Another Villainess

Chapter Eighteen

"Young Master!" The head maid, an older women ran towards him from the backlines, holding up her dress so it doesn't catch on the floor's broken glass.

Once she's close to him, she takes his wrists in each of her hands and examines the wounds. She's most likely the only person here who's able to do so, as the one who practically raised Zachary. Obviously not very well.

"Young Master. Please come with me to get your hands cleaned. If these cuts get infected then. . ." She nods to the other maids and scans her eyes across the floor. Two of them begin to swipe the glass with their shoes, pushing it into piles wherever their legs can reach, as two others run passed me, down the hall.

Zachary lets out a meek "okay" before following the head maid.

If I have to guess. . . which I don't, he went to visit the Callinghan home to speak with Alana, who he saw at the banquet after I left and fell in love with immediately, but instead, found Sylvian at the door, giving her an intimate goodbye.

"Are you alright, Leondra?"

Snapping out of a daze I look over, a tall man grins widely, his straight, platinum hair falling over his shoulder, glowing red eyes squinting too kindly at me.

"I am. And address me properly."

"So cold. . .  Shouldn't you be kinder to your best friend?"

Gabriel Arlay, Sylvian's younger brother and Leondra's childhood friend. The emperor sent him to foreign kingdoms starting when he was twelve to build connections with them to promote Sylvian's campaign, building allies for him.

"We are no longer children, Gabriel Arlay. Why are you here?"

He sighs, leaning against the wall. "Had some business with your father.  So how's Sylvian?"  He motions forwards with an open palm as we begin to walk, stepping over the glass as cleaning servants move out of our way.

"You already know I don't have an answer to that."

"I wouldn't say that, Leondra. I have been away for a long time. Feels like I missed out on a lot. And that I don't know as much as I should." His lower lids relax for a moment, and then his playful smile returns as he opens the front doors for me. "What a beautiful day!" He takes in a deep breath, closing his eyes.

"It is."

A bird flies down from the sky, landing on the grass not too far from the path we walk on. It pecks the floor, unaware of our presence until we stopped admiring it and continue walking, and then it flies away, frightened.

"Sylvian was in his study when I returned."

"How does that relate to me?"

"He didn't even turn around to give his little brother a big hug. Too preoccupied giggling over a perfumed letter. Is it safe to assume that it wasn't yours?"

Patting my hair down awkwardly, I scowl at his jeering smile. "You didn't answer how any of this related to me."

He shrugs, laughing a little as we reach the carriage.

"Thank you for walking with me, Leondra."

As the horses trots off, he continues waving enthusiastically at me until he is out of sight.