"Is she gone?" Celine asked Iris as she entered the infirmary.
Iris looked at her.
"Miss Halley?"
"Yes."
Celine glanced around the infirmary.
The number of injured girls made her fingers tighten around the skirt of her dress.
She looked at the beds scattered throughout the room, at the bandages covering burns and wounds, at the girls who could only lie there and endure their pain.
'If the escape route hadn't been changed that day... all those years ago...'
Would all those girls have ended up injured or dead like this?
Celine had never thought it through.
Back then, all she had wanted was to become better.
To prove that she was worthy of being a Flower Maiden more than anyone else in her batch.
But she had never considered that in trying to make herself better, she had pushed others toward danger.
"Celine?"
Iris placed a hand on her shoulder, pulling her out of her thoughts.
Celine immediately turned and pushed Iris's hand away.
"Don't—"
She stopped herself.
Taking a deep breath, she continued quietly, "I don't feel comfortable with you touching me after what happened yesterday in the garden."
Iris pulled her hand back, a flicker of conflict crossing her expression.
"Right..."
She looked away before continuing.
"As I said, Halley was taken away to be buried. Keeping her here wouldn't have been right, especially with her completely overtaken by the infection."
"Infections aren't supposed to take hold that quickly, though."
Celine looked around the infirmary.
"Where's Miss Jennifer? Julie didn't make it... Senior Alana told me."
"Miss Jennifer was taken into custody. And as for the infections, from what I've heard, they're still under investigation."
The moment Iris finished speaking, Jia entered the infirmary.
"Magic was infused into the fire. The rapid infections are a side effect of being burned by the flames."
Jia's gaze shifted toward Celine.
Then she looked at Iris and raised a brow.
"Oh..."
A faint smile crossed her face.
"It's been a while, Celine."
Celine looked at Jia with a furrowed brow.
"That's Jia," Iris explained. "Jia is the heir of the Sterling Duchy. Remember? The noble the Madam bought, the one the escape plan was formed around."
"The escape plan Celine tried to foil."
Jia's voice was calm.
"So she should remember."
Celine clenched her teeth.
She wanted to shout.
She wanted to tell them that she had only done what she had to do.
That she had wanted to become better.
To become the best.
But instead, she took a deep breath and curtsied.
"Excuse me, Lady Sterling. I wish to see my Juniors and Seniors who have been injured."
Celine turned toward one of the infirmary beds and walked away.
Jia looked at Iris.
"This is the moment where you explain what happened to her, because I heard her demeanor hasn't changed. If anything, it's only gotten worse over the years."
Iris sighed heavily.
"Trust me, even I'm waiting for someone to explain. But Celine is working on herself."
"I think my stomach hurts."
Iris gave her a dry laugh.
"Really?"
"Oh, hush."
Jia chuckled before looking around.
"Where's Zarah?"
"With Duke Zepher."
Iris glanced at Jia.
"Actually, come with me. There's something she needs to tell you."
Iris turned and began walking ahead.
Jia followed.
"I hope this isn't how I find out you guys are planning another escape."
Iris glanced back at her.
"Eh, we don't have a reason to plan an escape from the palace yet."
Jia chuckled.
"Yet?"
Iris simply smiled.
Nolan sat beside Zarah, gently patting her head.
"Death is a part of life. Everyone is born to die. No one can escape death forever. We can delay it, yes, but never defeat it."
Zarah looked at him and sighed.
"I know, Uncle. I know death isn't something that can be changed."
She lowered her gaze.
"But what upsets me is the scale of it."
Nolan gave her a small, solemn smile.
"The number has exceeded the original calculations," he admitted before looking at her.
Zarah took a deep breath.
She reached for Nolan's hand and held it tightly.
"Uncle, Lady Peirce is in danger."
Nolan's eyes narrowed.
"Did you receive a vision from Goddess Aelthrya?"
Zarah nodded.
"Yes. In the vision, I saw someone poison Lady Peirce's drink."
She lied.
Nolan's expression hardened.
"Those imbeci—"
He caught himself.
"Sorry for the language, Zarah."
"Don't worry, Uncle."
Zarah reassured him with a small smile.
She had heard far worse back when she lived in the modern world.
"Uncle, you cannot tell Lady Peirce yet," Zarah warned.
"I promised you, Zarah. I won't tell anyone that you're my niece or reveal anything about your visions unless you tell me to," Nolan said.
"But I believe Marceline deserves to know about the danger looming over her."
"No, Uncle!"
Zarah shook her head.
"Lady Peirce's loyalty is to Her Majesty. She'll tell Her Majesty that I'm your niece, and then our enemies will be warned. They'll change their tactics."
She frowned.
"I can't have a vision about a vision I've already had."
Nolan stared at her for a moment before asking, "Then how do you intend to protect Marceline without warning her?"
His hands clenched slightly at the thought of his childhood friend being in danger.
Zarah thought for a moment before answering.
"You will show Jia everything. That way, when you're busy during the banquet, Jia can keep an eye on Lady Peirce."
She paused.
"And we'll need another person to stay near her at all times."
"Wait. Jia as in Lady Sterling?"
Nolan raised a brow.
"You want Lady Sterling involved? Does she know about you—"
"No."
Zarah cut him off.
"Jia doesn't know. But she owes me a favor, and I know exactly what to ask for."
Nolan raised an eyebrow.
"You definitely are my niece, and Sebastian's daughter, judging by the way you plan."
There was unmistakable pride in his voice.
Zarah smiled.
"I shall tell Diana Vernon to keep Marceline company throughout the entire banquet," Nolan said.
"Thank you, Uncle."
"You're doing this for the Empire, and Marceline is my friend. So rather, I should be thanking you, Zarah."
Nolan smiled.
Zarah smiled back before wrapping her arms around him in a hug.