Lina knew she was in the wrong for disobeying his orders. Did his punishment have to be so cruel? She watched as Kade slowly turned his attention back to the beautiful woman, his expression the same as when he looked at her.

  Lina's heart fell like the scattered petals of the tree.

  "Tell me if anyone, but me, disciplines you," Kade slowly said. "You're one of my people now."

  Lina felt something inside of her snap. Was it trust? Was it patience? She did not know. She had never felt this kind of hatred before.? Was it even hatred?

  The emotions burned from within her soul, imprinting this memory into her heart.

  Lina believed she'd remember this moment even after her death.

  The first betrayal.

  "Alright," the woman loosely said, like she didn't care for this regime.

  "My name's Priscilla by the way," she continued, confidently introducing herself to Lina.

  Priscilla noted this woman was most likely the wife. She had seen many servants in this enormous palace, but none dared to speak to Kade the way this woman did. In fact, no one had dared to challenge him as much as his wife.

  Lina raised a brow. Now, she understood how her mother felt—to be replaced. She cleared her throat.

  "My name is—"

  "Get back inside," Kade said.

  Lina's head snapped to him. Priscilla eyed him intensely. Lina let out a slow scoff in disbelief, slowly blinking. All of a sudden, her father's suggestion came to her mind. Spy soldiers were waiting to take her home.

  Lina wanted to reject this opportunity requested by her father. If she escaped right under Kade's nose with the Emperor's spies, it was's likely to spark another war.

  Lina was sick of bloodshed and did not want to be the cause of another bloody battle. Who was to say Teran would even take her back? She assumed she was no longer the Favoured Princess. Now that she had lost her most prized possession—a woman's virtue—she was useless.

  "What?" Kade asked, noticing her frigid stance

  Lina's fingers dug into her palms.

  "Don't expect to see me when you return," Lina spat out.

  Without another word, Lina spun on her heel. She stormed off, leaving Kade standing there, surprised and startled. He behaved like she didn't know where she could go.

  Lina slammed the doors to his estate behind her with force. She locked the doors shut, ignored the protest of the maidservants and began to look around. There had to be something she could use to write to her father.

  The ransom letter did say a 'Princess for a Princess'. Kade would get his younger sister back and Lina would return home. This was a fair trade. War should be avoided.

  Surely this was a peaceful solution? Lina had warmed to the Eighth Princess so quickly and she knew that Kade adored her.

  If Lina could protect her, she would certainly try. Lina was worried over the young girl's safety and prayed Atlan was treating her kindly.

  "I don't understand him anymore…" Lina mumbled to herself.

  Lina wondered how she could be so blind. All along, she thought Atlan was a kind mentor. Now, Kade said he had taken advantage of her. Atlan went as far? as to kidnap a child. What was going on with him?

  "I have no place in Ritan anymore," Lina decided. Kade was replacing her.

  With that thought in mind, Lina found a brush and paper, but no ink. Thus, she approached the bedroom, where she had left Kade's dagger. Taking out the dagger, Lina bit down on her tongue and sliced her fingers.

  She'd write with blood——

  "Are you always this horrible to your people?" Priscilla asked the minute she saw the gorgeous woman stalk off.

  "Only to her," Kade stated, leaning against the table. He stared in Lina's direction, even though she was already gone. She was cute when she was mad.

  Priscilla wondered if all men from this strange country were weird. Did he not know what chivalry was? What about being gentlemen? She should've expected as much the second she heard they had harems in these countries.

  "You're going to serve her," Kade coldly said.

  Priscilla realized he only spoke kindly to her when his wife was around. She had been confused why his tone suddenly softened, but knew it was caused by the little lady.

  "You promised I could go home!" Priscilla argued.

  Kade suppressed the urge to tell her to scram. Kade only kept her around because her feistiness reminded him of Lina. Days had passed since he last touched his woman. Days since he felt the warmth of her insides or smelled her floral scent. He yearned for her.

  When Kade met Priscilla, he saw her resemblance to Lina, in terms of personality. Priscilla had the same glare that could kill. They both held their tongue, even when they had words to change a nation.

  "You'll never be able to go home," Kade stated. "This is your home from now on."

  "You liar—"

  "Why do you think your parents shipped you to this country?" Kade demanded.

  "I—"

  "You were meant to die at sea. The ship you arrived in had half the supplies it needed to journey here. It was a miracle one of our merchant ships found yours first," Kade pointed out.

  Priscilla's eyes burned with the truth. She glared at the ground. Hot, angry tears filled her vision. So this was her fate now—from an aristocrat to a maid. She should've known. That evil wench of a stepmother had sent her on the ship, claiming she was going to meet her future fiance.

  "The ship could've mistakenly sailed into these eastern waters," Priscilla tried to reason.

  "I saw the map on the ship. It was bound for the east. Nowhere else."

  "I…"

  "My wife is a good woman. Treat her well," Kade deadpanned.

  The sun was setting. The war council was going to reconvene soon.

  "And if I don't?" Priscilla interjected.

  See? Kade knew he saw Lina within this woman. Instead of growing irritated, he softly chuckled.

  Priscilla shivered at the sharp sound. It dug through her like a knife. Goosebumps danced on her skin. She shakily turned to look at him. A man like him who laughed in the face of his fury was frightening.

  "Then warming my father's bed would be the least of your concerns," Kade mused. It wasn't a threat, but a promise.

  Priscilla swallowed hard. She lowered her eyes and gripped her hands.

  "I'll serve her well," Priscilla declared.

  Kade didn't bother to respond. He simply stalked off, leaving the woman standing there. She hadn't served her purpose yet.

  Kade hadn't lied to her. She truly was sent here by her parents, but not as a servant. A few months ago, Kade heard a strange legend, involving a woman titled "The Golden Rose." It was a famous fable amongst children, but he wasn't a fool.

  Kade had witnessed grown men drink blood like it was wine. If monsters from fairytales lurked on the soil, then sacrificial women also existed. Starting with the one that could grant immortality——

  Lina folded the paper into as small of a piece as she could. Suddenly, the doors to her estate were flung open. She spun around, startled by who'd dare to do such a thing.

  To no one's surprise, it was Priscilla. She closed the doors and peered around.

  Priscilla strutted in like she owned this entire palace. The world was indebted to her. Nothing could hold her back. Nothing could stop her.

  That is until Priscilla lowered herself into a curtsy.

  "At your service, my lady," Priscilla softly said.

  Lina didn't expect this. She thought Priscilla would come in here, challenge her, and try to take Kade. At this perplexing change, Lina forced a smile.

  "I don't suppose you're my new maidservant?" Lina asked.

  Lina remembered her conversation with Kade in the garden. He said he'd send Isabelle, who was Sebastian's younger sister. Her mouth went dry. He went back on his word. A man of no honor.

  "You've predicted correctly, my lady," Priscilla stated.

  My lady.

  Lina only heard this kind of address in Western books.

  "You may rise," Lina finally said.

  Priscilla did so. She elegantly rose to her feet.

  "You have a fine grasp on the language of Teran and Ritan," Lina pointed out.

  Instead of smiling, Priscilla grimaced.

  "Actually… My grandmother was from Ritan," Priscilla mumbled. "I grew up under her care, my lady."

  Oh. Interesting.

  Lina slowly blinked. She was intrigued by the grandmother's brave journey. Instead of commenting on it, she tilted her head.

  "What brings you to our country?" Lina asked.

  "Abandoned by my family, my lady."

  "So you've been betrayed by your blood," Lina said.

  Priscilla flinched at the harsh words. Reluctantly, she nodded her head.

  Lina took pity on the woman. What a horrible family. She saw this as an advantage.

  Lina offered Priscilla a sympathetic smile. She saw the astonishment on Priscilla's face as if someone hadn't been this kind to her in a while.

  "Are you interested in my husband, Priscilla?" Lina asked, using the name to give humanity back to the woman.

  "No," Priscilla instantly said. "He's easily one of the most good-looking men I've ever seen, but not my type of husband. He's far too sly and sinister."

  "Then, I have a feeling we'll get along well," Lina mused, her smile widening.

  Priscilla's lips parted. It had been a while since someone smiled at her without ill intentions. She was touched by the little lady's actions. What kind of horrible husband did she marry? There must've been a good reason this gentle woman married that rough man.

  Priscilla's eyes flashed. She took a good look at the estate here. The Seventh Prince's palace was grand and large, decorated in all the wealth in the world, with the highest quality of servants.

  So this was why.

  "I have the same feeling, my lady," Priscilla slowly said, lowering her head and dipping into another curtsy.

  Lina was careful. She viewed Priscilla as her first friend in this palace, but friends could quickly become foe.