Chapter 87: Whispers Under the Moonlight

The night had already fallen, and the moonlight shone brightly. The Queen and Lady Stephanie sat in the garden as the soft wind blew gently around them. Lady Stephanie spoke quietly. "I’ll just tell you the tea, and then we’ll head to our rooms. I wouldn’t want to disturb your sleep schedule—I’ve already disturbed you quite a lot with my talking today. Ariana nodded softly. At this point, it was the tea she was waiting for. Lady Stephanie had been meant to tell her earlier, but given their surroundings, they had decided to wait. Now, almost alone, this was the perfect time. Lady Stephanie, noticing the eager look on Ariana’s face, couldn’t help but decide to tease her a little. She scratched the back of her head and said quietly, "My Queen, it seems I forgot the tea." Ariana gave her a sharp glare, and Leah giggled softly at how cute the Queen looked just then. "Okay, okay, let me tell you," Leah whispered. "But please, my Queen, do not tell anyone about it," she said pleadingly. Ariana nodded calmly, and Lady Stephanie finally decided to spill the tea. Meanwhile, Leah stood at a distance, wondering what the two were discussing. Normally, she stayed about five feet away—just close enough to overhear bits of their conversations, even if she wasn’t directly involved. It was part of her duty, after all, to ensure the Queen’s safety. But today was different. Ariana had specifically ordered her not to come close. That alone raised suspicion. And the way the Queen and Lady Stephanie leaned toward each other—it clearly meant they were discussing something private. She was curious, yes, but she also respected the Queen’s command. Orders were orders—and it was her duty to obey them. Stephanie spoke quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. "It’s not really a secret or tea, as it would be known soon... but I’m not supposed to tell anyone. Still, I wanted to tell you, my Queen. It’s nothing too big, but it means a lot to me." Ariana’s gaze softened, curious. "I’ll be part of the group playing the violin at the next event here in the castle," Stephanie admitted, her cheeks slightly flushed. Ariana couldn’t help but clap softly in excitement, her smile widening at the news. There was a pause. Then Stephanie gave a small smile and said, "And who would’ve thought... a lady playing the violin?" Ariana nodded gently, understanding the weight of her words. It was usually men who played the violin or piano during events, so it wasn’t surprising that Stephanie found it both shocking and significant. This wasn’t just some tea—it was truly good news. It could make history. She could make history. "You gave me strength that day, and I decided to speak my mind," Stephanie continued in a hushed tone. "You’re the first I’ve told, so you won’t be surprised on that day." Ariana moved her hands and signed slowly, "That’s wonderful news." A warm smile touched Stephanie’s lips. "Very true, my Queen." Their eyes drifted upward, taking in the stars as a soft breeze brushed past them—a gentle reminder of how late the night had grown. Lady Stephanie rose to her feet, and Ariana followed. "It was very nice... spending so much time with you, my Queen," Lady Stephanie said sincerely. "I imagine you must be tired and need some rest, so I’ll be taking my leave now. Good night, my Queen." Ariana nodded as she smiled sweetly, then slowly settled back into her seat as Lady Stephanie turned to go. A moment later, Ariana stood and began walking toward Leah, who waited by the hallway. Meanwhile, Lady Stephanie headed toward the opposite corridor—the one leading to her room, which Leah had shown her earlier. But just as she moved, her steps slowed. Her body stilled. A figure passed silently through the shadows near a pillar. Curiosity flickered in her gaze as she slowly walked in the direction of the figure. It was suspicious. At the dead of night, what could they possibly be looking for? "Stephanie, go back to your room," she whispered to herself—a desperate reminder that she shouldn’t wander here. If she got lost, there would be no one to help her. She didn’t know the castle well enough to navigate it alone, and this was no time to feed her curiosity. But her legs kept moving. She followed the figure as he moved silently through the hallway. The candles along the walls flickered gently, casting shaky shadows—but somehow, none revealed her own. Her breath hitched as the figure suddenly stopped. She froze, hiding behind one of the large marble pillars, hands pressed tightly over her mouth to keep any sound from escaping. Even her breaths were rapid—she prayed they weren’t loud enough to give her away. She peeked out. The figure seemed to have moved on. She couldn’t make out who he was, but from the build, she was certain it was a man. After all, what woman would be wandering this part of the castle at such an hour? "It looks like you forgot you’re a lady," her inner voice scolded. Still, she quickened her pace, careful not to lose sight of him. The time she’d spent hiding had let him get ahead, and now she had to hurry—just close enough to keep him in view. She tiptoed carefully. But again—why was she following him? What if he was dangerous? And what was her plan if she actually caught up to him? He did look suspicious. She noticed his pace had slowed as he moved deeper into the hallway. Why did it feel like this hallway had no end? They had been walking for a while now, yet it stretched on and on. Just in case, she prepared herself. She pressed her back to the wall and slowly crouched, pulling off her shoes and gripping them tightly in her hands. The cold floor kissed her bare feet as she lifted her gown slightly. She didn’t care how unladylike she looked. One thing was sure—she had to find out who that man was. Her steps faltered. What was she doing? She should go back. No—she had to see this through. There was no one else around, and besides... how would she even find her way back now? Oh no. What had she done? She was trapped in this now, and the least she could do was find out the man’s motive. It would be far worse to be both lost and clueless. Her body went rigid as he finally reached a door. He turned. A soft gasp escaped her lips—but never left the air. Her hands were clamped tightly over her mouth, making it nearly impossible for the sound to slip out. She quickly hid again, her heart pounding so fast she feared it might give her away. Her chest rose and fell with quick, shaky breaths. Her lips moved slightly as silent regret settled deep in her chest. Curiosity kills the cat. Now she understood that saying. She was that curious, foolish cat. Peeking once more, her eyes widened—he was about to enter what looked like a room. Her curiosity ignited again, and she whispered to herself, "Maybe I could check..." Her words trailed off. "I see someone is turning into a stalker," a deep voice cut through the air from behind, halting her in her tracks. Her body shook. H–How? Her eyes widened in horror, the chilling sound of his voice sending cold shivers down her spine. Her knees trembled, and as she slowly raised her head to see who it was, her heart dropped. "Lord Zekel," she breathed in shock. What was His Majesty’s brother doing out here at this hour? ’And what are you doing out here so late?’ her inner voice hissed. But she couldn’t answer. Her eyes were fixed on his—deep brown and unreadable, yet piercing enough to leave her stunned. His slightly disheveled thick brown hair fell over his forehead, and he stared at her with an intensity that made her pulse spike wildly. His lips curled into a cold smirk. "If you want to stalk, at least do it in the daytime." Stephanie’s face flushed, and she snapped, "Oh, you flatter yourself too much, Lord Zekel. Who says I was stalking you?" She met his gaze challengingly. Something flickered in his eyes. "Then why else would a lady be following a man to his room at this hour of the night?" H...his room? Her mouth opened, then closed. No words formed. He took a slow step toward her, and she instinctively moved back, gripping her shoes more loosely. The stone floor beneath her bare feet felt colder now. "Rumors spread like wildfire," he said, his voice slow, calculated. "And I wouldn’t blame anyone if they believed that Lady Stephanie and Lord Zekel..." He trailed off. He didn’t need to say the rest. Stephanie already knew what he meant—and her face burned at the thought. Her back pressed to the wall as the flickering candlelight cast shadows across his sharp jawline. She was shocked he even knew her name. Sure, he’d visited a few times—especially last week because of her brother’s training under His Majesty’s order—but she had never spoken to him before. She never thought she would. She would never have guessed their first discussion would be like this. Still, she knew him. Everyone did. She managed a scoff, trying to gather her composure, her sharp gaze locking onto his. "And who says I care about rumors?" she retorted. "I wasn’t following you. Not everything is a bed of roses, Lord Zekel. Accept that not every woman is charmed by your presence. Besides, why else would I follow you to your room? Nothing about you is enticing." Even so, regret now flashed in her eyes. Due to her curiosity, she had almost followed someone to their room, thinking he had come here to steal—he had looked suspicious even do she had no idea who that was. Zekel’s body stilled for a moment. Then his smile widened. "How about you prove that to me, Stephanie?" He said her name—without the title. Stephanie gasped, startled by the shift in his tone. This wasn’t the calm and collected Lord Zekel she had always heard about. No, the man standing before her now had a wicked glint in his eyes—a glint that sent cold shivers racing down her spine. Her shoes slipped from her hands and hit the floor with a soft thud. She lifted her arms, intending to push him away, but he was faster. His hands caught her wrists, spinning her around in one swift motion. Her back pressed to his chest as her body hit the wall with a soft thump, trapped between the cold stone and his frame. One of his hands remained, pinning both her wrists above her head. The other settled firmly at the nape of her neck. Her cheek pressed to the wall, her eyes wide in disbelief. And then—the candle went out. Darkness swallowed them. A shocking gasp escaped her lips. She felt his breath fan against the back of her neck, sending a ripple of heat down her spine. "I don’t care about the rumors either," he murmured, his voice low, dangerous, and far too close. "Let’s see what happens..." A brief pause. "...when they find out what I’m about to do to you." Stephanie’s body stiffened instantly, her breath catching in her throat. His voice dropped even lower, like a warning wrapped in silk. "I should teach you a lesson... so you never wander near a man’s room this late at night ever again."