Nestled in a comfortable chair, Lorelei flipped through a ledger, stopping from time to time to take notes. The squeaking of her feather was the only sound disturbing the peace of the library. The familiar sweetness of old parchment and dust lingered in the air, bringing Lorelei a momentary calm amidst the brewing storm. She was amongst friends - old, wise, and generously sharing their knowledge, their stories, and their teachings with her. The rustling of paper and parchment was like a lullaby in her ears - a protective charm, a safe shore for a shipwrecked sailor.

Still, the poisonous snake of worry coiled in the pit of her stomach and spoiled her quiet enjoyment.

She had agreed to go with the plan William had shared, but honestly, how much could one trust any endeavor in which the sneaky Lord Steward of Norden was involved? Besides, not everything was going as planned. Pricilla’s sudden absence yesterday had seeded some uneasiness in her heart. The statement she had made before William that she had no problems dealing with her sister had been a spur-of-the-moment boast. In reality, every time she thought of Pricilla, Lorelei’s back flared up with a painful itch.

Closing her eyes, Lorelei massaged her temples. According to William, they needed to play with Pricilla, pretending to follow her every whim in order to discern what her purpose for coming to Ildemar was. Lorelei too thought it suspicious that her sister, a barely adult girl and new arrival to the Imperial Court, would be sent on such a responsible mission as a representative of the Crown Price’s Palace. There was something foul at play, and Lorelei could almost smell the perfumed hand of the Second Prince pulling the strings behind the scene. But what was the play? That’s what they needed to find out.

‘So here I am,’ she thought and sighed, the itch on her back becoming almost unbearable. ‘Pretend to be meek and indecisive? Make Pricilla feel secure and in power? Oh, dear Stone-face, I hardly need to pretend.’

Biting the inside of her mouth, Lorelei winced as old feelings and memories bubbled up to the surface, threatening to escape the cage keeping them in check. Like the hiss of a viper, the words resonated again in her ears.

‘I saw her, Daddy! She snuck into Mother’s room, although you forbade us to!’

‘No! I didn’t! You told me to come play!’

‘Mother’s box was in her hands and she was pulling Mother’s jewels. She was trying them on. I shouted to stop her…’

‘Liar! You said we should try them on together!’

‘She threw the box at me and ran away, Daddy! It hurt! Look at my knee, Daddy! She scraped it!’

‘It’s a lie! I never did this! You dropped the box!’

‘That’s why the jewels are damaged. And also why one of Mother’s ruby earrings is missing. She must have taken it!’

‘No!’

Pat!

The sound of the slap from her memory thundered through her present. Lorelei startled and jumped in her seat as the library door crashed against the wall. The loud entry was followed by an even louder avalanche of voices.

“And you haven’t said a word to her about this!?” Rish’s shout could probably be heard as far as the training grounds.

“It isn’t right to give lip to rumors…” Milly still found enough courage to reply to the angry warrior.

“Ouch, ouch! Let go of me, Rish! Ouch! Let go! Milly! Tell her! Do something!” Jessup’s vigorous protests fell on deaf ears.

“Rumors!? A dozen people have seen it! And this one has personally been there!”

Stomping over the library carpet as if it had personally offended her, Rish stormed to Lorelei’s desk. Her right hand gripped Milly’s wrist like an iron shackle and pulled her fort while her left clawed at Jessup’s collar, nearly lifting him from the ground and dangling him like a rag doll before her.

The unusual trio quickly sobered Lorelei from her flashback. Blinking at them, she opened her mouth to ask the obvious question, but Rish didn’t give her any time to speak.

“Those two have something to share.” She threw her prisoners a mortifying glare.

“My lady, don’t be alarmed.” In response, Milly pinched the Binshi but this didn’t loosen her grip. “Rish is overreacting because of some rumors. It’s probably nothing. Just the servants gossiping. You know how it goes when they are bored-”

“Just gossip? I personally sniffed that poisonous mutra near the Duke’s study but thought it was a hallucination-”

“Rish! Language!” Both Milly and Jessup gasped but before the situation could escalate any further, Lorelei clapped her hands.

“I assume something quite important happened for all three of you to look so distraught, but this is bringing us nowhere.” Her voice was well controlled despite the galloping speed of her heart. “Rish, let them go. Now, all take a deep breath. Excellent. Now, Rish, dear, start from the beginning. Slowly.”

Snorting and digging in the carpet with the tip of her booth, Rish threw Lorelei a cautious glance.

“I was helping Aunt and the Shadows on patrol yesterday. And when I was passing the Duke’s study I thought that I sniffed that mut-, I mean your sister’s perfume. Mir-Mama, it’s like she’s bathing in enough honey and roses to attract a hundred bee hives… Whatever. What I mean is, I thought I smelled her there but then thought, no way. What would she be doing there when she's with you? But then today, I heard from Feste, who passed there two hours later, that he saw her exiting His Highness’ study. Giggling and chatting. And then a few of the maids have said they saw the Duke and that mu-... your sister walking around the trophy room on the third floor. And Rasha remembered seeing our dear Jess here with a lunch tray for two going to the Crystal Room. And when I asked him, he confirmed.”

“So what are you saying, Rish?” Lorelei locked her fingers together and her heart pounded even louder.

“I…” The young Binshi suddenly blushed and stuttered. “I mean… The Duke… I believe he spent the whole day with that woman.”

“And?”

“And?!” Rish glared at her. “How can you be so calm?!”

“About the lord of the castle entertaining his own guests?” Lorelei made sure not even a whiff of her true feelings reached her voice.

“But… How can you be so calm?”

“And why shouldn’t I be?”

“Because…” Rish dug her booth deeper into the carpet. “Because what if he is unfateful?”

“Rish!” Milly gasped and even Jess blinked at her stupefied. “That’s stretching it too far!”

“But the Duke never acts like this!”

“He did spend more than enough time alone with different delegates during the Grand Council.” Lorelei felt a cold hand tightening around her throat but forced herself to remain composed.

“But those were all old folks! And that woman has been ogling the Duke from the moment she stepped out of the boat. I don’t like it.”

‘And neither do I!’ screamed Lorelei in her head, but outwardly said:

“So what am I to do, Rish? Be jealous and suspicious of every woman approaching the Duke?”

“Maybe just of this one?” Surprising to all, this time it was Milly who replied. The maid hesitated briefly. “I too don’t like her, my lady. And not only because of what she did in the Misty Garden. She somehow looks like a not-very-good person, if you allow me to say that.”

“And what do you think?” Lorelei turned to the silent Jessup. The youth evaded her gaze.

“I’m not privy to Master’s thoughts and can’t say much. But I’m sure he’d never do something to hurt you, my lady. I think this all is an over-exaggeration and twisting the facts.”

“Over-exaggeration?” Rish was fuming. Her hand landed with a pat on Jessup’s neck. “Then wouldn’t you tell us where that master of yours is right now? And with whom?”

Under the piercing gazes of the three women, Jessup visibly shrank. He gulped and muttered:

“He’s having breakfast with the delegates. In the Crystal Room.”

Silence engulfed the library again. Lorelei could feel the heavy stares of her friends. With numb fingers, she began collecting the ledgers and notes she had scribbled, piling them in the hands of her three surprised visitors.

“The fish won’t go to the fisherman.” She straightened her back, ignoring the itch burning across her skin and resisting the urge to run away and hide in her own study amongst the flasks and potions. “Therefore, the fisherman will now go to the fish. Come with me.”

As their group left the security of the library, Lorelei felt like a general leading her troops into her first battle.