Chapter 93 The Maid Who Knew Too Much
Kira’s POV
The knock came again…three sharp raps that made my heart slam against my ribs. Liana’s face went ghost-white, her fingers still pressed to her lips like she could suck the whole conversation back in.
I grabbed her wrist before she could bolt. “We’re not done,” I hissed, low enough that only she could hear.
Her eyes flicked to the door, then back to me. She leaned in so close I felt her breath on my ear. “Walls have ears, Princess. Our kind hear everything. Let’s meet tonight…midnight. I’ll take you to the old laundry yard. No one goes there. It will be safe to talk properly there.”
She turned to leave again. But I wasn’t letting her vanish that easily. Not after that bombshell about the curse, the scar, the “he’s going to kill you” line that was still ringing in my skull and the suspicion crushing me from the inside.
I tightened my grip on her arm. “I’m leaving this morning for a trip. Not sure when…or if… I’m coming back. So I’ll not be sticking around for the midnight conspiracy.”
The words dropped between us like a grenade.
Liana’s face did a whole journey in two seconds flat…eyebrows shooting up in confusion, mouth parting in shock, then her eyes narrowing into something dark and furious that sent a chill down my spine. But just as fast, she smoothed it over, a blank mask sliding into place like she’d practiced it a thousand times.
Her voice cracked when she whispered back, “We’ve been through hell together, Abby. Everything. And you’re just…escaping? Leaving me behind? After all that?”
The broken-little-maid act hit harder than I expected and guilt twisted in my gut like a knife.
I exhaled hard, rubbing my temple. “It’s not that simple, okay? I didn’t wake up this morning and decide ‘hey, let’s ditch everyone.’ Well… I did…but it’s complicated. I’ve got another deal to settle with some people, and honestly? There’s nothing for me here now except people who want me dead or chained to a throne. Everyone in this damn kingdom is out for my blood.”
Liana’s lower lip trembled…just a little, but enough to make her look pitiful. She glanced at the door again, then back at me, voice dropping even lower. “You really don’t know, do you?”
“Know what?” I snapped, patience fraying.
“The second you slept with the king, you bonded. To him. To this kingdom. It’s not some fairy-tale mate bond…it’s deeper. Older magic. You can’t just walk away. The only thing that breaks it is the cleansing ritual. And for that, you have to come back here after your trip.”
She paused, letting that sink in, then went for the kill shot.
“And if you run without me? He’ll blame me. I’m just a servant, princess. He’ll torture me ruthlessly and accuse me of aiding you to escape. Are you really willing to let me die? Princess… you promised that we will always be together. Are you really thinking of leaving me behind?”
Damn it.
My brain flashed back… Liana was the first face that comforted me when I woke up in this nightmare…confused, terrified and totally clueless.
She’d explained the palace rules, the etiquette, the “don’t look the king’s aunt directly in the eye unless you want to be dinner” stuff. Told me about the bullies and Abby’s pain. She’d been Abby’s personal maid for years. Loyal.
I exhaled again, louder this time, defeat tasting bitter in my mouth. “Fine. I’ll come back for you. After the ritual, we leave together. Both of us.”
Relief flooded her face so fast it looked genuine. She exhaled shakily, fingers tightening around mine for half a second longer than necessary.
“Thank you, Princess,” she said softly. “I promise… you won’t regret it.”
Her gaze lingered on my face, searching…measuring…before something unreadable slipped behind her eyes. “Everything will unfold exactly the way it’s meant to. I’ll make sure of it.”
That weird suspicious feeling came over me once more. Why do I keep feeling like there’s something wrong?
I had even forgotten that someone was knocking when the knock thundered again…impatient now…and Victoria’s voice floated through the door, all syrupy sweet. “Princess Arabella? The king sent me to help you prepare for your trip.”
Liana straightened up like someone yanked a string, maid mode back on. “I’ll get to work on the ritual preparations. By the time you return from your trip, it’ll be ready. You’ll be free. Then we can both leave this hell hole.”
I nodded, shoving every last suspicion and doubt into a box in my mind and slamming the lid. For now. Liana is a friend…not a foe.
Liana walked to the door, opened it just wide enough for her to slip out and Victoria to slip in. As they passed, Victoria’s eyes tracked Liana’s retreating figure with an expression I couldn’t read…confused? Suspicious? Curious?
The door clicked shut again.
Victoria stood there, hands folded, waiting for permission like a good little reformed bully.
I raised an eyebrow. “Are you planning to stand there mopping the floor with your eyes, or come in and do your job?”
She jolted, scurrying forward, muttering, “Sorry, Princess,” under her breath.
I almost felt bad. Almost. This girl had bullied Abby for years and then literally tried to murder me by dumping me in the Dark Zone. A little groveling was the least she could do.
She cleared her throat, forcing a friendly smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “The king sent me to help you get ready and pack for the trip.”
I snorted. “Isn’t that literally your job now? Or do you need His Majesty to send you a memo every time you’re supposed to breathe?”
She stifled…probably a laugh, the brat…and ducked her head. “Sorry. Again.” Then, softer…in a concerned tone, “Are you alright, Princess?”
I narrowed my eyes. Did she hear us talking? “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Victoria glanced at the closed door, and shook her head quickly. “Never mind. It’s nothing.” She busied herself with the wardrobe. “I… didn’t know about the trip until this morning. Forgive my manners.”
“Yeah, well, get to work.” I flopped back on the bed, stretching out like I owned the place…because right now, I kind of did. “I want a classy outfit for a burial. Something that screams ‘you tried to kill me and failed spectacularly.’ Make it loud and mocking.”
She nodded eagerly and scurried to the wardrobe. A minute later she came back holding… a red polo shirt. With white block letters across the chest that literally read: ‘YOU TRIED TO KILL ME BUT FAILED.’
I stared at it. Then at her. Then back at the shirt.
“Are you kidding me?” I said, voice flat. “How in the hell did you bully Abby… I mean me…for years while being this dumb? I want a stunning classy gown, Victoria. Not a cheap tourist souvenir. Where the hell did you even find that?”
Her face went scarlet. “I—I thought you were serious about…”
“Just get me what I asked for, Victoria,” I snapped at her.
She apologized again…third time’s the charm…and stepped aside to make a call, voice low and frantic.
I pushed off the bed and headed for the bathroom to shower off the lingering scent of last night. At the doorway I paused, glancing back with a sweet smile. “Hope you’ve packed, too.”
Victoria blinked. “Why?”
“Why? Who else is going to carry my purse in LA? Or hold a fan over me if it gets hot? Someone’s got to do the heavy lifting, Victoria. And it has to be you.”
Her mouth dropped open. Then her eyes lit up like I’d handed her a winning lottery ticket instead of a punishment. “I’m going to LA too?!”
She actually squealed. Loud enough that I winced.
Poor Victoria, I thought with a mischievous grin, shaking my head as I closed the bathroom door. She has no idea how messy things are about to get for her.
This trip was going to be interesting.
For all the right reasons.