Sasha looked out the window of her bedchamber, her thoughts centered on one woman.

Delaney was not supposed to be doing anything for Belcourt. Her dowry had been paid and she could disappear somewhere for a while. If she were Aliya, Sasha would send Delaney far from Sutherland until it was safe.

But that was not what the St. Vincents were doing. Perhaps they had a reason.

Perhaps Delaney did not want to go.

Because she had a mission?

Perhaps. Most probably.

She chewed on her lower lip, knowing full well what she had to do next.

Aliya would not like it, neither would her husband, Oliver St. Vincent.

But Delaney had to be returned to Belcourt. If the woman was meeting with Albert in secret, something was brewing. But why Albert? How did Delaney get acquainted with the crown prince?

She could clearly hear West's argument in her head. We can't risk finding out. We have to take her away from the Circus. We can find out some other way.

Sasha took a long breath.

Then she turned away and blew out her candles.

Delaney would have to return.

⠒♣◆♣⠒

Trent stirred awake as he felt her naked body lushly pressed behind him, her hand worming around his waist as she sighed.

"How long do we have?" she sleepily asked. Turning to face her, he found her smiling.

"The entire night," he said.

"The entire night," she repeated, running her hand up his chest.

He groaned, pulling her toward him. "Then we can sleep."

She laughed, kissing his arm. "Not what I was hoping, but it sounds equally delicious."

Jade was not in Coulway. She went to Belcourt with Ruby after they were called by Sasha. Caroline visited Trent early the next day, and she had not left his estate since.

They slept again after an afternoon of lovemaking. When they woke up, he rang for food. When that arrived, she was on his lap while he ate, clinging unto him like she used to when she was ten.

"Carol, we have to eat," he laughingly said.

"I hate to leave this place," she murmured, looking over her shoulder at the clock. "Should I just tell them my memory has returned and I want to go home?"

"And then what? Prove to Jade that you have been playing her all along?"

"That wench can try to kill me again as a ghost because that is what she will be if she ever tries to get to me."

His hand was lazily rubbing her hip as he let out a soft chuckle. "We have things to do first," he reminded her.

"I should not have done this in the first place."

"No, you did the right thing," he contradicted. "Pretending to have lost your memory was a cunning way to stay alive. Anyone in Belcourt may want you dead. If you as much as told them the truth, I may not have you here now," he finished, kissing her shoulder.

She rested her head on his head while he fed himself with the cold bread. His other hand playfully caressed her thigh. The room was quiet, they were sated, and they were in love.

What more could she wish for?

Ah, to be out of Belcourt, of course.

"It is quite funny," she said, "merely a week ago, I wanted to stay in Belcourt because I want to know who the High Priestess is."

"And now that you have had a taste of me, you want nothing else but be my wife."

"And decorate your estate. And have tea with friends. And of course, have more taste of you."

He laughed. "Not the life I was thinking you want, Carol."

"That's just the petty part of it," she said. "I want to travel with you. I want to steal a child with you so we can raise him as our own. Then I want more games with you," she finished over his chuckles.

"We can do all that."

She groaned. "When this is over?"

"Once we are both free of Belcourt."

"The Circus will still need you."

"But you will need me more."

"I already need you more," she chided, planting her lips on his. "But you have to eat first." She climbed off his lap and walked to where her clothes were piled by the bed. "And I have to go home."

He wryly looked at her. "We have all night."

"Yes, but I don't want to risk it," she replied, walking over to him so he could button her dress. "Your Belle may go home. Or she may think crazy things and spy on me. We can't let her discover I'm not in my villa where I'm supposed to."

"I have men following her."

"We cannot rely on your men. She once almost killed me before and she can very well try again."

He stood and finished the buttons of her dress. Once done, he turned her around to face him. Cupping her face, he kissed her fully. "Delaney will soon be back in Belcourt."

"I know."

"Be careful."

"She has to be careful. She is meeting the crown prince. For whatever reason, I will find out why."

His jaw tightened, but he said nothing more and just nodded. "Be safe."

She gave him a chaste kiss and a wide smile. "Until our next tryst, my love."

He snorted and watched her leave.

He shook his head. She was enjoying this, he thought with a sigh.

⠒♣◆♣⠒

Everyone was not only surprised but also baffled when Delaney was returned to Belcourt.

What could have happened?

Why?

Was the dowry not enough?

Aliya must be devastated!

Trent would not tell her how they managed it. Darcy, of course, she thought. But how? Of course, he never told her how. And she had no right to question.

She could only speculate. She knew that the only one threatened by Delaney's meetings with Albert was the Circus. Therefore, someone working with the Circus was inside Belcourt and was powerful enough to make this happen.

But it could be anyone. Who?

Trent told her that was not her mission. Belcourt's rat was not her enemy.

She was not comfortable not knowing, but who was she to question? The Royal Circus had its reasons.

For now, her task was to spy on Delaney. They had to know what the woman may have gathered during her time with Aliya and the St. Vincents.

She came to Belcourt upon the orders of Sasha. Ruby and Jade told her yesterday that the woman had been interrogating all Belles.

"We do not know what for," Ruby had told her. "We believe it has something to do with Delaney's return to Belcourt."

"What did she ask?"

"Anything. Our whereabouts during the past weeks. I cannot truly call it an interrogation, to be honest. We merely had tea and biscuits. She asked questions, and we answered."

Jade's words echoed in Caroline's head while she made her way to Sasha's office. She took a long breath before raising her hand and knocked.

"Come in," said Sasha's voice.

Caroline entered the room and blinked in surprise when she saw Delaney sitting across Sasha. "Close the door behind you, Carol," said Sasha.

Caroline did as ordered and sashayed to the empty seat beside Delaney's.

The woman simply stared at her, gray eyes bare of anything that may give Caroline a hint of what she may be thinking or feeling now.

"How as your journey?" Sasha asked.

"It was fine, my lady," she replied.

"I was just telling Delaney the reason we returned her in Belcourt."

Caroline caught her breath at the statement. She looked at Delaney. The woman's jaw had gone tight.

"I returned willingly."

"Yes, you did." But Sasha had more to say. She turned to Caroline and explained, "Her sister is a wife of a member of the Royal Circus," said Sasha.

Her heart pounded against her chest. What was she to say?

"At the moment, as the Mistress of the Court of Flowers, I do not have full confidence in Delaney." Sasha looked at Caroline, bluish-gray eyes hard and clear. "I will be very much pleased if you can be her companion around Coulway."

"Her companion?"

Sasha nodded. "At the meantime, I do not allow Delaney to venture alone on her own around Coulway until Belcourt deems her to be loyal."

"You mean until you deem me to be loyal," Delaney corrected. "Belcourt knows I am loyal, my lady," Delaney spoke again. She turned to Sasha, eyes filled with conviction. "I am ashamed of the choices my sister made."

"Then you will have to prove yourself to me, Delaney," said Sasha. "I'm certain that you will regain my trust in due time."

Delaney lifted her chin. "I do not understand, my lady," she said to Sasha, "why you chose Carol to be my companion. She is not from Belcourt."

"She is a Belle."

Delaney scoffed. "We all know she is not." Her eyebrow arched, she added, "I was in the Palace before I became a Belle. I know her story."

Caroline frowned. Arielle had confidently told her that her story was only known to a few. Apparently, nothing was entirely a secret in Belcourt, after all.

This was bad news.

If Jade ever heard of what Delaney knew, then Caroline would be in trouble.

Sasha smiled at Delaney. "Belcourt has taken Caroline in as a Belle, Delaney. She has as much right as any lady in Belcourt."

"She barely knows anything about Belcourt, and yet you trust her more than I."

"But unlike you, Delaney, she does not go around Coulway to meet up with the crown prince."

Sasha's statement surprised both Delaney and Caroline.

How did she know?

"Belcourt considers Albert an ally, yes, but he is not from Belcourt. He is currently not a flower either. Unless, of course, you have some sort of agreement with the prince?"

Caroline watched Delaney's face harden. "None."

"Then would you explain why you were meeting with him?"

"He... I was given an order to come to the tavern. I did not know who I was meeting when I first came there. I thought it was an order from Belcourt."

"Truly?"

"Yes."

"Then you say that you were still in contact with Belcourt when you were with the St. Vincents?"

"Yes."

"Someone straight from the Palace?"

"Yes."

Sasha nodded slowly. "As someone who had once taken orders from the Palace, I cannot question it."

"Then if I can make my contact give a direct order to have me released from my companion, will you comply?"

Sasha shrugged. "If it is from one of the Maidens or higher, of course, I shall."

A small smile of relief curved Delaney's lips before she stiffly nodded. "Are we done, my lady?"

Sasha nodded. "Yes."

Caroline stood with Delaney, but Sasha told her, "Carol, please stay. I have words from Arielle."

Delaney did not even slow down on her way to the door. She was out of the office before Caroline had returned to her seat. "What message do you have from Arielle, my lady?" she asked.

"None," Sasha said, eyes at the door. "Delaney may stay in Belcourt for a few days given her dislike to have you as her companion."

She blinked. "You want me to stay here with her?"

"No, I want you to go to the Village."

"But what will I be doing in the Village?"

"My maid will meet you in the Tea House." Sasha looked at her, face utterly blank. "You may go."

"But what—"

"Go to the Tea House, Carol. And leave the red cloak in your bedchamber."

⠒♣◆♣⠒

Caroline was uncertain why she followed Sasha's orders.

But she had no choice, did she?

It was the Mistress' orders.

She walked to the Village and into the Tea House.

As soon as she entered, a woman with brown hair framing a square jaw stood up to meet her. "Lady Carol," she greeted with a smile, her light brown eyes glinting with mystery and mirth. "I am Iyana."

The woman was wrapped in a black cloak. Court of Service.

The maid.

"Please, come with me."

Iyana walked past her and out of the Tea House. And for the first time, Caroline ventured deeper into the Village. They walked past small brick houses and cobbled alleyways.

In a narrow path with brick walls at both sides, Iyana stopped and revealed another black cloak from inside hers. "Please, put this on," she said.

Caroline blinked in confusion, but she had no time to ask. Iyana started walking again as soon as she had the black cloak on.

From time to time, a woman's laughter or shouts could be heard. In each house, she could hear someone working.

Soon, they walked out into an open courtyard surrounded by more long bring houses. One had smoke coming out of the chimneys. The other had large open windows and when she looked closely, she saw cloths hanging in parallel lines.

"This is the laundry house," said Iyana. "Please, follow me."

The pungent smell of lye soap followed them along with the loud noises of water being poured and emptied, and of the women chatting or shouting at each other.

Iyana led her inside one of the brick houses and finally inside a large room. Inside, two aged women were just coming out, carrying folded blue cloaks. They smiled at Iyana and Caroline, greeted them a pleasant afternoon, and disappeared outside.

The noise from the laundry house was muffled now that they were inside. Shelves filled with dresses, cloaks, and others lined each side of the hall. And it was a hall. A big library of washed garments.

Iyana disappeared between two shelves while Caroline looked around with amazement.

Just how many bloody ladies of Belcourt were there?

Her question would remain unanswered because Iyana soon reappeared with a pile of black cloaks. "Please, follow me," she said.

They retraced their steps out of the laundry house and into another courtyard. "These are our sleeping quarters," said Iyana in a hushed voice. "Please, be quiet."

Doors lined the big brick house. Iyana briskly walked to the third door to the right and asked Caroline to open the door. She did, and they entered another long corridor. Caroline knew that if Iyana left her there, she would be lost.

Voices could be heard from inside some doors, but no one bothered to come out and see who was walking down the corridor. It must be normal for them; this was their typical day.

Iyana led her upstairs to another long corridor until they stopped at one door. Caroline did not wait to be asked and reached out to open it. "Thank you," said Iyana.

There was only one bed inside. The room was small with only one window, but it was clean. And it smelled of lavender. "This is my room," said the woman. "When Lady Sasha became Mistress, they gave me a room to myself," she proudly added, placing the pile of black cloaks on the bed.

And before Caroline could even open her mouth to speak, the woman pulled out something tucked between the folded cloaks.

"Here," she said, pushing the garment toward Caroline.

She blinked at the purple cloak. "What—"

"I will inform Fatima where you are and she will stay inside your bedchamber in the Flower Garden to make certain no one enters the room."

Caroline frowned. "What do you mean—"

Iyana's light brown eyes held hers with assurance and determination. "By nightfall, once it is dark, you will enter the Palace."