“I never received one.”

Like always Collins’ words echoed in my head. 

I wrote and sent that letter the same way I did last time. In person, spontaneously, and directly to the postman. Surely, it was simply late? Maybe lost in a stack of papers or blown away into the wind. 

Collins must’ve been overreacting about the whole thing. Who would want a princess's secret letters anyway…?

Liam grunted in pain. “My foot, Vivian—Princess!”

“What?” I snapped back into reality, realizing I was putting my whole weight onto Liam’s boot. “Oh, sorry.”

I stepped back. Avoiding his gaze as my eyes roamed the small corner of the castle we hogged. It was quiet, out of sight, and the perfect place to practice my dancing. Especially with the fact that Buckley managed to wrangle Liam for me. 

I worried at first that my subpar dancing would be cause for suspicion. But after making up a sad story about how my father, King Lionel, forbade me to dance at any function – they were more empathetic than suspicious. 

“My Lady, we’ve been at this for hours now and you’ve barely managed to learn six steps.” 

Her brow furrowed with worry. 

“It’s alright,” Liam said. “It took me months longer to learn any dance worth a function. Only thanks to my mother. Why don’t we take a break?”

I nodded, resigning myself to the backless couch set against the wall. Buckley was quick to sit beside me. Quietly at first, but by the way she started fidgeting with the ends of her dress, I could tell she wanted answers. 

“Buckley, I’m fine. Only distracted.” 

“Please tell me, My Lady.” She turned to face me. “I’m your lady in waiting. I won’t tell.” 

I let out a breath. “I think someone might be reading the letters I send.”

“That’s…..why do you think?”

“I wrote to someone in my kingdom, but they claim they never got the letter.”

“Well, that’s hardly cause for concern, My Lady. Letters come and go. Surely, it got lost and that’s all it is.”

“Unless it isn’t,” Liam said from the other side of the room. “I don’t mean to listen, but it’s echo-y.” 

“Do you think someone might be reading my letters?”

He walked over. “You are the princess from a somewhat enemy kingdom. Whatever you’re writing and to who is worth something to someone.  Anyone smart would at least take a look.”

“I brought you here to help,” Buckley said, side-eyeing him. “Don’t stress Her Highness.”

“What if she needs to be? What concerns you, Princess?"

I smoothed out the wrinkles in my dress. Liam is a knight, he could help, but letting him know too much or get too close would be dangerous…

“I wrote a letter and my friend says they never received it.” 

“I know that part, but if that was all then you wouldn’t be so worried. A letter goes missing and that’s not news. Is there someone you think is behind it—have you gotten threats or strange looks? Maybe your letters intercepted before?”

“I’m just worried.”

“Then let me help alleviate your worry.”

“How?”

“Write another letter, the same way you did last time. We’ll track it and see where it goes.”

“Her Highness should be practicing her dancing. Not running around on a goose chase.”

They started a back and forth that blurred into the background as I shut my eyes. Either Collins was right and someone was reading my mail, taking it even. Or it just got lost and everything was fine. 

When was anything fine?

“I want to track it,” I said, cutting back into the conversation. 

Buckley raised a hand in protest, but lowered it when she looked at my face. 

“Then write a letter, Princess,” Liam said, “The same way you did last time.”

Buckley and Liam dressed themselves in long plain cloaks with raised hoods, commoner wear, and stuck to the shadows of busy crowds. While I put on a sky blue dress and strolled through the streets. Letting my face be seen by whoever might want my letters. 

I popped the door to the post shop open, taking short strides to the counter as I semi–loudly asked for paper and ink. In the corner table I wasn’t sure what to write. So I wrote of the gray, cloudy sky and the cold wind on such an odd summer day. 

I dripped wax on the paper and sealed it shut. Then handed it to the man at the counter. Afterwards I walked out, joining Buckley and Liam in a dim alleyway. 

“Did you write it?”

“Yes. I gave it to the man.”

“And you marked it for your kingdom?”

I nodded. “What do we do now?”

“Seeing as you wrote the letter—the post should be heading out any minute now. Taking a straight path to the kingdom’s gates.”

We waited for an hour and nothing. From a distance we looked in through the window. People came and went, writing their own messages and reading new ones. 

It wasn’t until Liam’s stomach started growling, did the side door to the post shop open. Out came a man dressed in commoners clothes, but on his shirt a pin and his bag signifying his job. 

We followed him behind the crowds and through the shortcuts of the kingdom’s streets. Past the overlapping shouts of the market, and homes of its people as he delivered letter after letter. 

Three times we lost him, but thanks to Liam’s tracking talents, and a few questions from Buckley to wandering commoners – we found him. Though I worried he realized he was being followed. Truly between the three of us, Liam could not make up for our lack of stealth. It was non–existent. 

“My Lady, we’ve been following him for hours, and he’s been doing his job. Surely, this is enough to convince you there’s nothing wrong.” 

“Maybe you’re right”, I said, rubbing an aching shoulder. “We should head ba—”

The postman ducked into an alleyway. Looking over his shoulder with the worry of a man doing business. 

“Did you see that?” I asked. 

“I did.” Liam picked up his pace. “I think it's worth one more look.” 

With soft steps we hurried towards the alleyway. Glancing around the wall we saw the shape of the postman as he talked to a shadow. 

“You’re sure she wrote it?” The shadow asked.

“I saw her do it myself,” the postman replied.

“Good.” Whoever it was tore open my letter and read it. Muttering its contents out before handing it back. “Make sure it gets to wherever it's going. I don’t want—”

“Your Highness?” A voice squeaked behind me. 

The three of us launched backwards, out of sight from the alleyway.

Did they see us? 

“Oh, I didn’t mean to startle you,” the voice squeaked again. 

My heart pounded as I glanced their way. It was the girl, Fabienne’s young friend from the tea. 

She tucked her brown hair behind her ear. “Are you alright?”

“We’re fine,” I said, clearing my throat. “Sophie, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” she said, her face a little flushed. 

I glanced at Liam and tipped my head toward the alleyway – he understood immediately and walked in.

“Can I help you with something?” I asked. 

“No. I just wanted to say hi,” she gripped the basket tighter. “If that’s all right with you.”

“A greeting is fine any day. Though I’m sorry to say it can’t last. We’re on our way to an appointment.”

“O–of course. I’m sorry to keep you.” She curtseyed. “Your Highness.” 

I gave a bow of my head and hastened into the alleyway, followed by Buckley.

“You don’t have to acknowledge her, My Lady,” Buckley said, a little sour faced.

“What?”

“She’s Fabiennes friend.”

“I know, but….” 

I looked around the whole alley – empty. 

“He just walked in here.”

My stomach twisted into knots. Either Liam was chasing those men down or they took him somewhere. A postman couldn’t do much to him, but whoever was in that shadow…

“Princess.” 

I jumped. Relief coursed through me as I saw Liam walking towards us. 

“I tried following them, but they’re slippery. They realized they were being watched.” He crossed his arms. “If you want, I can continue the search. I’ll have another letter sent and follow it – arrest them on the spot and your worries are as good as gone.” 

As good as gone. If Liam looks too hard into this for me, he might just discover I’m not all I say I am. He’s a knight, loyal to his king. He wouldn’t hesitate to tell Wulfric, and Lionel’s already sent me here as a sacrifice. My death would mean nothing on any of their hands. 

“No. Leave it for now.”

Liam looked surprised. “Are you sure?”

“Undoubtedly.”