Deception Most Discreet

Alyssane lay on the bed in the dimly lit room, her slender frame curled up beneath the uncomfortably soft blanket. 

Her eyes were wide open, staring into the lone darkness, and she could not stop the numbing cold softly drowning her deeper.

"They arrived late…" Alyssane realized, her whisper barely audible in the room's stillness, "Why would the knights come three days late when the Lord Chancellor himself was murdered?"

If these knights were indeed from the palace, why would they need to hide anything? Their presence was only expected. Moreover, the palace insignia was not just a mark of their allegiance, but also a symbol of honor and duty. 

To hide or ignore it was a grave offense.

'But what if they are someone else… spies from our enemy kingdoms? Perhaps they did something to the real knights.'

The unease in her gut grew stronger.

'They do not treat me exactly as a prisoner either, what if it is because they know I did not kill the lord chancellor? What if they did it themselves? And now they might want to use me in another darker scheme…?'

Every scenario she considered seemed to deepen the mystery further. The fear and uncertainty gnawed at her mind. 

But there was also not enough evidence to suggest anything concrete.

"I must be thinking too much," Alyssane buried her face inside the pillow and tried to calm herself, forcing her mind to shut down for once and not think anything.

Something was very wrong with the knights.

They were not who they appeared to be. Alyssane was sure of it. However, it would perhaps be best to prioritize her safety over understanding their secrets. She knew she must tread carefully, as the knight could be far more dangerous.

'But what if there was a safer way?'

'Perhaps I can see into their lives...'

Alyssane closed her eyes, and slowly her body felt heavy as she tried to will herself to sleep. Would the darkness listen to her, will it show her what she wished to know?

'Please do…'

She pleaded, as her thoughts found their way to Kazmun―his cruel gaze, his tender touch. Everything about him defied all that Alyssane had ever known; no one so cold had ever felt so kind, and no one so kind had ever left her so unsure.

And no one before had such impossibly blue eyes as him, so deep, and devouring in a way that left her heart aching from emotions hard to name.

The darkness refused to reveal anything, and slowly Alyssane drifted off to sleep welcomed by the ever persisting oblivion of her mind.

It remained for what was like an eternity.

But then she heard a distant voice.

"You can not enter." It was Madame Juan.

Alyssane could still not see anything, but the voice continued, growing further with each moment. The sounds suggested Madame Juan was somewhere outside, possibly in front of the manor gates.

"You are making things difficult for yourself, Madame Juan. Do not test our Lord's patience and move aside." A man responded.

Madame Juan lowered her voice, her words strained but stern, "Do not take me for a fool. The knights have already investigated everything."

The other man's voice became cold, "I have shown you the imperial order."

"Who is to say it can't be forged?" Madame Juan smirked, "You are not even wearing the palace insignia."

Their conversation is broken by the distant sound of a carriage door opening. Someone walked towards Madame Juan, steps nearly silent and familiar.

No one says anything. The sudden silence made Alyssane wonder if she was still going to hear anything, but just as she was about to let go, she heard him.

Kazmun's voice was darkly devious, "Is something wrong?"

More silence.

And then, Madame Juan responded in a barely audible voice, "No."

Alyssane woke up feeling the lightest brush of someone's hand around her neck. 

But there was no one to be seen.

The gentle rays of the early morning sun seeped from the windows. If someone was there Alyssane should have been able to easily see them, she had woken up right away.

'I must be imagining things…'

She curled her fingers on the sheets.

Kazmun's dark voice still echoed through her mind, as did the sudden nervousness in Madame Juan's 'No'. She was never a woman to back down so easily. What could have happened? What did she see?

'The knights have already investigated everything…'

Alyssane poured herself a glass of water, 'It's not unusual for the imperial knights to investigate one place several times.'

But the absence of imperial insignia was confusing.

She closed her eyes and gulped down the cold water, feeling more confused than before, more wary of everything that was going around. 

'Only Vernon might be able to help me now.'

Alyssane placed the glass down and she paused.

The sun cast a shadow on the windows across her bed. In the center of the window, there was a silhouette of someone standing very still.