Lilith pondered over all the possible reasons the prince might have for keeping her here, and none of them sat well with her. The endless thoughts swirling in her mind allowed her no peace, and in the end, she barely managed two hours of sleep before the first rays of sunlight crept into the sky.
Exhausted, she spent most of the day resting in her room, making up for the hours she had spent awake the night before. Since returning from the dining hall, she hadn't seen Thalia, and only one of the two maids had come by to deliver her breakfast and lunch. She had eaten both meals eagerly, leaving not a single grain of rice on the plate.
Now, as the evening settled in, the palace buzzed with life. The faint chime of a distant clock told her it was a little past seven, and the commotion outside her room confirmed it, footsteps echoed down the hall, accompanied by the murmurs and laughter of noble guests arriving for the prince's masquerade ball.
Lilith exhaled softly, sinking deeper into her bed. A ball was the last thing she had the energy for. Besides, she had nothing remotely fancy to wear. It was decided, she would spend the night in her room, away from the festivities, away from the prince, and away from whatever plans he had for her.
She tried to fall asleep again but found it impossible. The restless thoughts in her mind refused to let her rest. By now, it was a few minutes past nine, and the dryness in her throat made her decide to fetch herself a cup of water.
Lilith climbed off her bed, pulling a night jacket over her nightdress before stepping out of her room. The halls were eerily quiet. The absence of servants meant they were either asleep or busy tending to the nobles at the ball.
As she descended the stairs, heading toward the kitchen on the ground floor, she ran her fingers through her hair, exhaling softly. The silence was almost comforting, until she heard a voice that made her freeze in place.
It belonged to Kathryn. The same woman who had insulted her before.
Lilith's heart pounded in her chest. If Kathryn saw her wandering the halls alone at this hour, she might very well seize the opportunity to cause trouble, or worse. Getting caught up in another conflict was the last thing Lilith wanted.
She swallowed hard, quickly scanning her surroundings for a place to hide. Her eyes landed on a door further down the hall. Without a second thought, she rushed toward it, slipping inside and closing it just enough to conceal herself while still allowing her to peek through the small gap.
Lilith held her breath, waiting. Moments later, Kathryn and her friends strolled past, their laughter and hushed whispers filling the corridor. They were dressed in expensive-looking gowns, their jewelry catching the dim light as they disappeared through another doorway.
The moment silence returned, Lilith exhaled in relief. She carefully pushed the door open, ready to leave, only to freeze in place when the sound of approaching footsteps reached her ears.
Before she could think twice, she shut the door again and scrambled under a nearby table, tucking herself into the shadows just as two women entered the room.
Their voices were low, barely above a whisper, as they spoke.
Lilith pressed a hand over her mouth to stifle her breathing, her heart hammering against her ribs. She prayed silently to the goddess, hoping she would make it out of this unnoticed. She had no interest in their conversation, until a single word caught her attention.
"Death."
Then another.
"Poison."
A chill ran down her spine.
Lilith strained her ears, trying to catch every word, her body tense with anticipation.
"This is the perfect opportunity to do this—there won't be another like it. Time is not on our side, and we need to secure our payment soon," one of the women whispered urgently.
The other hesitated. "This has never happened before. I'm afraid he'll find out."
Lilith's breath caught in her throat as she watched one of the women move closer, pressing a hand against the table under which she was hiding. She placed both hands over her mouth, willing herself to remain silent.
Although their faces were obscured, she could clearly see their gowns. One wore a striking orange dress, while the other was draped in yellow. The fabric shimmered under the dim candlelight, the intricate embroidery and fine material suggesting wealth and status.
Lilith's heart pounded. Whoever these women were, they were clearly important and guests of the prince attending the ball, and they were planning something dangerous.
"He will never find out. That poison has taken down many powerful men and women—he is no exception. By the time he starts to feel its effects, we will be long gone," one of them whispered confidently.
There was a moment of silence before the woman draped in yellow spoke, "I understand you have fears and I do to, but you must think of the payment. You can finally get that beautiful house by the sea that you always wanted." She said trying to persuade her companion.
A sigh escaped her lips. "Very well then. If we must do this, we must do it quickly. Have you spoken to the maid?"
"Yes, I have. She should be here any minute now."
As if on cue, the door creaked open quietly, and a young maid stepped inside, making her way toward the two women.
"Take this," one of the women instructed, pressing a small vial into the maid's hand. "Mix it all into his drink. You have nothing to fear, the poison has no scent or taste. He will never suspect a thing."
The maid gave a small nod. "Very well, my lady. I will not fail you." She carefully tucked the vial beneath the folds of her dress.
"Good. Now return to the kitchen before anyone notices you're missing."
Lilith remained perfectly still, watching as the maid hurried out of the room. Though she couldn't see the face of the woman giving orders, her sharp eyes caught a faint scar running along the maid's elbow, subtle, but distinct.
Minutes later, the two women followed the maid's lead, exiting the room and leaving Lilith alone once again.
She crawled out from under the table, slipping quietly out of the room. The hallway was empty and eerily silent, with no sign of the women. Lilith began to climb the stairs, her body tense and exhausted from everything that had just unfolded.
At the top of the stairs, Lilith paused. Her fingers gripped tightly around the railing, her knuckles white as she tried to steady her breathing. Her heart raced with the thought that someone could die tonight if the maid went through with the plan.
But then again, it wasn't her problem. Whoever that person was, whatever fate awaited them, it had nothing to do with her. She had enough of her own problems to contend with. She pushed the thoughts away and continued down the hallway toward her room.
What if it's an innocent person who's going to be killed? Lilith thought, her mind racing. She groaned in frustration and made her way into her room, throwing herself onto the bed. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the overwhelming thoughts, but they refused to leave her mind.
Only seconds later, she let out another groan, sitting up quickly and throwing the covers off. She couldn't just ignore it. She dug through her wardrobe, pulling out a dress in haste. Without caring for precision, she hurriedly slipped it on, letting her hair cascade down her shoulders in a messy tumble.
Her heart pounding, she rushed out of the room, her feet carrying her quickly toward the ballroom.