getting darker by the minute."
"Yes," Alana added hesitantly. "You must arrive before Her Majesty enters the chamber."
Zarah knew exactly what they were trying to say.
Her hands clenched and unclenched before finally gripping the skirt of her dress.
The burn scars on her feet from when she was twelve… and the whip marks on her back.
She needed to cover them before going to serve the Empress.
Iris squeezed her shoulder gently and began pulling her along.
After quickly bidding the older women goodbye once more, the two of them headed toward Zarah's chamber.