Chapter 57: QUIET OBSERVATIONS
Selene
The estate looked peaceful that morning.
From the outside, nothing had changed. Servants moved through the halls as usual, the kitchens buzzed with activity, and the gardens were already being tended by the groundskeepers.
But now that I knew someone inside these walls might be working against us…
Every smile looked slightly suspicious.
Every whisper felt heavier than before.
I sat at the small table in the breakfast room, watching the steam rise from my cup of tea.
Across from me, Ace appeared calm as always.
Too calm.
“You’re doing it again,” I said.
He looked up from the document he had been reading.
“Doing what?”
“Pretending everything is normal.”
“I’m not pretending.”
“Yes, you are.”
Ace set the document aside.
“I’m simply not panicking.”
“I’m not panicking either,” I replied.
“You were staring at the same cup of tea for five minutes.”
“I was thinking.”
“That’s what people say when they’re panicking quietly.”
I frowned at him.
He smiled faintly.
The door opened and Emma walked in carrying a small plate of pastries.
“Well,” she said cheerfully, “you two look like you slept wonderfully.”
I glanced at Ace.
“We didn’t.”
Emma set the plate down and sat beside me.
“I had a feeling.”
Her eyes moved between us.
“So… are we finally talking about whatever happened last night?”
Ace nodded slowly.
“I think we should.”
Emma leaned forward slightly.
“Good. Because you both look like you’re carrying a secret large enough to sink a ship.”
Ace reached into his coat and removed the copied letter.
He handed it to her.
Emma read it once.
Then she read it again.
Her cheerful expression disappeared completely.
“Well,” she said quietly.
“That’s… unpleasant.”
“That’s one way to describe it,” I replied.
Emma looked at Ace.
“Do you believe it?”
“I believe someone inside the estate was meant to receive a message like that.”
Emma tapped the letter lightly against the table.
“And this courier claims it came from John Thomas?”
“Yes.”
Emma leaned back in her chair.
“That man always gave me strange feelings.”
“You’ve only met him twice,” I said.
“That was enough.”
Ace folded his arms thoughtfully.
“We can’t assume he’s responsible yet.”
Emma raised an eyebrow.
“You’re defending him?”
“I’m being careful.”
She nodded slowly.
“That’s fair.”
Emma looked around the quiet room.
“So someone here might be working for him.”
“Possibly.”
“And they’re planning something during the next council gathering.”
“Yes.”
Emma sighed.
“Well, that’s not stressful at all.”
I watched her carefully.
“You’re handling this surprisingly well.”
She shrugged.
“I grew up around nobles.”
“That explains it?”
“Secret plots are practically a hobby for them.”
Ace chuckled softly.
Emma reached for one of the pastries.
“So what’s the plan?”
“We observe,” Ace said.
Emma blinked.
“That’s it?”
“For now.”
“No interrogations?”
“No accusations.”
“No dramatic confrontations in the middle of dinner?”
Ace shook his head.
Emma looked disappointed.
“You nobles really take the fun out of these situations.”
I laughed despite the tension.
Emma’s eyes moved toward the window.
“Have you noticed anything strange among the staff recently?”
Ace thought for a moment.
“Nothing obvious.”
I hesitated.
“There is one thing.”
Both of them looked at me.
“What?” Emma asked.
“Yesterday evening, before the gathering began…”
“Yes?”
“I saw one of the junior maids speaking with a stranger near the outer corridor.”
Ace frowned slightly.
“A stranger?”
“Yes.”
“Did you recognize him?”
“No.”
Emma leaned forward again.
“And you didn’t think that was suspicious?”
“At the time I assumed he was one of the visiting servants.”
Ace’s expression grew thoughtful.
“Do you remember the maid’s name?”
I searched my memory.
“Lina, I think.”
Emma nodded slowly.
“She’s fairly new.”
Ace stood from his chair.
“I’ll have someone look into it.”
Emma raised a hand.
“Carefully.”
“Yes.”
“No accusations unless we’re certain.”
Ace nodded.
“Agreed.”
I watched him move toward the door.
“You’re going to start investigating already.”
“Yes.”
Emma stood as well.
“Well,” she said, stretching slightly, “I suppose that means we’re officially part of a mystery.”
I sighed.
“I was hoping married life would be slightly less dramatic.”
Emma grinned.
“You married a Duke.”
“Fair point.”
Ace paused near the doorway and looked back at us.
“Until we know more, we act normal.”
Emma saluted playfully.
“Yes, Your Grace.”
I nodded.
“Understood.”
Ace left the room.
For a moment Emma and I stood quietly together.
Then she leaned closer and whispered,
“Just between us…”
“Yes?”
“This is going to get interesting.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“Interesting?”
She smiled.
“Dangerous plots, secret messages, hidden traitors…”
Emma shrugged lightly.
“I’ve always wanted to see how these things unfold in real life.”
I shook my head.
“You’re enjoying this.”
“Just a little.”
I looked toward the door Ace had just walked through.
Somewhere inside the estate…
Someone might already be watching us.
Waiting.
Planning.
And with the council gathering only three days away…
Whatever they intended to do, it would soon happen.