Chapter 273: Summons From Jacinta
Chapter 272: Summons From Jacinta
Lyria’s POV
Baron Redwick frowned at my question, his brows drawing together.
"There is no need for me to tell anyone, Your Highness," he said. "This is something that is happening between you and me alone. Others need not be involved. I would not betray your trust in such a manner."
I gave him an appreciative smile, something warm settling in my chest at his words.
"Thank you," I said. "I h-hope you will k-keep it t-that way."
He inclined his head.
"Of course, Your Highness."
I paused, gathering my thoughts.
"I quite e-enjoyed the lesson," I said. "I will b-be seeing you some o-other time. You should t-take care."
He smiled, a soft and genuine expression.
"I shall. And you as well, Your Highness."
The maids moved to clear away the remnants of our time together—the book, the teacups, the blankets that had made the forgotten corner so comfortable. I watched them work for a moment, their movements efficient and practiced, and then when they were done, we began the walk back toward my chamber.
The corridors were quieter than they had been earlier, the morning light streaming through the tall windows in pale golden streams. I walked slowly, my mind still half-occupied with not just the lesson but also how beautiful Earl Hawthorne was, and how it was that I was only now recognizing it.
We had just reached my wing, the corridor leading to my chambers stretching before us, when we stopped.
Kyia stood in the middle of the path, blocking our way.
Her arms were folded across her chest, her expression one of barely concealed disdain. She looked at me as though I were something unpleasant that had crawled into her path, which was not a surprising look on her face.
"Princess Jacinta has summoned you," she said.
I was about to reply when Elara stepped forward.
"Surely you know who Her Highness is?" she asked, her voice calm but sharp.
Kyia blinked.
"What do you mean?"
Elara’s gaze did not waver.
"I am asking why you did not greet the Princess appropriately," she said. "You addressed Her Highness without a proper bow. Without a proper curtsy. Without any form of respect. You spoke to her like she was below you."
Kyia scoffed at the words.
"I was speaking to the Princess," she said. "Not to you."
Elara smiled, though it was devoid of any warmth.
"I am Her Highness’s head maid, and I have every right to correct those who do not respect her," she said.
"I did nothing wrong, though," Kyia said to her. "I only came to pass along the summons as Princess Jacinta required."
"And do tell," Elara said, "did Princess Jacinta explicitly tell you that you are not to greet Her Highness properly when you pass the summons, or that you may look upon her with disdain, or even look directly into her eyes as though she is below you?"
Kyia swallowed nervously. "I was speaking to the Princess, not you," she repeated.
"You of all people know how much I hate repeating myself, Kyia. Surely you have not forgotten who I am, right?" Elara asked her.
Kyia’s expression flickered, that confidence slipping away from her features as nervousness took over instead.
"Greet Her Highness appropriately," Elara continued, "and send the message through the proper channels."
Kyia swallowed.
"And just in case you have forgotten your position and how it is you are supposed to behave in the presence of those above you, let me remind you," Elara said, closing the distance between the two of them.
She did not look like the Elara I knew at that moment. It was more like she had transformed into someone else—a dominating presence that made the lesser one cower into a corner with just her presence.
"No maid," she continued, "is permitted to block the path of a noble, especially one of the royal family, even if it is to deliver a message. Maids are to clear the way, walk behind, or at the far end, and never in the direct path of a noble."
"Secondly, no maid has the right to speak to a noble without greeting them appropriately, especially a princess like Her Highness, who has been recognised officially by the royal family as a princess. Disrespecting her will also translate into you disrespecting the royal family, and I wonder what exactly Princess Jacinta would have to say about that when she learns what you have done."
I doubted Princess Jacinta would do anything, but for some reason, Kyia seemed afraid of Elara’s words.
Elara paused for a second and then continued.
"If you must pass a message, whether a summons or anything else, to Her Highness, then it must be done through the appropriate channels. You must not stand in the Princess’s way."
And then she pushed Kyia out of the way.
It was not a violent shove, but it was firm and deliberate, enough to make Kyia stumble back a step. Elara turned to Phineas.
"Take Her Highness to her chambers," she said. "I will deal with the disturbance here."
Phineas nodded and began walking, his presence steady and reassuring.
I followed him, as did my other maids, my mind reeling.
The maid Elara had just pushed aside was none other than Jacinta’s maid—the same one the other maids had said was the potential Head Maid, the same one who served the Princess with unwavering loyalty.
And Elara did not look the least bit worried about the repercussions.
That was dangerous. Elara did not know who Jacinta was. Jacinta was merciless. If she found out Elara had treated Kyia that way... no, I must put a stop to this. I could not risk Elara getting punished for something I could easily resolve.
I turned to go back to Elara, to warn her—
But Debbie spoke up, halting my steps.
"I would advise against doing that, Your Highness," she said quietly.
I looked at her, my eyes wide. Did she not understand who it was that Elara was challenging?
"Elara may be in t-trouble," I said. "She does n-not know what Princess J-Jacinta is c-capable of. The princess i-is not l-like I..."
Debbie shook her head, making the words halt in my throat, refusing to come out.
"Elara does know who Princess Jacinta is," she said. "And to be honest, Your Highness, she may know the Princess more than you think she does."
I frowned.
"What d-do you mean?"
Debbie met my gaze.
"Elara has suffered from the cruelty of the Princess herself," she said. "She knows exactly what the Princess is capable of. And even at that, she still stands to challenge her. Do not question her, Your Highness—trust her instead. She knows what she is doing."
Pippa spoke up then, her voice light.
"Your Highness, surely you must have seen Kyia’s expression. She looked frightened by Elara."
I frowned as I recalled Kyia’s expression, the flicker of something that had passed across her features when Elara spoke. It had been fear. Genuine, unmistakable fear.
That was a first for me.
The only people I had ever seen Kyia fear were Jacinta and the Queen.
But she had looked at Elara with the same expression, and honestly, I did not know what to make of it.
And that word again... trust. They spoke like it was so easy to give... although looking at the people who now surrounded me, perhaps it really was.
---
Once in my chambers, the maids changed my clothes, and I settled at the desk, my mind still turning over the morning’s events—the lesson, the Earl at the training grounds, Kyia, Elara, and Jacinta.
Why did Jacinta have the time to summon me this morning? Should she not have been on a date? Or perhaps her date was at a later time?
My thoughts churned, restless and unresolved.
Later that afternoon, much to my surprise, a message arrived through the appropriate channels. Kyia herself delivered it with a proper curtsy and a formal announcement.
"Princess Jacinta requests your presence, Your Highness."
---
The walk to Jacinta’s chambers was strange. Kyia was present, but she did not once meet my eyes. She kept her gaze fixed on the floor, her posture rigid, her hands clasped before her.
Elara walked behind me with a smug smile.
I wondered what had gone on in the time between our encounter and now. I wondered what more Elara had said or done to make Kyia look so cowed.
And for the first time, I wondered who my new maids truly were.
We reached Jacinta’s chambers. The guards announced me and opened the door.
I was about to walk in, my maids following close behind—
But Jacinta’s voice cut through the air.
"Only the spawn and my maid are to enter."
I paused.
I did not turn to see the maids’ reaction, but I heard the sharp intake of breath from one of them. I kept my gaze fixed on the inside of Jacinta’s chamber, and then I stepped inside, and the door closed behind me.
