Isabella walked through the gate of Valerio’s estate, looking around. Randolph was right along with her. It was a humbler, quieter place than most ducal estates that she’d visited, but she found it very pleasant and well-maintained. There was an abundance of trees which served to make it relatively secluded. It had a prime location by the ocean in a low-lying part of the city.

  “Wonder what he’s got in the basement,” Randolph said snidely. “Torture chamber? Perhaps he makes pepperoni from orphans.”

  “We’re by the sea,” Valerio said. “Couldn’t have a basement if I wanted one.”

  The estate itself was mostly practical stone arches with little embellishment or elaborate carving. She thought it quite fitting for how the Duke of the Isles generally carried himself. The trees were tall enough to mostly conceal the building, so any prying eyes likely couldn’t see much. Waiting for them at the door was a butler, his hands held politely behind his back.

  Valerio turned back, beginning, “So, this is the—” he paused, looking past her.

  “What?” Isabella asked, turning her head to look. She saw smears of blood on the ground.

  “Your feet are bleeding,” he said in alarm, walking to her. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

  Isabella lifted her foot up, checking. He was right—rocks, glass… “I didn’t notice,” she defended.

  “Come here,” he said, putting his arms around her. Before she could react, he’d already picked her up. “Let’s go.”

  Isabella didn’t protest, putting one arm around the back of his neck while the other held her heels and the box Bernadetta had given her. “I failed.”

  “What?” he said, looking at her as she walked.

  “I failed,” she repeated. “Nothing went right. The auction… it didn’t even happen, let alone go well. I angered the archduke, probably severed things with Abigail… what is that if not a failure?”

  “Were you supposed to predict that someone would assassinate the king tonight?” Valerio asked her. “Just bad luck, that’s all. And you didn’t fail. Those art pieces, their artists—you associated them with you. This is a temporary setback, nothing more.”

  Isabella put her head against his chest tiredly. She could feel his heartbeat. It was faster than she expected. Valerio always seemed so calm, but his heart told the true tale. She looked up at his face as he walked forward. She thought he was unshakable, but looking closer, he seemed as unsettled as she was. Strangely enough, that made her more at ease.

  “Roderick—bring a physician. I don’t want her cuts getting infected,” he said, speaking to the butler. “She’ll stay in my room for now, so send them there.”

  “Understood, Your Grace,” the butler called Roderick bowed politely.

  Valerio walked into his estate. Once he did, a beautiful-looking man stepped out at him, kneeling. “Your Grace,” he greeted.

  “This is the man I suggested guard you,” Valerio told her. “He’ll do so while you’re here… alongside Randolph, if you want. Of my retinue, he’s the best with a blade. Better than me, in some respects. Introduce yourself,” he spoke to the man.

  The pretty man rose to his feet, and Isabella got a better look at him. He had light, almost delicate features, and curling brown hair with sharp blue eyes. He reminded her of Gaspar in some respects.

  “My name is Solomon,” he said, an accent she couldn’t place in his voice. “I do not speak Dovhain tongue well, but Her Grace is safe with me. I am…” he looked to Valerio, then said a word she couldn’t understand.

  “He’s a eunuch,” Valerio translated.

  “Eunuch,” Solomon repeated, nodding. “I am a eunuch, Your Grace.”

  The correct address was Your Highness because she wasn’t yet married, but she didn’t correct him, instead giving him a polite nod.

  “Eunuch. Was that your doing, I wonder?” Randolph piped up, looking at Valerio.

  “It was his doing,” Valerio said, looking at him sternly. “Broke the wrong heart.”

  Solomon smiled boldly. “A worthy wound from a worthy woman.”

  “Don’t stand around. Open the doors for me, Solomon,” Valerio said.

  Thereafter they walked through the estate. At once, she noted that most of it was open to the sea, or could be opened to the sea. In particular, when she arrived into Valerio’s room… there was a grand balcony with two sets of double-doors, wide open. The smell of the ocean permeated the room. Valerio’s bed was white and plain, but quite large. He gently laid her down on it.

  “Stay here a minute,” he said, then went to shut the balcony doors. He looked at Randolph and Solomon. “You two—guard outside.”

  Randolph looked to Isabella before doing anything, and she gave him a nod to confirm. Solomon followed him without a word.

  Valerio went to another connected room. He returned a few minutes later, clean and with a change of clothes. He seemed to have regained that mask of calm she often saw him wear. She noticed that he had a few more knives on his person, as if he expected trouble. The events of the day ran through her head repeatedly, again and again, until an incongruity drew her from her thoughts and made her look around.

  “It’s warm in here,” she said ponderously. “Why is that?”

  “The floor can be heated,” Valerio explained, shutting the doors of the balcony. “I’m fond of some luxuries, despite myself.”

  “Heated floors?” Isabella laid back on the bed, reaching her hand down to touch the ground. He was telling the truth. It felt pleasant.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Isabella looked around the room. It was a collection of curiosities. She saw exotic tapestries, hand-drawn maps alongside nautical instruments, shells, bizarre-looking animal skulls, corals, exotic weaponry, pottery, what looked like musical instruments, an elaborate bookshelf, and another shelf containing a wide-variety of unknown herbs and spices.

  “You have so much,” she said, curious about too many items to focus on just one thing. “What are these?”

  Valerio looked. “Curiosities that I’ve collected throughout my life,” he said. “I’ve been sailing since I was five.”

  “Five?” Isabella repeated in disbelief.

  Valerio chuckled. “Well, I wasn’t helping much at that age. I was fortunate enough to have a captain of a ship as my father, and a mother that dearly valued education. Put those two together… you get me.” He pointed. “Those maps? They’re my work.”

  Isabella looked back at the maps. They quite differed from the ones that she’d known, but they looked exceedingly detailed. It was pleasant on the eyes.

  “Where were you born?” she asked.

  Valerio said nothing, walking over to the map. He tapped his finger on a city by the coast in Dovhain.

  “Bethaven,” she said, and Valerio nodded.

  The door opened, and the physician walked in. “Your Grace,” he greeted politely, and then looked her way. “And… if I’m right… Your Highness.”

  “She has cuts on her feet,” Valerio explained. “If word gets out I’m harboring her, doctor… let’s just say I trust my men, but you? I don’t know you.”

  “I know that much,” the doctor said, walking in and placing a briefcase down. “Don’t worry. I just treat patients. I don’t get involved.”

  Valerio stood over her bed as the doctor worked. She winced as the wounds were cleaned and disinfected, but didn’t look down.

  “I have to get a handle on things, ensure that none of my people are hurt,” Valerio said. “Solomon will keep you safe. Randolph too, I suppose. I’ll update you about Alice as soon as I can. Is there anything else you want before I depart?”

  Isabella thought, but nothing more came to mind. Perhaps the art, but… she didn’t want to focus on that when there was crisis all around. Hopefully Felix would take care of all that. Before she could speak, the doctor did.

  “I’ve cleaned the wounds, but I’d advise against walking overmuch for a day or two,” he said. “Some of the glass pierced quite deep.”

  Isabella sighed. “Thank you,” she said.

  “Some of my people will attend to you while you’re here—a change of clothes, et cetera.” Valerio assured. “Once things calm down… we can talk about what to do next. For now, rest. You’ll be safe here.”

  Soon enough, both the doctor and Valerio had left. She was glad to have a moment alone. The wide bed, the lingering smell of sea… it was nice here. Though she had to admit, she wasn’t particularly fond of the bizarre animal skull looking inward.

  After spending night after night in the royal palace, even this foreign place felt like she’d finally been rid of a pressure suffocating her. She laid her head back, letting the warmth of the room embrace her.

  ***

  Isabella awoke in the morning, and it took her a few moments to realize that she’d even fallen asleep. She sat up, unusually well-rested, and felt a stinging in her feet that hadn’t been there yesterday. She looked at her feet. They were bandaged. Even despite the throb of pain coming from them, she felt better than she had in a long while.

  “Your Highness?” came a quiet voice. Isabella turned her head.

  Isabella exhaled in relief. “Alice.”

  Alice stood there, having walked in from an adjoining room. Her attendant walked up anxiously, fiddling with her hands. Isabella grabbed her arms and pulled her into a hug.

  “What are you doing here?” Isabella asked in an expression of relief. “Are you alright?”

  Alice looked up at her. “When they told me they were looking after you, I insisted they bring me,” she said. “It… it was terrifying, last night. I thought the holy paladins would take me for questioning, like so many others. And the capital…”

  “I’m glad you’re safe,” she said sincerely. “I’m glad.”

  “I was worried about you,” Alice said. “It’s past midday. They say you’ve been sleeping for twelve hours.”

  Isabella sighed in some disbelief. Her neck wasn’t aching, and she did feel well-rested, but… she couldn’t recall a time that she’d ever slept for that long. The events of yesterday must’ve weighed on her heavily.

  “Do you know what’s happened?” Isabella asked.

  “The capital… things are starting to quiet, but…” Alice shook her head. “The duke’s men still say the streets aren’t safe. And looking out there, I believe them.”

  “And Valerio?” Isabella asked. “Is he here?”

  “The Duke of the Isles? I’m not sure,” Alice admitted. “I’ve been afraid to wander out here. That brute named Randolph and the pretty man called Solomon have been guarding you.”

  “Let’s ask,” Isabella said decisively.

  ***

  Isabella walked through the hall with Alice’s support, heading for a distant door. Randolph opened it for their passage. Within, Roderick and Valerio spoke with a few others she didn’t recognize. He looked their way when the door opened.

  “What in the world are you doing walking about?!” Valerio stood up immediately, practically jogging over.

  “Needed to speak with you. I’m walking on the places that aren’t cut,” she said.

  “The physician said—” Valerio trailed off, sighing exasperatedly. “Come here. Roderick, give me that chair.” Valerio practically carried her over to the chair, sitting her down. He looked around, then said, “Leave us for a moment.” His old butler made to leave, but he grabbed the man’s arm. “Except you, Roderick.”

  All of the others left, leaving them alone in this room. Isabella looked about. It looked to be a discussion room of some sorts. She saw various maps, documents, and a desk. Alice and Randolph remained by her side, but she gave the both of them an encouraging nod, and they left her alone with Valerio and Roderick.

  Isabella looked at the Duke of the Isles squarely. “I have to thank you for helping Alice,” she said.

  “No trouble at all,” Valerio assured, sitting across from her. “You should be resting in bed.”

  “Do you think I could rest, after what’s happened?” Isabella asked him, her gaze resolute. “We need to talk about what we do next.”

  “We do. But we could’ve done that while you rested, in bed.” Valerio sighed and leaned against the table. “What’s done is done. Now… there’s going to be a new king. We already have some idea who. It’s—"

  “Claude,” Isabella said, prompting both Roderick and Valerio to look at her oddly. “Am I right?”

  “You are, but…” Valerio rubbed his hands together. “I’m surprised you know. Even I was barely aware he was outside of the capital, waiting for this moment.”

  Isabella was glad that a known element was sitting on the throne. His ascent had been markedly similar to the one in her first life, and it told her all that she needed to know about how his reign would proceed.

  “The royal mandate is going to shift drastically,” Isabella said. “And I suppose my question is… why am I here?” She looked to both Roderick and Valerio. “What’s your aim? And where, exactly, do I fit in?”