"Gabrielle Jane Vandenberg Shaw," Reginald said from where he sat.

The Soldier threw Sasha an accusing look.

"Tell me what you know about your family, child," the old monarch said. "What did they tell you?"

Veering her gaze back on Reginald, Gabrielle said, "You seem to already know about them. Why are you asking me?"

"Of course, I know about them. You Vandenbergs are an odd sort," Reginald said with a light chuckle. "I'm asking you because you seem... clueless."

"I know enough to say you are trying to manipulate me."

"I'm not, child. How could I when you already are? Manipulated, I mean. Now, your brother, thank God for his excellent sense, is not quite fond of your mother's side of the family. He wants you to join him."

Gabrielle smiled coldly. "What story about my family did you tell my brother? Is that how you got to him?"

"Your brother told us nothing. He was as blind as you before he joined the Circus." Reginald motioned his hand at Sasha. "The Duchess of Eaton did everything. Can you believe it? A lady from Belcourt managed to uncover more secrets than my useless subjects ever did before. Everything is quite clear now, you see—Why you're in Belcourt. Why Albert was the High Priestess. Why I was dethroned."

Gabrielle did not say a word, nor did she move from where she stood. Her hand was firm around her weapon, ready to strike at any moment. The ship was not gentle tonight, but the woman held her ground better than Sasha or the chair Reginald was sitting on.

"I was taken out of power not because Louis had to be king," Reginald continued, his wrinkled eyes steady and firm on Gabrielle. "Louis became king so your dear aunt could be queen."

Sasha noted the surprise in Gabrielle's green eyes. So, she did not know.

Reginald scoffed, shaking his head. "How ignorant are you, child? I wonder..." he said, leaning over so he could peer closely at Gabrielle. "Are you aware your family owns Belcourt?" By now, Gabrielle's face was as white as the moonlight on the wall. "No?" Reginald asked. "Or are you aware that the previous Mistress you served—the one before your current one—was another aunt?"

"You're lying," Gabrielle gritted out.

Reginald chuckled, staring at Sasha who did not share his mirth. "You are telling me, child, that you've been serving Belcourt blindly? That your previous High Priestess, the dead Albert, was your cousin and you did not even know it?"

In one swift motion, before Sasha even realized it, Gabrielle moved forward and pointed the blade of her dagger right between Reginald's eyes. The monarch held up his hands and leaned away.

"The Vandenbergs built Belcourt as an orphanage over a century ago, Gabrielle," Sasha said, finally breaking her silence. "They hide behind the thousands of benefactors they collected over the years. They still have those benefactors—they are the same names we danced for when we were in the Common Court. Over the years, the Vandenbergs had built its own empire within Belcourt's walls, planting their own into its core."

"Stop spewing lies, Sasha," Gabrielle said, weapon steadily pointed at Reginald. "Albert was not the High Priestess. He was a man—"

"His mother, the queen, was the High Priestess before him. He was trained to replace her, and he did. How do you think they manipulated Louis? His wife was the High Priestess, and his mistress was a Belle—Elizabeth Blackwood. We are both familiar with her, are we not?

"Queen Helena, then High Priestess, kept Arielle in Belcourt. The king's bastard could not be out in society. Your mother, the queen's cousin, had to give up one of her own to be trained within Belcourt. It was easy, because you were a twin. There was no failed pregnancy to explain because no one had to know she carried twins. Your brother is a needed heir, and you are a sacrifice to show loyalty to the family."

"Do you see it now, child?" Reginald asked, then stopped when Sasha threw him a look of warning.

Sasha took a step forward, eyes on Gabrielle's dagger. "It will not be surprising if your new High Priestess is one of your own, Gabrielle. A Vandenberg. But we know it is a child. And knowing Arielle's close relationship with Albert, and with her ambitious nature, it could be safe to assume that she may be amongst the ones who are currently ruling Belcourt until the High Priestess is of age."

"The problem now for the Vandenbergs," Reginald spoke again, voice less mocking, "is that Elizabeth Blackwood's daughter does not carry your blood."

"Arielle is in danger, Gabrielle. The queen, along with the rest of the Vandenbergs, will attempt to regain control of Belcourt. They will need to infiltrate the Palace."

Gabrielle looked at Sasha. "Why are you telling me all of this? I am but a Soldier."

She met the woman's gaze. "You know Arielle better than I do. And you care for her. She is a danger to herself as much as she is a danger to Belcourt because of what she is not." She stepped back, hands on the bulge in her abdomen. "This is no longer about serving Belcourt, Gabrielle. This is about saving it from your own family."

*****

Ruby could tell that Sheridan was surprised to see her.

"I never said you can meet me in my home, Ruby," Sheridan said, wrapping a red robe around her petite form.

"Clearly, I am one who needs clear rules," she replied, pulling down the feathered hood of her light blue cloak. "You have to leave."

Sheridan blinked, then frowned. "Why?"

"Belcourt is looking for you." She stepped closer, her footsteps muffled by the thick carpet of the small drawing room. "Leave Coulway for now."

"Did they catch you?"

"No," she said. "I don't know. One can't truly know with Belcourt."

"What do you mean?"

"My Mistress has given me an assignment." She held Sheridan's gaze until understanding dawned.

"They asked you to find me."

"Belcourt does not ask. They give orders," Ruby said, voice etched with irritation. "I'm a very capable Belle, Sheridan. And Jade knows me too well. She knows my connections and that I can very well use them to easily find you. My own Servants will also spy on me. I do not have their loyalty."

Sheridan shook her head. "I'm as capable as you, Ruby. I have my men."

"Your men can easily be bought," she snapped. "Go. For now, leave Coulway."

Sheridan merely looked at her. Ruby could tell she was already making plans. And she also knew the woman would not go away. "No."

She sighed and looked around. "Then at least find another place to stay. This villa belonged to your uncle. At the very least, make it seem difficult for us to find you."

Sheridan smiled. "Are you worried?"

"Of course. I need you." Her gaze flickered away with annoyance. "How many more articles did Sasha leave?"

"She only left five letters."

Ruby nodded and pulled her hood back up. "Print them all." She rushed to the door, saying, "And I'm utterly serious, Sherry. Find another place."

*****

The two Soldiers outside the white villa stood motionless, guarding the door as if they had been there for years, frozen.

Ellise and Dior waited in the villa across the street along with two other Royals, who had been on the island for months. The other one was on his way.

The moonlight streamed through windows of the parlor. The lamps were put out because they would not be needing them. The distant sound of the wind from the nearby ocean breezed outside, rustling the trees that lined the street.

No one asked, although Ellise knew they were all thinking about the same thing: Where in the bloody hell is he?

Dior threw her a look. She ignored him, her eyes on the street outside.

Another silent hour later, they heard it. The carriage wheels and the hooves echoing down the cobbled road.

Ellise got up and the three other men followed her out into the hall. They all waited by the door, Dior with his hand on the handle. She felt for her pistol as she stood by the window, lifting her free hand, palm open. Waiting.

The carriage stopped outside the villa, blocking them from the view of the Soldiers. Someone asked a question, perhaps one of the Soldiers, and a woman's voice replied from inside the carriage, her words drowned by the distance and the wind.

Wasting no time, Ellise flicked her fingers. Dior pulled the door open and rushed outside, the two Royals right behind him. They were not wearing their coats, their strides long and sure. Ellise stayed, moving swiftly beside the open doorway to wait.

She poked her head out just as the woman in the carriage shouted for help. Her cries were soon muffled by her companion, but not too soon because the Soldiers heard. The two Royals rounded the carriage to deal with them.

Dior swung the carriage open and Sasha's previous Servant jumped out, square jaw set tight, looking scared. Edward Worthington, the other Royal, followed soon after, his hand clamped over the Belle, one arm around her midriff as he carried across the street and toward Ellise.

The carriage driver, a woman with curly blond hair and wide forehead, rushed to help him with the struggling Belle.

Ellise stepped aside to let them all in, drawing her pistol out.

"The cook is unaware of our plans," Iyana said to Ellise as Worthington dragged the Belle into the parlor without a word. "We could not risk it."

She nodded, throwing Dior and other two Royals a glance. Dior had just disarmed one Soldier and was now fighting with the woman with bare fists as the other two Royals lured the other Soldier to her comrade so they could trap the pair.

"You can take her here later." Her eyes went to the wide-eyed driver. "For now, hide the carriage," she ordered, bounding down the steps, drawing her pistol out.

One Soldier was down, lying limp on the ground, one Royal tying her hands behind her. The other was holding her sword in front of her as she backed against the door, warding Dior and the other Royal.

They had agreed not to use their pistols tonight, but with just one more Soldier to deal with, Ellise was willing to risk waking up the entire strip. She pointed lower as she approached, then pulled the trigger.

The woman fell down with a surprised cry, but not without a fight. She swung her sword to the side, almost hitting Dior, but the other Royal already reached her, catching her hand and disarming her. She screamed, perhaps even louder than the pistol, and also to warn whoever was inside the white villa. The Royal covered the Soldier's mouth with her own cloak, dragging her toward the villa where Worthington and the others were.

The carriage driver climbed behind the two horses and rode off without a word. Soon, the street was empty.

Ellise had already opened the door when Dior joined her. He pushed her behind him, taking the lead.

Then they stopped.

"What do you want?" the stern voice asked from the second landing.

They both looked up and found an old woman, wrapped in a green silk robe, looking down at them from the top of the staircase. Her graying hair was almost white under the moonlight spilling through the round window behind her.

Three women stepped out of the shadows, all of them holding pistols.

The older woman, however, held a rapier, its long blade glinting in the moonlight.

Ellise's jaw tightened as Dior stepped forward, and her eyes flickered to the three servants. All of them were pointing their pistols at him.

Taking a slow, dragging breath, she placed her hands behind her to hide her pistol. And then waited.

"Good evening, my lady," Dior greeted, his voice confident. "I was sent here by Sasha Merson."

"The traitor," the old Mistress of the Court of Arms said, tone as blank as Dior's.

Ellise knew Dior was smiling as he said, "If you ask your Servants to put down their weapons, I will gladly deliver the message I came here for." He turned to the three women. "And if my message fails to serve its purpose, they can point and shoot."

The woman looked magnificent where she stood. Glowing in the moonlight, an old goddess ready to strike a blow of mercy. Then her eyes went to Ellise and stayed there for quite a while, curious at first, then knowing.

"I would rather get the message from tonight's master of the game," Theodora Vandenberg stonily said.

Ellise smiled at the woman and took a step forward, dropping her hands to her side just as she brushed past Dior, who secretly took her pistol. She stood two paces away from him and tilted her head to the side, sensing two servants turning their weapons at her. Then her gaze went back to the older woman.

"Good evening, my lady," she greeted. "The Circus wishes to work with you."

Theodora Vandenberg just stared at her with a calculating look in her eyes. "I prefer if you tell me something that will spare you life."

Ellise blinked slowly, as if foxed. Then she threw the woman an empty smile. "Very well," she said, squaring her shoulders. "We have Albert's daughter."

The relief Ellise felt when she saw the frozen look on the woman's face was quite immense that amusement reached her eyes. "You are not aware?" she asked with mock surprise. "The two remaining Vandenbergs are now out of Belcourt. One was sent off to kill Reginald; the other cast out." She took another step, ignoring the pistols that followed her. "Your sister, the queen, is having troubles of her own. Perhaps that's why you never got the news. There is trouble in your little Belcourt kingdom, my lady. Your family is losing control."

Theodora Vandenberg looked stunned. Speechless.

"Can your Servants now drop their weapons?" she asked. "I'm quite certain you would want to hear what we have to offer."