Elara stood at the tall window of her room, arms folded tightly across her chest as she watched the courtyard below. Her lips were pressed into a thin line, her knuckles white from how hard she squeezed her hands.

Adina.

That wretched girl was becoming a problem.

She'd seen Thorne's face at dinner. The way his eyes followed Adina. The slight twitch of his jaw when Levi leaned in too close. He'd only stare at one person that way. Roseanne.

No. This cannot be happening to her. Not after all she's done. All the years she's put into this.

Her nails dug into her skin. "He's mine," she whispered, her voice trembling. "He will always be mine."

She had to do something quick or else…she'd lose him this way.

She turned around, eyes snapping to her maid. "Call the head maid," she ordered. "Now!"

"Yes, my lady." The poor girl scurried out of the room.

In minutes, the middle-aged woman stood in the middle of the room, head lowered, waiting for Elara to speak, although she had an inkling why she was summoned.

Elara took a deep breath before turning to face the woman. She clasped her hands together. "Matilda," she began, and the woman looked at her.

"Yes, my lady."

"You've been a trusted friend of mine for such a long time now, haven't you, Matilda?"

"I have been, my lady."

Elara smiled calmly. "Exactly why I feel the immense urge to reward you tonight," she said, pulling out a wad of cash and throwing it at the woman, whose eyes widened at the sight.

"M-my lady. What do I do with this?" The head maid stammered.

"Anything you want, Matilda," Elara replied. She paused, tilting her head sideways as she watched the woman become engrossed with the money she held.

"Of course, you have to help me with something. I have…" Elara stepped closer, her voice soft and sweet. "…a little problem I need taken care of."

Matilda looked up, her eyes wary now. "What kind of… problem?"

"Adina…" Elara spat out. "Adina is my problem, and I can no longer contain my disdain for her."

Matilda's face turned pale. She shook her head, already refusing whatever it is Elara wanted. "Forgive me, my lady, but I can't… The king, he doesn't trust me anymore. If I do anything against what he's ordered, I can lose my life."

The smile on Elara's face dropped, a nasty frown settling instead. She stepped closer to the woman, brows arched. "I think you might be misunderstanding me, Matilda," she began, her hands shooting out and grabbing the woman's hair tight, forcing her to look up. "I'm not asking for a favor."

Matilda whimpered as Elara's fingers twisted tighter in her hair.

"I'm giving you a command," Elara continued, leaning in. "And you will obey. Unless you'd prefer I tell the King you've been selling information to the slaves about the royal wing. That you've been slipping food to the rebels. Just enough to keep them hungry, not enough to raise alarm."

Matilda's eyes widened in horror. "That's not true—!"

"Oh, but who do you think he'll believe?" Elara asked sympathetically. "A corrupt old maid… or me?"

The silence that followed was thick. Matilda knew it. Elara was capable of doing it. After a few seconds, Elara let her go. Matilda stumbled back, breathing hard. Her hand trembled as she touched her scalp.

"What… what do you want me to do?" she whispered.

Elara smiled, smoothing a wrinkle from her sleeve like nothing had happened. "Send Adina to the outer border tomorrow. Tell her it's a special errand. Something urgent. Tell her the kitchen's out of moon herbs or whatever nonsense you cooks make up."

Matilda's eyes bulged. "M-my lady…that's dangerous territory. Even the alpha has banned everyone from going there. T-the rogues-"

"The rogues, nothing! Do as I've instructed, Matilda. Unless you want to be punished so hard, you'll never forget it."

The woman gulped hard, nodding. "As you command, my lady." She clutched the wad of cash tightly, moving to leave the room only to be stopped.

"And… Make sure she goes alone. Just her."

Matilda nodded slowly. She didn't dare say anything else.

As she turned and left, Elara walked back to her window, that smug, perfect smile crawling back onto her lips.

"Let's see how desirable she is," she muttered, "when she's nothing but blood on leaves."

_____________

The dinner was over, and now they were just cleaning up the remnants. Adina wiped the surface of the table clean while also keeping an eye out for the man who had saved her.

Tonight had been intense. She didn't know what unnerved her more. Thorne's brooding stares or Lord Levi who had helped her.

She sighed. She wasn't ungrateful, even if she thought his help unnerved her. She hadn't gotten a chance to thank him properly too.

Just as she looked up, she saw the said man walking away. She stiffened slightly, and before she knew it, she was rushing after him.

"Lord Levi," she called out.

He stopped in his tracks, turning slightly. A brow arched as he glanced over his shoulder at her.

Adina caught up, her breath slightly uneven. "Sorry, I— I didn't mean to bother you. I just wanted to thank you for what you did back there."

Levi turned fully now, hands tucked into his pockets. "It's the second time I'm saving you. I wonder if there'll be a third."

Adina flushed. She hoped there wouldn't be a third time. It was hard being in a kingdom like this where almost everyone had it out for her.

She bowed deeply. "Thank you, My Lord…." She straightened slowly, biting her lips awkwardly. "If there's ever anything I can do to repay you…"

Levi tilted his head slightly. "Actually, there is something."

Adina blinked, startled. "O-Oh?" She wasn't expecting that.

He smirked and stepped closer to her. She instinctively stepped back, slightly caught off guard.

"Cute," Levi murmured under his breath, and her eyes widened slightly, lips parted like a gaping fish.

Did he just call her… cute?

"Can you sew?" he asked, and she nodded.

"Then you can repay me right now. I've got a few shirts that need buttons sewn back on."

"…Buttons?"

"Mhm." Levi tilted his head. "Think you can help with that?"

"I… suppose," she said, still flustered.

He nodded. "Perfect." Then gestured ahead. "Follow me?"

When they reached his door, she hesitated just for a moment. But Levi had already opened the door, stepping aside to let her in.

"Shouldn't take long," he said casually, and

Adina stepped inside, her heart thudding in her chest.

Levi glanced at her, amused to see her so uptight. He picked up a few shirts from the back of a chair and passed them to her. "They're right here. Knock yourself out."

Adina shuffled awkwardly. "Can I bring them back tomorrow? I'll stay up all night and sew them back on, and I won't get any kind of stain on them. I promise." She rushed out suddenly, surprising the man.

He stared at her blankly for some seconds, then burst out laughing, the sound reverberating through the room.

Adina stared at him in confusion while he laughed, wondering if she said the wrong thing. She knew the shirts were expensive, and maybe that's why—

"You're helping me, Adina. Honestly? If you asked me to set the castle on fire right now, I probably would."

Her face turned pale at his words. Oh goddess, all she wanted to do was thank him… being thrown in the dungeon for plans to burn the castle wasn't in her plans.

Levi chuckled. "Too far?" He hummed… "Take as much time as you need, Adina." He replied.

She bowed again, shuffling towards the door to leave, only to pause when he called her back. She glanced at him, but he didn't say anything, so she stepped out of the room.