“I’ll take those, my lady,” Martha said, and stepped toward the other side of the kitchen where she opened a cabinet and withdrew a vase.
Lia didn’t wait for her to complete the arrangement but kept strolling past the servants as if she had specific business to complete. Which, technically, she did.
Tyrell did not release his breath until they stepped into the hall, by which time, he had gone bluer than Julian’s beard.
“Alright, this way,” Lia mumbled, releasing his arm and briskly trotting toward the stairs.
Something odd had gotteninto Tyrell. Back in Iseldis, Lia worried he was going to get thrown into prison for chopping Julian’s head off. Now, he was hesitant even to participate in a little heist. Even if Lia had been a noble instead of a maid, it would be strange for him to put her safety above that of his beloved.
Still, Lia didn’t have much time to dwell on Tyrell’s peculiar behavior. Her princess was in danger. As they approached Tavia’s room, Lia motioned for Tyrell to duck out of sight to the right of the door, while she took the left.
Then, pausing, she listened.
“No good, no good,” came a despondent mumbling from the other side of the door. It was definitely the voice of the princess. A deep sigh followed then, “It’s just no good!”
Was Tavia talking to someone? Lia waited a couple more moments to be sure she couldn’t hear anyone else.
“I’ll go in first,” she whispered to Tyrell.
Tyrell shook his head. “You don’t know what’s in there,” he hissed.
Lia rolled her eyes. “Tavia, obviously!” she hissed back. “And I’ve got to go first to make sure she’s decent, before you come bursting in!.”
“Oh,” Tyrell blushed. “You’re right, I hadn’t thought about that. Go on.”
Lia gently pushed the door handle and peered into the room.
Tavia was sitting at a little table, critiquing the piled mess of braids atop her head in a handmirror. Dark cedar—that wasTavia’s natural color. How odd to see her actually wearing it. The gentle waves of brown, braided up beneath a silver circlet set with pearls was lovely. Exactly how Lia would have styled her if left to her own devices.
The table was covered in vases full of flowers—tulips and daffodils, but also deep crimson roses. It was like someone had ripped out the garden and brought it to her room.
Lia nodded across the doorway to Tyrell, indicating it was alright to proceed. Then, she slipped into the room and slowly approached her former mistress.
“Princess,” Lia stated.
Tavia jumped, dropping the mirror on the table.
“I know I’m the last person in the world you want to see.” Lia spoke as quickly as she could, so she could get her message through before Tavia had a chance to call the guards. “I beg of you to do just one thing for me,” she rambled, turning blue as she tried to get all the words out in one breath. “If you do this, I swear I will leave you forever and never again trouble you about your love of Julian. I—” She couldn’t stop herself from inhaling. The brief second of silence was all she needed to notice the look of surprise and delight on Princess Tavia’s face.
“Lia!” she cried, throwing her arms out and rushing to embrace her.
Lia stiffened as the princess threw her arms around her neck, dancing up and down on dainty feet.
“Oh, and Lord Tyrell,” the princess continued, noticing him. “Hello!”
Both Lia and Tyrell were too stunned to do or say anything so they just stood there staring in shock as the princess began to ramble.
“Oh, I’ve missed you so much, Lia! My new maid, she’s . . .” Tavia motioned to her hair with a twisted expression of disgust.
Lia glanced at Tyrell, expecting him to look as shocked as she felt. Instead, his expression was suddenly locked in a deep scowl. Maybe he had noticed Julian creeping in through a window? If that was so, a quick glance around the room did not reveal him. It almost seemed like Tyrell was scowling at Tavia, but of course, that was impossible. He practically worshipped her!
Tavia, meanwhile, was still rambling. “Oh, Lia! Everything is so different here! Julian’s parents are kind, they keep asking me if I’m happy and won’t leave me alone! And, and Julian is different here somehow too . . . He’s been so kind and gentle and, and . . . he sent me all of these!” She gestured to the flowers on the table.
Lia was too confused to know where to begin. Here Tavia was, looking more beautiful than she had in years, going on and on in a quivering voice about how kind everyone was. She looked like she was going to burst into tears any moment. Ah, she must have realized things were too good—suspiciously good.If that was what made her finally question Julian, Lia wasn’t about to complain.
“It’s, it’s alright, princess,” Lia soothed. “Tyrell and I will take you home now. I don’t know what Julian’s done to you but you have nothing to fear anymore.”
“I can’t go home,” Tavia sniffed. “I love him.”
