Liora had survived working for the Demon King.
She had survived accidentally brushing her lips against his.
She had survived discovering that the terrifying man she had argued with about breakfast was, in fact, the ruler of Varethis.
She had even survived meeting his grandmother.
Surely, she could survive afternoon tea with a noblewoman.
At least, that was what she kept telling herself.
She stared at the invitation in her hands.
The paper was thick, cream-colored, and bordered with delicate gold.
Lady Vivienne Arclayne requests the pleasure of your company for afternoon tea.
Liora read it again.
Then a third time.
“Why?”
A servant standing nearby tried very hard not to smile.
“Perhaps Lady Vivienne simply wishes to speak with you.”
“That’s exactly what worries me.”
The servant finally laughed softly.
Liora sighed and looked down at her clothes.
She had been given a modest but elegant dress for formal occasions.
It wasn’t extravagant, but it was far nicer than anything she had owned before working at the mansion.
She tugged at the sleeve.
“Do I look like I belong at noble afternoon tea?”
The servant considered this.
“You look presentable.”
“That wasn’t the question.”
The servant smiled.
“You look lovely.”
Liora narrowed her eyes.
“That’s what people say when they don’t want to answer honestly.”
Before the servant could respond, footsteps approached.
Lucien entered the room.
His gaze immediately fell on the invitation.
“You haven’t left yet.”
“I was considering running away.”
“Why?”
Liora held up the invitation.
“Your future wife invited me for tea.”
Lucien’s expression barely changed.
“Vivienne is not my future wife.”
“That’s apparently still being debated by everyone except you.”
His eyes narrowed slightly.
“She invited you.”
“Yes.”
“Then go.”
Liora stared at him.
“That’s your advice?”
“Yes.”
“Very comforting.”
Lucien walked toward the table.
“You have nothing to fear from Vivienne.”
“You say that like you know.”
“I do.”
Liora crossed her arms.
“She’s from one of the most powerful families in Varethis.”
“Yes.”
“She’s elegant.”
“Yes.”
“She’s intelligent.”
“Yes.”
“She’s probably been trained in etiquette since she could walk.”
Lucien paused.
“Probably.”
“And I’m me.”
He looked at her.
“That is precisely why she invited you.”
Liora blinked.
“What does that mean?”
Lucien didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, he reached for the cup of tea she had prepared for him.
“You’ll find out.”
“That is not helpful.”
“I wasn’t trying to be.”
Liora stared at him.
“You really enjoy being mysterious.”
“No.”
“You do.”
“I don’t.”
“You absolutely do.”
Lucien took a sip of tea.
“You’re going to be late.”
Liora glanced at the clock.
She froze.
“Oh.”
She grabbed the invitation and hurried toward the door.
Then she stopped.
She turned around.
“Lucien.”
He looked up.
“If she asks me whether I intend to steal you, what should I say?”
Lucien nearly choked on his tea.
Liora grinned.
“That was worth it.”
She left before he could respond.
Lady Vivienne’s residence was quieter than Liora expected.
There were no crowds of servants rushing around, no loud music, and no excessive displays of wealth.
The gardens were beautiful, though.
White flowers grew along the stone paths, their petals glowing faintly in the afternoon sunlight.
Liora followed a maid toward a small terrace overlooking the gardens.
Vivienne was already waiting.
She stood beside the table wearing a pale blue dress, her dark hair pinned neatly behind her.
She smiled when Liora approached.
“My lady.”
Liora immediately regretted the way she said it.
Too stiff.
Too formal.
Too much like she had swallowed a dictionary.
Vivienne seemed amused.
“Please, sit.”
Liora sat carefully.
The table contained tea, cakes, small sandwiches, fruit, and several pastries that looked expensive enough to pay someone’s rent.
Liora stared at them.
Vivienne noticed.
“You may eat.”
“I know.”
“You’re staring.”
“I was calculating.”
Vivienne raised an eyebrow.
“Calculating what?”
“How many meals I could buy with the price of one of those.”
For a moment, Vivienne simply stared at her.
Then she laughed.
It wasn’t the polite laugh Liora had heard from nobles at the reception.
It was genuine.
“I think I understand why Lucien likes you.”
Liora nearly dropped her cup.
“He—what?”
Vivienne smiled.
“Don’t worry. I didn’t invite you here to interrogate you.”
“Good.”
“I wanted to speak to you.”
“That’s slightly worse.”
Vivienne laughed again.
Liora couldn’t help smiling.
After a moment, Vivienne poured her more tea.
“I owe you an apology.”
Liora frowned.
“For what?”
“For the way you were treated at the reception.”
“Oh.”
Liora remembered the whispers.
The looks.
The nobleman who had stared at her as if she had somehow wandered into a room where she didn’t belong.
“It wasn’t your fault.”
“Perhaps not,” Vivienne said.
“But my family has influence over many of the people who attended.”
Liora looked at her carefully.
“You don’t sound very proud of that.”
“I’m not.”
There was something different in Vivienne’s expression now.
Not sadness exactly.
Something closer to exhaustion.
“You know,” Vivienne said, “people often assume that because I was born into a powerful family, I must have everything I want.”
“Do you?”
“No.”
Liora took a bite of cake.
“Good.”
Vivienne looked at her.
Liora shrugged.
“Sorry. That sounded insensitive.”
“No. It was honest.”
Vivienne smiled faintly.
“I’ve spent my entire life being told what I should want.”
Liora’s expression softened.
“Marriage.”
Vivienne nodded.
“Marriage. Political alliances. Family reputation. The right people to speak to. The right people to avoid. Even the way I should dress.”
Liora glanced down at Vivienne’s dress.
“You do look very comfortable.”
Vivienne laughed.
“That is because I’ve learned how to make uncomfortable things look comfortable.”
Liora went quiet.
That sentence stayed with her.
Because she understood it.
Maybe too well.
“My family does that too,” Liora admitted.
Vivienne looked at her.
“They decide what is best for me. Then they expect me to be grateful.”
“Your family?”
“Yes.”
“What do they want?”
“Mostly my money.”
Vivienne blinked.
Liora took another bite of cake.
“At least you’re being honest.”
Vivienne smiled.
“I suppose we have that in common.”
For a while, they simply drank tea.
There was no awkward silence.
Just quiet.
Then Vivienne asked, “Do you love Lucien?”
Liora nearly inhaled her tea.
She coughed violently.
Vivienne immediately pushed a glass of water toward her.
“I’m sorry.”
“You can’t just ask someone that!”
“I thought honesty was something we had in common.”
“That doesn’t mean you get to attack me with questions!”
Vivienne laughed.
“I had to know.”
Liora wiped her mouth.
“No.”
Vivienne’s expression became thoughtful.
“Do you like him?”
“He’s… complicated.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
Liora groaned.
“Why are noblewomen so terrifying?”
Vivienne smiled.
“Answer.”
Liora stared at her tea.
“I care about him.”
Vivienne said nothing.
Liora continued quietly.
“He isn’t what I thought he was.”
“You mean because he’s the Demon King?”
“That too.”
Vivienne smiled.
“He trusts very few people.”
“I know.”
“He doesn’t usually let people speak to him the way you do.”
“I know.”
“He listens to you.”
Liora looked up.
“Does he?”
“More than you realize.”
That made Liora uncomfortable.
Not because she disliked the idea.
Because she liked it too much.
Vivienne noticed the change in her expression.
“You don’t have to answer me.”
“Good.”
“But I want to warn you about something.”
Liora’s smile faded.
Vivienne placed her cup down.
“The closer you become to Lucien, the more people will notice you.”
Liora frowned.
“They already notice me.”
“They’re beginning to watch you.”
The words were quiet.
But serious.
“Why?”
“Because Lucien has changed.”
Liora looked away.
“People keep saying that.”
“They’re right.”
Vivienne leaned back slightly.
“He challenges the Council. He refuses to let old families control his decisions. He questions traditions that have existed for generations.”
“And?”
“And people who benefit from those traditions don’t like change.”
Liora’s stomach tightened.
“So this isn’t about me.”
“Not entirely.”
Vivienne’s gaze softened.
“But you are close to him.”
Liora nodded slowly.
“And that makes you important.”
Liora looked down at her hands.
She had never wanted to be important.
She wanted money.
A small home.
A peaceful life.
Maybe a business.
Maybe someone who loved her.
That was all.
“I don’t want politics,” she said.
“I know.”
“I don’t want noble families watching me.”
“I know.”
“I don’t even want to attend fancy tea parties.”
Vivienne smiled.
“I noticed.”
Liora looked at the plate of pastries.
“Although I may reconsider that last one.”
Vivienne laughed.
Then her expression softened again.
“I don’t want you to leave because of this.”
Liora looked at her.
“I don’t understand.”
“I spent years believing that surviving meant doing whatever everyone expected of me.”
Vivienne looked toward the gardens.
“I’m trying to stop doing that.”
Liora understood immediately.
“So am I.”
Their eyes met.
For the first time, Liora didn’t see Lucien’s arranged fiancée sitting across from her.
She saw another woman trying to escape a life someone else had planned.
Vivienne smiled.
“I think we may get along.”
Liora smiled back.
“I think so too.”
A breeze moved through the garden.
One of the white flowers swayed gently.
Neither woman noticed the figure standing far beyond the garden wall.
Watching.
Waiting.
Then the figure turned and disappeared between the trees.
Liora took another pastry.
“By the way.”
Vivienne looked at her.
“Yes?”
“Your tea is much better than Lucien’s.”
Vivienne stared at her.
Then burst out laughing.
“Please don’t tell him.”
“I absolutely will.”
And for the first time in a long while, Vivienne laughed without worrying about how she sounded.