“Shut your mouth,” Elira growled.
“Orwhat?” Sagan chuckled darkly. “You going to go sleep with someone else to get them on your side and against me? Bully for you. Please do.” She went to step around Elira but turned with a smirk on her face. “You’re unraveling, Elira. More people are seeing what I have since I first met you. Please, keep with the games. I’ll still win. I always do, even the long games.”
She walked off laughing and I swallowed loudly at the ugly, twisted face of rage that Elira made as she watched Sagan go. Her gaze was full of murder and everything evil.
She let out a wordless shout and then stomped towards me. I barely had enough time to duck into an alcove, and honestly I was completely exposed except Elira was too distracted with her own upset.
I was shaken to my core and realized I owed Sagan an apology like I couldn’t ever give her.
No, but you can finally start helping her the way she needs.
I had been trying to catch up with Sagan before the meeting we were attending, but instead I went to Raquel and showed her the video. I felt better when her face went pale and she was as upset as I was.
“We are such fools,” she whispered. “I believed her.” She shook herself. “I saw…”
“I started to see the cracks too,” I admitted. “I thought it was stress and grief and how many changes were being thrown at her now that Sagan was home. I thought they just—” I swallowed loudly.
“You thought Sagan really pushed Elira as a child.” Raquel didn’t make me say it but nodded, letting out a heavy sigh. “I did too, but I forgave her. Her parents sent her away and were so cold to her but then took in these strange children always to help them have better lives. It was—I would have acted out as well. One small push can go wrong, and I thought that was all it was.”
“Me too. We were wrong.”
“Sleeping with the high priest to turn him against Sagan is unforgivable,” Raquel whispered. “What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “It just happened. Do better to start.”
She nodded. “Yes, and start freezing out Elira. Clearly, we’re part of the problem having helped that snake.”
Clearly, we were.
We went to the meeting and the hair on the back of my neck stood up when Sagan was focused on the castle’s budgets and several matters of money. Darren and Myriam were locked in on the conversation as well and Treena looked annoyed that she wasn’t included.
Could the royal family really be having financial trouble?
Raquel clearly knew something as well because she shot me a look and then immediately jumped in. “Thank you for letting me know you wanted to discuss this before the meeting so I had time to prepare.”
Sagan’s eyes flashed hurt before she schooled it. “Of course. I would never put someone on the spot or try toundermine you, Raquel. I trust you to manage everything and know you can handle the changes.”
“Yes, of course, but everyone likes to be prepared, so now I have some options, and you can let me know what steps you’d like me to take next, Your Highness,” Raquel hurried to explain.
But the damage was done. Sagan’s shoulders were stiff as if she was sitting in front of an adversary instead of someone who should be on her team.
And we were all supposed to be on her fucking team.
Raquel was focusing on cutting costs mostly through the menu. No more lavish, rich ingredients, every meal to spoil pompous elders. The castle could have normal meals and cut corners by buying bulk ingredients just like any other large household.
“It’s how our compound is run,” Myriam agreed. “We have huge freezers like garages in the basement and buy like six cows or whatever at a time. It’s honestly an amazing dance and the planning is ridiculous.”
“Yes, that is the change we would convert to unless for state functions where we have the outside catering help,” Raquel agreed.
“Good, we also want to discuss adjusting staffing roles,” Myriam told her. Glancing at Sagan but then seeming resigned to handling it after what happened earlier. “This isn’t a slight, but it’s well known even in other nations that the butlers of the royal family are the elite and—”
“The female castle staff are just maids, yes, I’m well aware,” Raquel said, her tone bitter.
“Sagan was clear she wants to change that image, and now that there won’t be a need for fifty female staff to jump constantly for the elders, we want…” She cleared her throat and made it clear Sagan should take over.
“We need more help,” Sagan told Raquel. “There’s no reason someone can’t switch to being Myriam’s assistant. An assistant to the aide of the queen is a good role. Let people know it was a promotion from…”
“You weren’t educated in this part of running the castle, Your Highness,” Raquel said gently. “I understand your hesitation now. Yes, I understand. Your mother handled all of this.”
