On Monday morning, Master Eugene wasn't there in his room. Neither was he on Tuesday, so I couldn't report the meeting I had with Robert Miller Thompson to him. However, on Wednesday, after leaving his empty room, I was met with Tobias's frowning figure in the hallway. I had a bad premonition.

"Good morning, Master Tobias," I whispered, fiddling my fingers.

"I heard about Sunday," he said, completely disregarding my greeting. "I want to discuss it with you tonight, in my room. Come around midnight." Midnight was early: usually our meetings were around one or three in the night.

After dinner, I discussed it with Rudy.

"Do you think he's mad? How do you suppose he found out, anyway?"

"I can promise you I didn't tell him," he said. "But I don't think Master Tobias will be mad. If you're helping Master Eugene, he will definitely support you, too."

I didn't tell him that it was different. I was bringing Master Eugene into danger. If Mister Silas heard Master Eugene was going up against him, forget Master Tobias, the twins, and the children, the first person he'd aim to get rid of would be Master Eugene. I grew sick at the thought.

"Either way, good luck for tonight," Rudy said. "I'll stay awake just in case of anything and be in the kitchen." I smiled, glad for his loyalty.

"Thank you."

When midnight came, the girls were all tucked in and ready to sleep when I shuffled out of my bed in pretense of having a midnight snack. I knew Otis, Matheus, and Beth often had midnight snacks, and I even joined once, so it wasn't that strange. However, Clo raised her eyebrows at me. Thankfully Rhiannon and Beth didn't pay me any attention—well, Beth was asleep.

I hastily got dressed and decided to not bring a lamp tonight, as I had already memorized the layout of the mansion.

When I was at the masters' hallway I saw a figure standing there, in front of Master Tobias's room.

Was he waiting for me? Outside? That was a bit dangerous: other people could see us or grow suspicious.

I ran to him, but when I got closer my breath got caught in my throat. The figure was taller, had longer hair, and a goatee.

The man looked over at me when I reached him, and smirked.

"Fancy meeting you here, Miss Shuyan. What a coincidence, I was just thinking of talking to you."

"Mister Silas—!"

Despite smiling, his voice was cold, and his words, although seemingly innocent, were laced with something malicious. Something I didn't want to get any closer to.

I inhaled deeply and wished I could look as confident as Rhiannon and Clo. I straightened my back before I sputtered out an excuse.

"I apologize, I was just wandering around. I should get back—"

"Oh, no." He took a step forward to me, brown waves falling over his eyes, and leaned close—so close that I could see the pale grey of his irises. "Don't leave. That'd be such a waste, as I was looking for a companion tonight. It's not fair that Tobias always has you to himself, is it?"

How did he know?

"Master Tobias?" My voice was hardly audible. "But we don't—"

"Haha!" His laughter made me jump. It was so menacing, like everything else.

"I was merely joking, Miss Shuyan. I indeed do have to talk to you. Come, I even have wine prepared."

I blinked in fear and confusion. I had to reject him, but how? My heart thudded and my knees trembled.

"I'm sorry, but I don't drink—"

"That's fine, too. Please do come inside." Then his voice lowered. "I'm tired of standing, do you understand?"

Unable to refuse, I did what I could—tilt my chin down in what was a nod. We walked away from Tobias's door, and into the room next to his. While it was right next to his, it was so far away I couldn't possibly hope he'd hear the loud footsteps I was making on purpose.

When I went inside Silas's room I was blown away by the extravagance of it.

The room was larger than both Eugene or Tobias's, all the furniture were made of lacquered dark black wood with a red tint and curtains were of rich crimson fabric woven with gold thread. On a round table in the middle of the room there were two seats and two wine glasses, as well as an opened cask of wine.

"Shall I pour it?" I asked, hoping to get away with not pouring myself any, but he smiled and shook his head.

"Let's talk like equals today, not master and maid. Come, sit." It echoed what Eugene often said, but sent chills up my spine. He poured me a glass and set it before me, and then himself one. The aroma was sickening. I hated wine.

"Forgive me, but I think I may have to pass." He sighed loudly, making me draw up my shoulders.

"Miss Shuyan, lets get to the point." He placed an elbow on the table and then leaned his chin on a hand. "How did your meeting with Mister Thompson go?"

"Huh? Who?" My teeth was chattering as I kept up the facade.

"It's useless to lie. All I want to know is whether or not he told me the truth. What answer did you receive?" His eyes told me he did know. But how? I gripped the sides of the chair I was sitting on.

"He said he didn't know. He was merely a doctor."

"Did he mention anyone?" He took a slow, sip of his wine, then gulped, his Adam's apple bobbing. When he was done, he tilted his head down so his eyes lined up with mine. "Maybe with a last name beginning with the letter 'M'?"

I thought of R.M.

"No, he did not."

He continued to look at me, evaluate me, seemingly unsatisfied with the answer. What a terrifying man—he didn't even trust Mister Thompson, and used me to make sure he told the truth. Silas's brows wrinkled and he turned away with a gruff.

"I see. Miss Shuyan, you are working for Eugene, aren't you?"

I thought about lying and saying I was working for Tobias, but I couldn't. Instead, I only asked,

"How do you know it's not Master Tobias?"

"Because he doesn't rely on anyone. Not even Rudy. Why would he use you?" His demeaning tone of voice made my face flame.

"But that doesn't matter—" he waved a dismissive hand, "I wanted to talk about Eugene today. What do you think of him?" At that, I paused, raised my head to look at him in confusion.

"I think he's a wonderful person, and I think he'll make for a wonderful heir, too."

"Then I supposed you've talked often. That boy—he's always talking to the staff. Even years later, he hasn't changed despite living here for so long." He swirled the vermilion liquid in his glass, it swirling around gracefully. "But I'm asking something different. Do you love him, as in do you wish to be his wife?"

"Wife?" I shook my head quickly to get rid of the absurd idea.

"I'm his maid! I want to help him."

"Help him become the heir? When he becomes heir, you do know he'll never be able to marry you, right? He will be engaged to other women of noble families." A smug look was on his face.

Why was he telling me?

"I know, of course." I looked down at my lap. "And I will support him even when that time comes."

"Will you really?"

Before I knew it, suddenly Silas cupped my face in his large hands, tilting up my face. I gasped as his thumb pressed against my cheek. He seemed to laugh at me, meekly looking up at him.

"Your precious Eugene will no longer be with you. He will be attended to by several women, wives, maybe even mistresses. He might not be able to make an heir, but women will always flock to men with money and status. Right now Eugene is young—he only knows you, that's why he treats you so kind. But what about when other women enter his life?"

I turned my neck and struggled to be freed from his hold, but his grip was hard, and my cheek sank into my mouth, my teeth threatening to bite into the flesh if I spoke.

I struggled to shout, but only managed to sputter. I stood up, and instead knocked over my chair. Silas and I were standing over the table at that point, my wine glass also knocked over.

Was I going to die like this? Was was going to happen? Master Tobias had told me he wasn't violent, but he was.

"Eugene is not fit for competition. He's young," he repeated, his eyes getting darker by the second, "and naive. He wants to change the system, doesn't he? Well, there's a reason the Beardsleys do things this way. You think Father never tried to change it? He's a fool!" He suddenly flung me away, and I fell, my ribcage hitting the chair. I coughed and panted for air.

"Our family lives this way because we've decided, after years of experimentation, that this is the best way to live for us! Us Beardsleys aren't suited for love—we don't know what love is!" He gripped the side of the table. "Eugene's father, too, was never supposed to leave, and if he didn't, Eugene would've never came into existence and ruined my chances of being heir!"

"Silas!"

The shout I heard in that moment was the most relieving sound I've ever heard.

I struggled to turn around, and turned to see both Tobias and Rudy looking at me from the door.

Tobias's eyes were wide and his pupils dilated, then he turned to face Silas, baring his teeth and drawing up his shoulders.

"Silas! What did you do?"

"Shuyan!" Rudy ran out form Tobias's side and to me. "Are you—" he was cut off when he saw my face. "Your cheeks are red! There are hand-marks!"

"Explain yourself!" Tobias stormed up to Silas and was drawing himself up to his height. Silas only looked at him apathetically.

"Tobias, I know you brought her to your room, too. I'm merely doing the same: you don't have any right to critique me."

"That's not it!"

"What's not it? Father has always said if a fellow Beardsley brings a girl into their room, we do not question or talk about it. You never questioned me about the other girls I brought into my room before."

I felt like vomiting. Instead, I latched on to Rudy's arms and trembled. He held me.

"Silas!" Tobias roared. "That's not it! How could you hit her?"

"I was merely explaining to her how Eugene isn't fit to be heir, less so compete to be the heir. Don't you think so too?" Silas challenged. Tobias glared at him, jaw tightened. He didn't say anything.

No.

Tobias, he's wrong.

"That's wrong—" I struggled to turn to the two brothers.

"Shuyan?" Rudy whispered.

"That's wrong," I said, louder this time, digging my nails into Rudy's arm. "If you think using underhanded tricks and blindly following your predecessor is what makes someone a good heir, you are wrong!"

I stood up, suddenly feeling the strength come back to me. Rudy helped me up.

"And no matter what you say, I will support Master Eugene!"

Silas smiled, an eyebrow raised in mocking pity.

"Oh, will you? Let's see how long those words of yours will last."

"Nevermind that, Shuyan," Rudy said, "let's leave. I'll find something cool to put on your face."

"Remember this, Silas," a voice growled in the room after I was in the doorway. "If you think you can always have things your way, you're wrong."

"I'll be looking forward to that day, then," Silas laughed.

I shuddered.

I had never heard Master Tobias speak with such raw hatred. This battle between brothers was more intense than I could've imagined.