She had finally found her voice, even in a room of peers. Not merely as a servant talking back, but as a princess.

As a queen.

Even if Addie never became queen, she knew that deep in her bones, it was who she was.

She'd worried that the moment she'd put on the face of Adelaide, her words would go back to failing her. But she had embraced them at long last. Perhaps...perhaps Addie could be deserving of royalty yet.

When Andrew had asked to speak with her before their meeting, he had offered an option. Addie could have decided to walk away from everything. She could have decided to remain in the shadows of a country that once belonged to her.

But that country still belonged to Addie. To Adelaide. And she owed at least this much to her father. Besides, Andrew confirmed that the rumors about George were true; he was to marry Princess Louisa. And Addie could not let George fall in line with Ernest's schemes. She could not let England's power become twisted in such a way. She must return.

If only the triumph of the evening hadn't been dimmed by the memory of Theo's dejection. He'd been so cold and unresponsive. Even as they had ridden home together, he'd barely spoken to her. Could he not see why she hadn't told him the truth? Addie only hoped he would forgive her eventually. She could not bear it otherwise.

She could not—

All of Addie's previous thoughts froze as she heard the door to her room open with a creak. Her brain automatically thought of Theo, but that would not make sense. He would never come to her like this, especially after tonight.

Had one of the people she met today already betrayed her? She wished to bestow trust upon them, but the truth was that those people now knew where she lived...and where she slept. Could this really be such a coincidence?

Addie rolled over in her bed, her motions achingly slow. Searching the blanket of darkness, Addie tried to spy evidence of an intruder. At the same time, she dropped her hand over the side of the mattress to find the space beneath it. A small but sharp knife was wedged there in its hiding spot. Gripping the blade as tight as her fears allowed, Addie forced herself to take a deep, steadying breath.

Inspecting the doorway, she couldn't tell who had entered her room. But her whole body ran cold as she made out the distinct outline of a body.

"Who is there?" she asked, praying her voice didn't betray her concern. But knowing that it did.

"I thought ya would be used to men visiting ya, Addie," a voice jeered at her in the dark. Addie's breath left her as she registered who had slipped into her room. She knew that voice. Her body knew that voice and the clammy, crawling hands that accompanied it.

It was hard to know whether to be relieved or horrified. While Princess Adelaide was safe for another night; the same could not be said for Addie Singleton.

She kept her white knuckle grip on the knife as Adam advanced in measured steps. Addie moved slowly as well, positioning herself, and her blade, to face him under the covers. Her heart was surely beating loud enough for him to hear it. It was uncontrollable. Well, it was controlled, but only by fear.

Somehow, Addie managed to say, "I assure you, no one has slept in this bed but me. And that is not going to change anytime soon." She swallowed hard. "So I suggest you leave."

But Adam didn't even pause as he continued to stalk toward her.

"Don't play the innocent, Addie," he said darkly. His sneer was evident even through the din. "I know ya been whoring around with the duke. And I know ya think ya better than the rest of us because of it."

"Leave, Adam," she snapped.

"Not a chance," he muttered back. And Addie found herself truly horrified by him for the first time. Because she could tell he had plans, and they didn't involve leaving.

She fought for a strangled breath before saying lowly, "I've told you. Nothing is going on between myself and the duke. He enjoys speaking with me, yes. But I cannot ignore His Grace if he wishes to have a conversation."

"A conversation?" Adam laughed, dangerous and low. "Is that what ya call it?" He stopped at the foot of Addie's bed.

There was no reasoning with the man, and Addie knew she should stop trying. But after checking about, she saw there was no path to the door in which Adam couldn't instantly block her.

Her considerations must have shown on her face because Adam snickered. "There is no way for ya to escape, Addie. Ya stuck with me. I might be a lowly servant, but I promise it'll be liked."

"Liked?" Addie automatically repeated. But before he could even respond, she'd comprehended his meaning. Her stomach tightened further.

"Drop the act," Adam scoffed. "You're going to share with me, Addie."

"I'm not going to share anything with you, Adam," Addie retorted instantly, fiercely.

This was not happening. She had found her voice. She would not give it, or anything else, up for him.

Adam only gave her a menacing grin in response as he slipped his hand beneath the covers. Addie jerked back, but he was quick to grab her ankle. He began to stroke her bare skin with his stubby, calloused fingers even as Addie tried to shake him off.

Her mind was reeling, her stomach now flipping in revulsion. Adam was a particular type of male that couldn't handle hearing the word no. At least not from her. At least not from a woman.

"Maybe this will change ya mind," Adam said then. He reached into his pocket with his other hand, and soon Addie saw the flash of his knife. It was longer than hers, coming to a distinctively sharp point as it glinted off the light of the moon streaming through the windows.

Addie's eyes grew wide in fear and then narrow in resolution, knowing what she would need to do. She stopped struggling.

"Perhaps you are right," Addie heard herself saying over the loud beating of her heart. She tried to lower her voice and not let it tremble. "I am not as innocent as I have said."

Adam's eyebrows raised. "Is that so?"

"Yes." Addie's words were breathy. She was barely able to talk, gripped by the moment.

But before Addie could continue her charade, Adam threw the covers off her legs, bringing his knife to where he'd been caressing her ankle. Exposed, Addie tucked the hand holding her own blade behind her back before biting back a cry. Adam trailed the tip of his knife up Addie's leg, pushing back her nightgown as he went. The weapon was cold against her skin, and she held back a gasp at the piercing of it, undoubtedly drawing blood. She felt as a small, warm trickle fall down her legs and into the sheets below.

Adam climbed onto the bed as the knife moved upwards. He stopped above her knees and sat over her, a victorious leer in his eyes.

Addie wanted to scream. Not from the pain but from the disgust. From the horror of being treated as a plaything, her body nothing more than a means to humiliate and belittle. She wanted to scream at him for thinking that he had any power over her.

But he did.

And she wanted it back.

Somehow—Addie would never know exactly how—she leaned forward and whispered, "Fine, Adam." He froze, attempting to understand. So Addie added lowly, "Come here." She tried not to choke on the words, and Adam readily complied, his knife dropping, forgotten, from his hand.

Addie took advantage of his sudden vulnerability, whipping out her blade so that it was jutting against his stomach. She pressed it ever-so-slightly into his flesh. His blood leaked onto the sheets, mixing with the blood that had already been spilled. Adam lurched back in surprise, his lips twisting into a snarl.

"Don't move," Addie threatened—the only words she could get out.

If Addie had seen Adam angry before, it was nothing compared to the fury that she saw on his face now, just inches from her own. "Bitch," he spat.

"Get off," Addie spat back. She found her own venom and forced it into her voice.

Although outraged, Adam obeyed by sitting up with slow but jerky movements. All the while, Addie moved to keep the knife close to his flesh, ensuring his compliance. Relief threatened to overcome her, but her body wouldn't allow it, humming with the knowledge that he was still so close.

Adam scooted back to the end of the bed, and Addie saw the precise moment that he remembered his knife, seeing it by her legs. They both moved to grab the weapon, but Adam whisked the knife out from under Addie before she could get a grip on it. And as soon as it was in his fingers, he drove the tip into her stomach, slicing through her nightgown and flesh.

She was pierced with immobilizing shock.

"That's what ya get," he breathed, and Addie felt his hot breath on her skin, making it crawl. Adam couldn't resist from chuckling at her, watching her twisted expression with satisfaction before he jerked the knife out. Addie gasped, sharp and distinct, as Adam pocketed the knife and fled from the room.

She lay there. The pain was slow to dissipate through her body. Her fingers moved to grip the wound, blood seeping through the fabric of her nightgown. Addie took her discarded and ruined drawers from between the sheets and bunched them against her stomach. She hissed through her teeth. Blood soaked more linen.

She lay there longer, her whole body shaking. It only intensified the pain. She couldn't keep the hand holding the fabric still against her wound.

She lay there, unable to comprehend what had just happened. There was little clarity in her memory.

But it was clear she had been stabbed. The blood made that hard to ignore.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," she said to herself. Why hadn't she moved the other knife out of the way as soon as he had sat up? She shook her head. There wasn't anything that she could do about that now.

Silently reviewing her options, Addie wondered if the cut was shallow enough that the bleeding would stop soon, and she could fashion some bandages out of what was left of her drawers. But she shook her head. Even if the bleeding stopped, she would still need to sterilize the wound so that infection did not set in. Who knew what else Adam had used that knife for.

Shuddering just thinking about it, Addie attempted to sit. Pain shot through her, protesting the movement. Addie ignored it, knowing she had to get to some clean water and alcohol before too much time had passed.

The bleeding had already lessened, enough that she could rip a piece of fabric from her drawers to tie around the cut while she hastily threw off her nightgown, donning her simple servant's uniform. She certainly couldn't walk through the house in a bloody shift.

Keeping her hand pressed to her stomach, Addie slipped out of her room, careful to keep an eye out for Adam as she did so. Just thinking about seeing him again made her shake violently, but he'd vanished. The library was the closest room with alcohol. Theo always kept a well-stocked collection upon the far shelf, and it would surely have what Addie needed.

She sent up silent thanks that she had not crossed anyone's path on her way to the Kingfield library. But then Addie quickly withdrew them when she saw Theo crossing the hall in front of her. She stopped, leaning against the wall in support. Maybe he wouldn't see her. But when he paused his stride, she knew that he had.