Chapter 2

After the refreshing bath, Lilac was dressed in a soft, simple comfortable silk dress and skillfully rolled up her platinum hair into a bun. “This way,” a handmaiden said while leading her outside. “We have prepared a room for you.”

Lilac thought it unusual that they would ask her to stay for a first summon, but she kept her silence and followed the handmaiden. They guided her down a long, dimly lit corridor. She turned her gaze out the windows as they walked. It was around mid-day when she arrived at the castle, but now the sun has begun to set out on the horizon, casting long shadows against the walls. They passed through several rooms before stopping at a heavy oak door at the end of the hall. The handmaiden pushed it open, revealing a spacious room with a large canopy bed, a crackling fireplace, and a tray of food and wine on a small table next to a plush armchair.

Lilac entered the room and sank into the cushions, the warmth emanating from the hearth did little to chase away the chill that had settled deep in her bones. Her mind was preoccupied since Derek told her his name.

Her entire life had been a preparation—years of training in the arts of pleasure, music, and conversation. She had memorized the names, titles, and preferences of every noble in Tallafare.

But Derek? The name was a ghost, unlisted in any roster she had studied.

Was he a foreign dignitary? A high-ranking military commander? Or something more dangerous, someone whose name was deliberately omitted from official records? The thought sent a shiver down her spine, one that had nothing to do with pleasure.

A knock came to the door. “Yes?” Lilac stood from the armchair.

“Pardon me.” A youth, no older than 20, walked in. He was wearing the bright green and yellow colors of the Royal Guard. “I will be your guard tonight. My name is Tomas,” his voice was light, pleasant like the sun.

“Thank you,” Lilac said, as she sat back down, reaching for the goblet of wine.

Lilac watched Tomas from the corner of her eye as she began to eat her dinner. He stood near the door, his posture straight and formal, yet his presence was strangely comforting. He was young, with an earnest face that seemed out of place in the shadowy world she had just entered. He didn’t leer or stare; his gaze was respectful, almost deferential.

She swallowed her food, her throat suddenly dry. “Is it always like this?” she asked, her voice softer than she intended. “The summons? Do all courtesans stay here after?”

Tomas’s cheeks flushed slightly, and he cleared his throat. “I’m not at liberty to discuss matters of the court, mistress,” he said, though his tone remained kind. “But I am here to ensure your safety and comfort for the night.”

“Who is Derek?” asked Lilac. “I don’t recall—,” she stopped when she saw the color drain from Tomas’s face. He clenched his jaw and looked away.

“I am here to ensure your safety for the night,” he repeated. The air was chill and stiff. Lilac decided it was best to let it go for now.

She picked at the food on her plate, thinking how to make this easier for everyone.