"Aveline?"
The voice came from the other side of the door.
Aveline stared at it.
Alaric stood beside her, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
Neither of them moved.
"Aveline," the voice said again. "Please open the door."
Aveline whispered, "That's my mother's voice."
"I know."
"You heard it?"
"Yes."
"Then why are you just standing there?"
"Because I'm trying to work out whether opening that door is a very stupid idea."
She frowned.
"You're taking too long."
"I've been told that before."
She almost smiled.
Almost.
Another knock.
Three quick taps.
Then two.
Aveline's expression changed.
"That."
"What?"
"The knocking."
Alaric looked at her.
"The same pattern?"
She nodded.
"Three. Then two."
He looked back at the door.
"Stay behind me."
"No."
"Aveline."
"If that's my mother, I'm not hiding behind you."
"And if it isn't?"
She thought about that.
"Then I'll hide behind you."
"Good."
He gave her hand a quick squeeze.
She squeezed back.
Then he opened the door.
Nothing.
The corridor was empty.
Aveline stepped out.
"Mother?"
No answer.
A draft moved through the corridor.
Something small lay on the floor.
Aveline bent down.
A silver key.
She picked it up.
There was one letter carved into the top.
E.
Alaric looked at it.
"Elara?"
"Probably."
Lennox's voice came from behind them.
"Why are you both standing outside an empty room in the middle of the night?"
They turned.
Lennox was coming toward them, half dressed and looking deeply offended by being awake.
He saw the key.
His expression changed.
"Where did you get that?"
"Someone left it here."
He took it from Aveline.
For a moment, he said nothing.
Then he gave it back.
"I know this key."
Aveline frowned.
"How?"
"It opens the old nursery."
Alaric looked at him.
"The nursery?"
"Yes."
"Why do you have a key to it?"
"I used to."
"Used to?"
Lennox shrugged.
"I lost it."
Aveline stared.
"When?"
"When I was ten."
"And you never thought that was important?"
"I was ten."
"You're really making a strong argument for why nobody should trust you with anything."
"I've been saying that for years."
Alaric sighed.
"Let's go."
⸻
The old nursery was at the end of a forgotten corridor.
The key turned with a stiff click.
The door opened.
Dust.
A broken chair.
A little wooden horse with one wheel missing.
Aveline stepped inside.
She didn't know why, but she felt strange.
She walked toward the wooden horse.
Her fingers touched the scratched wood.
A memory came.
A woman's voice.
A warm hand.
Someone laughing.
A little girl running across a room.
Aveline pulled her hand away.
"I've seen this."
Alaric looked at her.
"Where?"
"I don't know."
She walked farther into the room.
There was a painting hanging crookedly on the wall.
She stopped.
The painting showed the royal family.
The king.
The queen.
A younger Alaric.
And another child.
A little girl.
Aveline stared at her.
The girl wore a blue dress.
Around her neck was a silver locket.
Aveline slowly reached beneath her shirt and pulled out her own.
Lennox stopped breathing for a second.
"That."
Aveline looked at him.
"What?"
"That locket."
Alaric came closer.
He looked from the painting to the locket.
Then back again.
"That's the same one."
Aveline opened it.
Inside was the tiny picture she had carried for years.
A man.
A woman.
Two children.
Alaric leaned closer.
"That boy is me."
Aveline looked at the picture.
Then at the girl.
"That's me."
Nobody spoke.
Lennox sat down on the edge of the little bed.
"Well."
Aveline looked at him.
"Well what?"
He rubbed his hands over his face.
"I think this is bad."
"You think?"
"Yes."
"You've said that about everything tonight."
"Because everything tonight has been bad."
Aveline ignored him.
She stared at Alaric.
"You knew me."
He looked at the painting.
"I think I did."
"You think?"
"I was little."
"You're not helping."
"I know."
He moved closer.
"I remember a girl."
Aveline folded her arms.
"What girl?"
"You."
"You remember me?"
"Bits of you."
"Such as?"
He smiled.
"You stole my sweets."
Aveline stared at him.
"I did not."
"You did."
"I would never steal from you."
Lennox laughed from the bed.
"You absolutely did."
Aveline turned.
"You knew?"
"I watched you do it."
"And you didn't stop me?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because you were better at it than I was."
Alaric laughed.
Aveline shook her head.
"You were both terrible."
"We were children," Alaric said.
"You were thieves."
"Technically," Lennox said, "I was a duke."
"That doesn't make it better."
"No. But it sounds better."
Aveline smiled despite herself.
Then she looked back at the painting.
The smile disappeared.
"What happened?"
Nobody had an answer.
⸻
They searched the room.
Behind a loose floorboard, Lennox found a small wooden box.
He pulled it out.
Aveline crouched beside him.
"What is that?"
"Letters."
"From who?"
He opened the first one.
"Elara."
Aveline's hands went still.
She took it.
The handwriting was old and slightly uneven.
She read.
If they discover the truth, take her away.
Her eyes moved to the next line.
She must never know who her father really was.
Aveline looked up.
"Why?"
Alaric took the letter.
"I don't know."
She took another.
This one was addressed to the king.
You promised me she would be safe.
Aveline's face tightened.
"He promised her."
Alaric looked at the date.
"This was written the night you disappeared."
Aveline stared at him.
"How do you know?"
"The date."
She took the letter back.
There was another one underneath.
Lennox picked it up.
He read the first line.
"She's not dead."
Aveline looked at him.
"What?"
He turned the page over.
Nothing.
"No name."
"Who wrote it?"
"I don't know."
Alaric took the paper.
He examined it carefully.
"This is royal stationery."
Aveline stared at him.
"So someone here knew."
"Yes."
"Someone in the palace knew I was alive?"
"Looks that way."
"Then why did everyone let me grow up alone?"
Nobody answered.
Aveline laughed bitterly.
"Right."
A sound came from the corridor.
Footsteps.
Lennox closed the box.
Alaric moved toward the door.
The footsteps passed.
Everyone waited.
Nothing.
Lennox opened the door.
The corridor was empty.
He looked down.
A strip of black fabric was caught around the door handle.
Aveline picked it up.
She knew the material.
"Seraphina."
Alaric took it.
"We need to find her."
Lennox nodded.
"I know where she goes."
⸻
The old greenhouse stood behind the western gardens.
It was hardly used anymore.
Seraphina was there.
She stood beside a table covered with papers.
When the three of them entered, she looked up.
"You found it."
Aveline stopped.
"You knew we'd come?"
Seraphina gave a small shrug.
"I was expecting you."
Alaric stepped in front of Aveline.
"What do you want?"
Seraphina looked at him.
"You're very protective these days."
"Answer the question."
She smiled.
Then looked at Aveline.
"I want you to know the truth."
"Then tell me."
Seraphina's face became serious.
"Your mother lied to you."
Aveline nodded.
"I've heard that already."
"She wasn't the only one."
Alaric frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Seraphina ignored him.
"Your father wasn't killed by the king."
Aveline stared at her.
"What?"
"He was killed because he discovered what you were."
Aveline shook her head.
"What am I?"
Seraphina stepped closer.
"You were never supposed to survive."
The words sat there.
Aveline looked at Alaric.
He looked as confused as she was.
Seraphina pointed toward the locket.
"That belonged to your father."
Aveline opened it.
"You said my father was Lord Cassian Valemont."
"He was."
"Then what's the secret?"
Seraphina smiled.
"You know the name."
She glanced at Alaric.
"But you don't know what he was."
Alaric stepped forward.
"Stop playing games."
Seraphina laughed softly.
"You sound like your father."
"What was Cassian?"
"Ask the king."
"I'm asking you."
"You're wasting your time."
Aveline stepped forward.
"Tell me."
Seraphina looked at her.
Then at the papers on the table.
She picked them up.
Before Aveline could reach her, Seraphina threw them into the fireplace.
"Hey!"
Aveline rushed forward.
Alaric grabbed her arm.
"Wait!"
"Let me go!"
"The fire—"
"I need those!"
Lennox grabbed the metal poker beside the fireplace and pulled at the burning papers.
Most were gone.
One sheet remained.
Barely.
He handed it to Aveline.
She unfolded it.
At the top were the words:
ROYAL SUCCESSION AGREEMENT
She read the names.
Then read them again.
Her fingers tightened around the paper.
Prince Alaric Ravendale.
And beneath it—
Aveline Valemont.
She looked up.
"What is this?"
Alaric took the paper.
His face changed.
Seraphina said nothing.
Aveline looked from one person to another.
"Why is my name here?"
Nobody answered.
She pointed at the document.
"Why?"
Seraphina finally spoke.
"Because you're not who you thought you were."
Aveline shook her head.
"No. Don't do that."
"Do what?"
"Talk like that."
Seraphina watched her.
"Like what?"
"Like you're enjoying this."
For the first time, Seraphina looked almost sorry.
"I am not."
Aveline's voice became quieter.
"Then tell me."
Seraphina looked toward the door.
"There's no time."
A loud bang came from outside.
The greenhouse door slammed shut.
Aveline turned.
Someone had locked it.
Lennox rushed over and pulled the handle.
"It's locked."
Alaric drew his sword.
"Who locked it?"
No answer.
Then they heard footsteps outside.
Several people.
Seraphina's face went pale.
Aveline looked at her.
"You knew this would happen."
Seraphina didn't answer.
"You knew."
Another sound.
Metal scraping against the lock.
Aveline stepped backward.
Alaric moved beside her.
His shoulder brushed hers.
She reached for his hand.
He took it.
Neither said anything.
The footsteps stopped.
A voice came from outside.
"Open the door."
Lennox looked at Alaric.
"That's a guard."
Alaric shook his head.
"No."
"What?"
"I know that voice."
Aveline looked at him.
"Who is it?"
Alaric didn't answer.
The voice came again.
"Prince Alaric. Step away from the girl."
Aveline's grip tightened around his hand.
Alaric raised his sword.
"No."
Silence.
Then the lock began turning.
Slowly.
Aveline looked at Seraphina.
"What did you do?"
Seraphina whispered,
"Nothing."
The door opened.
And the king stood on the other side.