After a few days, I was still surprised that I had somehow managed to avoid the duke during waking hours. Nighttime was a different matter since the man seemed to perpetually inhabit my dreams. Though he was a malicious presence, in my dreams I was both somehow repulsed and drawn toward him at the same time.

And as far as avoiding him during the day…that was just plain luck. But knowing the estate as well as I did and being familiar with his daily routine also helped. Though since I now knew the game’s rules had been altered, it was only a matter of time until I encountered him again.

I didn’t know when that might happen, but as the deadline approached, I grew increasingly anxious. Hiding from him wasn’t a long-term solution. I’d known that from the beginning. But what else could I do?

Well, I could just do what I had originally tried to: sneak away and hope like hell no one noticed. It was either that or end up back on the chopping block for refusing to spy on Odessa unless I could figure out a way to get around his demand.

It was sheer desperation that sent me out the main entrance as soon as I was sure no one was watching me. I reasoned that the rules might have shifted just enough to make an escape a real possibility—and besides, how vital was a maid to the overall game? And who would even notice I was missing?

I took a basket as I left the manor, figuring I would pretend to be doing some shopping for Lady Odessa. But as I approached the outer entrance to the estate, a guard approached, a very large and very loud dog at his side.

I knew my plan had bitten the dust the second he laid eyes on me. “Maids must remain at the estate unless the duke says otherwise.”

I lifted the empty basket. “But I’m running an errand on behalf of Lady Odessa!”

But he only shook his head and pointed toward the manor. It was clear anything I said would be ignored, and if I tried to run, he would probably send the dog after me. The animal was staring at me in a knowing way, as if expecting me to do just that.

Scowling, I turned on my heel and started back toward the house, wondering if there was some way I could sneak out in the dead of night. There was likely to be a guard, but perhaps in the dark I wouldn’t be so easily caught?

I was seriously considering it when I turned down the hall to my room and the duke’s angry voice echoed through the house. “Shit,” I muttered, quickening my pace. The last thing I wanted right now was to run into him, especially when he already sounded pissed—which, given he was the villain here, was most of the time.

As I started to open my door, I heard Odessa’s pleading voice. “Please don’t hurt me, brother.”

I growled under my breath. This wasn’t good. I’d played the game enough to know that the more Odessa cried, the more severe the duke’s punishment would be.

I shouldn’t get involved. I really shouldn’t. My neck had already almost been on the chopping block once—and practically was now. I was treading on thin ice every time I was in the duke’s presence, and if I took the wrong step, it would shatter beneath my feet and send me to a certain doom.

But then again…Odessa was so sweet, and I did have her to thank—at least partially—for sparing me from the chopping block once. She’d spoken up against her brother—who she was terrified of—for my sake. That was no small thing. So…if there was anything I could do for her now, I had to try.

Cursing my conscience, I turned around and followed the sound of the duke’s bellowing until I reached his library. I paused in the doorway, struck still by the frightening scene unfolding before me. Odessa cowered in a corner while Duke Inferno held his walking stick, clearly prepared to use it on his sister. The stick itself was a severe-looking thing, twisted and made with a dark, hard wood. I didn’t need to be hit with it myself to know it would be agonizingly painful against tender human skin.

“Please don’t!” Odessa screamed, and my heart jerked, terrified but wanting somehow to stop this before she could be hurt.

“And why not?” the duke laughed. “You wretched excuse for a sister.”

As he raised the stick and Odessa held up her hands in a desperate attempt to shield herself from the blow, I acted on instinct. “Wait!”

He turned around, gasping at the sight of me. Just like before, there was anger in his eyes, and something else…but what, I wasn’t sure.

When he didn’t immediately rear back as if he was going to turn the stick on me, I took a few steps closer. “What offense did she commit to earn a beating?”

He glowered. “I don’t need a reason.”

That certainly checked out. Villains tended to do nasty things simply because they were villains.

I took a deep breath, bracing myself for what I was about to do. So much for avoiding confrontations. I’m just throwing myself back into the fire. “There must have been something,” I said. “I…know you would only punish someone if it is deserved.” A lie, of course, but maybe it would be enough to stop him from going any further.

He eyed me, his expression unreadable. “She wore blue,” he snapped. “I forbid her to wear blue on cloudy days because it reminds me of the absence of blue sky.”

Inside, I cursed. I’d known that and forgotten.

“I-I didn’t know the w-weather would change,” Odessa whimpered.

“Be silent!” he hissed, raising the stick again.

“Wait!” I cried. “If anyone is to blame here, it’s me.”

What the hell am I doing?

They gasped in unison. I met Odessa’s questioning gaze while the duke bellowed, “How is this your fault?!”

God, I really hated myself right now, but I hated to see Odessa beaten more—especially for such a stupid reason. I’d never been a fan of bullies in my old life—that was one of the reasons I liked video games so much. If you could get good enough, you could get revenge on the bullies. But in real life, that rarely happened.

Knowing I didn’t have much time to provide an answer, I anxiously cleared my throat. “I’m the one who laid out Lady Odessa’s dress this morning. I chose blue because I…I thought it would better match the duke’s own eyes.”

I didn’t have much hope that flattery would work on someone like Duke Inferno, but it was the only excuse I could think of on the spot. Odessa was staring at me with wide eyes while her brother’s darkened from sky blue to a menacing yet somehow still alluring midnight blue.

I hated that I had noticed them immediately upon entering the room, and that, even given the situation, I couldn’t seem to look away.

One dark brow arched. “My eyes?” His gaze flickered to Odessa’s dress. “I can see the resemblance,” he grumbled before frowning. “But Odessa still should have known better.”

He raised the stick again, and this time I did the only thing I could think of. I jumped between them.

“Please!” I pleaded. “It’s really my fault. I assured her you would be flattered by the gesture. She only wanted to please you, and if you strike her, you will bruise her beautiful skin, marring her appearance for the ball.”

“You…you…” he sputtered, clearly unsure of what to make of my explanation.

I fell to my knees and braced myself. Would the first blow be more painful than the rest?

I squeezed my eyes shut, terrified but resigned to the inevitable. There was no way he would let this slide—not after I’d talked back to him more than once and gotten between him and the punishment he seemed determined to deliver.

I waited for the blow, but it didn’t come. Tentatively, I looked up, finding the stick resting against the ground.

“Do not break the rules again,” he warned in a low voice, not looking at either of us as he stormed off, the walking stick making a resounding clack against the floor.

I turned to Odessa, whose stunned look must have mirrored my own. Had he really just…spared us both?

Odessa helped me to my feet. “What just happened?” she asked.

I couldn’t answer her. My mind was reeling. This…wasn’t right. The duke was supposed to hit Odessa for violating his absurd dress code, but…he didn’t. And when I’d tried to take her place, it didn’t make a difference.

And all of that meant that, despite my best efforts, I had interfered with the game once again.