Kate helps me wash and change clothes in the evening. She doesn't say a thing when she sees the bruise on my belly and those on my forearms. I'm sure she noticed the scratches on my palms as well, but she doesn't ask.

I'll have to explain before she has time to reach the wrong conclusions, but I'm not in the mood right now.

I would have to talk too much, and my throat is coarse because of the long chat. Kate has told me all about the Palace's people, and also about the new governor.

He really sounds like a bureaucrat, listening to my friend's words.

When I hear the knock, I get up in anticipation.

«Must be dinner,» I say, and I walk to the door.

«I go!» Kate stops me, and she runs in front of me, signalling me to sit back on the sofa.

When the Duke enters, I smile surprised. No dinner?

«Is my Duchess hungry?» he asks. He moves to the side, letting two maids bring the food. I've never seen those girls, so I suppose they're from another wing of the Palace.

Wait, will the Duke have problems with the Emperor because of me? He sent away all the maids, and every servant working in the Palace is his majesty's employee.

«I will let you two dine alone,» he offers while closing the door after the maids. «But first, I'll check your wounds.»

Before he can reach me, though, Kate steps in the middle and points a knife in the direction of the Duke.

I get up instinctively, not sure about who between those two I should protect. If the Duke gets hurt, it's the end for both me and Kate.

«What?» he mutters, lifting his brows.

His bland reaction is so annoying, right now. He has a blade pointed at him, but that isn't bothering him one bit.

I'm sure Kate can't really hurt him, but he might at least be more careful.

«I won't let you hurt her more,» the girl spits out in a huff. Her voice is low, not to alert the people outside. Her hand is trembling slightly, but she stands in place boldly.

«Kate, it's not how you think,» I start, slowly walking to her. «The Duke didn't hurt me. It was someone else.»

Kate turns to me and looks at my solemn face.

«He didn't protect you,» she points out, and I don't have any argument in favour of the Duke, this time.

«Things like this happen, and my husband can't stop everything. Trust me about one thing: he didn't make a single move to hurt me, and he promised that he will protect me better.»

I can now stretch out my hand and squeeze Kate's shoulder.

«Now, give me that knife,» I murmur. «The Duke won't hurt me, and I won't let him hurt you.»

Kate's eyes fill with tears, and she drops her arm.

«I'm sorry for the misunderstanding,» she says, tired and sad. She had travelled for three days without stopping to reach here.

«You just wanted to protect me,» I reply, reassuringly. I hug Kate lightly, and she leans her head on my shoulder.

When the Duke takes a few steps towards us, I instinctively tighten my arms around Kate, settled on protecting her no matter what.

I've just had her back, I can't let go so soon!

«I see you haven't changed much, Katerina,» the Duke comments, taking the knife from the girl's hand.

Kate and I wince at the same time, surprised and startled by the Duke's quick action. Seeing our scared expressions, the Duke pats the maid's head with a calm grin.

«I haven't given you permission to cling on my wife, though,» he voices.

Hearing his words, Kate stops tightening me. Still, I don't let her go.

I glare at the Duke, challenging him to say anything to me.

«It's time for your medicine,» he reminds me. «The medical tea will get cold, so you should hurry.»

This sounds so much like an excuse, but I don't find any valid argument in my favour.

I sit next to the Duke. I sip the tea with a hand, while he applies the ointment on the other.

«I can do this later by myself,» I point out.

«I won't be able to sleep if I'm not sure you're properly taken care of.»

«Kate is here, she'll help me.»

«No,» the Duke sighs, and I don't know what else to say.

I stay silent, following his gentle fingers with my eyes.

«I should have eaten before using the ointment,» I finally remember. «I'll apply it on the other hand later.»

«I will help you eat,» the Duke mutters. «Or you can wait two minutes for your skin to absorb the cream.»

I pout my lips, feeling embarrassed by Kate's close watch. She's observing us from a corner, still considering whether she made the right choice entrusting her queen to the Duke.

«You'll get used to this, eventually,» Alexander comments.

«What?» I wince surprised.

«To being watched,» he reveals.

He read my mind once again! How can he pretend to be a regular human, when he always knows the contents of my brain?

«No,» he mutters, quite annoyed. «You're just too transparent.»

«I'm not transparent,» I complain. «You're a magician.»

«Magicians don't exist.»

But I've seen one, years before the war started.

The magician visited the court with a circus. He took out a dove from his hat. He even made some flowers appear out of nowhere, and he gifted me a giant sunflower.

Alexander, though, has no point in common with that person.

«No,» he repeats.

I tilt my head, confused, and my husband chuckles amused. Is he perhaps making fun of me?

«Now, you should eat. I'll allow you to sleep with your maid this night. Am I not the most tolerant husband in the whole world?»

«Indeed,» I nod, and I peck his cheek.

Alexander didn't even flinch when he heard about the incident in the garden. Yet, now he's pretending to be jealous of a girl. What a weird man is my husband.