After tea, Erika and Leonardo explored their private quarters. They settled in as Sophia would. Closets overflowed with gowns. Mirrors gleamed. The library offered quiet corners for planning.
In the shadows, the black cat — long aware of Erika's secret — padded silently. Its dark eyes flicked toward her with recognition. Erika knelt and whispered softly. The cat circled her shoulders. It pledged allegiance. Together, they would navigate the unseen corners of the palace.
By mid-afternoon, Erika arranged a discreet meeting with Cassian Moreau. He was the young heir whose family controlled much of the island's investments. She had moved him to the cliffside estate for safety.
"You… you mimic a duchess," Cassian said, pale with realization. "But your words… they carry truth."
Erika removed the necklace briefly. The spell softened her face. "I speak like someone who has seen what your father's contracts have cost," she said gently. "Not to punish, but to awaken awareness."
Cassian trembled. He realized his family's role and the power he could wield.
Meanwhile, the palace hummed with intrigue. Prince Julian watched Erika from a balcony. She surveyed the lower quarter. Lanterns flickered like hesitant stars.
"You move through this island as though it is a board of chess," he said quietly.
"Perhaps it is," she replied. "Every board has pieces that must be understood before influence is possible."
Julian's eyes softened. "You see what the upper district ignores?"
Erika's gaze traced the dim alleys below. "I see the cost of unchecked privilege. Progress without accountability becomes oppression."
Music from the ballroom swelled as the sun dipped. Julian studied her closely. "You are unlike any duchess I have met."
"Titles," she said lightly, "are often costumes, Your Highness. I wear this one to be heard."
Zoe, ever watchful, appeared on the balcony opposite Erika. "You are bold," she said, calm and measured.
"And you are observant," Erika replied. Her voice carried Sophia's charm.
"You think my family built this island carelessly?"
"I think they built it efficiently," Erika answered.
Below, a lantern flickered faintly but persistently. Erika glimpsed her reflection in the pendant at her throat. She saw herself, not Sophia. Erika, the girl who once walked dockside streets. She had learned magic not for power, but survival.
Zoe followed her gaze downward. "My father says growth requires sacrifice," she murmured.
"Then perhaps it is time the powerful volunteered," Erika countered.
For the first time, Zoe did not defend her family. She simply watched. The lower quarter lay dim beneath the castle's gilded light.
The first light of dawn spilled through the tall windows of Royal Novelty Castle. Golden beams danced across polished floors and silk drapes. Chandeliers still glinted from the night before. Birds sang in the gardens. The scent of the sea drifted in from the harbor.
Erika, still disguised as Duchess Sophia, rose with Leonardo. Her gown was light cream silk, embroidered with delicate flowers. It was perfect for breakfast and outdoor activities. The necklace at her throat pulsed faintly. It reminded her of the magic that kept her disguise alive.