So, I didn't ruin every chance to have Elias. And Alexander won't hate our daughter.

From what I've seen so far, he already loves her.

«I hope she'll sleep for an hour or at least half,» he whispers. «I will be back soon, I promise.»

He pecks my head and leaves the bed.

I cuddle the baby and wonder how much to wait before following him. Also, I shouldn't bring the little ball with me.

She's sleeping, clueless. Can I leave her on the bed?

As I reach the door, I notice it hasn't been closed yet. Alexander is standing outside, talking with Kate. She's clenching her uniform's skirt, her expression furious.

«Those women left your wife to die,» she exclaims. «They didn't even check if she would survive before running out with the baby in their arms. They closed the door and didn't allow anyone inside...»

My baby doesn't seem bothered by her eavesdropping mother, so I dare to approach the door a few steps more to hear better.

«No one entered the room, so there's no way the baby was fed. None of the two women there has milk. I suspect they're trying to kill her without traces...»

«The baby wouldn't have stopped crying if she was hungry.»

«I know. I can't find any proof, but they must have sedated her. They want a frail child that will get ill and die without anyone suspecting.»

«Why?» Alexander sighs. «My daughter has such a weak claim to the throne, in Ethirian law.»

«I don't know anything about politics. But with a healthy wife and daughter, it seems obvious that you'll have a son sooner or later.»

«How is Thea doing? She's not herself, now. And she seems so tired.»

«She would have died if I wasn't there,» Kate finishes.

Alexander nods and doesn't add anything. He walks by Kate and leaves her in front of the door. I open it ajar and call her inside with a motion of my head.

«Can you look after her?» I whisper. I want to check what is going to happen.

What if the midwife tells Alexander that they were protecting the child from me? Will he run back to check if I have ill intentions?

After all, he did find me with a crying baby in my arms.

«What's the meaning of all of this?» he asks the women in the room. His voice is low, calm, yet chilly. «You were supposed to protect her.»

«We're here to make sure the young miss has all she needs,» the midwife replies with a frown. «It's not our duty to clean the Archduchess. Her maids are here for that.»

«You left her to bleed out.»

«Some blood is normal, your highness. As you've seen, the Archduchess is still alive.»

«Only because she was treated by her maids while you took her daughter away without letting her see her once. What were you trying to do? Kill first my wife and then my child?»

«Your highness, your words are offensive! We took care of the baby with utter professionalism! If we were ordered to kill the baby, then she wouldn't be this healthy...»

«Healthy? Can a baby not eating be healthy?»

«Your highness, your wife doesn't have to breastfeed her own children. It's not proper for noblewomen to do so.»

«Where's the nanny?» he asks, walking in the room and looking for details out of place. «Why hasn't my daughter still had a meal? Are you planning to let her starve?»

Thank goodness he came back in time!

«It's not the case, your highness.»

«Who sent you?» Alexander asks, turning to the women and gazing at them, almost uninterested.

«I'm in charge of all the children in the imperial family.»

«All of them?» he scoffs. «What if the imperial family had dozens of members? There were generations like that. Would you have looked over every single delivery? Moreover, you're appointed as the direct descendants of the ruling Emperor. I know the rules and customs, don't try messing with me.»

«It's a delicate period. Until his majesty has a son, the throne will be in danger. Every baby that comes into the family is as important as a prince.»

«Who sent you?» Alexander repeats. «The Dowager Empress?»

The midwife doesn't flinch, but her assistant winces, taken by surprise.

«This will cost her a lot, believe me. And it will cost you two even more...»

The assistant falls on her knees and starts crying.

«Please, mercy!» she shouts.

The midwife hits her head and imposes silence, but the girl is too frightened to listen.

«I didn't know her highness's life was in danger! I'm just a servant doing all that is told to her. I don't make decisions; please spare my life!»

«Why should I? Are your actions forgivable?»

«It wasn't my fault! I didn't do anything... It's her... It has always been her,» she says, pointing at the midwife.

Those two got along perfectly while doing misdeeds. Now that they've been discovered, though, they turn against each other.

«She poisoned the baby to make her stop crying. She told me not to let the nanny feed her for a couple of days and prevent her highness from walking inside.»

«Is that so? What kind of poison did you use?»

«It's a sedative, your highness,» the maid reveals. «It makes the baby tired, so she can't ask for food. If not disturbed, she will sleep for a few days and become too weak to survive.»

«What about my wife? Was her state natural?»

«I suspect the midwife did something there too,» the woman affirms, hoping to get out of here alive by collaborating. «I'm sure she's behind it as well!»

«My Lady,» a male voice says behind me. «May we pass?»

I turn and look at the two knights. They're wearing their uniforms, their swords hanging on their belts. They also have light armour on. Do they need to fight?

I step aside and let them march into the room.

«Take care of them. And be discreet. Don't alert the Royal Guards while getting rid of the midwife,» Alexander orders, not even turning to look at the door nor the two women shaking in panic.

He observes the cradle, and I can't see his expression from here. I just can hear his glacial tone.

When he turns and notices me, I realise that I'm a witness to two murders...

Alexander walks to me and reaches out, slow and careful, to a lock of my hair. I shut my eyes and hold my breath until my feet don't touch the ground anymore.

When I open my eyes, Alexander is carrying me back.

«You have to rest, Thea. How many times do I need to tell you before you understand?»

I shrug, clenching his shirt and sighing in secret relief. He won't get rid of me to maintain his dark secrets. And his knights didn't seem too surprised to get that order, by the way. How often has something similar happened?

He pecks my temple and moves a step towards his room. Then, he turns back to the women being dragged away. They're fighting with their nails and shouting for help, but no one even dares to look. The few servants present here, those that weren't sent away after failing to protect me, pretend not to be hearing anything.

«The noise is annoying,» Alexander says, and the knights hit the women behind their heads. The two lose their senses and are carried out without further scenes.

I surround Alexander's neck with my arms and inhale his scent. He's been away for a few weeks only, but I've missed him.

«You weren't supposed to see that,» he sighs. «I didn't want to unsettle you even more...»

I press my lips on his neck and then nibble his earlobe. Leaving a trace of light pecks, I reach his lips.

Alexander continues walking towards his chambers, paying little attention to the surroundings. We finally kiss, after so many days.

I sigh, feeling my needs all fulfilled and my soul at ease.

«I missed you,» I murmur before returning to the delicate, longing kiss.

Not looking where he's walking, Alexander stops against the door. My shoulder and leg are pressed on the wood and the sound of the hit echoes in the hallway.

He steps back, still holding me. His knuckles are red after the impact, but his eyes are all on me.

«Thea, are you all right?» he asks.

I burst out laughing at the scene. We were so focused on kissing that we missed the door.

I hug him tightly and sink my face on his neck's skin. I'm still giggling while opening the door with one hand and pulling his hair with the other.

The sound was so loud that it woke up the sleeping ball. In fact, when we walk in, a loud cry welcomes us.

Kate is cuddling the baby, walking from one side to the other of the room and moaning some lullaby.

«At least, we don't have to wake her up,» Alexander sighs. «Or, better said, we already did...»

That's right. The little ball hasn't had anything to eat yet.