Valaia carried the silver tray carefully, the aroma of fresh bread, fruit, and tea wafting through the air. She entered the chamber to find Kalythra already awake, standing by the mirror. The princess was slipping into a flowing gown of deep crimson, her back bare as she adjusted the straps.

Valaia froze in place, her eyes lingering on the smooth curve of Kalythra’s shoulders and the line of her back. The princess turned slightly, catching Valaia’s gaze in the mirror. A smirk tugged at her lips.

“Enjoying the view, servant?” She teased, her voice soft but playful.

Valaia’s lips curled into a grin as she set the tray down on the table. “If I could, Princess, I’d accompany you in bed all day.” Her words were bold, but the warmth in her voice carried a tenderness that made Kalythra pause.

A deep blush spread across the princess’s cheeks, and she turned away quickly, pretending to focus on the loose strand of hair she was pinning back. “You’re full of yourself,” Kalythra murmured, though the corner of her mouth betrayed a faint smile.

Valaia’s amusement faded as she studied the princess more closely. Kalythra’s movements were slower than usual, and her expression seemed distant, her usual sharpness dulled.

“Princess?” She called cautiously.

Kalythra turned to face her, her eyes meeting Valaia’s as a faint smile spread across her lips. She walked over to the tray and glanced at the food, but hesitated. The scent of the tea made her nose wrinkle, and she placed a hand delicately over her stomach.

“I don’t have much of an appetite,” she admitted, her voice soft. “But thank you.”

She stepped away from the tray and closed the distance between them, her steps unsteady but graceful. Kalythra rested her head on Valaia’s shoulder, the unexpected gesture sending a jolt through the servant.

“I’m not feeling well,” Kalythra murmured, her voice heavy with weariness.

Valaia stiffened for a moment, unaccustomed to such vulnerability from the princess. She hesitated before lifting a hand to gently stroke Kalythra’s back, her touch soothing.

“Shall I fetch the court physician?” She asked softly.

“No,” Kalythra said firmly, though her voice lacked its usual authority. “I just… need a moment.”

They stood in silence for a few breaths. The weight of the princess against her shoulder was disarming. Valaia’s mind raced, torn between the mission she carried and the growing emotions that pulled her to the woman in her arms.

As Kalythra pulled back slightly, her hand lingered on Valaia’s arm. Their eyes met, and for a moment, the air between them felt charged with something unspoken.

“You’re too good to me,” she whispered, her smile faint but sincere.

Valaia chuckled lightly, though her heart ached. “It’s my duty, Princess.”

But in her mind, she knew the truth: this was far beyond duty.

Valaia chuckled softly, her fingers lifting to cup Kalythra’s face. She leaned in and pressed her lips against the princess’s, the kiss tender at first but quickly growing passionate. Kalythra’s breath hitched as she melted into it, her arms instinctively wrapping around Valaia’s neck.

But just as the heat between them intensified, Kalythra pulled back abruptly, her expression twisting with discomfort. She placed a hand over her stomach, her other hand gripping Valaia’s arm for balance.

“I’m sorry,” Kalythra whispered, her voice strained.

Valaia immediately helped her sit on the edge of the bed, her hands steady and gentle. “Don’t apologise,” she said softly, kneeling in front of the princess. Concern shadowed her face as she studied Kalythra’s paleness. “Are you alright?”

Kalythra raised a brow, a faint smirk tugging at the corners of her lips despite her discomfort. “Why do you look at me like that? As if we’re some married couple.”

Valaia paused, her gaze dropping momentarily. Her thoughts swirled as she considered the princess’s words. Then she met Kalythra’s eyes with a wry smile. “I don’t think you’d want to be married to me,” she said lightly.

Kalythra’s expression shifted, her smirk vanishing as her eyes darkened. “So, you’d rather be married to that lover of yours,” she said bitterly, her voice sharp as glass.

Valaia froze, her stomach tightening at the mention of her lost lover. Her frown deepened as she met the princess’s accusing gaze. “How do you know about her?” she asked, her voice low and cautious.

Kalythra hesitated, her lips parting slightly as if to speak, but no words came. The pause was enough for suspicion to take root.

Valaia’s eyes narrowed, her voice sharpening like a blade. “Are you the one who killed her?”

Kalythra’s breath hitched, and her eyes darted away, betraying the guilt that flickered beneath her composed exterior. The tension in the room thickened, and Valaia leaned closer, her expression dark and dangerous.

The look in Valaia’s eyes was chilling, a storm brewing behind her gaze. Kalythra swallowed hard, realising that if she admitted the truth, there would be no mercy in Valaia’s wrath.

“Valaia…” she began, her voice softer now, but her words were careful, calculated. “I would never harm you like that.”

Valaia’s jaw tightened, and she pulled back slightly, the doubt clear in her expression. “Don’t lie to me, Kalythra,” she said coldly. “If you did this, I’ll—”

“I didn’t!” Kalythra interrupted, her voice rising in desperation and before anything else could be said, the princess bent over vomiting out the contents of her stomach, undigested lamb and fruits. The chamber instantly filled with the stench of bile.