Summer came and it was relieving. Soon we would all be going home, and Clive was needed as the Sargent sisters (and hopefully their maids) were staying over. It was under the pretense of celebrating my return, as well as my father, but he didn't say when.

I had Clive in a bedroom closer to mine and the two of us had a long talk in his room.

"Listen, we can't do anything naughty. I'm burnt from last semester's exams. Also hang out with the servants, seduce one or something."

His brows furrowed and his face had changed, became more tired, and he closed his eyes.

I expected him to reject me—after all, I was selling him out for my family, yet he didn't. He opened his eyes and looked at me, piercing eyes that said his disappointment. Maybe that was where I went wrong.

"I'll do it. If I get news, I'll just say I'll play chess with you."

"Yes. That'll be our code. Playing chess," I said eagerly. Clive was less enthusiastic, but I was a selfish kid.

Somewhere along the way Clive stopped rejecting me, or simply saying no. If I wanted him at nights he knew by how I pulled on his collar or tugged his hair. He would laugh, telling me I should just flirt instead of being so quiet, making my face flush more.

Then when I called Clive a killer and saying I didn't like it, and when I was disgusted by his desire to be the only one to hurt me, I realized he was more clingy and somehow, obedient. It seems strange calling a lover that, but Clive was. From his actions to in bed.

I welcomed the Sargent sisters, Lilith dressed in a modest dark blue everyday dress, Lucia in a pink dress with a large petticoat or something, reminiscent of the noble family's way.

Lilith made small conversation with each of us first, Jonathan, is your injured ankle better? Daniel, tell me if the maids or us sisters cross a boundary you don't want us to, Nathan, how was school and exams? Have you all been eating properly?

She was what I'd want in a wife, and somehow it was surprising, too, because when u thought of a wife it was Heloise saying that.

As Jonathan guided the two Lucia smiled and laughed happily, "Oh, I've missed this house!"

The Rottings House? We were not special in any way, our old estate had no golden chandelier and was meager in decorations other than a grandfather clock and patterned carpeting.

"I had so much fun!" Lucia did sound sincere and then boldly grabbed Jonathan's arm with one hand, casually, almost.

Daniel gave me a look, eyes wide as though to say, "Heavens, she's bold!"

I stretched my lips to gesture it wasn't very good. Lilith stood by idly, somehow looking like her younger sister had snatched away her doll—astounding indeed.

Clive appeared, knowing he wasn't part of the family. He pretended to see the maids and rushed out, "Let me help Richie with the luggage, Nathan," he said, perfect at acting.

"Be careful," I called out, then looked at the sisters, my height, "Clive is very nice and always trying to help even though he's a guest."

"That embarrasses us, we are too inconsiderate, right, Lucia?" Lilith turned back but Lucia was still holding on to Jonathan.

"No, we aren't! Lilith is always blaming herself," Lucia giggled, "she is cynical while I'm the optimist."

"Well, neither traits are bad," Jonathan said stoically. I couldn't tell if he wanted her arm off or not.

"Lucia, you'd like this, we had flowers delivered," Daniel stepped in, gesturing to a vase. They had arranged that, and we all watched her as she rushed over and gleefully complimented the flowers.

Daniel most likely supported Lilith and I turned to see Jonathan also breathe a sigh of relief, then turned to Lilith.

"How was spring for you?"

"Very pleasant, we both would go to gardens often, and Lucia even climbed a tree to reach a blossom—oh, in trousers, of course."

"In trousers?" Jonathan's eyes were fierce, and Lilith had definitely said it knowing.

The two looked at Lucia, talking a flower and holding it to her hair before it fell off. I picked it up quietly as Lucia grew bored and wandered off to see the scenery outside the window.

The three talked and left, and I looked at the flower in my hands.

Ah, flowers reminded me of Clive. I covered my laugh but then I ran towards where he could be. 

I was downstairs when I heard his voice, soft and sensual in his language, and then I looked down. He was holding a woman in his arms, and although slightly older than us, the maid laughed and seemed so happy with him. Clive said something and she giggled. Clive pulled her away and soon they were gone.

It wasn't unexpected, really. I had used Clive to get closer to them, and they could be platonic friends...no, who was I kidding?

I fell down against my closed bedroom, looking at the flower in my hand. I thought of Vic and Stein, and sadness overwhelmed me as I sat on the carpeted floor.

Had Vic died in the Headmaster—from me?

Either way, Clive was still spying. His patron was starting to sound suspicious and I wondered uneasily which knight family would even do such a thing. Clive had been in my house all summers, and this summer hopefully we'd find the sister who sided with rebels.

Then could Clive and I finally be somewhere far away from all of them?

***

Weeks passed like it, before a month. I had spoken to Clive normally as we had dinners together still, but somehow the "norm" was not really our norm.

Clive didn't flirt and seemed uninterested in me. The coldness was returned by me and so my brothers tried to include Clive in their conversation.

Slowly, I even saw Clive talking to the sisters (separately). I hid behind the corner of the hallway, hearing Clive ask why they hired so many maids from his country.

When a month passed, Richie handed a letter over to Clive, sparking my interest. I knew it was from his patron and wanted to see it, but Richie said it was rude to see his letter and kept it facedown.

After he handed the envelope to Clive safely, that night I knocked and slipped into his room.

"Why are you here?" Clive asked, act still on. I searched for the letter but it wasn't on his desk and he was in bed, reading.

"You can talk to me now, can't you?" I asked.

"The situation is worse than I imagined," Clive whispered.

"What do you mean?"

"Just. I need some time to think." Clive finally tossed down the book and held his head in his hands.

"Why?" I bit my lips before speaking. "I missed you. I want to talk like before. Before the murder—before everything."

"I want to, too." He looked away from me. "Just not now." 

"Did your patron write something? Do you have issues on your side?" I asked.

"I don't," Clive said. I sat at the foot of his bed. "I'm sick of this. Talking to them showed something awful."

"What is it? You can tell me."

"I'm trying to save you!" Clive looked up before meeting my eyes and biting his lips. "I made a miscalculation."

I didn't see why he was so pained and his face somehow reminded me of Vic's and without thinking I held his face. I traced it back to our earrings and I held his earlobe, moving it around and around before he spoke.

"The rebels and maids aren't employed by the Sargent. Or the Wordsworth. Or the other families—it's your father, Nathan."

I was still and Nathan cried, turning his face from me.

"Are you disappointed? It doesn't matter, they're all figureheads. I think Jonathan and Daniel don't know, but your father had been bringing an influx of people to work under him for some reason."

"But Richie—" I said feebly.

"Yes, he's innocent from what I can tell. Your father has been passing a lot of bills from what I heard—soon even one that makes vagrants like me citizens."

"He's bringing vagrants to do this?" I asked. "Politics aside, they aren't rebels, right?"

Clive's eyes held a glint. "You're far too naive, Nathan. Do you think people like me, who kill for water, wouldn't kill for a revolt, too? Maybe even a revolt that makes you the new royal family."

"Stop!" I stood up and fell down, my arms propping me up as o realized how scared I was, but my legs had gone soft.

Clive ran down and held me and I sputtered words, tears falling onto his white shirt.

"I can't be a knight. I can't—I can't forget his face! No, both Vic and Stein's faces that night. I really didn't want to kill, not even Wyatt! And the many rebels we killed without knowing if they were bad—"

"They're not bad," Clive said. "From both sides the 'other' side is the bad one, right? If so, maybe nothing is even good."

"No! I know, but is it necessary? The influx of military power and conquests?"

"Want to leave?" Clive held my hand, eyes wide. "Want to go to the other side?"

"You mean—"

"Against Goldenvale," he said. "Want to make your father the new king? It might even be the only way you'd ever make him proud of you..."