It is the season for love and murder in the court of Ravaeryn.
After a chance encounter one winter night, Lady Catarina de Fontaine had fallen hopelessly in love with Julian, the Crown Prince. However, upon discovering his untruthfulness, she immedi...
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1711, Aethiel Palace, Kestramore City
The skies were a beautiful blend of greys and blues, like a solemn watercolour painting, and trailing down the canvas were clear droplets of rain.
Why does it always rain whenever I see you?
"Come with me. I will escort you back to the palace."
Julian's words fell on deaf ears, and Catarina found herself mindlessly staring at him. Those bright amber eyes glowed like liquid gold, and Catarina was certain that even the most talented of painters could not recreate the beauty that the Prince possessed.
Her gaze trailed down towards his firm lips. They were stern and unsmiling, but they looked so full, so kissable.
"Lady de Fontaine?" the Prince's voice rang, jolting her awake from her trance. "Stand up now, we're going back to the palace."
Catarina blushed furiously as she scrambled to her feet, still unable to comprehend why her heart was beating so erratically. Her cheeks felt oddly warm, so she must be sick, right?
"Here, take this," he said, holding the umbrella handle for her to take.
"No, there's no need for that," Catarina replied, though a bit too enthusiastically. "I'm already soaking wet, so there's no point in using an umbrella."
Julian frowned. "If you stay in the rain any longer, you will freeze to death. We don't want that to happen, do we?"
As he said those words, he noticed that Catarina's lips had already started to turn into a horrific shade of blue. Despite that, she was still hesitant to take the umbrella.
This girl is truly too stubborn for her own good, he thought.
"Fine," he declared. "If you don't want to take it, I will hold it out for you."
He outstretched his arm, and the rain falling on top of Catarina's head abruptly stopped. Droplets of water splattered down on Julian, soaking into his black coat.
"We can share the umbrella," Catarina proposed as she slightly pushed the handle towards Julian. "See? Now we're both sheltered from the rain."
"Yes," Julian answered with a shrug. "We should be heading inside now. It isn't safe out here."
As they trudged through the mud, Catarina suddenly realised that this was her opportunity to find out more about the death of Eufemia Dubois.
Not only had a royal consort been poisoned to death, the crime actually occurred inside the palace, mere feet away from where she and the rest of the ladies were having evening tea.
"Your Highness," Catarina eventually said. "Who do you think poisoned Eufemia Dubois?"
Upon hearing that name, Julian turned to glance at her with intrigue. "Why do you ask? Do you have any idea of who might have done it?"
