Chapter 3

Time passed, and I became more and more involved in the case of the missing princess. The only evidence I had was a letter from the mailbox. I repeatedly reread the materials I obtained from the Kortez library. It turned out that the princess was born just a day before me, with red hair, just like me, and green eyes, just like mine. Her father was considered to be involved in the case because he served at the court back then. I quickly ran to my room and returned with my birth certificate. I looked at him, and everything became clear, increasingly understandable. Because my father had a reason to turn to a certain doctor who forged documents. Health issues. Although most of my problems were just my imagination, I thought I could gain some advantage this way, even though in reality, I hadn't achieved much through it. Maybe it was because I tried to get attention and care from others since I grew up without a mother's love... In any case, more sleep wouldn't hurt.

A few years ago, there was a scandal with that doctor because he issued fake birth certificates to later create forged documents. The case became increasingly intriguing. I retrieved a thicker file about this doctor - Dr. Smith.

How tired I was of all this. And what was I even doing? Maybe it's not me, not my story? After drinking tea and eating all the pastries thoughtfully left for me by Blackwell, I lit a lamp to better see the records from twenty years ago. These extensive records of interviews, descriptions of evidence, and not a single image or picture. Yes, here's a description of the alley where they found diapers with gold embroidery. Investigators even thought the prince was lucky, while his sister drowned. They even dried up the well, but besides his medallion, a broken carved stone, a few coins, and trash, there was nothing else.

Maybe they didn't want to kill them at all, just separate them so that poor families would find them and accept them as their own children. Maybe it happened because they were causing trouble for someone? What nonsense. Who could children bother? Although the empress... Hmm... She even wanted to kill me, although she didn't even know me, but she just wanted me dead. Strange and incomprehensible. But there is no logic in these visions. What if I had to enter her palace with a weapon to kill her? It's as if I've lost my mind.

But here it's about these strange ornaments, necklaces. It's interesting. I have one just like it. Only half of it. Strange, similar to the crown prince's... They often divide them in half between brother and sister, parents and children, or lovers... Like intertwined hearts. Something that was meant to unite. Mine is gold. Who could have the other half of it? I don't know for sure. So, what was happening there? And why was the little princess never found? And why didn't they think to trace magic? Should I be more proactive so that the heir to this case has to turn to me?

And leave me alone in the library with just a sandwich. And there they collected a huge amount of material with my father. Many more books that I haven't even touched yet. And it will take so much time for all of this... But I love different light detective stories, or, depending on my mood, romantic novels, but now I'm buried in a pile of volumes that weigh more than me. As for that heavy five-kilogram book, I can barely lift it. Although, of course, I do lift it, but men shouldn't know about it. In their eyes, I'm supposed to be a delicate and windy lady.

I got bored. I took a sip of cold tea from the cup. And the tea had gone completely cold. Am I supposed to die of hunger or cold here?

I really wanted to sleep. I looked out the window and realized that it was already night. It seemed to me that the day had just begun, and it was morning not long ago. My head started spinning again, various images began to swirl before my eyes - at first unclear, they became more and more distinct. I began to drift into sleep. Dark room. A little girl. Green-eyed. Some kind of ornament around her neck. Just like mine. Also gold. There must be quite a few like them. I see the girl being handed over to a man in a long coat. His head is bent, and his face is hidden by the hood falling over his eyes. You can only see his beard. Suddenly, the man raised his head, and for a moment, I saw his face, his eyes. Not the eyes of a killer. Father! And who is this girl? Is it me? Or perhaps someone else? Or... I shuddered and felt someone's gaze on me. The first thing I saw was his eyes, which for some reason had become dark. What's happening to me? My legs were completely numb, and I couldn't stand up.

-Adrian? What are you doing here? - I exclaimed in surprise, addressing him formally again, although I had promised not to do so earlier. I tried to get up, but he quickly picked me up in his arms.

-Constance, could you please address me informally? It's just awkward when you speak formally to me. That letter and your birth certificate. I'd like to review them tomorrow. Do you mind?- He carried me so effortlessly, and it did seem like he didn't like the formal address. Apparently, he had sent the staff to inspect my belongings while I was wandering around the house.

-Sure, please. I'm ready to speak to you however you prefer. As for the letter, I haven't tried to warm it yet, as I was afraid of damaging it, - I replied, thinking to myself how warm he felt, and how I enjoyed being in his arms.

-Where did you find it? - Adrian asked, and I felt him holding me tighter.

-In the jewelry box... - I answered as casually as possible, thinking that I needed to keep my composure, as he might not forgive another broken nose.

-In those romance novels, you hid a grimoire and a ritual knife. You can't hide the cursed energy from me in my own space. You sealed them so that the magical energy couldn't be recognized. It's quite ingenious, but it indicates that they didn't work entirely as intended since I found them. It also indicates my genius, - he smiled.

- Well, at least I didn't have to look for new tools. As for that case, I had a vision in my dream. My father and Dr. Smith are somehow connected to it, - Adrian placed me on my bed in my room, which was not as far away as it seemed.

-I haven't had the chance to work on that version yet, - he said thoughtfully, -And aren't you afraid that this might lead to you?

-Always forward and never backward. No matter how painful the truth may be, it's better to know it than to live in sweet lies, - I replied firmly, thinking of his touch and watching the course of our closeness.

He left me alone on the bed, and soon I fell asleep. In the morning, I got out of bed and composed myself, combed my hair with a newly found wooden comb, and put on that same dress. Later, I went downstairs for breakfast. My fiancé sat opposite me, with whom we had made an agreement the day before. Just a couple of days ago, I was a criminal sentenced to a grim fate, and now I had a home and a wealthy fiancé. However, today he looked somewhat tired.

-Take a seat, - Adrian gestured to the chair next to him and invited me to sit, -I've started working on your case. I'll try to find the death certificate of your mother. But the fact that Igor Calabrio never had a wife will complicate the search. Please continue to share your visions. Alright?

-Even the scary ones? - said I and raised my eyebrows.

-Yes, especially those, - he replied calmly.

After a moment, I gathered the courage to ask him about something that had been bothering me recently.

-Adrian, I know you're suffering. Why didn't you tell me? I can feel it. And I saw it in my visions. I'm worried about you. Please, tell me the truth. Why am I here? - told I and he looked at me with some surprise, unable to interject a word into my torrent of words. I felt tears welling up in my eyes, - Do you not trust me?

-I want to protect you. But if you want to know the truth, I'll have to tell you everything...