Dying was not fast, Caroline thought as she lay flat on her back, every fiber of her being in agony. This was not just pain. This was torture. The worst of it all was that she could not move—not even a finger.

Am I in hell?

Perhaps she was. Perhaps she did not live her life as she should have. She had hurt people, did she not? She failed to protect her own child—her only child. She never told Camila she loved her. She resented her mother for looking at her differently since she committed the biggest mistake of her life. Her father... she had never asked for his forgiveness.

And Trent... did he hate her now? Would he ever forgive her for disappointing him?

And if she was in hell, did it mean she could not be with Philippa?

The pain was starting to fade.

And so were her thoughts.

⠒♣◆♣⠒

Her eyes fluttered open after a long time. She knew she had been out a long time because she had a wonderful dream and for her, wonderful dreams took time to grow.

But this time, it was different. This time she could hear sounds. Not music, but actual sounds of life. Footsteps... bottles... hushed orders...

There were tinkling of utensils.

And the smell. There were too many she could not tell them apart. But with each breath, they wafted into her senses, giving her hope.

Surely, hell would smell more horrible?

Perhaps she was alive after all.

Or was this another dream?

This could not be a dream.

But why was everything fading again?

Her mother's fretful face; Camila's proud and haughty air; her father's forgiving smile... Trent and everything he was...

No, please... she pleaded, but they were going away. They were taking everything with them.

Or was she leaving them behind?

But she did not want to.

⠒♣◆♣⠒

Her dream was the same. She was happy. She had people around her but she could not name their faces. A man was wrapping his arm around her and their child. She wanted to say something but what should she address him?

His brown eyes looked at her, filled with wonder.

What was his name? She needed his name.

"Her breathing has improved," the gentle voice of a woman reached her ears.

"This is a good sign then?" another woman.

"Yes. Very good sign."

A long silence followed. She wanted to open her eyes, but how?

She needed answers. She needed to know why she was trapped here...wherever it was.

"The Maiden is on her way with a Belle."

"Very well, we must prepare a report."

Chairs against floor; gentle footsteps; flapping of cloths.

What was happening?

⠒♣◆♣⠒

The first day was a commotion.

Trent was made aware merely hours after he reached his villa in Coulway. A footman from Remington had come after him the same night he and Caroline returned from Birth.

Blood had drained from his face and for a while he could not think. But he remembered running out the door and unto his horse. He remembered riding to the villa the Comhars owned in Coulway.

He arrived just as the duke was rushing out with more men in tow. As the man demanded questions, Trent remembered the duchess' hysterical pleas from inside the villa. Camila was in the doorway, silently staring at all the men who were hurrying about as they prepared to go to different parts of the town to gather more help.

He could barely hear the duke's words as everything was reduced to a buzzing, dizzying sound.

"We have to go, Your Grace!" he remembered shouting at Laurel Comhar, shaking the man by the shoulders. "We have to search for her. Please, stay calm."

But he himself was barely calm. He felt like he was gliding in thin air as they galloped their way back to Remington. Every time his horse's hooves touched ground, he wanted to curse. He wanted it to fly.

That ride to Remington was one he had to suffer the most. Questions plagued him.

Why did he not stay? Why did he not insist that she came home to Coulway to be with her family?

And the nagging possibilities attacked next.

If only he was not angry. If only he decided to talk that very same afternoon.

Then there were questions of who could have done it.

Albert?

Esther?

Belcourt?

He cursed himself. They were too confident that she was always safe in Remington. She and Camila had always been!

But they should have known better.

When the questions were not enough, the denial came back.

Surely, she might have just lost her way into the woods? Or perhaps she had fallen asleep in the cabin and no one noticed?

His mind raced to the many corners in Remington where Caroline might have gone to. There were hundreds they hid at when they were children.

Or perhaps Esther came by again and took her for another ride? Like when Caroline was sixteen and the two of them disappeared to attend a party in Strait?

No, a voice inside him had answered.

He knew she was not that woman anymore. And she was too upset to set foot anywhere.

But if there was any hope that the Remington staff were wrong to conclude that she was indeed missing, it was completely shattered when more reports from the Remington estate met them on the road. They had searched every corner of the manor.

Furthermore, there were signs that two more people were present in the cabin in the woods that afternoon.

A farmer had seen two carriages pass by the small village outside Remington and it was one he could not recognize.

Trent had to stop as the report was given to them, frozen in disbelief.

She was fine when he left!

More men were afoot. Others took different routes to spread their massive search.

Trent remembered being angry. Not at anyone, not at Caroline, but himself.

That was one week ago.

Today, the fear and anguish were no different.

It was worse. It was daunting.

He downed the brandy in his hand.

He was in his library in the middle of a debate between five Royals. West Blackwood had ordered for Caroline's disappearance to be kept from most of the Royals and the public. He named five men to help with the search and the others they needed were hired.

Having five Royals was enough for Trent. Everyone had an idea they thought was best, but everyone did not know where she was.

They were not talking about the search in the forest. They had barely covered enough grounds.

There had been days when he was as sharp as the tip of a sword. He would bark orders and his people would often find someone who may have a clue.

But today, on the day that marked the seventh day of her disappearance, fear was taking over and it was not making him the best thinker in the room. He was totally useless, rendered helpless and a mess.

Trent brushed his fingers through his hair and rested his head on them as he bent and closed his eyes. Later—later, his head would be clear again.

For now, he was simply afraid. He could feel tears stinging the back of his eyes and he shut them tightly, gritting his teeth, drowning the voices of his friends.

Carol, please... he silently prayed. Don't...

He could not even think to beg her not to die. The thought was repulsive.

God, Carol, please...

⠒♣◆♣⠒

"My lady," Sasha greeted Arielle in the grand hallway of the Court of Arms. The woman's luscious brown locks were partly hidden by the hood of her purple cloak. "I came as soon as I can."

Arielle nodded with a gentle smile.

The woman reminded Sasha so much of West. Her light blue eyes, the brown hair, and now, the more she saw the woman, and the more she yearned for him, she could even find similar small traits such as a smile or the flicking of a finger. But the two siblings could never be more the same that Sasha was finding it more of a struggle as days passed. Anytime, any day, Arielle may find out. And at this point, Arielle could not be considered a comrade. Someone else was doing the manipulation and at this point, Arielle was loyal to that person.

Arielle turned and Sasha followed, adjusting her own red hood. They fell into a graceful, yet hurried pace.

"I am not certain if you have heard of the incident outside Belcourt's gate one week ago."

She nodded. "I have. The news has reached Strait."

"The woman was deposited by a woodsman. His dog found her in the woods, badly wounded and on the brink of death. Belcourt is the closest place that could offer help and he took her here."

Sasha blinked and turned to Arielle. They had reached the main exit of the Palace where a carriage was waiting for them. She waited until they both settled inside, all the while her heart was hammering fast against her chest. But she had to compose herself. She had to act her usual self. "I thought the woman came by herself and fainted outside the gates claiming men were after her?"

"That is the story, of course," said Arielle, meeting her bluish-gray eyes with a faint smile.

The woman did not have to explain further.

"And why is there a need to have a different story, my lady?" she asked.

Arielle's smile widened. Her chest expanded as her eyes sparkled with excitement. "Sasha, the woman is Lady Caroline Comhar, daughter of the Duke of Remington."

Sasha stiffened and she immediately blinked to maintain the impassive look on her face. "The cousin of the king."

Then Sasha frowned. "But who could have attacked her in the forest?"

Arielle sighed. When her eyes returned to Sasha, they were serious. "The Royal Circus, who else?"

Sasha tightened her jaw and looked out the window, feigning fury. "Should you not be discussing this with Lady Mariam, my lady?"

"The crown prince has specifically asked that you be the only one to know."

"Why?"

"We have reasons to believe that Caroline Comhar had a meeting with the princess before she went to attend the crown prince's party in Birth. Albert fears that his sister is planning something against him."

Sasha slowly nodded.

"Belcourt follows every move of the royal family, Sasha. And since the day we suspected the princess, we spied on her and everyone associated with her." The carriage rode down the road to the direction of the Library. "We cannot say for certain, but Princess Renee may be working with the Royal Circus to overthrow her own father and brother."

"But why—"

"So she can marry Leo Reginald and be queen."

Again, Sasha nodded. "I understand now."

She knew the Royal Circus was not working with Renee. Now, if Arielle's words could be trusted, it would seem that the prince and the princess were at war.

"Do we have any idea how this came about? Why was Caroline Comhar in the forest?"

"The Belle who was assigned to spy on Caroline Comhar was Jade."

"She is the Belle of Trent Durham. Of course, it makes sense." She met Arielle's eyes. "And what did Jade's report say?"

"She was there when the Circus took Caroline. She was given permission by Lady Mariam to get Caroline Comhar and interrogate her. They deemed it an urgent matter as they were afraid that Caroline may have already gotten information and share it with the princess. They believed they had to intercept before that happened."

"The Soldiers could not have done it?"

"I do not know. Mariam is yet to report to me. Jade did what she could with Ruby's help. They took necessary precautions and Caroline Comhar did not identify them, but they also did not get useful information from the woman. Jade strongly believes that Caroline Comhar is innocent of any plans the princess may have against Belcourt or the crown prince."

"When did they go through with this mission?"

"The same day Caroline Comhar was taken by the Circus." Arielle paused to look out the window once more. They were nearing the Library. "According to Jade's report, Ruby went on ahead while Jade was in a separate carriage with Caroline. The woman has asked to empty her bladder and they went inside the forest. Jade was unprepared for the sudden arrival of two men who took Caroline. She was able to escape, but she believes that she would not have made it if the target was her. She immediately returned to Belcourt to make her report. She also sustained injuries when she tried to help Caroline Comhar."

While Arielle narrated the content of Jade's report, Sasha was able to correlate them with the ones the Circus had gathered thus far. It now made sense that there were two extra footprints outside the cabin that day. And the account of someone passing by a carriage at the side of the road near the forest was accurate.

The only mystery now was if Jade's claims of what happened in the forest was true or not. No one was witness to Caroline's abduction.

The woodsman could provide answers if they could find him, she thought.

"That very night, Caroline was found by the woodsman and his dog. Perhaps the Circus did not find anything more than Jade and Ruby did. They tried to kill Caroline for the same reasons Jade was planning to take her back to her family." The contempt in Arielle's voice was believable, and perhaps it was, Sasha thought. Mayhap the woman truly believed that the Circus did this.

But Sasha was certain it was not the Royal Circus' doing.

It must be the princess herself. Perhaps she found out that Caroline was being spied on and she had to eliminate evidence.

She looked at Arielle. Or it might be Belcourt.

The carriage had come to a full stop.

Sasha climbed down first and waited until Arielle stepped beside her.

A woman in a blue cloak was waiting for them outside, head bowed.

"Good day, my lady," the woman greeted, bowing her head in the presence of the Maiden, extending an arm into the Library's entrance while doing so. "This way, my lady."

Sasha knew where they were going. The path they were taking led to Belcourt's hospital, an adjacent building to the right.

This place had once been Sasha's home. It was merely a year ago when she was grieving her fate for being recourted into the Court of Flowers.

She could not feel it now.

She was where she ought to be so she could save these women.

They did not have to climb the stairs where the patient rooms were located. Instead, they were led to a larger bedchamber typically only reserved for Mistresses or Maidens.

"Sasha," Arielle said, stopping to say, "Caroline has been unconscious for days and we did not think she will survive. She has just regained consciousness yesterday."

Sasha nodded.

"And no one apart from you and the people who has cared for her knows who she truly is."

She frowned. "Not even Lady Mariam?"

"Lady Mariam will be facing questioning regarding the mission she has given Jade. For now, we have to keep Caroline a secret from the Court of Flowers. They shall be informed once further plans are made."

"But why—"

"I will tell you more after you meet Caroline," Arielle interjected, turning to face the door.

Sasha moistened her lips as she followed Arielle into the room.

In the bed sat a woman with her head wrapped in a bandage. Her long brown hair was swept to the side over one shoulder.

Sasha had never had the chance to meet the woman or even lay eyes on her. She was part of the top society. Remington had never dared display his daughters in public. They were part of the royal family after all.

The pale woman sitting in the middle of the bed should know by now that she was in a difficult situation, and Sasha was aware that she could not give her the comfort that she needed.

"I hope that you are feeling well," Arielle greeted Caroline. "I brought along a friend with me if you do not mind."

Caroline's forest green eyes met Sasha's. "Good morning."

Sasha forced a smile. "It is the afternoon now, my lady. Good afternoon."

Arielle turned to Doctor Kemp, a middle-aged woman with graying hair. "How has she been fairing since yesterday?"

"Terrific, my lady," Doctor Kemp said, lowering her eyes to the floor to avoid looking at Arielle. "Her wounds are healing as we expect. The pain is tolerable, she says."

"I have a question," Caroline said, voice cracking.

"Yes, of course," Arielle replied, turning to focus her attention on Caroline.

"They all never look you in the eyes. Why?" the woman asked, pointing at Doctor Kemp and the other two Librarians in the room.

"Because I am important," Arielle replied.

Caroline merely frowned and she turned to Sasha. "She is not looking down."

"I consider Sasha a dear friend. She can look me straight in the eyes."

"And me?"

"You are not a lady of Belcourt." Arielle sighed. "You have been through a lot, my lady. But you ought to consider yourself lucky. As I have said yesterday, if you were taken somewhere else, you would be dead by now. Belcourt has the best doctors."

Sasha could sense that Arielle was soon to lose her patience. She did not know why Arielle found the need to take her here and meet Caroline. She could have just told Sasha everything.

And Sasha could just leave early and pass a message to the Circus that Caroline was alive but they may have a problem bringing her home.

But when Caroline's next words stunned Sasha and she finally realized why Arielle needed a dramatic revelation.

"I am grateful that Belcourt has given me a second life," Caroline said, her tone leaving no one any doubt of her status. "But if you came here to ask me the same question, the answer is still the same." Caroline's forest green globes were steady as she met the Maiden's eyes. "I still do not remember anything. By anything I mean nothing."