Chapter 99
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The heat in Ionad was stifling. Despite the presence of a modest river, the city’s location within an inland basin, far from the cooling influence of the coast, kept the air heavy and thick.
Adi found herself isolated from the local Escort Knight Division. Her roster for duties and rest never seemed to align with theirs, leaving her no room to forge any bonds. Even before the scheduling conflicts, she had sensed a distinct coldness from them; they seemed to go out of their way to avoid her. She reflected that her earlier inquiry about their dancing skills had probably been a social blunder.
Her routine in Ionad remained largely unchanged from her usual habits. When she grew restless or craved the sting of a blade, Ivan was always available to spar. His prowess exceeded her initial assessments. Having once lived as an assassin, he utilized a ruthless, underhanded technique that proved difficult to counter. Adi found his unpredictable style far more engaging than standard drills.
Following a grueling session of wrestling and tumbles, Adi watched the head chamberlain depart to attend to his official responsibilities. She collapsed onto the dirt of the training grounds, sprawling out to gaze at the firmament.
Her chest heaved, lungs straining against the exertion. Amidst the physical drain, a peculiar wave of contentment washed over her. The sky above was a piercing, vibrant blue, devoid of clouds. Lately, she had found herself captivated by the subtle transitions of the atmosphere, every shift in the weather carving a memory into her mind. The sensation of existing, of truly being alive, was undeniable. She wondered why such a simple realization had eluded her for so long.
A shadow suddenly blotted out the sun. Adi adjusted her focus to see Lea Lintu standing over her, shielding herself with a parasol. The woman looked down with a mask of confusion.
“Forgive the intrusion, but have our paths crossed somewhere before?”
The question caught Adi off guard.
“We have encountered one another frequently,” Adi answered, bracing herself up on her elbows. “I was there the day you arrived at this manor, and we saw each other at the gala.”
Lea kept the shade of her parasol over Adi, though she looked flustered.
“Oh, I didn’t mean it in that sense.” Lea quickly composed herself, adding, “You are correct, of course. My apologies.” She seemed to be chasing a fleeting thought that wouldn’t quite take shape. Adi stood up, brushing herself off.
“I see you are still a guest at the residence.”
Lea offered a gentle smile. Due to her petite frame, every movement and expression she made possessed a delicate charm. To Adi, she felt like a member of a completely different, fragile species.
“Indeed. His Excellency suggested I depart, but certain factors made that impossible.”
“I see,” Adi remarked. As she flicked the grit from her practice gear, Lea prompted her.
“Are you not curious about the specifics?”
“What is there to ask?”
“The reasons why I was unable to leave.”
Adi hesitated. She assumed the woman simply had her own private motives. Prying into the personal lives of others held no appeal for her; in fact, it seemed like an exhausting waste of energy.
“I am certain you have your justifications.”
“Does it truly not pique your interest?”
“Not particularly, no.”
Seeing Lea’s face tighten at the bluntness of the remark, Adi felt a flicker of guilt and offered a half-hearted explanation.
“I generally lack curiosity regarding other people’s business.”
“Marchioness Connolly departed ahead of schedule,” Lea volunteered anyway. “She resides at her private estate here in Ionad rather than the palace. I found the prospect of being trapped in such a small space with her unbearable, so I chose to remain near His Excellency.”
“That is logical. Despite being his ward, living under the same roof as a man not of your kin could invite scandal, particularly for an unmarried woman.”
Lea fell silent, staring up at Adi as if she had been struck dumb. The knight’s logic was sound, yet something was off.
It appeared to Lea that Adrina Dean either had no interest in her whatsoever or viewed her as entirely beneath notice. Perhaps there was even an underlying dislike. Lea had been quite open with her admiration at the ball, and she was now struggling to navigate Adi’s sudden frostiness. Just as she began to worry she had been too forward, Adi’s features sharpened into a scowl.
“Adrina.”
The sound of an unexpected voice made Adi’s face twist in irritation. Lea watched with wide eyes; she hadn’t realized the knight was so transparent with her disgust. It confirmed Lea’s suspicion—if Adi hated the newcomer this much and showed it, her previous indifference toward Lea was likely genuine.
“How did you gain entry?” Adi’s tone was a low growl. She stepped back, placing her body between Lea and the man walking toward them. Lea peered around Adi’s shoulder, recognizing the interloper immediately.
Lev Zid was a name and face known to many.
“One of your peers let me through,” Lev explained.
“And why would anyone here trust you?”
“My history as a Page in Ionad still carries weight.”
“Typical Ionad,” Adi muttered, her voice dripping with the kind of disdain usually reserved for those within the walls of Pallesa Palace.
“We require a private conversation,” Lev stated. Adi glanced back at Lea.
“It would be wise for you to return to the house.”
“Oh.”
Lea was hesitant to leave. The tension between Adrina Dean and Lev Zid was fascinating—a knight from the frozen North and one from the South. They should have been strangers, yet beneath their mutual hostility lay a familiarity that only comes from years of shared history. She wanted to demand an explanation, but she lacked the standing to do so. Even if she offered to stay, she knew they would only lock their secrets tighter.
“Yes, I’ll take my leave,” Lea murmured with a polite dip of her head. She turned and walked away, her maid following close behind. The servant cast one lingering look back before they disappeared inside.
Once they were alone, Lev gestured for her to follow. “Come.”
“Give me one reason to follow you.”
“You are ignorant of the palace geography.”
Adi couldn’t argue with that. Aside from the Duke’s quarters, she was hopelessly lost in the capital. She had even managed to lose her way within this single residence a few times already.
“Can we not speak here?”
“I assumed you would prefer to avoid the scandal of being seen with me like this,” Lev said with a mocking edge. “Or do you want your private affairs on display?”
“My identity as Adrina Dean makes my lack of privacy obvious, doesn’t it?” Adi countered. “The Woodpecker household is already fully aware of my circumstances.”
“Spencer seemed to have reached his own conclusions as well.”
“You will refer to His Excellency with his proper title.”
“Why? Do I owe Spencer some debt of reverence?”
“If not reverence, then basic etiquette.”
There were boundaries, and calling Spencer Grimaldi—Adrina’s own father—by his first name crossed them. Adi knew Lev was doing it specifically to provoke her, so she didn’t bother arguing further.
“I cannot imagine what we have to discuss.”
“Fine. If there is nothing to say, we can go our separate ways.” Lev paused, a hint of genuine urgency bleeding into his voice. “Just give me a moment of your time. Please.”
Adi let out a short, cynical laugh at the desperation in his eyes.
“How ironic,” she said. “Now that I am finally myself again, everyone suddenly wants to treat me like a human being.”
When she had lived as Adrian, the world treated her as a tool to be used or discarded at will.
“You, the Count… all of you.”
It felt like a belated apology for a crime she hadn’t committed, or perhaps a reward for finally shedding Adrian’s skin. Lev’s mouth twitched, but no words came out. He looked as though he couldn’t quite explain his own motivations. The air between them had shifted irrevocably from the past.
Adi watched him, realizing he wouldn’t leave until he’d had his say. A stalemate would only waste more of her day.
“Where are we going?”
She decided it was better to settle this quickly.
Lea Lintu didn’t go straight to her quarters. After entering the house, she climbed to the floor above her own and looked out a window overlooking the grounds.
Below, Adi and Lev were still engaged in a heated exchange. Without the need to maintain appearances for a lady, Adi’s expression was even more fierce. After a few more words, Adi looked away, then back at him, her lips moving in a sharp reply. Before Lea could try to decipher the words, the two of them walked out of sight.
She wondered what tied them together. As she stood there, Dimitri approached from the other end of the corridor. He slowed his pace, his eyes questioning her presence on that floor.
Their social standing was roughly equal—though Dimitri currently held more practical authority—so he didn’t offer a formal bow. A simple nod of acknowledgment served as their greeting. Lea curtsied; since her adoption by the Marchioness wasn’t yet official, she felt it best to remain humble.
As he moved to pass her, Lea spoke up. “Dimitri.”
He stopped and turned back to her.
“If you have a moment, I have something to share.”
“What is it?”
“It concerns Adrina Dean.”
Dimitri’s posture stiffened instantly. Lea couldn’t tell if his reaction was born of personal concern for the knight or professional caution, but she felt it was important to report what she’d seen.
“Are you acquainted with Lev Zid?”
“The knight from Grimaldi? Yes, I know of him.”
“He has just led Sir Adrina away. They didn’t appear to be friends, and Sir Adrina looked deeply troubled. I thought you should be aware.”
Dimitri’s eyes widened, and he let out a small, worried grunt. He cleared his throat, his demeanor softening significantly.
“I see,” he said, his voice losing its usual professional edge. “I am grateful for the information, Lady Lea Lintu.”
He seemed genuinely moved by her simple report.
“Please, do not hesitate to ask if you need anything during your stay.”
Lea realized that by looking out for Adrina, she had firmly secured the head chamberlain’s favor.
