Chapter 328: Words On The Parchment
Chapter 327: Words On The Parchment
Lyria’s POV
I sat upon the edge of my bed, my legs tucked neatly beneath me as my maids gathered around the room.
The drawing I had completed earlier rested safely upon my writing desk, left undisturbed where I had placed it. Every now and then my gaze wandered towards it.
I was still rather pleased with how it had turned out.
But that was not the issue at hand.
A knock sounded upon my chamber door.
"Y-you may e-enter," I called.
Phineas entered first, his expression as unreadable as ever. Brayden followed close behind him.
Debbie stepped inside immediately afterwards.
She shut the door quietly behind her before walking straight towards me.
There was none of her usual cheerfulness.
Nor the playful smile she so often wore.
Instead, she reached into the pocket of her apron and withdrew a small glass vial containing a pale amber liquid.
Without a word, she placed it into my hand.
I looked down at it curiously.
"W-what is t-this?"
Debbie released a long sigh.
"I was instructed to place a single drop of it into Your Highness’s food every day."
Silence settled over the room.
Phineas was the first to speak.
"What is it?"
Debbie shook her head.
"I do not know."
She looked at the vial with visible dislike.
"But..." she hesitated. "I suspect it may be poison."
The room fell deathly quiet.
I stared down at the small bottle resting in my palm.
It looked so ordinary.
Which, I supposed, was often the case with the deadliest of things.
Elara folded her arms.
"I was given instructions as well, Your Highness."
Everyone turned towards her.
"I was ordered to observe Your Highness at all times."
She smiled bitterly.
"More specifically, I was instructed to ensure that Your Highness did not spend time alone with any of the suitors. Not even during your dates."
She gave a quiet laugh devoid of amusement.
"I was also informed of a... five-minute rule."
I frowned.
"T-the f-five-minute r-rule?"
She nodded.
"Her Majesty wishes to ensure that Your Highness is never left alone with any gentleman for longer than five minutes."
I let out a small chuckle.
"S-she is q-quite determined t-that I d-do not s-spend m-more than f-five minutes a-alone with any of the s-suitors, t-that she would e-even h-have you e-enforce it."
"She also—"
Phineas suddenly raised a finger to his lips.
Everyone fell silent immediately.
His expression had become one of quiet alarm.
Without uttering a single word, Bridget and Brayden moved at once.
Both crossed the room with remarkable silence.
Bridget approached the nearest window while Brayden made for the other.
Neither made the slightest unnecessary sound.
Brayden eased his window open just enough to glance outside.
Several moments passed before he turned and gave a slight shake of his head, indicating that he had seen nothing.
Across the room, Bridget had leaned farther through the second window.
Her brows suddenly drew together.
"Blast my bloody tits..." she muttered beneath her breath.
Before anyone could ask what she meant, she leaned even farther outside.
Phineas reached her in two quick strides.
"Bridget."
She waved him off.
"I know."
"Do not lean so far."
"I am perfectly capable of—"
"Bridget."
She huffed dramatically before allowing him to gently pull her back inside.
I had only just opened my mouth to ask what had happened when—
"Mrrrow."
I blinked.
"A... c-cat?"
Phineas turned around.
Only then did I notice the black bundle of fur squirming furiously within his grasp.
The cat twisted with impressive determination, its claws swiping repeatedly towards him.
Phineas merely held it farther away from himself.
The creature hissed in obvious displeasure.
"I do not believe it likes you," Brayden observed.
"I had already reached that conclusion, thank you very much," Phineas replied dryly.
The cat attempted another swipe.
It failed.
"Does anyone within the palace keep a cat?" Debbie asked, a frown upon her face.
Margery tilted her head thoughtfully.
"Could it perhaps be... a werecat?"
Several heads turned towards her.
She blinked.
"What?"
Elara pinched the bridge of her nose.
"There is no such thing."
"There could be."
"There is not."
"There might be."
"There is not."
Margery folded her arms.
"I was merely asking."
Elara let out a weary sigh.
"Regardless of what it may or may not be..."
She wrinkled her nose.
"...it smells dreadful."
The others looked towards the cat.
Even from where I sat...
I had to admit...
It did smell rather unpleasant.
As though it had wandered through mud.
Or refuse.
Or perhaps both.
No one spoke for several moments.
Instead...
A thought slowly formed within my mind.
The timing...
The sudden appearance...
Phineas interrupting Elara before she could finish speaking...
My eyes widened.
I stood so abruptly that everyone looked towards me.
Without saying a word, I crossed quickly towards my writing desk.
I picked up a sheet of parchment.
Then my pen.
Instead of speaking, I wrote.
What if someone was listening to our conversation?
I turned the parchment towards them.
Every one of my maids stiffened.
Debbie’s eyes widened.
Margery’s mouth fell open.
Pippa looked instinctively towards the windows.
Only Phineas and Brayden remained unchanged.
Neither appeared surprised.
Brayden silently held out a hand, asking for the pen.
I nodded and handed it to him.
He bent over the parchment and wrote beneath my question.
I suspect someone was.
He paused only briefly before continuing.
We must be more careful. We cannot continue speaking of such matters openly.
Phineas gestured for him to pass the pen.
Brayden did so.
Phineas wrote beneath it.
Would it not be wiser if we spoke in some sort of code instead?
He turned the parchment towards us before handing the pen to Elara.
She considered the matter for a few moments before writing beneath it.
Nicknames, perhaps?
Nicknames could work...
But would they truly be any safer?
What would be an appropriate—
I paused.
Another thought occurred to me.
I took the pen from Elara and wrote beneath her suggestion.
How about another language entirely?
Everyone frowned.
Pippa looked from the parchment to me before silently mouthing,
"Another language?"
I smiled faintly.
Then I wrote another line beneath the first.
I know another language that may help us.