Amidst the chaos outside, the Garden Hall was quiet as the seven Maidens filed into the room that was the center of the Palace. The ten Elected children knelt below the platform where the empty golden chair stood, their faces hidden by the hood of their purple cloaks.

The seven Maidens were settled in their chairs behind the golden chair as the Soldiers pulled the heavy doors, completely closing them off from the rest of Belcourt.

The oldest Maiden stood and walked down the steps to stand before the Elected children.

She slowly made her way to the fifth girl and dropped to her knees. "Your Highness," she intoned. The six other Maidens stood and did the same.

"It shall be our honor and pride to be serving you," continued the oldest Maiden. "May you bring Belcourt more glory days as did the other High Priestesses before you."

The child slowly stood, her light blue eyes not so innocent as they looked straight into the Maiden's. She slowly stood. At twelve-years-old, she had the confidence of a royal. Her heart-shaped face may be young, but the way she intoned her first statement spoke for her years of training. "It shall be my honor to serve Belcourt and all it's ladies," she said, her voice echoing around the Garden Hall.

The other Elected bent their heads lower as Leila took the first step toward the golden chair.

Arielle stood from her seat and walked to the new High Priestess and gracefully pulled down Leila's hood, revealing her straight, blond hair. Her chest inflated with pride as she stretched her lips into a reassuring smile, her eyes glimmering with tears as she bent down before Leila. She did not have to reassure the child for the girl was primed for this. "It will be an honor to serve you, Your Highness."

Leila nodded, her eyes looking past Arielle's bent head and over at the other Elected children before her. "Rise, all of you," she ordered. The children did, their eyes cast down. The rest of the Maidens rose to their feet and walked down the stairs to stand before the Elected children. Arielle joined them.

"I elect Venus to be my Elected." As if it was never a question, the ten-year-old girl walked away from the group and stood beside Leila.

"I know I am not of age to rule," Leila said, "and by Belcourt law, I am to choose my regent."

"Yes, Your Highness," said the oldest Maiden. "I am certain that our dearly departed High Priestess has given you instructions."

"Yes, he did." Leila looked at all the Maidens. "My choice is irrevocable and shall not be contested."

"Yes, Your Highness," everyone chorused.

Leila nodded. "I elect Arielle to be my regent."

Arielle bent down to one knee, her eyes on the floor, her lips curling into a smile of triumph. "I shall do my best, Your Highness."

"Everyone is dismissed," said Leila, eyes on the double doors. "We have to see our dear Albert off."

As everyone filed out of the Garden Hall, Leila called for Arielle to stay while Venus dutifully stayed where she was beside Leila.

The Maiden walked and stood before her.

"I hope you can guide me until my eighteenth birthday, Arielle."

"It will be an honor, Your Highness."

Leila nodded. "As my regent, I also hope that you do not forget who is High Priestess." Arielle blinked at her innocently. Leila smiled. "I can easily strip you of the title should I ever feel threatened in any way."

"You will never feel that, Your Highness. I assure you."

"Good." Giving Arielle another long look, she added, "I wish to be informed of everything you do."

"Yes, of course."

"And what will your decision be regarding Albert's murder?"

Arielle blinked and squared her shoulders. "I shall escalate the investigation on the traitor. I strongly agree that she is responsible for this. It cannot be the Royal Circus."

Leila nodded. "I agree. I expect your full report on the matter."

"Yes, of course, Your Highness."

"You are dismissed."

Arielle curtsied and left the Garden Hall.

"Go and tell Lady Eastwell. I wish to choose my own Soldiers," she ordered Venus.

"Would it not be Lady Arielle's task?" Venus asked.

"No. I will personally choose who will protect me," she replied, looking at the closed door.

☙✾❧

After making certain that no one was following him, Trent immediately drove his unmarked carriage to Sinclair.

He rushed into the Theater of the Royal Circus after passing through the Coffin as what the Royal wives would call it.

When he entered the room, there were about ten Royals already inside.

Rider Fairborne stood in the middle of the room, looking serious.

Tanner Macmier jump to his feet and demanded, "Is it true?"

"That Albert is dead? Yes," Trent said, jaw tight.

"Was it you?" asked Tanner.

"No."

"Robert?"

Trent looked at the man wryly. "We are not bloody stupid, Leighton. And we were not given orders."

"This is bad," said the Duke of Remington. "I want my daughter out of there now."

"No, not yet," said Trent's father. "She may be able to provide us with—"

"I will take her out as soon as it is possible," said Trent, ignoring the look his father threw him.

"Was he indeed the High Priestess?" asked Rider.

"We were never able to prove, but if he was, I see no point. There should be another High Priestess," he replied. "Where is Dior?"

"Indisposed," replied Tanner.

Rider looked around the room. "We must wait for Darcy's orders. For now, everyone should bide time and stay low."

Trent looked at him. "How was your search in the South?"

Rider shook his head. "We found no evidence that they left Sutherland at all. A few Royals were still there, sniffing around."

"And Lady Renee?"

"Nothing. The lady maintains her story that she has been threatened by Belcourt."

"Leo must stay alive," said Rider. "Albert's murder will be attributed on us. They will make certain that the whole of Sutherland will know of our existence. We cannot have Reginald's name be tarnished as it already is."

Trent nodded. "Unless a killer from Belcourt surfaces."

☙✾❧

It was not a dream.

There was no mistake.

Prince Albert was indeed dead.

Soldiers from Cloveshire Palace swarmed into Belcourt by command of King Louis. Albert's body was out of Belcourt before the sun rose again.

Belcourt's own Soldiers conducted their investigation, interrogating all guests first, then the flowers before letting them go.

The Belles, however, were detained in Flower Garden for two more days before anyone was allowed to leave and go back to their villas. Three Soldiers interrogated Caroline, asking where she had been that night, if she had seen the crown prince at all, or if she ever ventured outside.

She told them she ventured outside to look for her flower. She saw Delaney, Summer, and the others in one of the gaming rooms. Then she returned to the ballroom just in time for the children's performance.

She never told them about Sasha and Albert inside a study.

By the time she arrived in Coulway, she was exhausted. She knew Trent was back in his villa, but she dared not venture out.

The crown prince had been murdered and it could be anyone who did it.

Good Lord, it could be Trent and Robert.

But no, she did not think they would do that. It would merely bring the Royal Circus more harm than good. Unless, of course, Robert was the Circus rat and was working with someone in Belcourt who wanted Albert dead. What for? To be High Priestess if Albert was indeed the High Priestess?

With no way to contact Trent or Robert, Caroline had no one to discuss the incident with but Fatima, Shay, and Carrie.

The three ladies were utterly dumbfounded, but their fears were different from Caroline's.

"What if the king will think that Belcourt did it?" Fatima asked, her eyes anxious. "Belcourt may be forced to order all its women home. I don't want to spend months—or even years—inside Belcourt. How would I ever send letters to my son? What if he starts to think his mother doesn't want him anymore?"

"Calm down, Fatima," Caroline said, chewing the inside of her cheeks. "Have you noticed something different while you were in the Village during the ball?"

Fatima shook her head. "Nothing seemed unusual to me." She sniffed, wiping her tears. "Do you think it is one of the Belcourt ladies, my lady?"

"Oh, Lord, please no," Shay said. "We would definitely be forced back home if that were so."

Carrie kicked Shay under the table when Fatima burst out in tears again, this time trying her best to be calm.

"I cannot say," Caroline said, her own thoughts scattered. She could not tell the ladies what she believed, or what she saw. Now that someone was murdered, she had to be careful. "It could be one of the benefactors."

"Yes!" said Carrie. "Everyone has a reason to kill a prince, don't they?"

"They do?" Shay asked, blinking at Carrie.

"Yes, Shay. If you can wrap your head around the politics, you will understand."

"I've always hated that subject." Shay smiled. "That's why I landed into the Court of Service, eh?"

Carrie rolled her eyes. "Let us hope that it's one of the benefactors. They said Cloveshire is doing its own investigation, yes?"

"Yes, headed by the new crown prince himself," said Shay.

"I say it is him," said Carrie. "Prince Emory. Killing his brother takes him closer to the crown."

"If I were Prince Emory, I would not do it," said Shay. "It would be too bloody obvious!"

"You have a point," said Caroline, "but he may also have done it thinking everyone will have the same reasoning."

"Oh, yes, you may be right, milady," said Shay.

That night, Caroline was in her bedchamber, thinking about the night of the ball.

By now, everyone in Sutherland had heard of Albert's death. Most of them were mourning, demanding for the name of the killer. The Grimes had dared accuse Emory. And even Esther, the princess.

Caroline would not object to Esther because the woman was more cunning that Emory. In fact, if Emory did order for Albert's death, Caroline would still believe that Esther was behind it.

But why would Esther kill her brother? Yes, she did ask Caroline to spy on Albert, but surely, she would not have done something drastic! But she may have because for the woman, Caroline was still missing, and she may have suspected that Albert had something to do with it.

Yet if Caroline remembered Esther to be more concerned about Albert and him possibly making wrong decisions. She did not sound like someone who would kill her own brother. And Esther knew Albert would be the better king than Emory. Murdering Albert was more disadvantageous to the royal family and Sutherland as a whole.

Esther may still be among her list of suspects, but the woman was not on the top of it.

Sasha.

Caroline chewed her lips. The Mistress of the Court of Flowers was among the last persons to have been with Albert, if not the last.

She paced her room, knowing she had to relax first. Things were not always as what they seemed with Belcourt. And that may also be the case with Sasha. The woman could have left after she did. After all, her game of chess with Albert was over and she even won. Caroline did not stay to find out if they went for another game. Someone else could have followed Albert out into the corridor, killed him, and left him there for one of the children to discover.

They said that the scene was bloody. Albert's neck was nearly severed, they said. If that were so, then the killer would also be covered in blood. And Albert was not a small man. One needed strength. Or a potion of some sort that would render him weak and disoriented. No matter, it was a planned attack. And whoever executed it must have been trained to do it. A Soldier, perhaps?

But Belles were also trained. Any of the ladies could have done it, most particularly if they had the right concoction to mix in Albert's drink. That way, they would not need much strength.

The more Caroline thought, the more she became frustrated.

There were too many people in that ball.

Sasha was late to arrive.

So were Trent and Robert.

So were Delaney, Summer, and the other Belles.

Soldiers were everywhere as well.

Caroline ran her hand through her face with frustration and let out a soft growl. Who could have done it?

She wanted to ask Trent and Robert. She wanted to know if the Circus had anything to do with this so she would know how to act and cooperate. So she could start narrowing the suspects.

But no word from them thus far.

But something was telling Caroline that this was Belcourt's doing.

☙✾❧

Early the next day, Fatima and Carrie came rushing home less than an hour after they left to the market.

"Milady! Milady!" Fatima shouted as soon as she and Carrie burst into the villa. She was breathless when Caroline came gliding down the staircase.

"What is it?" she asked her maid, her thoughts jumping to Trent and anything that may have happened to him.

Fatima swallowed, her face white with horror. "It's Lady Ruby."

Caroline blinked. "What about Ruby?" Her eyes widened with concern. "Is she all right? Has something happened to her?"

"We came by her villa earlier," Carrie explained just as Shay walked out from the kitchen, looking curious. "It was empty."

Caroline blinked. "Empty?"

"They are hauling things out," said Fatima.

"But why?"

"Lady Ruby has been taken by the Soldiers early this morning."

"Taken?"

Carrie nodded. "Arrested."

"Arrested for what?"

"They say she is a traitor," said Fatima. "Her maid said so."

Caroline did not even know how to take the information in.

"They say she killed the prince."