Evans hurried down the hallways of the castle, his heart pounding with worry. He needed to find Shastina, and he needed to find her quickly. He reached the maid’s quarters, his breath ragged, only to find that Shastina wasn’t there. Instead, he saw Daphne, one of the maids, quietly going about her duties.
Daphne lowered her head respectfully as Evans entered the room, her eyes filled with curiosity. “Sir Evans, what brings you here?” she asked in a soft voice.
Evans hesitated for a moment, unsure if he should reveal his purpose. But the urgency of the situation pushed him to speak. “I’m looking for Shastina. It’s urgent. Do you know where she is?”
Daphne’s expression turned to one of concern as she noticed the worry etched on Evans’ face. “I… I do. Follow me,” she replied nervously.
Evans followed Daphne through the busy hallways and out into the palace’s backyard. They arrived at a peaceful spot beneath a large tree where Shastina stood, gazing up at the sky. She seemed lost in her thoughts until she spotted Evans and Daphne approaching.
“Evans? Daphne? What are you both doing here?” Shastina asked, startled.
“We need your help, Shastina. It’s urgent,” Evans said, his voice filled with urgency.
Shastina’s eyes widened with curiosity and worry. “Okay, tell me what’s going on.”
Just as Evans was about to explain, he noticed Daphne lingering nearby. Realizing they needed privacy, he turned to her and politely requested, “Daphne, could you give us some time alone, please? Thank you. I promise I’ll make it up to you.”
Daphne forced a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes and nodded, pretending to walk away. But instead, she found a hiding spot nearby, eavesdropping on their conversation.
Evans continued, “Shastina, you already know about the secret Aurora and I have been keeping. Aurora has been acting as the Masked Girl to meet with the king. But tonight, the king wants to meet the Masked Girl again.”
“Then what’s my problem with that? I’ve known all along and pretended not to. Do you want me to expose your secret to the king? Because I can’t understand you,” Shastina’s voice turned cold and distant, as it always did. She had mastered the art of feigning ignorance, acting as if she didn’t know that Aurora was bedridden and unable to fulfill her duties. But in reality, Shastina had other matters on her mind. She had come to the garden to ponder the mystery of who had tried to murder the king.
Before Evans had arrived, Shastina had deliberately caused a scene and blamed Aurora for taking the arrow meant for the king. She was filled with anger towards Aurora for her foolish love for the king. Furthermore, Shastina knew that it was because of this love that Aurora had failed to kill the king’s father when her father had ordered her to assassinate him.
“Shastina, why are you pretending not to know? Aurora was shot, and she hasn’t regained consciousness since then,” Evans replied, his voice tinged with desperation.
“And so? Can’t you wake her up or tell the king the truth?” Shastina uttered with a dismissive tone.
Evans pleaded once again, his voice filled with desperation. “Please, I’m begging you. Aurora is sick and unable to fulfill her role tonight. We need someone to pretend to be the Masked Girl, just for tonight. I’ll give you the mask she used to wear.”
Shastina’s face reflected a mixture of concern and confusion. “You must be joking. I can’t do it. The answer is no,” she replied firmly, shaking her head.
“Please, I beg you,” A genuine smile quivered with desperation.
Shastina hesitated, her mind grappling with conflicting emotions. Yet, her determination remained steadfast. “No,” she firmly replied, her voice unwavering.
Unbeknownst to both of them, Daphne, hidden nearby, overheard every word. A genuine smile of satisfaction blossomed on her face as she grasped the significance of the information she had stumbled upon. “The queen will be delighted to hear this,” she whispered to herself in anticipation.
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King Malik stood at the head of the grand throne room, his regal form radiating an aura of fiery anger. His face was contorted with rage as his piercing gaze fell upon Jaguar, his loyal right-hand man, who knelt before him, his head bowed low. The room hummed with an electric tension as if anticipating the storm about to break.
“What purpose does your work serve if you failed to uncover Jaguar’s treachery?” the king’s voice thundered through the room, each word laced with fury. “Aurora now languishes on a sick bed, her condition a consequence of his actions! And now, we can’t even fathom how far he has gone in his insidious plot to steal my throne!”
Jaguar’s heart sank, his mind racing for an explanation, but no words seemed adequate to quell the king’s anger. He raised his eyes, filled with remorse and fear, meeting the king’s gaze with a mixture of sadness and regret.
“I am deeply sorry, my king,” Jaguar’s voice quivered with genuine sorrow. “I had men tirelessly keeping an eye on him, but somehow he managed to slip through our grasp and hire an assassin without our knowledge. I take full responsibility for this failure.”
The king’s fury simmered, though the embers of rage still glowed in his eyes. He took a deep breath, visibly attempting to regain his composure. Just as he was about to respond to Jaguar, the heavy doors to the throne room swung open with a resounding thud.
In marched the Minister of Finance, his usually composed demeanor replaced by a tremor of fear. The guard who had pushed him forward quickly exited the room, leaving the minister alone with the wrathful king. The minister lowered himself to the ground in a gesture of submission, his voice trembling as he greeted the king.
“Your Majesty,” the minister stammered, his voice laced with trepidation.
Fear crept into the minister’s heart as he beheld Jaguar still on his knees before the king. The sight of the king’s trusted confidant in such a vulnerable position sent a shiver down his spine, for if even Jaguar was fearful, what fate awaited a man like him?
King Malik fixed his gaze upon the minister, his eyes burning with a dangerous intensity. He spoke with a commanding tone, his words carrying a chilling weight.
“Minister of Finance, I want you to write down everything you have been planning behind my back. I want to know every detail. Do not dare to hide anything from me. If you value your family’s lives, you will reveal all.”
With these ominous words, the king dropped a collection of scrolls containing feathers and ink into the trembling hands of the minister. Without another word, he turned on his heel, his mind focused on urgent matters that awaited him.
As King Malik reached the threshold of the throne room, he glanced back, his gaze sweeping across the room. His voice resonated with authority as he issued a final command.
“Guard, ensure that no one leaves this room until I give the order.”
The guard stood at attention, his voice filled with unwavering loyalty as he responded, “Yes, my king. No one shall pass without your permission.”
The king stormed out of the throne room, leaving Jaguar behind. All he yearned for was to meet the masked girl and find solace for his anguished heart. Without her calming presence, he feared he might lose control and harm both the assassin and his own brother before the morning sun rose.