Her consciousness drifted back in fragments. Voices. Smells — nothing like the forest. Instead, a subtle blend of medicinal herbs, wood smoke, and the scent of whoever else was in the room.
Had someone from the king's court found her after she collapsed? She hoped not. She didn't have nearly enough power yet to take him on.
"Looks like you're finally awake," a woman's voice said.
The speaker was a young woman sitting near the bed, a cup in her hand.
"Where am I?" Luciana asked.
"In His Majesty Valentine's rest mansion," the woman replied.
"Valentine? Who's that?"
"The king. You're on the northern border of Rose — vampire territory, little pup."
Luciana sat up, rubbing her head.
"How did I end up so far from Holwin?"
"I brought you. Found you unconscious on the side of the road. My name is Eirene Shaw. I'm a witch in the service of the King of Rose," the woman said.
"Eirene... thank you. Without you, I don't know what would've happened. Not everyone has good intentions."
"How do you know I don't have bad intentions?"
"Because you carried me all this way, took care of me, and your voice — your presence — tells me you're honest," Luciana said.
"Good instincts. So how did you end up alone out there?"
"Long story. It'll probably bore you. Or make you call me an idiot when you hear it." She smiled faintly.
"I doubt I'll be bored. Your story must be quite interesting — especially since the body and the soul don't match."
Luciana's lips tightened. So the witch had already noticed.
"You've got good instincts too." She raised her hands, touching the bandage over her eyes. "This woman was a fool. She gave away her own eyes to save a man who didn't deserve it."
"She was already blind before she lost her eyes — because she couldn't see the kind of man standing beside her," Eirene replied.
"It doesn't matter now. That man can enjoy his life until I find a way to reclaim my eyes. I'll let him watch as the woman who loved him ceases to exist." A sly smile crossed her face.
The mere thought of seeing the despair on that king's face when she took back what was hers filled her with something close to joy. But for now, she had to get used to this body first.
"Eirene, I need a favor," she said.
At the frontier camp, Duke Sandoval had received Diego's letter, and he was furious — ready to march back to the palace and demand answers. He'd left Luciana in Kael's care, and the first thing that bastard did was punish her over some nobody.
The duke ordered his troops to prepare for the return. It no longer mattered if the frontier was left exposed — his daughter came first. But just as he was about to depart, someone arrived asking for him.
The visitor introduced himself as a servant from the northern mansion and said he'd come at his daughter's request. The duke was skeptical, but the servant leaned close and whispered that Luciana Sandoval had sent for him and that absolute discretion was essential. He described how Luciana had been abandoned in a forest by her fiance and that it was the Witch of the North, Eirene, who'd saved her.
At the mention of Eirene's name, the duke's doubts softened. He knew of the witch — a loyal subordinate of the vampire king. He agreed to go with the servant, accompanied by a minimal escort.
The journey took two days. When they arrived at the mansion, the servant asked that only the duke enter, for security. In the private sitting room, Eirene was waiting, and Luciana sat on a small sofa.
"My child." The duke forgot all formalities. He went straight to Luciana and knelt before her, clasping her hands. "Diego sent me a letter. He told me what that bastard did to you..."
His eyes glistened. He'd trusted Kael to keep her safe.
"Father, I'm all right. But I don't intend to return to Holwin — not now. I don't want the king to know I'm still alive," she told him.
"But darling... I can fight this in court. I'll do everything in my power to make that bastard pay for what he's done to you," the duke insisted.
"It's not the right time, Father. The court will only fracture, and the ambitious ones — the ones who see you as a threat — could seize the opportunity. They could make it look like you're staging a rebellion," the redhead explained.
The duke fell silent. Eirene gave a conspicuous fake cough.
"Your daughter is right, Your Grace. You don't even know what story has been told in Holwin about her disappearance," Eirene added.
"Miss Eirene is right, Father. We don't know what's been said. That woman could've taken the chance to spin a version that benefits her."
The duke went quiet and stood. His daughter had a point. Diego had only told him about the punishment. In the days since, any number of lies could have been invented to cover the truth.
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