The carriage returned to the palace after a long afternoon in Stone Valley. Jasmine had enjoyed every moment of it-the busy streets, the little shops, the children running through the roads, and even the curious stares that followed her wherever she went.
When they arrived at the palace, Duncan stepped down first and offered his hand to Jasmine. She accepted it, stepping carefully onto the ground.
They had barely taken a few steps when Nathaniel appeared with Lord Matthew. He stopped when he saw them together, his expression changing immediately.
"Where have you two been?" he asked.
"The commoners' district," Jasmine answered.
Nathaniel's brows drew together. "Doing what?"
"Exploring," Duncan replied calmly. "Jasmine wanted to see more of Valtheris."
He gave Nathaniel a faint smile.
"You should try it sometime, Your Grace. You might actually enjoy yourself."
Nathaniel glanced at Jasmine, then back at Duncan.
"That's good, but wasn't it dangerous?"
"We had guards with us, and we were armed," Duncan replied.
Nathaniel nodded slowly. "Good."
Duncan gave them a brief wave before walking away.
Nathaniel watched him leave, his expression unreadable. Something about Duncan had changed. He had always known him to be cold, distant, and difficult to approach, but lately, whenever Jasmine was around, Duncan seemed almost like a different man.
He turned to Jasmine.
She was smiling to herself.
Nathaniel's eyes narrowed slightly.
Since when did Jasmine enjoy Duncan's company this much?
He decided not to ask.
At least, not yet.
Over the next few days, Duncan and Jasmine began spending more time together.
At first, Jasmine thought it was simply because Duncan wanted to show her around Valtheris. But the more time she spent with him, the more she understood why Maya had once fallen for him.
Duncan was arrogant, irritating, and far too confident for his own good, but beneath all of that, there was something else.
He could be surprisingly charming.
And, to her embarrassment, she was beginning to enjoy his company.
One afternoon, he took her to the coast.
The beach was unlike anything Jasmine had seen in Valtheris. Waves rolled gently toward the shore, breaking into white foam before retreating across the golden sand. The salty breeze moved through her hair, while the sound of the water drowned out the noise of the city.
Jasmine wore a light blue summer dress with delicate embroidery around the sleeves, while Duncan had abandoned his usual heavy coat for a loose white shirt and dark trousers. The sea breeze pushed his hair away from his face, making him look unusually relaxed.
A small tent had been set up beneath the shade, with a blanket spread across the sand and a basket of fruit and drinks beside it.
Jasmine sat beneath the shade and looked toward the water.
"It's beautiful," she said softly.
Duncan sat beside her.
"That's why I chose this place."
"Good choice."
He smiled before looking toward the sea.
"Does Aerathia have places like this?"
"Of course. We have beautiful beaches too."
"Does Nathaniel take you there?"
Jasmine glanced at him.
"Sometimes. But he's usually busy with work."
"That's unfortunate."
Duncan leaned back against the tent.
"So it's mostly you, your mother and father?"
"Not exactly. My mother spends a lot of time with her friends, and my father is retired. Nathaniel manages most of the estate now."
She paused.
"And then there's me and my friends. I'm usually with Aurora."
Duncan's expression changed slightly.
"Who's Aurora?"
Jasmine immediately realised her mistake.
"She's Nathaniel's -"
She stopped.
Duncan turned toward her.
"Nathaniel's what?"
"Nothing."
His eyes narrowed.
"You mentioned Aurora."
"She's a relative."
The answer came too quickly.
Duncan studied her face for a moment, clearly unconvinced.
"Of course."
Jasmine smiled awkwardly and looked toward the sea.
"Let's just enjoy the view."
Duncan smiled too, but his mind was already somewhere else.
Who was Aurora?
And why had Jasmine almost revealed something she clearly didn't want him to know?
Meanwhile, Maya had recovered enough to return to her normal routine. She could finally eat solid food again, and she was more than grateful to be done with soup.
Nathaniel had also been spending more time with her.
And Maya couldn't deny how much she enjoyed his attention.
There was something about his green eyes when he looked at her. They weren't always stern or commanding. Sometimes, they softened completely, and whenever they did, Maya found herself forgetting everything else around her.
Still, Duncan remained somewhere in the back of her mind.
She hated that.
Especially after what had happened at the masquerade.
Nathaniel arrived that afternoon carrying a single rose.
"Hello, Duchess," he said, holding it out. "This is for you."
Maya smiled as she accepted it.
"It smells wonderful."
Nathaniel leaned slightly closer, "Not as wonderful as you."
Maya's cheeks warmed, "Your grace."
He laughed softly.
They later sat together in the garden, watching the gardener plant fresh flowers into the soil. The afternoon sun was warm, and the quiet surroundings made the moment feel strangely peaceful.
Then Nathaniel stopped talking.
Maya noticed.
She turned toward him.
He was looking directly at her.
His green eyes were softer than she'd ever seen them, but there was something else there too-hesitation.
"What is it, Your Grace?"
"I need to tell you something."
Maya waited, "What is it?"
Nathaniel took a slow breath.
"Maya, I have -"
A guard suddenly approached and bowed.
"Your Grace."
Nathaniel's expression tightened.
"What is it?"
"The palace has received the results of the substance found at the masquerade."
Maya's heart skipped.
"What did they find?"
The guard hesitated.
"It would be better if you both came to the palace. His Majesty is waiting."
Nathaniel immediately stood.
"I need to go."
"I'll come with you," Maya said, rising. "I deserve to know what happened to me."
Nathaniel looked at her for a moment before nodding.
"Fine. Let's go."
He offered his hand, and Maya took it.
By the time they reached the palace, Duncan and Jasmine had already arrived.
Marion and Clara soon joined them.
Maya's eyes immediately settled on Duncan and Jasmine standing together.
Her brows furrowed.
Since when had those two become so close?
She didn't like the question forming in her mind.
Before she could think further, the doors opened.
King Alexander entered the throne room.
Everyone immediately bowed.
The king took his seat and looked around the room. His expression was unusually serious.
"Miss Maya," he said. "How are you feeling?"
"Much better now, Your Majesty."
"I'm glad to hear that."
Alexander's gaze moved across the room.
"What happened at the Ashford Mansion was not a simple incident. Someone attempted to harm you, and we need to understand why."
The room became silent.
Even Duncan's expression hardened.
Alexander continued.
"The substance found in your system has been examined by the royal healers."
Maya swallowed.
Nathaniel instinctively moved closer to her.
"What did they find?" he asked.
Alexander paused.
The silence that followed seemed to stretch forever.
"The substance does not originate from Valtheris."
Jasmine's eyes widened.
Duncan's expression remained still, but his attention sharpened.
Alexander looked directly at Nathaniel.
"It came from..."
He paused again.
"...Aerathia."
Nathaniel's face went pale.
"What?"
Jasmine stared at the king.
"That's impossible."
Alexander's voice remained calm, but the weight behind his words made the entire room tense.
"The evidence says otherwise."
Nobody spoke.
Maya slowly turned toward Nathaniel.
His face had changed completely.
For the first time, she saw fear in his eyes.
And suddenly, the question wasn't who had poisoned her.
It was-
Who had brought the poison into Valtheris?