Angelica and Deirdre, the leaders of the first-years and third-years, were visiting the palace dungeon together. They’d come for the same reason: to meet with Stephanie.
As a representative of her peers, Angelica had a duty to review the events that led to this whole mess. Deirdre’s motives were less pure. She’d come out of pure curiosity.
“It brings me such joy to imagine her trembling in her cell, utterly terrified,” said Deirdre. Her face almost shone in the dimly lit corridor, which made her seem all the more out of place in the dungeon.
Angelica gave her a look. “You’re incorrigible.”
“Oh? You aren’t the least bit excited about that miscreant’s downfall? The Offreys’ actions were indefensible for fellow aristocrats.”
In light of the cascade of wrongs Stephanie had committed, her punishment was well deserved. That was Deirdre’s perspective, and though she didn’t ask outright, she was feeling Angelica out to confirm the opinion was shared.
Angelica, however, expressed no particular interest. “All I want is to ask a few questions on my peers’ behalf,” she said matter-of-factly. “There was never any need for you to come along.”
“Well, I couldn’t help myself. I’m far too curious.” Deirdre hid her mouth behind her folding fan.
Angelica let out a long breath. The dank dungeon air had dampened her mood. “You’d best not interfere with the discussion, or I will chase you off.”
“My, now you’re threatening me? No matter. I love this side of you.” Grinning behind her fan, Deirdre followed at Angelica’s heels. Angelica, meanwhile, was just about fed up with her companion.
When the two finally reached Stephanie’s cell, she sat on a bed near the wall, head bowed.
“What? Did all that wailing and sobbing exhaust you? Good. It’s your just deserts,” Deirdre scoffed, already violating the warning Angelica had issued her.
Angelica pinned Deirdre with a cold, hard glare. “Don’t speak out of turn,” she ordered.
“I suppose I won’t, if you insist,” Deirdre said, shrugging.
Angelica ignored her and turned to Stephanie. “I got the gist of your side of the story from Brad. Still, I have to ask—why did you have air pirates torture fellow students? Do you recognize the gravity of the crimes you committed? No amount of repentance will balance the scales.”
Frankly, Angelica didn’t care whether Stephanie had a change of heart or instead cursed her out. All that mattered was establishing that she’d made the effort to come speak to the Offrey girl. She didn’t particularly want Stephanie to repent; her punishment had already been handed down. Nothing Angelica, or anyone else, said would change that.
I only came because Her Majesty urged me to hear Stephanie out. I don’t see how this will ever be useful to me. I wish I could’ve refused her request. If she hadn’t loved and respected the queen so much, she might’ve done just that.
Once Angelica posed her question, a whole ten seconds passed before Stephanie finally lifted her head. Her eyes reflected no light; she was like a woman possessed by something dark and foreboding. Gone was the haughty confidence she’d always carried herself with at school.
“If I say how sorry I am for what I did, will you absolve me of my sins?”
“No,” said Angelica without pausing to even think it over.
Stephanie smiled half-heartedly. “I figured as much.” There was a short pause. “I’m relieved. I always looked up to you as the paragon of what every noblewoman should be.”
Angie narrowed her eyes. “What are you talking about?”
“I admired you deeply. Everyone respects and reveres your grace and propriety. Part of me resented you profoundly for having everything I didn’t, while another part longed to be just like you.”
“Again, what are you talking about? Answer my question,” Angie snapped.
Stephanie laughed. “Who cares whether I recognize my mistakes? Rather than answering, I’ll do you one better. I’ll give you a warning you’d be wise to heed.”
Angelica frowned, brows lowered.
“Be careful of that commoner Olivia,” Stephanie said gravely. “If you don’t treat her like the threat she is, she’ll steal Prince Julius right out from under you.”
Furious, Angie lunged at the cell bars, gripping them so tightly her knuckles turned white. Mana flowed through her, causing the metal to creak and bend. Her crimson eyes glowed in the darkness around Stephanie’s cell.
“Go on, say that again,” Angie hissed. “You think that woman could do anything to me? I take it you’re mocking me. I’ll turn you to ash where you stand!”
Behind her, Deirdre breathed a small sigh. “You know you can’t do that, Angelica. Why not excuse yourself and cool off? I have my own business with this girl.”
In the safety of her cell, Stephanie wore a toothy grin, but Angelica was incandescent with rage. It took great willpower to swallow her fury and peel away. She spun, telling Deirdre, “I’ve finished my business here. Do as you like.” Then she marched off.
Deirdre crossed her arms, exasperated. “Angelica always had a temper. She’d be the perfect future queen if she could only keep her composure. Then again, she’d frankly be a bit bland without that flaw. It balances out.” She studied Stephanie.
Stephanie was still smirking, not a bit daunted by Deirdre’s presence. She’d already lost everything there was to lose and had nothing more to fear at this point.
“Anyway,” Deirdre continued, “how about you answer one of my questions now?”
Stephanie said nothing, but her grin widened even further.
“What sort of diplomatic arrangements did your family work out with Fanoss?” Deirdre inquired. “Considering how terribly the principality resents Holfort, I still find it hard to believe any bargain convinced them to lay down their arms.”
The Principality of Fanoss was a neighboring country that had, up until a few years earlier, been locked in constant conflict with Holfort. Tenuous peace had been established through the now-defunct House Offrey’s diplomatic efforts. The Offreys’ success in talking Fanoss around was why the Fields agreed to engage Brad to Stephanie.
Fanoss had long held great animosity toward Holfort. The Offreys had been showered with praise for possessing diplomatic skill that enabled them to handle such a tough adversary. Most aristocrats, however, were still in the dark as to how they’d accomplished it. The majority assumed that the Offreys had some close personal connection to Fanoss, but Deirdre’s family was always skeptical of that explanation.
“A number of people feared we’d be at a diplomatic disadvantage with Fanoss after your family’s hearings and deposal, but such talk quickly died down. In fact, even Marquess Frampton, who long backed your father, withdrew his support. He’s pushing for your father to be executed as quickly as possible. It’s almost unnatural how quickly he turned on the Offreys.”
During the former Earl Offrey’s hearing, which Deirdre had attended, she’d started to suspect there was more to this story than met the eye.
“If you know something, tell me. Assuming it’s useful, I promise to take you in and protect you.”
Deirdre loathed Stephanie as a person. She detested how the girl regularly used her power to torment those weaker than her. Even her basic habits were so detestable that Deirdre couldn’t find a single likable trait. Nonetheless, if Stephanie proved herself useful and provided meaningful intel, Deirdre was willing to offer her protection.
“Unfortunately, I don’t know anything. Not about Fanoss, and not about Marquess Frampton, either,” Stephanie replied with a devious snicker.
Even assuming she didn’t know anything, she could’ve lied and claimed otherwise just to save herself. But she hadn’t. Deirdre’s intuition told her that Stephanie in fact knew more than she was letting on. However, she could also tell there was no use pressing her.
Deirdre spun to leave. “Very well. Sorry for disturbing you, then.” She paused. “Before I leave,” she added, “I have to say, my opinion of you has improved after this little encounter.”
It was a marginal shift at best. Still, Deirdre appreciated how gracious Stephanie was acting in defeat.
Climbing the stairs, she mused, Something about this whole mess bothers me. I have a feeling Leon’s hiding something from me as well. Tsk. There’s quite a bit I have yet to discover beneath the surface of this.