Gretta’s snoring was relaxing. When Linh closed her eyes, she could almost pretend that Gretta was her mother Xuan instead, falling asleep after a long session at the clinic. She could pretend that Quang tolerated her, that her stepfather was alive, that they were happy.

That illusion broke when Lady Ella came downstairs with Seymour with a frown so stiff that she looked ready for war. On her feet were two dazzling glass shoes.

Oddly enough, Lady Ella curtsied when she saw Linh, before storming over to Gretta’s drooling face.

“Madame Gretta!” the Lady proclaimed loudly, shaking the hammock and Gretta’s sprawled limbs. “I ask that you awaken! I have a request.”

“Urgh…” Gretta nearly fell off, her right arm and leg still stuck in the hammock. Somehow, even groggy like this, she still looked stunning. “What now? We already handled your shoes… another,” she yawned, “case will cost more!”

Lady Ella frowned. “I will pay you all that you want.”

Instantly, Gretta jumped up from the hammock. “Then I’m all ears.”

“…First, I want to thank you for your help last night, especially you, Madame Linh,” the Lady curtsied again.

Instantly, Linh felt her cheeks colour. She wondered what colour paper girls blushed. She wanted to say that she hadn’t done anything. Next to Gretta, Linh had been useless. All she had done was encourage Lady Ella to take back something dangerous…

“Second, I would like you to take me on as your student, Madame Gretta. I wish to learn how to control my magic.”

For once, Gretta and Seymour seemed to be in agreement as both their jaws dropped.

“Why would you want to learn magic?! You’re a  princess. You’re being watched by everyone! The clergy, royalty—” Seymour began to rant.

“Witchhunters! Don’t forget the witchhunters!” Gretta added.

“—your husband! What does he think about all this witch business?!”

Lady Ella grimaced. “I… haven’t told him.”

“What?!” Seymour looked ready to pass out.

“Right. I think my answer is going to be ‘no thank you.’ Now, if you could just pay me for completing your previous case and quietly leave…” Gretta crossed her arms.

“Please! You’re the only tolerable witch I know! What if this happens again?”

Gretta closed her eyes. “I’m sorry but you can come find me if you get into trouble again. I just… can’t teach you, my Lady. I truly regret that.”

“Why?!” Lady Ella shouted. “I’m a fast learner. I can control it!”

“Because I don’t want a target on my back! You’re royalty now, Lady Ella. It would be a different story if you were still a Nguyen. But you’re not. You’re a Circlet now! People will ask questions if you disappear every week for lessons. I’m content with my life now. I don’t need you bringing witchhunters to my door.”

Linh frowned at that. Something about the way Gretta spoke about witchhunters made her seem very… human. Gretta always seemed so fearless and confident…

“I told my husband that I’m on vacation, to take a break from politics. I’ll be gone for three months. I was hoping I could travel, find myself, after you solved my shoe issue. But now I realize that I have to fix this issue myself by learning. If I don’t learn from you, I’ll just accidentally create another creature with magic again, and this time, I’ll be caught! I’ll be executed!”

“That is not my problem!” Gretta roared, making every jar in the room shatter. Lights, little glowflies, and various eyeballs all spilled down to the floor while everyone gaped in shock. “Witches cannot be the answer to every damned problem this country has. I’m sorry, but I can’t.”

Before anyone could reply, she stormed outside, little shards digging into her feet.

Lady Ella fell down to her knees and sobbed.