Selen clenched her teeth when her mother slapped her violently. The knights threw her onto the bed while two maids already there held her down on each side. She let them do as they pleased since it was the fastest way to get it over with.
"I thought you were intelligent, but it seems I was mistaken," her mother said, clearly furious. "Do you even realize the trouble you have put us all in?"
She signaled to a man who had been standing quietly in the room. Selen understood he was a doctor the moment he began examining her thoroughly. Her mother clearly thought she was pregnant. The anxiety was obvious on her face as the doctor examined her, and it was so amusing that Selen almost regretted not being pregnant just to see her expression shatter when he would announce the news.
After a good ten minutes of thorough examination, the doctor straightened up and shook his head. Selen thought she heard her mother sigh in relief. The maids released her, but she remained lying on the bed as if exhausted.
"I see you had at least a bit of sense in your madness," her mother said. "Nevertheless, that does not excuse what you have done. From today onward, a maid will be assigned to you at all times to prevent you from making any further reckless decisions."
Her mother left, leaving only one maid in the room.
"I am Margot, Princess. From today onward, I will be your personal maid," the servant said with a curtsey.
A maid, Selen thought, laughing inwardly. More like a guard. She closed her eyes and decided to fall asleep just like that, without even changing. That cursed evening was finally over—her last thought before sleep took her.
⸻
Two days later, she was seated in a chair in her room, a cup of tea in hand and a book laid before her. She had not truly been confined, but she had chosen to remain in her room to keep a low profile.
"Milady, that knight is asking to see you again," Margot said, placing small biscuits on the table.
Selen barely glanced at her before picking up a shortbread. For two days now, she had refused to let Liam serve her as her knight, and each day he returned morning, noon, and night asking to speak with her. She knew well that blows would never discipline someone like Liam—on the contrary. People like him, who needed someone to protect, suffered more when they were ignored.
"I do not wish to see him," Selen replied, opening her book.
The maid nodded and left to deliver the message. Selen glanced outside through the window. Morning had just begun, and the newspaper should have been delivered by now, so why was it not on her table as usual?
"Where is this morning's newspaper?" she asked Margot.
The latter avoided her gaze.
"There is none today, milady."
Selen removed one of her rings and placed it in front of Margot. She had already noticed the way the maid looked at her jewelry with desire. Her mother's servants were not easily bribed, but she was not asking for much either.
"I want to read today's newspaper. If you manage to get it for me, this ring could suddenly become yours," Selen said.
Margot looked at the ring with clear desire before regaining her composure.
"His Grace the Duke personally threw away all the newspapers delivered this morning. There was quite a commotion at breakfast because of it, milady."
Selen smiled. It seemed the article she wanted had finally been published.
"Listen, I only want to read it. As you know, I am somewhat cut off from the world here, and the newspaper is the only thing that keeps me informed. Just go pick one up and bring it to me, and you will have this ring. What do you say?"
Margot hesitated.
"You read it, and then I throw it away. That's all I can do," she replied.
"Agreed."
Margot left for a few minutes before returning. She pulled a crumpled paper from her apron and placed it on the table. Selen grabbed it and slid the ring toward her, which she quickly tucked into her apron.
That morning's newspaper was different from the usual one—it had been published by another press. In the empire, only newspapers supported by the crown and the temple prospered. Independent newspapers were nearly nonexistent due to sabotage and pressure. Yet a new independent paper had just appeared and had begun distributing copies in the streets for free.
"Is the temple trying to suppress a corruption scandal?" read the bold headline. "It has already been several days since Duke Clover filed a complaint for corruption and heresy against the temple, and yet no newspaper has reported on it. Through our investigation, we discovered that the trial will take place in a week and will be open to both nobles and commoners, at the Duke's request. Is the temple's silence due to fear, or an attempt to obscure the truth…"
Selen read the entire article, imagining the High Priest's face with each line. Noah had clearly done a good job with the people he had recruited. Nevertheless, the true target of this newspaper was the common people, not the nobles. That was why, in addition to creating the paper, they had hired people to read it aloud in taverns and public places. Most commoners could not read—this was the only way to reach them. After all, they would be the long-awaited spectators of the coming trial.
"Here," Selen said, handing the newspaper back to Margot.
The latter hurried out to dispose of it.
⸻
Selen spent the morning reading books on magical spells. In her previous life, she had studied them after becoming a saint to learn as many spells as possible. The study of magic was part of every noble's education, even though most of them did not possess any magic. After all, for them, the saint could appear at any moment and rain red stones upon them.
"Milady, someone is asking to see you," Margot informed her.
"If it's Liam, you already know what to do."
"No, it is not him, but Princess Arie who has come to see you."
Selen pretended to think for a few seconds.
"Did she say what she wants?" she asked.
"No, she only asked to speak with you, Princess."
Selen sighed and closed her book, placing it on the table.
"Fine. Let her in," she said in a falsely annoyed tone.
"Very well, Princess."
A few seconds later, Arie entered the room. She sat across from her, and Margot served her tea.
"You may leave," Selen told Margot.
"I cannot, Princess. I have been instructed to stay with you at all times."
"True, but you have not had breakfast, have you? Go ahead. It's not as if I can do anything while Arie is here."
"I will remain until your return," Arie said to Margot with a smile.
Margot hesitated for a few seconds before nodding.
"Thank you, Princess," she said to Arie before leaving the room.
Selen waited a full five minutes before getting up to check if she had truly left. She then cast a soundproofing spell in the room before sitting back down.
"Sorry for coming without warning," Arie said.
"It's fine. After all, we live in the same house."
"And I also have something to talk to you about," Selen added.
"Really? I'm glad I didn't disturb you for nothing then," Arie said.
"You're not using your cane today?" Selen asked, having noticed.
"Yes, I'm wearing a prosthetic. It's not very suitable for events like balls where I have to stand for too long."
"Does it hurt?" Selen asked.
"It's more uncomfortable than painful."
"I meant your leg," Selen clarified.
"Not really… but thank you for asking. You're the first to do so," Arie replied, blushing.
Selen wondered what could make her so happy.
"If you don't mind, I'd like to ask you a few questions about your mother," Selen said.
Arie's expression changed immediately, and she seemed to close herself off.
"I don't know if I can give you all the answers you want, but I will try."
Selen thought for a full minute before deciding to ask.
"I recently met someone with the same power as your mother—and you. He had washed-out eyes, so I was wondering if your mother had them as well."
From what Noah had told her, the eyes were a sign of the royal lineage of Libéria, not of the power to see through time. Nevertheless, only that royal bloodline could possess such power.
"My mother did have strange eyes. She said they were cursed and that it was because of them the Duke was ashamed of her. During one of her fits of madness, she tore them out in front of me."
Selen felt the pain in her voice and saw her trembling hands as she drank her tea. Her own mother might be heartless, but Arie's was on another level.
"When I say it like that, it sounds like she didn't love me… but she did take care of me sometimes. There were periods when she was sad and others when she believed she could do anything in this world. Combined with her visions, she sometimes confused her memories with what she saw," Arie explained.
Selen found it incredible how she tried to excuse her mother's terrible behavior. Could someone who went mad over love for a man, neglected her child, exposed her to horrors, and even attempted to die with her truly be excused?
"You should start resenting people more," Selen said.
"I could… but my mother had her own demons. She truly loved the Duke, and being kept hidden and locked away made her suffer for years."
"And father? Do you hate him?"
Selen saw Arie blink several times, as if she was truly thinking about the question for the first time in her life.
"I don't know. Sometimes I hate him, and sometimes I am grateful to him."
"Grateful?" Selen asked, surprised.
Arie lowered her gaze to her leg.
"I know he acknowledged me only because of my gift, but he could have left me at the bottom of that mountain for the wolves to finish the job. He hurt my mother, but without him, I would have died that day."
Selen wanted to say that the fact her mother had tried to kill them both was also the father's fault, but she chose to remain silent. She was about to change the subject when the door suddenly burst open.
"Milady, you must come to the training grounds," Margot said, out of breath.
Selen stood up immediately.
"What is happening?" she asked.
"It's young master Damian. He wants to challenge Sir Liam to a duel."