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I moved along the path in a haze, my steps dragging as my thoughts replayed everything Sir Andrew had said that evening.

Behind me, Cole trailed close, his hands still gripping the hem of my shirt as though afraid I might vanish. Why was he so unbearably clingy?

I didn’t have the energy to deal with him. My mind was too busy trying to understand why, no matter what I did, I could never seem to escape the Westwond estate.

Or that family.

The House of Westwond was not large in number—barely five souls—yet it carried enough trouble for an entire province.

At its head stood the Lady of Westwond, the young Duke’s mother. Since the passing of her husband, the late Duke, she held absolute authority over the household. That power would one day pass to her son, once he came of age.

Next was the young Duke’s grandmother, the Dowager Matriarch of Westwond, mother to the late Duke. Her word still carried weight, and servants treated her presence with the same reverence as law.

The third was the Duke’s aunt, addressed by servants as Lady Arcenna. She was the elder sister of the late Duke, a woman long shadowed by scandal. Rumor claimed her husband had fled years ago with stolen wealth from the Westwond treasury. His name remained etched high on the list of wanted criminals. The betrayal had broken her. Since then, she had sealed herself away, rarely stepping beyond her chambers, let alone the estate grounds. Some whispered that her mind had fractured, that she spoke to unseen companions and flew into violent fits when disturbed.

Then there was her only son—the young Duke’s cousin—currently absent from the estate, said to be undergoing military training far from Westwond lands.

And finally, the young Duke himself. The sole heir. Cherished obsessively by both his mother and grandmother, and destined to inherit the entire Westwond legacy.

I let out a quiet breath.

What a family.

And I wanted nothing to do with any of them.

The Westwonds were infamous for their sharp minds and sharper secrets. Schemes layered upon schemes. I had learned that once before—learned it so thoroughly that it had cost me my life in my first lifetime.

And now, somehow, I had been thrown right back into the lion’s den after finally clawing my way out.

What madness possessed Madame Marsala to place me here? Working near the head lady was no blessing—it was a constant trial. One misstep, one overlooked detail, and punishment would follow swiftly.

Worse still, I had been assigned to her most cherished garden.

Everyone knew that even the smallest error there could mean death.

I stopped walking, releasing a heavy sigh. Cole halted with me, still hovering close. Ever since learning I was being transferred, he had followed me everywhere, visibly shaken. I understood how he felt, but there was nothing I could change.

I turned on him sharply.

“Stop following me. And let go of my clothes. Aren’t you too grown to be acting like this?”

He pouted, his eyes reddening. Truly, who had given this boy such a large frame only to hide such a childlike heart within it?

He was two years older than me, yet acted like this.

I sighed and tugged my shirt free from his grip.

“Clare…” he murmured before suddenly pulling me into a tight embrace.

“Hey—”

I exhaled slowly, patting his shoulder. “There’s nothing I can do to stop this. I’ll visit whenever I can, alright?”

He shook his head stubbornly. “No. I don’t want you to go. Who knows when we’ll see each other again?”

“We work on the same grounds and sleep in the same quarters. How would we not see each other?”

“It’s not the same.”

“What difference does it make? And let go of me—you’re crushing me!”

After some struggle, he finally loosened his hold, though his arms still circled my waist. At least he wasn’t crying. I didn’t have the patience for that tonight.

He stared at me intently, watching my eyes dart about in confusion. I truly didn’t understand what he was thinking.

So I asked, “What?”

“You have pretty eyes.”

The words caught me completely off guard.

I blinked, stunned, then lifted my hands to push him away—only to accidentally smack his face in the process.

Oops.

At least he let go.

And why did my face feel so warm all of a sudden?

“Ow, Clare!” he complained, rubbing his cheek.

“Hmph. Serves you right,” I muttered, turning away. I needed to return to the servants’ ward immediately. The evening air felt strangely warm against my skin.

Cole tried to follow again, but I spun back, clenching my fists.

“Don’t even try it. Stay back.”

Then I ran.

Of course, he chased after me anyway. I had no choice but to weave through the wooded paths until I finally lost him. I leaned against a tree, breathing out in relief.

My mind buzzed with too many thoughts, so I forced them away. Just for tonight, I wanted peace.

Before I realized it, I was gazing up at the night sky again. Somehow, the stars never failed to pull me in. They felt like a familiar comfort, the one thing that remained constant no matter how many times life reset itself.

I lowered myself onto the grass, the soft earth cushioning my body. The Westwond estate truly spared no expense in its grounds—the lawns were trimmed like velvet beneath my fingers.

I relaxed, shifting slightly, unaware of when sleep claimed me.

Tap.

Something struck my forehead.

I jolted awake.

“Who dares—have you no respect?!” I shouted, rubbing the sore spot as I turned angrily.

“Oh?” came a calm voice. “Since when must I show respect in my own territory, little sparrow?”

Sitting against a tree a short distance away was the young Duke.

He lounged with effortless ease, one leg stretched out, the other bent, an arm resting lazily upon it. Moonlight outlined his sharp features, his gaze steady and unreadable as it studied me.

I nearly gasped. Instinctively, I almost knelt—but instead, I straightened, rubbed my chin, and met his stare. A reckless idea sparked in my mind.

“You’re that servant from earlier,” I said boldly, pointing at him. “The one who has a crush on a maid and dreams about her every night.”

His expression darkened instantly, surprise flashing before his face hardened.

I withdrew my hand slowly and swallowed. I may have gone too far. This was still the proud young Duke, after all.

He wouldn’t tolerate nonsense.

So I hurried to correct myself.

“Ah—don’t be angry. I didn’t mean it like that. What I meant to ask was…” I hesitated, forcing a nervous laugh. “Are you here to take me up on the offer I made earlier?”

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