Kamrynn's POV
The decision to plant a camera in Eloane's room wasn't one I made lightly. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and right now, my desperation outweighed my fear. There was something brewing in the palace, something dark, and I knew Eloane was at the heart of it.
I didn't have the means to pull this off alone, though, and Tiona was the only person I could trust-or at least manipulate into helping.
"Tiona," I said one morning, carefully choosing my tone. "I'm embarrassed to ask, but… could you loan me some money?"
Tiona paused mid-bite of her toast, her eyebrows lifting. "Loan? Why? What do you need?"
I hesitated, playing up my discomfort. "It's just… pregnancy essentials. A few personal things I can't ask the palace for. You know how it is."
Her expression softened. "Of course. How much do you need?"
"Not too much," I said quickly, naming an amount I knew would cover the tiny hidden camera I'd been eyeing in town.
She handed me the money without hesitation, and a sharp pang of guilt hit me square in the chest. Lying to Tiona wasn't something I wanted to do-she had been nothing but kind to me-but this wasn't just for me. This was for Rmonica, and maybe even for the entire Blue Bell Pack.
Clutching the money tightly in my hand, I set out to town, my steps brisk but deliberate. The market buzzed with the usual chatter, the scent of freshly baked bread mingling with the tang of dried herbs. I kept my head low, weaving through the crowd until I found a small, tucked-away shop. Its weathered sign read Surveillance Solutions, the letters barely visible under years of grime.
Inside, a wiry man stood behind the counter, his sharp eyes raking over me as I approached. "What're you looking for?" he asked, his voice gruff.
"Something small and discreet," I murmured, glancing around to ensure no one had followed me. "A camera."
He tilted his head, studying me for a beat before disappearing into the back. When he returned, he held a tiny device, barely larger than a button. "Battery lasts a week. Place it somewhere out of sight, and no one will know it's there."
I nodded, paid quickly, and tucked the camera deep into my pocket, my heart pounding as I made my way back to the packhouse. The camera felt heavier with each step, the weight of what I was about to do pressing down on me.
The opportunity to plant the device came sooner than I expected.
"Ugh, my back," one of the maids groaned as she leaned against the kitchen counter, rubbing her lower spine. "That woman's room is a nightmare to clean."
I perked up, keeping my tone casual as I asked, "Eloane's room?"
She nodded, exhaling sharply. "Always so particular, and everything has to be just so. It's exhausting."
"I can help," I offered, my voice light, as though the suggestion had just occurred to me. "I've been looking for ways to stay busy anyway."
"Are you sure? Eloane can be… particular." She cautioned.
Understatement of the century.
"Don't worry, I'll be careful. And if anything happens, I'll take the fallout." I assured her and her eyes lit up with relief. "You'd do that? Bless you, Kamrynn. You have no idea how much I need the break."
The moment she handed me the cleaning supplies, I knew there was no turning back.
Eloane's room was almost intimidating in its perfection. The bed was neatly made with military precision, her perfumes arranged in an orderly line on the dresser. I moved slowly, my hands trembling as I dusted the shelves, my eyes scanning for the perfect spot.
It wasn't until I spotted the ornate vase on the windowsill that I felt a flicker of hope. The vase was tall and intricately carved, the kind of decoration that was rarely touched but carefully displayed. Climbing onto a chair, I carefully adjusted the vase, my fingers brushing against its cool surface as I slid the camera behind it. The lens was angled just right, capturing the entire room.
I stepped down, wiping my hands on my apron as I surveyed the space. Everything looked exactly as it had before. No one would suspect a thing.
I spent the rest of the day nervously anticipating what I might uncover.
***
For the next few days, I poured over the footage in secret. Most of what I saw was mundane: Eloane brushing her hair, reading, or leaving to attend to her duties. But there was one thing that made my blood boil.
Twice a day, Eloane would open a small wooden box and take out a pill. I knew what it was-the banned contraceptive disguised as medicine. She'd slip it into her pocket, then leave her room. I didn't need footage to know where she was going.
Watching her feed that poison to Rmonica every day made me sick.
"I should just tell her," I muttered to myself one evening, pacing in my room. "Rmonica deserves to know."
But I couldn't bring myself to do it. Eloane was a master manipulator. Even if I exposed her, she'd find a way to twist it back on me. Worse, she'd still be untouchable because of the child she carried.
I clenched my fists, torn between my desire to act and my fear of making things worse.
A week passed, and I was no closer to the truth. The stress was eating away at me, and the nightmares didn't help. Every time I closed my eyes, I'd see Rmonica crying, holding that blurred photograph. The image was burned into my mind, and the ending… the murder… it was too much. I'd wake up drenched in sweat, my heart pounding.
By the eighth day, I was ready to give up. The camera had given me nothing concrete, and I couldn't keep pretending everything was fine.
"I'm done," I whispered to myself, slamming the laptop shut. "Tomorrow, I'll tell Rmonica everything."
But then something happened. Something that changed everything.
It started like any other day. I settled in to review the footage, expecting more of the same. But this time, Eloane received a letter.
She didn't seem surprised when the person whose face was hidden handed it to her, which meant she'd been expecting it. The moment she was alone, she opened it, and I leaned closer to the screen, trying to make out the words.
The camera's angle wasn't perfect, but Eloane began reading the letter aloud to herself.
"So, Raelan wants to meet…" she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. "Tomorrow at 2 PM. Our entire plan depends on it."
I froze. Raelan? Rmonica's cousin? What was he doing sending secret letters to Eloane?
Eloane's lips curved into a sly smile as she continued reading. "No witnesses, huh? Fine by me."
My heart pounded as I watched her burn the letter to ash with a lighter, carefully discarding the ashes into the waste bin and ensuring no trace remained. She dusted her hands and returned to her usual routine, as if nothing had happened.
The implications swirled in my mind, each more alarming than the last. Eloane and Raelan were working together. But why? What was this plan they were so desperate to keep hidden?
I didn't have all the answers yet, but one thing was clear: tomorrow, I needed to be at that meeting.
The rest of the day passed in a haze of anticipation and anxiety. I went about my chores mechanically, replaying Eloane's words in my mind.
"What plan could they possibly have?" I whispered to myself that night, staring up at the ceiling. "And why would Raelan be involved? He's family."
Sleep came reluctantly, and when it did, the nightmare returned.
The next morning, I was a bundle of nerves. I forced myself to eat something, knowing I'd need my strength for whatever came next.
As I prepared for the day, I couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope. For the first time in weeks, I felt like I had a real chance of uncovering the truth.
"Just stay calm," I told myself as I tucked the small recording device into my pocket. "You've got this."
My plan was simple: follow Eloane to the meeting and record everything. With luck, I'd finally have the evidence I needed to bring her down.