I pushed him with the most force I could muster, pushing him free from my body.

He stepped back nonchalantly, and I held my arms in front of myself, afraid of what he would do, but he wasn't interested anymore.

"It's fine if you won't. There's plenty of maids who get sent here anyways."

His eyes glistened in joy at my fear, and there was something openly cruel about his grin.

I felt sick.

I was unable to believe it, but something about him told me he wasn't lying.

"How could you, Otto?" I continued, pressing myself to the wall. I tried to not cry—to not let this monster of a man see my weak side. "I didn't think you were this kind of person. No wonder you are locked up! No wonder your own sister treats you this way!"

"Do you really think I'm Otto?" He was calmer now, and stood there in the dark room watching me with his head tilted to one side. "I'm not. I don't really care for Oda, either. She's happy I'm locked up, but to bring Otto down with me is the best thing that has yet to happened."

Bring Otto down?

I shook my head, unable to understand what he is saying.

I turned around quickly and fumbled with the door, trying to open it in the dark.

"I guess you'll be leaving now," he laughed, "just like all the others. Cowards. Every single one of you."

I finally pried the door free and leapt outside before shutting it behind me. I ran down the dark staircase, one hand skidding on the rough wall, feeling the cuts forming on the skin, until I got outside. I closed the door and then the lock. I could only hope he wouldn't come after me.

When I finally reached the castle and made sure my hair was in place and I did not look pale, I went to dinner.

During dinner I could not find the appetite to eat and simply stared at my plate.

"You're pale," Oriana, who sat next to me, said in concern. "Is something wrong?"

I couldn't say that everything was wrong. Everything, from the way the dining room, which was, like every other room in the castle, too wide and bright for my comfort. The way the ladies all ate with strict table etiquette. The way the food was lathered in faraway spices my family never used.

"I'm fine," I managed to whisper, taking a sip of water. She nodded although her brows were creased in worry.

I was not fine. The silverware felt heavy in my hands and my lips felt numb.

The forced kiss from Otto was still reoccurring in my mind. My throat clenched, thinking of his unrelenting eyes. My skin tingled, thinking of his hand on my chin.

At night when Aideen helped me undress she asked me what happened in the tower.

"Was Prince Otto all right?" she asked as she took off my dress. I unlaced my stifling corset quickly and then pulled on my nightgown. "He might've been lonely because Oda hasn't been free lately and couldn't visit him. I'm sure he was glad you went."

"He was," I said. It wasn't a lie: Otto was happy. But not his other side. I sat down at the vanity table and Aideen began to let down my hair. I looked at her small face in the mirror and gulped.

"Aideen, do you know anything about the prince acting weird? Or why he's locked up?" Aideen stopped combing through my hair and peered at me. I froze.

"The prince isn't stable," she said softly. "Oda did say she wanted to bring you to see Prince Otto when he's—he's different." I nodded.

"I see."

"Do you need anything else?" She asked once she finished. I shook my head. When she left I started to cry.

I cried not because of the kiss, or the shock, but cried because of the fact that Otto was not a monster, but his other side was, and the saddest thing was that Otto is getting punished. Getting locked up like a creature and forced to marry a stranger who collects the most dandelion seeds. Absurd.

Maybe it was my responsibility to to win The Dandelion System so no poor maiden gets harmed by the 'monster' side of Otto. By doing that, however, I also ruin Otto's chance of happiness. How would I, or anyone, know if he can ever be normal?

That night I hardly slept, the dark room constantly reminding me of what happened in the tower. When I finally fell asleep, I had an nightmare. I couldn't remember what it was, but I woke up to Aideen.

"Oda will visit you tonight after dinner," she said. "Is that alright?"

"Yes." I still felt ill. I suspect it was from the meeting with Otto's other side, not from my previous sickness.

That day after dinner, just as I entered Grey Castle, I felt someone tap at my shoulder. I jumped and turned round to see Annabelle.

"Annabelle!"

"I'm sorry, I startled you," she said.

"Oh, no, I'm glad to see you again," I said with a smile.

"Me too. I haven't made friends yet and I wondered if you had plans tomorrow?"

"I don't."

"Then if you'd like, would you want to walk around tomorrow?" she asked, green eyes wide as she looked at me hopefully. It reminded me of Catalina's eyes before she lost her eyesight. I smiled fondly.

"I'm free, please do come," I invited her. "I'm a Middle Class Contestant so my room is the first one on the third floor."

"Oh, thank you so much, Karina!" she said, clapping her gloved hands together. "I will come to you right after breakfast, then! I must go now, if you don't mind. Have a good night."

"Thank you, and you too."

I gave her a wave as she pranced up the stairs to the right in her wide dress. Everything about her felt fancy, unlike me. I started up the other set of stairs and reach my room. When I opened the door of my room, I am greeted by the sight of the princess.

Oda sat there on my bed, hands folded on her lap, and rigid like she was in the portrait of her in the hall, when she was a child. It seemed that her posture never changed in the many years.

"Karina, I've being waiting for a long time." She stood up. "I was thinking tomorrow we should visit Otto, maybe then you'll see the monstrous side of him."

I shivered at the name. "No, I don't want to."

"What are you saying? Don't you want to know? As my pawn to the Dandelion System, you must know the truth," she exclaimed. I didn't know what to do.

I couldn't tell Oda I visited Otto yesterday. She would scold me for visiting him without her permission. Not to mention that, but I also had plans with Annabelle. To add on, if I still didn't recover from my illness, I would have to cancel all the plans.

"I can't go tomorrow, I've made plans with a friend."

"Friend? Oriana Miller?" I was shocked the princess knew her. I would think she didn't care for any of the contestants, as she wasn't expecting them to win anyways.

"No, Annabelle de Cendre."

"Oh, her," Oda said with raised brows, her voice monotonous, "She's not from Taraxac. She's from Berennis—quite the outsider." What she said confirmed my suspicion that she isn't native to Taraxac.

"She seems very kind."

"Kind isn't the word. Naïve and spoiled is," Oda corrected, and I wonder what she thinks of herself, the princess who commanded that I change my name and risk my life for her sake.

"Well, I have plans," I repeated, feeling nauseous. I sat on the chair in front of my vanity table. I could see Oda frowning face in the mirror.

"We can meet at night. The guards pay less attention."

"Sure," I agreed wearily. Anything to get her to leave.

I watched her as she turned, her dress flaring out with the abrupt movement. She trotted to the door and opened it slightly while pressing her face to the crack. Thankfully she was no longer thinking about leaving through window.

But I was curious about what she said concerning going showing me the 'monster' side of Otto. If she was willing to show me, she must be willing to tell me, too. If so, should I ask her about Otto before she leaves? She might get mad if I ask her, but I didn't want to stay ignorant.

Yes, I didn't want to be only a pawn.

"Wait!" I shouted, a bit too loudly, as I stood up from my seat. Oda immediately stiffened up before facing me, looking annoyed at being startled.

"Yes, Karina?" I reconsidered my question, biting my lips.

"Is there—" I stopped for a moment, the unfinished sentence lingering in my mind. I took a deep breath before continuing with shaking hands, "is there another person in his body—in Otto's body?"

The question was like a knife, driven right into Oda. She slammed the door once the words left my mouth, her hands in fists. Her white eyebrows pressed together and when she parted her tightly closed lips, her voice is raucous.

"How do you know?"