Chapter 2

I let go of Liesel's hand and took a step back, eyeing the castle walls. 'Why am I here? You said I was your true love, but I don't remember anything. What did you do?’

The words land like a stone in still water.

Liesel's hand hovers in the air where Kai's was, empty now. Her smile doesn't drop—it *cracks*, a hairline fracture she tries to smooth over in the same instant.

"I—" She stops. Swallows. Her pink-red eyes dart to the fountain, to the castle, anywhere but Kai's face. "I made a bargain. With the Summer Court. Several months ago."

She draws a breath that trembles on the way in.

"I was lonely. I was *so* lonely, Kai, and no one saw it. My parents saw a princess who needed to marry a suitable alliance. The suitors saw a crown they could claim. My handmaiden saw a girl who smiled at the right moments and said the right things. But no one saw *me.* Not really. Not the part that ached."

Her voice drops lower, nearly swallowed by the fountain's murmur.

"So I went into the forest at dusk. I found a fae border—I didn't even know they were *real* until that night—and I asked them for true love. I asked so desperately that they heard me on the other side of the veil."

She finally looks at Kai. Her eyes are wet.

"They said yes. They always say yes. They gave me you."

A pause. A small, broken sound escapes her.

"And they cursed me so I could never meet you as myself.”

As Liesel finishes speaking, Mireille returns, holding out a simple, plain tunic and breeches. 'Here,' she says to Kai. 'It's not much, but it will blend in better than… whatever you're wearing.’

Mireille's eyes flick between them, reading the tension in the air. She says nothing about the wetness in Liesel's eyes or the distance between their hands. Instead, she simply extends the clothes toward Kai like an offering.

"There's a storage alcove behind the fountain. You can change there. It's private."

She has chosen her words carefully — not "my lady" or "Your Highness" in front of Kai, no titles to draw more attention. Practical. Efficient. The clothes are plain servant's wear, soft from washing, in muted greys and browns that would let anyone disappear into a castle's background.

Liesel's hands are clasped tightly in front of her. She's trying very hard not to reach for Kai again, not to push. Her voice is small when she speaks.

"You don't have to come inside. You don't have to stay. I know I have no right to ask anything of you." A pause. "But if you walk into that castle with me, I will spend every day trying to earn the trust I stole from you this morning. I promise you that."

The horns sound again, closer now. The changing of the guard Mireille mentioned. Time is compressing.

I shake my head, stepping back. "I can't. Not yet. I don't even know who I am, let alone who you are. I need time to understand.”

Liesel's face crumples — just for a moment, just a flicker of devastation that she smooths over with a trembling smile. She nods, quick and brittle, pressing a hand to her chest as if to steady something inside.

"No. Yes. You're right. Of course you're right." She laughs, and it sounds like breaking glass. "I'm sorry. I'm throwing all of this at you when you don't even have your own name beyond what I gave you. That's not fair. That's the opposite of fair."

She takes a step back, giving him space. Her hands fall to her sides.

"We're in the eastern edge of the castle grounds. If you follow the stream south, you'll reach the village of Thornwell in about an hour. There's an inn — the Gilded Thorn — they ask few questions. I..." She hesitates, then reaches into a fold of her gown, producing a small velvet pouch. It clinks. Coins. "Take this. It's not much, but it's enough for a few nights and some hot food."

She holds it out. Her hand is steady, but her eyes are not.

"I'll be here. In the castle. When you're ready to understand.”

I hesitate, then slowly reach out and take the pouch. It's heavier than I expected. I meet her eyes. 'Thank you. I don't know what I need yet, but I know I need to think. I'll find you when I do.’

The relief that flickers across Liesel's face is almost painful to watch—a brief, unguarded moment before she schools her features back into something softer, warmer. The Deredere in her wants to press closer, to beg him to stay, to wrap him in assurances and affection until he forgets he ever wanted to leave. But beneath that, the *real* her—the one who made this mess—holds the leash on that impulse.

She nods. "The castle's main gate is always open during the day. Tell the guards you're here to see the court mage's apprentice, and they'll let you in. It's not a lie that would hold up to scrutiny, but it's enough to get you past the first door." A small, sad smile. "I've used it before. For different reasons."

Mireille shifts awkwardly behind her, holding the servant's clothes. "Should I...?"

"Keep them," Liesel says softly, glancing at the bundle. "In case you change your mind about blending in. The tunic might fit better than the ones the innkeeper lends out."

The horns sound again. Closer.

"We should go," Mireille says, not unkindly. "Your Highness, if the King sends riders—"

"I know." Liesel's eyes stay on Kai, drinking them in like she's memorizing their face. "Be safe. The forest is kind during the day, but it changes after dusk. If you're not in Thornwell by sunset, find shelter."

She takes a step back. Then another.

Then she turns, gathers her pink-and-cream gown, and follows Mireille toward the service door. At the threshold, she pauses, glancing over her shoulder.

"I'll be here.”

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