The palace seemed quieter as we left the chamber behind, but the revelation about Eloida and Lyra lingered in the air like a heavy cloud. There was a certain tension between us now, the kind that follows after learning something you weren’t supposed to know. I could feel it gnawing at the edges of our minds, and I wondered how long it would be before one of us brought it up again.

Jay-Jay was still holding onto Sabrina’s hand, his face scrunched in thought. “Do you think Eloida likes being stuck with Lyra?” he asked, his innocent voice cutting through the silence.

Sabrina looked down at him with a soft smile. “I don’t think anyone would like that, Jay-Jay. But maybe it’s not as simple as ‘liking’ or ‘not liking.’ It’s probably... complicated.”

Jeanna scoffed from behind us. “Everything around here is complicated. Nothing’s ever straightforward.” She paused for a moment, then added, “Also, I’m calling it now—Lyra’s going to cause some serious drama before this is over.”

I smirked. “You’re probably right. But at least we know she doesn’t plan on killing us... yet.”

“Yay, silver linings,” Jeanna said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

We continued down the hallways, the eerie magic from the previous chamber still faintly buzzing around us. It was clear that Eloida’s chamber wasn’t just some hidden room—it was a place of power, and now we were carrying its secrets with us.

We rounded a corner and nearly bumped into a pair of guards standing at attention. They looked at us with narrowed eyes but said nothing, letting us pass without incident. Still, their presence reminded me that we weren’t just dealing with magical intrigue. We were still in the heart of the empire, surrounded by eyes and ears loyal to people we hadn’t even begun to understand.

“We need to figure out our next move,” I whispered as we entered a more deserted part of the palace.

Sabrina nodded. “Agreed. But what are our options? If we ask Eloida—or Lyra—for help, there’s no telling what kind of help we’d get.”

Jay-Jay suddenly tugged on Sabrina’s hand again, his voice curious. “Do you think they ever get tired?”

Sabrina blinked. “What do you mean, Jay-Jay?”

“Well,” he started, fidgeting with his fingers, “if there are two people in one body, do they take turns sleeping? Or do they stay awake all the time?”

Jeanna let out a surprised laugh. “That’s actually a really good question. What happens if one wants to take a nap and the other doesn’t?”

I chuckled. “Can you imagine the arguments they must have? ‘It’s my turn to rest, stop casting spells.’”

Sabrina tried to stifle her laughter. “Or ‘I’m trying to sleep, stop with the evil cackling!’”

Jay-Jay’s eyes widened. “They cackle?”

Jeanna grinned. “Witches always cackle. It’s in the witch handbook.”

As much as the humor lightened the mood, I could still feel the weight of everything looming over us. We had learned too much, and I had the distinct feeling that knowledge wasn’t going to come without a price.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed behind us. We all turned, half expecting to see another palace guard, but instead, it was Eamon, the Duke. His face was drawn, and his usually playful demeanor seemed distant.

“Duke?” Sabrina said, surprised and thrilled. “What are you doing here?”

He glanced over his shoulder before speaking in a hushed tone. “I’ve been looking for you. We need to talk.”

Jeanna raised an eyebrow. “Why do you look like you’re hiding something?”

Duke Eamon’s eyes darted to the walls, as if expecting someone to overhear. “Because I am. Meet me in the garden. I can’t talk here.”

Without another word, he hurried away, leaving us standing there, dumbfounded.

“Well,” Jeanna said, “that wasn’t suspicious at all.”

Sabrina frowned. “We should follow him. Something’s not right.”

We made our way through the palace to the garden, a beautiful, sprawling area that seemed out of place compared to the looming stone walls of the palace itself. Flowers bloomed in every corner, and the sound of trickling water came from a fountain in the center. It would have been serene, if not for the growing feeling of danger.

Duke Eamon was waiting for us near the fountain, his arms crossed and his face grim. When he saw us approach, he gestured for us to come closer.

“There’s something you need to know,” he whispered, his voice barely audible over the sound of the water. “There’s a power struggle happening here in the palace. The prince isn’t the only one trying to gain control.”

Jeanna’s eyes narrowed. “Who else is involved?”

Eamon’s gaze darkened. “The emperor is... distracted. There are factions within the court trying to use that to their advantage. One of those factions is led by someone who’s been using magic to manipulate events behind the scenes. And I think... I think Eloida is involved.”

Sabrina gasped. “But... she’s the Master of Magic. She’s supposed to be protecting the kingdom.”

Eamon nodded. “I know. But I’ve seen things, overheard things. There’s something darker at play here. Eloida—whether it’s her or Lyra—has been pulling strings.”

I felt a chill run down my spine. “But why? What could she possibly want?”

Eamon hesitated, glancing around to make sure no one was listening. “That’s the thing—I don’t know. But whatever it is, it’s big. And it’s dangerous. You need to be careful.”

Jeanna crossed her arms, her expression skeptical. “So we’re supposed to just... trust you on this?”

Eamon’s eyes met mine, and there was a sincerity there that couldn’t be faked. “I’m trying to help you. But you need to make a choice. Stay here and get caught up in whatever power struggle is happening, or find a way out before it’s too late.”

Jay-Jay tugged on Sabrina’s sleeve. “What are we going to do?”

I didn’t have an answer. But one thing was certain: whatever path we chose, it was going to be dangerous. And the more we learned about the palace, the more it seemed like the real danger wasn’t what was outside... but what was lurking within.