Two days passed but Alina was trapped in a space she couldn't escape: accused, suspected, and watched.
She needed to prove her innocence, but she didn't know where to start. She couldn't ask for help. Not without revealing the intelligence briefing. Maren's room was off-limits to her and Austin had withdrawn into silence. She was alone.
The change didn't go unnoticed. The castle had grown used to Austin's eyes finding her across the great hall, her walking into his study without knocking, and their chess games that lasted for hours. And now, they hadn't even looked at each other in two days.
The whispers returned immediately. She was walking to the garden when Lady Pemberton blocked her path with two of her maids.
"The bed warmer has finally returned to her natural habitat," she said, her smile as sharp as a blade. "Tell me, Miss Ashworth, what did you do to lose the duke's favour so quickly?"
